A taste of Rome
Imagine you’re navigating a Vespa through the streets of Rome...
Buzz past the splendour of the Colosseum – waving to the stray cats – fly through the air and land beside the Trevi Fountain, scooping up enough coins for an espresso.
This wonderful cultural mix moves at a considerable pace, and the blend is powerful enough to imbue weekend breaks in Rome with a chaotic, unforgettable flavour.
There is an otherworldly feeling about the city. It lies in the collision of old and new, the stately and the super-powered. It rises from the labyrinth of cobbled streets and ancient buildings, the scent of roses and traffic fumes, the screeching of swallows overhead declaring: “Benvenuto a Roma!”
Inside the vast museums and dark tombs in the Vatican, hundreds of years of religion and dust give any conversation added gravitas. Emerge, blinking, into the light and glory of the Sistine Chapel, and feel your perspective shift as you gaze upwards. Weekend breaks in Rome provoke undivided attention.
Rome surprises in the backstreets, where it seems every corner turned has another exquisite statue or fountain, often first glimpsed through a tangle of washing lines.
Whether you’re staring at St Peter’s Basilica or taking an evening stroll through the Trastevere district, all that eye candy will inevitably prompt a trip to the nearest gelateria so you can concentrate on ice cream.
Feast
on the legendary ice cream at San Crispino on Via Acacia 56 (also on Via della Panetteria 42 and Via Bevagna 90). No cones are allowed as, according to the makers, it interferes with the taste. Sample the green tea, pomegranate or – if you’re brave – mushroom flavours.
Gaze
at the wonderful view of the Forum from the Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II - itself a massive, statue-encrusted building on Capitoline Hill, lampooned locally as “the wedding cake” or “the typewriter” thanks to its white marble, over-the-top construction.
Doze
in a quiet corner of the Villa Borghese. Exploring this splendid park could take several weekend breaks in Rome, strolling off a gorgeous pasta lunch, hunting down the water clock and supping allegedly Rome’s best water from the Fontanella (drinking fountain) by the lake.
Jon, musician, BathSitting in St Peter’s Square, munching on sfogliatelle, we watched the sun come up. The place was deserted, nobody around except for some nuns. I felt like the whole city was taking a deep breath in before the next crazy day
Quick search
Weekend breaks in Rome
Hotels in Rome
Sightseeing and tours
Rome life
Three course meal with wine
€35
Campo de’ Fiori street market
free
Boat journey on the River Tiber
€1
Tourist visas to Italy
No - Nationals of UK, EU, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Japan
Yes - Nationals of South Africa, India
Guide only – always check with embassies before travel
Travel to Rome
Flights to Rome
| from | duration |
|---|---|
| London | 2h30 |
| Manchester | 4h55* |
| Edinburgh | 6h15* |
*average, including 1 stop
Airports
Rome Ciampino (CIA)
15km to Rome city centre
Fiumicino (FCO)
32km to Rome city centre
All figures approximate
Average daily highs °C