🇮🇹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 comfort 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
Is Rome expensive to visit?
Yes, by the standards of the cities this site covers: a mid-range day in Rome costs $95–170 per person, and its $130 midpoint is 44% above the $90 median across all 127 cities here. Within Italy it sits right at the $128 average of our 3 Italy guides. That makes it pricier than 100 of the 127 cities, with a cheap meal at €6–12 ($6.50–13) and a mid-range hotel at €100–200 ($108–216) a night.
How much does a trip to Rome cost?
| Trip length | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | $165–300 | $285–510 | $510–930 |
| 5 days | $275–500 | $475–850 | $850–1,550 |
| 7 days | $385–700 | $665–1,190 | $1,190–2,170 |
| 14 days | $770–1,400 | $1,330–2,380 | $2,380–4,340 |
Per person and before flights, 3 days in Rome costs $285–510 mid-range, five days $475–850, a week $665–1,190 and two weeks $1,330–2,380; a week costs about $385–700 on a budget and $1,190–2,170 travelling in comfort.
Per person in US dollars, flights not included. Each total is a daily range from the band above multiplied out: mid-range is the guide's researched figure and already includes a mid-range room; budget and comfort scale it by 0.6 and 1.8, so treat those two as rough. The trip calculator lets you set your own days and group size.
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
| Earnings | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Been recently? Check our prices
One tap per figure. Check-ins reset whenever this guide is re-priced, so they only ever vouch for the numbers you see here.
Trip cost calculator
$130 per person per day · 4 nights of lodging (Mid-range hotel)
A rough estimate, not a quote. The daily budget already includes a room, so one traveler pays exactly days × that budget; lodging is the room’s part of it, priced from the hotels below but never more than 45% of the trip. Extra travelers share the room and add only their own spending. 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.
Map
Drag to look around, or open Google Maps ↗ · Apple Maps ↗
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).
How to spend a trip to Rome
Rome's sights fall into three clusters — ancient Rome, the historic center, and the Vatican — each walkable inside itself and a slog between. Every day below stays inside one of them.
One day is a highlights reel, and that is fine here: the ancient core and the historic center sit next to each other, so a day on foot covers more than it has any right to.
- MorningThe Colosseum and the Roman Forum, booked in advance. Both sell out days or weeks ahead in peak season.
- MiddayPizza al taglio or a trapizzino eaten on the walk north into Monti.
- AfternoonThe Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain, with coffee and drinks a few streets off each rather than on them.
- EveningDinner in Trastevere, then a spritz at Freni e Frizioni with the crowd out on the piazza.
Three days is this guide's own answer: ancient Rome, the historic center, and the Vatican, each with a day to itself and none of them rushed.
- Day 1Ancient Rome: the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine, finishing with an evening in Monti.
- Day 2The historic center on foot: the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Campo de' Fiori and the Trevi Fountain, with lunch at Roscioli if you booked it.
- Day 3The Vatican, with tickets bought well ahead, then Prati for lunch and Castel Sant'Angelo on the walk back over the river.
Five days does not overstay in Rome. Three covers the essentials; the two after that are where the city stops being a checklist. Slow down rather than adding sights.
- Days 1–3The three-day plan above: ancient Rome, the historic center, the Vatican.
- Day 4The neighborhoods: Testaccio, where the trapizzino was invented, then Trastevere properly rather than just for dinner, and an evening at Teatro dell'Opera or the Auditorium Parco della Musica.
- Day 5Either the museums and churches the first three days skipped, or a day out of the city — Florence is a straightforward train ride and has its own guide here.
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
🇪🇸Barcelona
SpainGaudí's playground on the Mediterranean — surreal architecture, beach afternoons, and late nights in the Gothic Quarter.
🇫🇷Lyon
FranceFrance'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.
🇸🇪Gothenburg
SwedenSweden's laid-back second city — canals, a working port, unpretentious seafood, and a directness that Stockholmers call rude and everyone else calls refreshing.
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