Tips for Your First Time in Rome

Are you finally visiting the Eternal City of Rome, Italy? Congratulations, you are doing what so many people only dream of. Two years ago, I was among the crowds of people flocking to fulfill their dreams of traveling to Rome for the first time. In a single trip, I learned so much about traveling, the role of tourists, and the right way to do Rome. There were so many aspects I wish I had known before arriving and couldn’t find any information anywhere. So, to ensure your trip to Rome is what dreams are made of, here are some tips for your first time in Rome!

Pick the right time to visit 

The first of my tips for your first time in Rome is to pick the right time to visit. There is never a wrong time to visit Rome. The weather is mild year-round and each season offers something different for every kind of traveler. However, certain times of the year can be wrong for you and your party specifically. 

Here is an example of what you can expect in the different seasons. In the Autumn in Rome, you can expect warm days and cold nights. Then expect low tourist crowds, low hotel prices, and fall foliage around each monument. In the summer in Rome, you’ll find peak crowds, high hotel prices, and long lines for attractions. But you’ll also find outdoor activities, many festivals, and a bright blue sky. 

If this is your first time in Rome, you want to pick the season that is right for you. If you are looking for heat and fresh fruits, don’t arrive in October and forget about the changing of the season bringing cooler temperatures and a lack of famous Italian fresh foods. In the same sense, don’t plan your visit in the peak of the summer if you are looking to avoid crowds and enjoy mild weather. The season you visit has a great impact on your enjoyment of the trip, what flavors you will eat, and how many attractions you will be able to see. Ensure that you pick the right time for you.

If you want to read more about the overall best time to visit Rome, check out my article where I go in-depth about the best time to visit Rome!

Start early and stay late 

The next tip for your first time in Rome is to start your day early and stay out late! I say this to everyone I travel with for every destination. Your trip to a new city is not the time to sleep in. I understand that you are on vacation and want to sleep in, but don’t.

There is so much to do and see in Rome, you don’t want to miss any second of it. Sleeping in is one of the worst mistakes a traveler can make in Rome. This is because the peak of the crowds are also sleeping in and arriving at attractions late. Starting your day early ensures that you can see Rome to the fullest and make the most of your time. You will be surprised at how many monuments you can visit before the bulk of the tourists wake up.

Around 7 am you will find a completely empty Vatican Museum. Then after you have toured it, around 8 am you’ll find low crowds in front of the Colosseum, allowing you to climb the steps before the sun fully rises. By the time you finish, you will exit the gates of the stone arena, notice the line that wraps around the street, and feel lucky that you started early. 

Then, you want to stay out late. There is still so much to explore in the evenings and nights of Rome. If you stay out late, expect to find gorgeous light shows lighting up the stone monuments and bringing them to life, exciting restaurants, and an ambiance like no other. Your time in Rome is not the time to go to sleep early either. Ensure that you have your cappuccino in the morning and spend your entire day exploring. You will not regret it. 

Only have one day? Check out How to spend 24 hours in Rome.

Book everything in advance 

The third of my tips for your first time in Rome is to book everything in advance. Unfortunately, Rome is not the type of destination where you can walk up and get into the attraction you want within minutes. So many people don’t know this. In fact, I didn’t know this when I traveled. I anticipated crowds, but I did not anticipate 2 hour long waits for the Colosseum, doors closing due to capacity, and restaurants requiring reservations. 

You MUST book every single thing in advance. If you don’t, there is a chance you won’t get to see the iconic structures and museums you want. If you do get to see them, you will have to suffer through long lines. These lines eat up a good portion of the little time you have in the Eternal City.

Even if you aren’t worried about crowds and wait times, booking in advance offers you a sense of security in knowing you will get to do everything you want to do. Even more, it simply saves you time and gives you structure. You don’t want to arrive at your destination, find out you can’t get it, and have to figure out what to do instead in a new and strange city. Save yourself a headache and book in advance for the Colosseum tour, Palatine Hill tours, Vatican Museum tours, food tours, and so much more. 

Don’t know where or how to book? Viator is a trusted and one of the most reliable European tour databases. They offer a plethora of experiences in Rome and any other location you are visiting. Here are some of the highly rated experiences I booked during my trip. If you are interested in any of the attraction tours, you can book a few of the highest-rated tours here!

Find a hotel in the city

Then, for your first time in Rome, you want to find a hotel in the city. Not reserving a hotel in the city was a big mistake I made on my first visit to Rome. Sure, hotels outside of the city might be cheaper, but at what costs?

Factor in what you are sacrificing by not staying in the city. I believed staying on the outskirts of Rome would save me a few hundred dollars. In reality, I ended up spending that money on taxi fares to get into the city each day. I wasted precious time being stuck in rush hour highway traffic as I tried to taxi into town. The traffic caused me to miss my Colosseum skip-the-line tour. Luckily the Viator tour I booked was nice enough to let me rejoin their next tour in the minutes after. Without them, I would have been out of luck. 

Then lastly, not staying in the city limits the opportunity for spontaneous experiences. If I were in the city, I would be able to walk out of my hotel and explore any time. From my hotel on the outskirts, I had to look up things I wanted to do, call a taxi, and wait for the taxi. When it arrived, I then had to spend so much time getting into the city. 

Don’t fret too much about the cost of your hotel if you are in the city. I know budget is an issue but trust me. If you factor in transportation cost, enjoyment, and time wasted, it will end up the same price as if you stayed outside of the city. Do yourself the favor and stay centrally located in the city. That way you can walk to everything, explore freely, and experience Rome as you are intended to.

Carry an anti-theft or crossbody bag

Next, and one of the most important, of my tips for your first time in Rome is to carry an antitheft or crossbody bag. Don’t get me wrong, Rome is an incredibly safe city to travel to. Most of my time there I felt safe and in the company of regular people. However, just like in other tourist hot spots, where there are crowds, there is crime. Because Rome is so popular and millions flock there each year, certain people take advantage. It is common to hear stories about people visiting Rome and being pickpocketed or scammed. It is a real thing, pickpocketing is common and you will see many other news sources and videos confirming it. 

To avoid becoming a victim of pickpocketing and scamming, you want to invest in a good anti-theft bag or crossbody bag. These bags that sling across the front of you will help prevent pickpockets from even trying to get near you. Their game is to go for back pockets, side pockets, side bags, and backpacks with easy-to-open pouches. An anti-theft bag or crossbody bag lying in front of you or directly under your arm will prevent pickpocketers from being able to reach any of your valuables. With the high-located zippers, they also won’t be able to reach their hands and try anything, as you will obviously be able to feel it and see it. 

Click here for the bag that took me safely through the streets of Rome and provided me with a sense of security all the way home. 

Learn a few Italian words

Last on my list of tips for your first time in Rome is to learn a few Italian words and phrases. Though Rome is a big city that welcomes English-speaking travelers day after day, it may shock you to know that not everyone speaks English. It may be very privileged for me to assume most would, but on my first day, my taxi driver couldn’t understand where we wanted him to take us. Though certain tours and experiences will be in English or have an English translator, you will find that most of everything else will be in Italian. 

If you need directions for finding a place, most locals will respond in Italian. If you find a great restaurant, your waiter may only speak Italian and you might have to wait extra time to get an English waiter. Taxi drivers, road signs, medical professionals, all Italian. 

You don’t have to be fluent, but it will help a ton for you to pick up an Italian for beginners book or a Duolingo course to learn the basics. Learn the names of your attractions, emergency phrases, help phrases, directions, and common greetings in Italian before you arrive for your first time in Rome. 

Click here to find the Short Stories in Italian for Beginners book that helped prepare me for my trip.

Live “la dolce vita”

Live la dolce vita! It means to live the sweet life. One of the most important tips you must follow in your first time in Rome is to live the sweet life. Rome is an iconic and magical destination, anyone who visits is incredibly lucky to even breathe the air of the Colosseum. As long as you follow these tips for your first time in Rome, you are sure to have a sweet trip. Pick the right time, pack the right things, prepare yourself, book your experiences, and plan to wake up early. Then you are free to throw coins in a fountain, sip cappuccino, eat some gelato, and enjoy the perfect trip to Rome, Italy!