27 Rome Tips, Advice and Warnings for 2027 Travel
Kim and I make a tips video for Rome every year. These 27 tips come straight from our 2027 video. I checked the prices, times and rules against current official sources so you are not stuck with last year's numbers. You do not need all 27. Pick what fits your trip.
Watch the tips video
2027 tips, advise and warnings for Rome travel
If you want more after the video, the [Rome Travel Guida](https://www.rometravelguida.com/) lets you watch only what you need. Pick the lessons for the places you are visiting and skip the rest. About 15 hours of video, 70 lessons, over 10 GPS walking itineraries, and the 2027 PDF booklet, for $29.
Before you go
1. Book high speed trains early. On Italo, Rome to Naples can sit near €50 the day before. Book a few weeks out and the same ride often drops into the teens. Discount seats are usually use it or lose it.
2. Get walking ready. Expect 15,000 to 25,000 steps a day. Walk at least 10,000 a day at home first, and pack shoes your feet already like.
3. Buy three tickets ahead. Galleria Borghese needs an advance booking. Colosseum tickets (€18, includes one Forum and Palatine visit) open 30 days before your date on the official site. Vatican Museums add about €5 to book online, and that fee is worth skipping the ticket line. Most other stops, including the Pantheon, can wait.
4. Skip the city passes. Kim and I tried a Roma Pass and barely used what it covered. For most short trips, pay as you go.
5. Prefer weekdays on a short trip. With three to five days, lean on Monday through Friday. Weekends get harder for taxis, restaurants and popular sites.
6. Keep an AI helper on your phone. Ask it for a nearby sandwich, a quieter route, or a quick history note when plans shift.
Getting around Rome
7. Learn the BIT ticket. One ticket covers bus, metro and tram for €1.50 and 100 minutes. Buses and trams allow changes in that window. Metro is one ride; exit the gates and you need a new ticket. The 24 hour pass is €8.50. Kids through age 10 ride free with a paying adult. No valid ticket means a steep fine.
8. Use Tap and Go. Tap your contactless card or phone on the bus reader or metro gate. Use the same device so rides can cap at €8.50 over 24 hours. Each person needs their own card or phone.
9. Know your airport options. Buses to Termini usually cost under €10 per person, then you still reach your hotel. The Leonardo Express runs nonstop to Termini in about 32 minutes for €14. A licensed taxi is a flat €55 inside the Aurelian Walls, per car, all inclusive on the official fixed fare. Follow Taxi signs to the rank. After a long flight, Kim and I take the taxi. More in [Rome without the stress](https://www.rometravelguida.com/blog/rome-without-the-stress).
10. Use Free Now for city taxis. Go to a stand or open the app. Minimum ride is €9. Confirm the meter is on, and say you will pay by card before you get in.
11. Bring about €100 in cash. Card covers most purchases. Use a real bank ATM, not the bright freestanding machines.
12. Stock coins at a laundromat. Public restrooms often need a €1 coin. Change a €20 and you are set for coffee, tips and toilets.
13. Use a bar restroom. Public toilets exist but are sparse. Buy a coffee or cornetto and go like the locals.
14. Ride out to Ostia beach. From Piramide, the train to Ostia takes about 30 minutes on the same urban ticket or Tap and Go. Walk the shore and return from Castel Fusano if you want a loop.
Hop on hop off buses circle the big sights, but they are slow. For most of us the metro and walking work better.
Tickets, lines and timing
15. Free Vatican Museums on the last Sunday. Free last Sunday of the month, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., last entry 12:30. Long lines, big savings versus the paid ticket.
16. Free sites on the first Sunday. Colosseum, Forum and many state sites are free the first Sunday of the month. Expect crowds, or buy a timed ticket another day.
17. Beat the St. Peter's security line. Arrive at 7:00 a.m. opening, or book the official digital audio guide for €7 (a day ahead) for a shorter entry route.
18. Go up the dome early. Dome tickets start at 7:30 a.m. Head there first after security, then see the Basilica on the way down while lines are still short.
19. Enter the Forum away from the Colosseum face. The gate across from the Colosseum stays slow because of security. Rome has five Forum entry points. Use a quieter one.
20. Trevi basin access is €2 in paid hours. The square view stays free. The inner basin is €2 for visitors from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. most days, and from 11:30 a.m. on Mondays and Fridays. Outside those hours you can walk down for free. Sitting on the Spanish Steps is not allowed, so walk them rather than rest on them.
21. Visit Trevi just before paid hours start. Arrive around 8:00 or 8:30 a.m., go down to the basin, and stay as staff begin regulating. You may get a quieter moment right at the water.
For a month by month feel, see [Rome in October 2026](https://www.rometravelguida.com/blog/rome-in-october-2026-events-and-things-to-do-this-month). For what to see, start with [sites of Rome](https://www.rometravelguida.com/sites-of-rome).
## Staying safe and skipping scams
22. Follow five scam rules. Do not sign petitions. Do not take a free flower. Do not accept a free bracelet. Do not pose with costumed characters. Do not play the three cup game.
23. Make pickpockets work harder. Zippered pants pockets helped me relax. Keep purses close and leave anything precious at the hotel. You do not need your passport while you tour. Ours was stolen once and we spent hours at the embassy.
24. Watch luggage on trains. Thieves sometimes board at Termini and hop off a few minutes later with someone else's bag. Keep luggage in sight, ideally above your seat.
Still choosing a neighborhood? Read [where not to stay in Rome if you are over 50](https://www.rometravelguida.com/blog/where-not-to-stay-in-rome-over-50) before you book.
Eating well and saving money
25. Eat a panino at Forno Campo de' Fiori. Ask them to warm it. Prosciutto crudo with mozzarella, or mortadella, on pizza bianca is my favorite, usually under €5.
26. Try Pizza Florida at Largo di Torre Argentina. A short walk from the Pantheon. Carbonara and tuna by the slice are my picks. Ask them to fold the tuna into a sandwich.
27. Use Too Good To Go. Near closing, shops list mystery bags for a few euros. Best with a small group so nothing goes to waste.
While you are at it, try a real Italian aranciata. Lighter than the soda many of us know, and easy to find.
Rome tips people ask us about
Is the Trevi Fountain still free?
The square view is free. Basin access is €2 for visitors during paid hours. Early morning and late evening, the basin is free again.
Should I buy a Rome city pass?
Usually no for a short visit. Book the Colosseum and Vatican Museums on the official sites, then pay for other stops as you go.
How do I pay for the metro and buses?
Tap and Go with your own contactless card or phone. Single rides are €1.50. Heavy use in 24 hours caps at €8.50.
What is the taxi from Fiumicino to central Rome?
A flat €55 inside the Aurelian Walls, per car. Use the official taxi rank after baggage claim.
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