Rome Travel Guide

Rome Travel Guide: Taxis, Airports, Safe Areas, Tours, Tickets, Food and Where to Stay

Rome is one of the most exciting cities in Europe, but planning a trip can feel confusing.

How do taxis work? Should you pay in cash or by card? Which bus goes to the airport? Where should you stay? Which areas are safe? Do you need a guided tour? Where can you eat breakfast and dinner without falling into a tourist trap?

This practical Rome travel guide answers the questions tourists ask most often.

You will find advice about transportation, airport transfers, accommodation, safety, tours, tickets, museums, restaurants, breakfast, taxis and the best areas to explore.

Quick Rome Travel Advice

Before looking at individual attractions, keep these basic tips in mind:

• Book the Colosseum in advance.
• Reserve the Borghese Gallery before your trip.
• Buy Vatican Museums tickets only from the official website or a trusted tour company.
• Use official white taxis with a visible license number.
• Ask whether card payment is available before starting a taxi ride.
• Keep small cash for cafés, markets and small purchases.
• Stay near a metro station if you want easy transportation.
• Wear comfortable shoes because Rome is best explored on foot.
• Avoid restaurants with aggressive staff, large tourist menus and photographs of every dish.
• Check official websites for opening hours, ticket rules and temporary closures.

How to Get Around Rome

Rome is large, but many of the most important attractions are within walking distance of one another.

The historic center, including the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and Campo de’ Fiori, is easiest to explore on foot.

For longer distances, you can use the metro, buses, trams, taxis or ride-hailing applications.

Rome Metro

Rome has three main metro lines:

• Line A
• Line B
• Line C

Line A is useful for areas near the Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo, Vatican City and Termini Station.

Line B is useful for the Colosseum, Circus Maximus, EUR and Termini Station.

The metro is usually faster than a bus when traveling across the city, but stations can be crowded, especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

Rome Buses and Trams

Buses reach areas that are not directly served by the metro.

However, Rome traffic can be heavy, so a bus journey may take longer than expected.

Always check the route in Google Maps, Moovit or the official local transport application before leaving.

Buy your ticket before boarding whenever possible.

Tickets may be available from:

• Metro stations
• Tobacco shops marked with a “T”
• Newsstands
• Ticket machines
• Official transport applications

Remember to validate a paper ticket when required.

Walking in Rome

Walking is often the best way to see Rome.

The distance between the Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona is manageable, although the streets are sometimes uneven and crowded.

Wear comfortable shoes and carry a refillable water bottle.

Rome has public drinking fountains called nasoni, where you can refill your bottle with drinking water.

Taking a Taxi in Rome

Official taxis in Rome are white and display a taxi sign on the roof.

They should have a visible license number and official fare information inside the vehicle.

Where to Find a Taxi

You can find official taxis at:

• Fiumicino Airport
• Ciampino Airport
• Termini Station
• Piazza Venezia
• The Colosseum
• Vatican City
• Major hotels
• Official taxi ranks throughout the city

You can also request a taxi through an official taxi application or by calling the city taxi service.

Avoid accepting rides from people who approach you inside airports or train stations.

Use the official taxi rank instead.

Can You Pay for a Taxi by Credit Card?

Most official taxis in Rome should accept credit and debit cards.

However, card machines may occasionally have technical problems, the connection may fail or the driver may claim that the machine is not working.

For this reason, it is wise to carry some cash as a backup.

Before starting the journey, ask:

“Can I pay by card?”

In Italian, you can say:

“Posso pagare con la carta?”

If you prefer to pay in cash, carry small euro notes.

Do not hand over a large note for a short journey unless you are sure the driver can give you change.

How Much Does a Taxi Cost in Rome?

Taxi fares depend on the distance, traffic, time of day, luggage and starting point.

Airport journeys often have fixed fares to central Rome, but you should confirm the current official fare before traveling because prices and rules can change.

For city journeys, the meter should be running.

Ask for a receipt at the end of the ride.

You can say:

“Una ricevuta, per favore.”

This means:

“A receipt, please.”

Taxi Safety Tips

Use only official white taxis.