Flight to Rome (ROM)

Flying to Rome: tips and information for your trip

The capital of Italy, Rome, is packed full of iconic, must-see historic attractions like the Roman Forum and the Trevi fountain. Rome also surrounds the smallest state in the world, Vatican City, home of the Pope, St. Peter’s Basilica and Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Sistine Chapel. Rome has fantastic food, great weather, and dozens of museums and archaeological sites. It’s also where the fashion houses Valentino and Fendi first opened, and both brands still have their flagship stores in the chic Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna) area. Whether its culture, food, art, history, sightseeing or shopping, the eternal city has it all. Book your flights to Rome with Brussels Airlines today!

What to do in Rome?

Here are seven of the best things to do in Rome.

1. The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel: With approximately 30,000 visitors each day, a guided, pre-booked tour of the Vatican is a must if you don’t want to miss anything. Top Tip: Book a tour that includes entrance to St Peter’s Basilica so you can go explore after you’ve seen the Sistine Chapel.
   
   
2. Explore Ancient Rome: One ticket gets you into the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill, which are all located in the same area in the south of the city.
   
   
3. Visit the Borghese Gallery to see sculptures by the 17^th-century sculptor Bernini and paintings by Caravaggio, Raphael and Titian.
4. Go sightseeing in the heart of Rome: To the west of Via del Corso, you’ll find the narrow streets of the old city. Highlights: the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori (Flower and food market by day, aperitivo and cocktail hotspot by night). To the east, you’ll find the Trevi fountain, the Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna) and the chic shopping streets of Via dei Condotti and Via del Babuino.
   
   
5. Cross the Tiber: Take the Fabricius bridge, the oldest bridge in Rome (62 BC) across to Tiber Island. From there, cross into the quaint, medieval Trastevere area, and walk to the Piazza of Santa Maria – the perfect place for a drink and some people watching, with a view of the 12^th-century basilica and bell tower.
   
   
6. Take a trip underground, back to the early Christian period, at the Catacombs of San Callisto or San Sebastiano, both located near the ancient Appian Way.
   
   
7. Day trip to Tivoli: Less than an hour away by bus or train, this hilltop town has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The gardens of the 16^th-century Villa d’Este boast more than 100 fountains. Down in the valley, visitors can admire the ruins of emperor Hadrian’s Villa, dating back over 1,800 years.

Practical Information for your trip

• Brussels Airlines flights land at Rome Fiumicino – Leonardo da Vinci Airport, 30 km west of the city centre and travel time is between 30 and 55 minutes. Shuttle bus services run from the airport to Rome’s Termini train station. The Leonardo Express train offers a non-stop service every 15-30 mins to Termini. Taxis are available to the city centre at a fixed price of €. 
  
• Currency: Euro. It is a good idea to have some cash on you in Rome, especially when paying in smaller cafés and restaurants.
• Electric sockets: Plug types C, F and L. Italian sockets allow for plugs with 2 or 3 round pins. Italy operates on a 230 voltage system with 50 Hertz.
• Travel Information: Italy is part of the Schengen Area, which means EU/EEA citizens can enter the country without a visa. Citizens of other countries may require a Schengen Visa, but there are a number of countries whose citizens are free to travel for up to 90 days without one.

Dos and Don’ts in Rome

• Opt for a hop-on, hop-off bus tour, which stops off at major sights – an easy way to get around the city, plus you’ll get some Roman history and facts from the onboard guide. Alternatively, get a 48- or 72-hour Roma Pass, which allows you to use all public transport (bus, metro and urban train lines), whilst also giving you free or discounted access to various museums and sites.
  
  
• Dress appropriately to enter the Vatican Museums and all churches in Rome: shoulders, chest and back covered, and trousers or skirts must be at least knee-length.
  
  
• When ordering in a café or bar, pay for your order first at the cash register and then take the receipt to the bar to give to the barista, who will prepare your order. Be aware that if you’re sitting outside at a café, you might be charged a table fee that can double or triple the price of your drinks.
  
  
• Rome charges visitors a city tax, sometimes called the tourist tax. The price is based on the star rating of your hotel (between €5-7 per person per night). Some hotels include this in the price at the time of booking, others add it later.

Local phrases & essential vocabulary

Most people speak some food-related Italian: pizza, pasta, cappuccino, etc. Beware, however, that if you order a latte you’ll just get milk (ask for a caffellatte). An espresso is usually un caffè (coffee), and a cornetto is like a croissant, not an ice cream. Ciao is a great, universal form of address, meaning both hello and goodbye. Grazie means ‘thank you’ and prego means ‘you’re welcome’, although, you will hear people say prego when they mean ‘this way please’, or ‘who’s next?’. Mi scusi (excuse me) is also important if you bump into someone or need to approach someone to ask a question.

Cultural events

• During the summer the banks of the Tiber and the Tiber Island are filled with stalls, pop-up bars, restaurants and clubs. There is also an outdoor cinema.
• Rome was founded in 753 BC and its birthday is celebrated every year on 21 April with a party involving music, dancing, fireworks and parades.
• The Jazz festival is one of many summer music festivals in Rome held in various venues across the city. Generally outdoors, it’s a great way to enjoy the warm summers’ nights while listening to Jazz and sipping on a glass of wine.

When to go to Rome?

Rome has a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild winters. The weather in October and November and early spring is quite cold and wet. The busiest period for tourism, from June to September, is also when the weather is hottest, often reaching the mid-30s °C. If you want sunny weather but fewer tourists, May-June and mid-September are the best times to visit.

What to eat?

Roman pizza is a great on-the-go snack, baked in a large rectangle and cut into easy-to-eat slices. Another street food favourite is the supplì, a deep-fried ball of rice mixed with tomato sauce, filled with gooey mozzarella. Sample the Carbonara, or All’Amatriciana, both adopted as traditional Roman pasta dishes. If you want a sweet treat, Italian gelato, or ice cream, is a must. Then, take a leaf out of the locals’ book and finish with a coffee at the Tazza D’Oro, beside the Pantheon – they say it’s the best in the world.