Rome, Lazio

OVERVIEW OF ROME Rome, the 'Eternal City', is the capital of Italy and of the Lazio (Latium) region. It's the famed city of the Roman Empire, the Seven Hills, La Dolce Vita (sweet life), the Vatican City and Three Coins in the Fountain. Rome, as a millenium-long centre of power, culture and religion, having been the centre of one of the globe's greatest civilizations, has exerted a huge influence over the world in its c. 2,500 years of existence. The Historic Centre of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With wonderful palaces, millenium-old churches and basilicas, grand romantic ruins, opulent monuments, ornate statues and graceful fountains, Rome has an immensely rich historical heritage and cosmopolitan atmosphere, making it one of Europe's and the world's most visited, famous, influential and beautiful capitals. Today, Rome has a growing nightlife scene and is also seen as a shopping heaven, being regarded as one of the fashion capitals of the world (some of Italy's oldest jewellery and clothing establishments were founded in the city). With so many sights and things to do, Rome can truly be classified a "global city".Grand symbols of antiquity co-exist quite happily with a great number of Rome's residents - and, notoriously, a great deal of traffic - going about their vibrant day-to-day life. Most of the major sights are within a reasonable distance of the railway station, Stazione Termini. The Palatine Hill and the Forum are the centre of ancient Rome. THINGS TO DO IN ROME It may sound like a city of contrasts, but Rome's timeless magic lies in its ability to blend the old with the new. Empires have risen and fallen, old gods have been replaced with new ones, but Rome remains. Once visited, you'll never forget Rome's incomparable architecture, the ancient peeking out from behind the modern, yet all rubbing along in some kind of rough harmony. Particularly striking is the awesome sight of the partially ruined Colosseum in the distance at the end of a wide, traffic-choked road; the glorious Trevi Fountain tucked away in a square dotted with souvenir shops; and St Peter's and the Vatican set snootily aloof across the river in a country all of their own. Rome is a vast city, but the centre is actually quite small, considering how many layers of history are packed within it - Etruscan tombs sit alongside Republican meeting rooms, Imperial temples overlook early Christian churches and mediaeval bell towers, Renaissance palaces and baroque basilicas all share the same piazza. More than any other capital city in western Europe, there's an amazing concentration of monuments and buildings here, but unlike, say, Venice, Rome is a living city rather than a museum piece. Via del Corso runs north from the Forum to Piazza del Popolo, with the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain just to its east. The Vatican is north-west of the Forum, across the River Tiber. Fiumicino airport is south-west of the city, while Ciampino is south-east. Stazione Termini is just northeast of the Palatine Hill and the Forum. The main bus station is just outside Termini. Don't even think about trying to drive round - Rome's reputation as the traffic-jam capital of Europe is perfectly justified, even despite recent attempts to pedestrianise the centre. Take a bus if you must and at least you can people watch while you're waiting and listen to the tourist commentary for an added bit of education - watch your wallet in crowded places, though, including the notorious pickpocket-friendly 64 bus from Termini to the Vatican. But you don't have to be super-fit to walk round the major sights - in fact, simply wandering where your feet take you is the best way to fall upon lesser-known statues, churches and fountains, equally beautiful and certainly less crowded than the city's more famous attractions. Or take advantage of the hop-on, hop-off tourist buses that circle all the best bits, including the Vatican. And if you get footsore, there's always a handy café in which to take a seat and watch the Romans going around their business. But remember, as with all capital cities, you will pay for the privilege.

Right Now · June 2026

Where to Eat

Armando al Pantheon — The Gargioli family has held court in this wood-paneled room, steps from the Pantheon, since 1961, now in its third generation. Order the rigatoni all'amatriciana and the sour-cherry tart, and book no fewer than thirty days out; dinner slots disappear faster than Rome's summer light.

Trattoria Pennestri — A Testaccio address that earns its loyalty through discipline, not nostalgia: the menu pivots with the season, the wine list skews natural, and the dessert — a bittersweet chocolate mousse on Sardinian flatbread, scented with rosemary — is among the most singular in the city. Closed Mondays; call ahead.

Enoteca La Torre — Set within Anna Venturini Fendi's Villa Laetitia on the Lungotevere, this double-Michelin-starred dining room runs a surprise seven-course tasting menu steered by Campanian chef Domenico Stile, whose supply lines run south to Sorrento lemons, buffalo milk, and the morning's fish market. Tasting menus from €180.

Capo Boi — The upscale Parioli address reads as serious on paper, but the room operates closer to a dinner party thrown by a well-traveled uncle. Salt-baked fish arrives tableside in a small theater of flame, bottarga shavings land on crackly pane carasau, and platters of pristine raw shellfish give the table somewhere to begin. Come with four or more.

Trattoria da Enzo — On the quieter flank of Trastevere, checkered tablecloths and a chalkboard of daily specials set the tone for what is among the most consistently recommended Roman lunches in the city. Crispy artichokes, stracciatella with cherry tomatoes, and the silkiest rigatoni alla carbonara you're likely to find; close out with the tiramisu.

After Dark

Drink Kong — Patrick Pistolesi's neo-noir, Manga-meets-Blade-Runner bar near Piazza Vittorio spreads across four rooms of dark lacquer, neon, and harlequin floors. The drinks menu is organized by flavor alone — bitter, sweet, dry — and the mixologists field questions without condescension. Among the more reliably sophisticated cocktail programs in Italy, full stop.

The Court at Palazzo Manfredi — The cocktail lounge occupies the edge of the Ludus Magnus ruins, which means your sightline at dusk runs directly to the Colosseum — street-level, unobstructed, and more affecting than any rooftop perch in town. Bar manager Matteo Zed works Roman ingredients and history into a precise, evocative drinks list; the Rising Sun (gin, yuzu, matcha) earns its reputation.

The Jerry Thomas Project — Rome's original speakeasy still requires a membership card, an advance booking, and the daily password, hidden somewhere on the website. Vodka remains banned; Manhattans, Sazeracs, and Old-Fashioneds are revered. The ceremony is part of the point, and the drinks justify every hoop.

Out of Town

Appian Way E-Bike Tour — Leaving the city on two wheels along the Via Appia Antica is the most efficient antidote to Rome's July crowds, and the electric assist makes the basalt-cobble stretches manageable in June heat. Small-group departures take in the early Christian catacombs and the aqueduct ruins well beyond the usual tourist perimeter — book the longer format for the catacombs access.

Domus Aurea (Nero's Golden House) — The imperial estate Nero commissioned in 64 AD remains one of Rome's more genuinely strange experiences: a series of underground pavilions set around what was once an artificial lake, now threaded by a surprisingly effective VR overlay that restores the painted vaults and gilded ceilings. Tickets sell out on the official Coop Culture site; plan early.

Horseback Riding on the Appian Way — The only stable licensed to operate on the ancient road itself offers one-hour and longer rides past tomb monuments, catacomb entrances, and the collapsed arches of the aqueducts. June mornings are still cool enough to make the experience unhurried; the owner's commentary on the ruins alongside the route earns its billing.

On the Calendar

Opera di Roma at Terme di Caracalla — Summer Season (July–August 2026) — Since 1937, the Teatro dell'Opera has staged its summer program inside the third-century Baths of Caracalla, one of the largest and best-preserved imperial bath complexes in the Roman Empire. The open-air stage, framed by brick vaults and mosaic floors, makes even repertoire warhorses feel like something rare. Check operaroma.it for the 2026 programme and book well in advance — Romans treat these performances as annual fixtures.

VinòForum (June 2026, northern Rome) — The annual wine festival draws over 2,500 labels from 500 producers into a single sprawling venue, with pop-up restaurants staffed by Michelin-starred chefs and a dedicated academy track of guided tastings and master classes. The scale sounds unwieldy; the curation keeps it from feeling that way. Confirm exact dates at the official site before arriving.