🇮🇹Rome
The Eternal City — ancient ruins, Renaissance piazzas, and some of the world's best food, all stacked on top of 2,700 years of history.
Mid-range figures, per person
Per person, no flights — those are just below. The mid-range figure is researched; budget and luxury scale it, so treat the two as rough. The trip calculator and hotels below break the day down properly.
Fares are into Rome or Milan; Venice sometimes prices the same. Florence is a cheap train ride from either. Ranges are typical fares booked 1–3 months out, checked mid-2026 — school-holiday peaks run higher, and patient shoppers beat the bottom end.
Prices checked · how we work these out
Entry & visa
Most Western passport holders (US, UK, Canada, Australia) can visit Italy visa-free for up to 90 days within the Schengen Area for tourism. Check current rules for your passport before booking.
Visa rules turn on your nationality and change often — always confirm the current requirement for your own passport with an official government source before you book.
Quick facts
Money & what things cost
Cards are widely accepted almost everywhere, including small trattorias and market stalls, but it's worth carrying some cash (€20–50) for tiny bars, tips, or the odd cash-only spot. Contactless payment is standard on Rome's metro and buses. ATMs (bancomat) are everywhere — avoid the standalone currency-exchange-style ATMs that pitch a bad conversion rate ('DCC') and always choose to be charged in euros, not your home currency.
What locals earn
| Average monthly salary (Rome) | ≈ €2,000 ($2,150) | gross; take-home is noticeably lower after taxes |
| Minimum wage | No national statutory minimum — set by sector collective bargaining |
Food & drink
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Pizza al taglio (slice) or supplì | €3–5 | $3.25–5.40 |
| Casual trattoria meal, per person | €15–25 | $16–27 |
| Mid-range restaurant dinner, per person | €30–50 | $32–54 |
| Espresso at the bar (standing) | €1.20–1.50 | $1.30–1.60 |
| Aperol spritz or house wine | €6–9 | $6.50–9.70 |
Transport
| Item | Local price | ≈ USD |
|---|---|---|
| Metro/bus single ticket (100 min) | €1.50 | $1.60 |
| 24-hour transit pass | €7 | $7.55 |
| Taxi flag fare / short ride | €3.50 flag + metered | $3.75+ |
| Fiumicino Airport → city center (Leonardo Express train) | €14 | $15 |
Where to sleep & what it costs
| Tier | Per night | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm | €25–45 ($27–48) | Clusters near Termini station and Trastevere |
| Budget hotel | €60–100 ($65–108) | Often small family-run B&Bs near the historic center |
| Mid-range hotel | €100–200 ($108–216) | Best value near Monti, Trastevere, or Prati |
| Luxury | €300+ ($325+) | Historic palazzo hotels near the Spanish Steps and Piazza Navona |
Trip cost calculator
$260 per person per day · 4 nights of lodging (Mid-range hotel)
A rough estimate from this page’s daily budget and hotel prices — not a quote. Lodging assumes one room for the group; flights use the midpoint of the Getting there ranges above.
Getting around
- From the airport
- Fiumicino (FCO) is the main international airport, about 45 minutes from downtown; the Leonardo Express train runs direct to Termini station for €14. The smaller Ciampino (CIA) airport serves budget airlines and connects via bus to Termini.
- Metro & buses
- Two main metro lines (A and B) cover the major sights reasonably well, though the historic center is served more by buses and trams than the metro — construction limits have kept the underground network smaller than most European capitals.
- On foot
- The historic center is compact and best explored on foot — cobblestones and hills mean comfortable shoes matter more than a transit pass for most sightseeing days.
- Taxis & ride apps
- Official white taxis queue at stands rather than being hailed on the street; Uber operates in a limited, more expensive black-car form. Agree on or confirm the meter before you get in.
Neighborhoods to stay in
- Centro Storico (historic center)
- Walking distance to the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and Trevi Fountain — atmospheric but can be noisy and pricier.
- Trastevere
- Cobblestone charm, Rome's best nightlife and trattorias, across the river from the main sights.
- Monti
- Trendy, walkable, near the Colosseum and Roman Forum, with a more local feel.
- Prati
- Quieter, residential, near the Vatican — good for families or a calmer base.
Things to do
Nightlife
Restaurants
Theater & shows
Tipping & etiquette
- Cappuccino is considered a breakfast-only drink by locals — ordering one after a meal marks you as a tourist (harmless, but a fun thing to know).
- Dress codes are enforced at churches, including St. Peter's Basilica — shoulders and knees must be covered to enter.
- Many restaurants close between lunch and dinner service (roughly 3–7pm) — don't expect a hot meal outside those windows outside of tourist zones.
- Standing at the bar (al banco) for coffee is cheaper than sitting at a table — the same espresso can cost 2–3x more with table service.
- August sees many small family-run shops and restaurants close for weeks as Romans go on their own summer holiday (ferragosto).
Safety & common scams
Rome is very safe for violent crime, including at night in the main tourist areas. The real risks for visitors are pickpocketing and low-level scams around crowded sights and public transit, not personal danger.
Scams to know
- Pickpocketing on crowded buses/metro (especially route 64 to St. Peter's) and around the Colosseum — keep bags zipped and in front of you.
- 'Free' bracelet or rose sellers near major landmarks who then aggressively demand payment — decline firmly and keep walking.
- Unlicensed taxi touts at the airport or Termini offering a flat 'discounted' fare — use the official taxi rank or a licensed app instead.
- Restaurant menu switching or inflated 'tourist menus' near major piazzas — check prices before ordering, especially for fish and seafood priced by weight.
Emergency numbers: 112 (general EU emergency number, routes to police/ambulance/fire) — tourist police are stationed near major sights and speak some English
Phone & internet
Get an eSIM (via Airalo or similar) before you land, or a physical SIM from an Italian carrier (TIM, Vodafone, WindTre) at the airport or a phone shop — bring your passport. EU roaming rules mean SIMs from other EU countries also work at no extra cost. Free Wi-Fi is common in cafes and hotels, but isn't always reliable at busy tourist sites.
First-timer FAQs
How many days do I need in Rome?
Three full days covers the essentials — ancient Rome (Colosseum, Forum), the historic center (Pantheon, Trevi, Navona), and the Vatican — at a reasonable pace without rushing every sight.
Do I need to book the Colosseum and Vatican in advance?
Yes, strongly recommended — both sell out days or weeks ahead in peak season, and advance tickets let you skip hours-long walk-up lines.
Is Rome walkable, or do I need to use transit a lot?
The historic core is very walkable and most first-timers spend more time on foot than on transit — but the Vatican and Trastevere are far enough that a bus, tram, or short taxi ride helps on tired-feet days.
Is tap water really safe to drink from the street fountains?
Yes — Rome's nasoni (the small cast-iron drinking fountains found across the city) run safe, cold, constantly-flowing water, and locals refill bottles from them regularly.
Similar cities to consider
Gaudí's playground on the Mediterranean — surreal architecture, beach afternoons, and late nights in the Gothic Quarter.
France's actual food capital, whether Paris admits it or not — a Renaissance old town, hidden passageways called traboules, and bouchons where three courses arrive like a small ceremony. Two rivers, one serious obsession with eating well.
Sweden's laid-back second city — canals, a working port, unpretentious seafood, and a directness that Stockholmers call rude and everyone else calls refreshing.
Rome or…?
Side-by-side cost comparisons with the other Italy guides — and its rivals abroad.