Rome is known as the Eternal City and is a truly magical place to visit. There is so much history and culture here, it is almost impossible to see and do everything. Here is a brief list of tips to help you plan your own Roman Holiday.
1. Rome tends to get extremely crowded especially during summer. While this greatly lessens the appeal of visiting this ancient city, it is not an excuse. Be smart- you can either visit during the off-peak season (I went in early December) or choose to visit the lesser known attractions.
2. WALK! Most sites are not too far apart and getting lost is part of Rome's charm.
3. Have gelato, everyday. You are on holiday after all.
4. There are roughly over 900 basilicas and churches in Rome, with some being more popular than others. While Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City is an absolute must, choose to visit these other churches at your own pace. Unless you are on a religious pilgirmage, you aren't missing out that much.
5. Skip the audio guide at the Vatican Museum and the Colosseum. Its hardly informative and pretty generic.
6. For the first half of my trip, I stayed in the suburbs which was roughly a 15 minute commute to the Vatican and a 30 minute commute to the city itself providing there is no traffic. While this meant I couldn't stay out too late, it offered a different insight to the real Rome and a refreshing break from all the crowds. But the best part was the food- cafes here were catered to the locals and served super authentic food at a fraction of the cost. FYI, the food in Rome is not cheap nor the tastiest when compared to other parts of Italy. My rule is to always avoid the cafes around the piazzas (this should be strictly for people watching only), take a left instead and walk two streets down and look for a hidden cafe somewhere.
7. Lastly, write in to the Vatican and request for tickets to the Scavi Tour for the excavations under Saint Peter's Basillica. Its a small operation with only 120 visitors permitted each day. I could go on a bit about this tour, but simply put- it was the highlight of my trip to Rome!
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