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Rome, Italy is the last remnant of one of the greatest empires in history. The city sits along Italy’s west coast and is home to such historical wonders as the Colosseum and the Pantheon. Visit Vatican City, a self-contained nation, within the city of Rome. Toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain, climb the Spanish Steps, explore the catacombs, and stroll through the Forum. This city has a lot to offer, and you can see a lot during your quick visit. Come along as we spend a couple days exploring Rome.
Getting to Rome
Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is a major international hub. Award flights into FCO are quite easy to find on all major alliances. We used American Airline miles to fly for only 20,250 each from Kansas City. Off-season (1/10-3/14; 11/1-12/14) economy flights cost 22,500 AA miles from the USA to Europe. We also get a 10% rebate, because we have the Barclay AAviator Red card (also works with the Citi AA Platinum Card). If you decide to use AA miles for this flight, try to find a routing that avoids London-Heathrow Airport (LHR). British Airways charges obnoxiously high fees to fly on their metal!
Another great option for flights from the USA to Europe is Air France Flying Blue. The price is also only 25,000 miles year-round for the route, and you can transfer points from Amex, Citi, or Chase to Flying Blue.
Airport to Downtown
FCO airport is not very close to downtown Rome, so you need to consider transportation time and cost when you make plans. You have a few options to get to the city. As the convenience goes up, so does the price. I’ll list the methods, starting with the most convenient/costly:
Uber/Taxi – 55-75 Euros; 35 minutes
Simply hop in a cab or call an Uber to take you directly to your hotel. This is definitely the most convenient and direct method, but it comes at a significant premium. In our case, this would have cost more than what we actually paid for our flights!
Shared Shuttle – 15 Euro per person; 50 minutes
Follow the terminal signs to the train station. Before you reach the tracks at the Aeroporto station, you will find a booth on your left labeled “Tourist Information.” Here, you can purchase tickets for a shared shuttle to downtown Rome. You may have to wait 15-20 minutes for the next shuttle to arrive, and you should expect to share the ride with a few others. The shuttle drops everyone at their respective hotels. If you don’t want to deal with figuring out public transit and walking a bit, this is a good option.
Public Transit – 9.5 Euros per person; 1.5 hours
The most economical way to reach downtown Rome is via public transit. Follow the terminal signs to the train station and buy a ticket to Roma Termini station, the city’s central train depot. If you select the regional train, the ticket is only 8 Euros, and it takes approximately 55 minutes to reach Termini station. (There is an express train for 13 Euros/35 minutes.) When you reach Termini Station, you will need to find the appropriate bus to reach your hotel. For us, it was the #40 or #64. Google Maps or Rome2Rio should be helpful for this. The bus will drop you near your hotel, and you will have to walk the remaining distance. Public transit is a good way to save money, but isn’t for the impatient.
Where We Stayed
A city as popular as Rome has many hotel options. Most of the major chains are represented, so you will likely be able to burn some of your hotel points here. We only had one night in the city (quick visit indeed), so we wanted a hotel between our main points of interest – Vatican City and the Colosseum/Forum area. Fortunately, we found the Hotel Indigo Rome – St George, which is located almost directly between the Vatican and the Colosseum.
Rooms at the Hotel Indigo cost 50,000 points per night. The cash price for the nights we stayed would have been $380 + taxes/fees, making the redemption value approximately 9 cents per point (IHG average is 7 CPP). You could also use a free night certificate from the Chase IHG credit card, effectively making this a $49 hotel stay! Be aware that hotels in downtown Rome will charge a “tourist tax” of 7 Euros per person, even on award stays.
What To Do
Vatican City – Livitaly Vatican and Sistine Chapel Small Group Tour
The first thing we did in Rome was… well… leave Rome, and head into Vatican City. This tiny city, of only 110 acres, is technically its own country, with its own bank, and even its own radio station. It’s best known as home to Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter’s Basilica.
We wanted to see each of these places, with an expert guide, so we decided to search for a tour company. We found Livitaly Tours, which has a perfect, 5-star TripAdvisor rating, on 1,800+ reviews. They graciously allowed us to come along for free, to provide our review of the tour. I’ve been through Vatican Museum solo before, and I can definitely say the experience was much better with Giulia, our Livitaly guide!
Thanks for the great tour, Giulia!
We met Giulia and our tour group just outside the entrance to the museum. Giulia is an archaeology expert and native to Rome. Livitaly Tours limits the group size to a maximum of SIX people for this tour. This allows everyone to hear the guide well, and the group can decide which parts of the museum to explore. We skipped the line into the museum, and Giulia provided some history and background for Vatican City. She also gave us a preview of the Sistine Chapel, so we would know what to look for when we reached that point.
The tour proceeded through the museum at a relaxed pace. We wandered through halls lined with fascinating marble sculptures, including heads and busts of emperors. We even saw some modern artwork in one of the courtyards. Giulia pointed out artifacts from Ancient Egypt and provided color commentary for each of the key pieces we passed. I honestly would have missed so much without her expertise. We walked down beautifully adorned hallways, one featuring enormous tapestries, another with early maps of the region.
After a couple hours of exploring, we finally arrived at the Sistine Chapel. Thanks to the introduction we received earlier in the tour, we were able to identify the stories and the theme of Michelangelo’s masterworks on the ceiling. We also learned that the artwork along the side walls was not painted by Michelangelo. We spent some time just staring up in wonder at the incredible paintings all around us. Sorry, no pictures allowed in the Sistine Chapel.
Leaving the museum, we continued into the great hall of Saint Peter’s Basilica. Giulia explained the various design elements and gave us some historical perspective on the church. She told us about the famous La Pieta, and how it had been damaged by a rogue Australian. Our group walked through the church and marveled as the size and magnificence of it all. The tour concluded at doorway to the basilica, as Guilia shared the history of the popes and gave an overview of the architecture in Vatican City. We definitely recommend the Vatican and Sistene Chapel Small Group Tour.
Underground Rome – Livitaly Catacombs Night Tour
Leaving Vatican City, we grabbed a cab over to the Capuchin Crypt. Here, we met our second Livitaly tour guide, Shannon, for the Catacombs Night Tour! We love exploring the darker side of cities. We’ve visited underground vaults in Edinburgh, Scotland, and chased ghosts in historic Savannah, GA. This tour definitely gave us a unique view of underground Rome!
Shannon! Thanks for the crazy underground experience.
Shannon is an Art History major from the US, who now lives in Rome. She is an absolutely fantastic tour guide! Like all Livitaly tours, the group for this tour is limited to a small group. However, we were the only ones on the tour that night, so we got our own private tour! Shannon started by walking us through the Museum of the Capuchin Friars. She explained the beliefs of the Capuchins and how they branched from the well-known Franciscan Order. We even got to see a Carivaggio painting (unconfirmed) hanging in the museum.
Upon reaching the end of the museum, we descended a set of stairs into the bone crypts!! Oh… wow… These bone crypts are super-creepy! Shannon explained that the bones we saw in the crypts were from the original monks of the Capuchin Order. The remains of approximately 3,700 monks were used as artwork in the six crypt rooms. We learned that it was eventually deemed illegal to use human remains as art. The crypts were grandfathered in their current state, but no additions or repairs can be made. We marveled at the elaborate display of human bones. It was like nothing we had ever seen!
After our time in the bone crypts, we walked outside to find a Mercedes and driver waiting to take us to the next stop. Next up were the catacombs. Catacombs are underground burial places, outside the city walls, used by Christians beginning in the first century A.D. Shannon took us down a flight of stairs and into the underground passageways. The labyrinth of tunnels seemed to go on endlessly, lined with burial crevices. We learned that three types of burial chambers were used, with the most elaborate being multi-room spaces called cubiculum (where we get our word for cubicle… makes sense). Livitaly Tours even has special access to restricted areas within the catacombs! If you want to see a unique, slightly creepy side of ancient Rome, check out the Catacombs Night Tour!
Colosseum
No trip to Rome is complete without a visit to the Colosseum. This massive arena was home to the bloody, barbaric gladiator games. Lines to buy tickets can get VERY long during peak times. If you want to avoid the lines, you have a couple options. First, you can book a Colosseum Tour with Livitaly Tours, which skips the wait and gives access to restricted areas. Another options is to purchase your tickets for 14 Euros online, through Coop Culture, the official ticket site. You can store the tickets on your phone and skip the ticket line at the Colosseum gates.
Once inside, you can walk through the first two levels of the stadium. You will be able to see the underground staging area, where animals and gladiators waited for their turn in the action. Fifty thousand cheering Romans would watch as blood soaked the sand floor. If you don’t go with a guided tour, the Rick Steves Audio Europe App provides great narrative for your visit.
Forum
Your ticket into the Colosseum also grants entry to the Forum. While the Forum may look like an area with a bunch of crumbling relics, it was once the literal center of the vast Roman Empire. Pop on the Rick Steves Audio Europe App, and stroll around the forum. It will give you some perspective on what you’re seeing around you. Also, be sure to take a walk up to the top of the Palatine Hill. The view is pretty great from up there!
View of the Forum from the Palatine Hill
Pantheon
The Pantheon is somewhat concealed by the modern buildings in central Rome. You may be strolling along, and then BAM, you’re staring at the huge facade of one of oldest, continually-used buildings in the world. The Pantheon was originally a temple to the many gods of Rome. It’s been used for many things over the centuries, and it is well known for it’s marvelous concrete dome. The dome is an impressive feat of ancient engineering, with an open central hole, called the oculus.
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is one of Rome’s most beautiful sights, particularly at night, when it lights up. Make a wish and toss a coin over your shoulder into the water!
Spanish Steps
Take a stroll up the Spanish Steps, connecting the Piazza di Spagna to the Trinità dei Monti church at the top. The 135 steps take you up onto a lookout point, with a cool view to the area below.
Visiting Other Cities by Train
Rome, with it’s international airport, provides a great “jumping off point” to explore the rest of Italy. Trenitalia offers easy access to other areas of the country. You can buy your tickets in advance to ensure you snag a seat on the train of your choice, or you can simply show up and buy your ticket. Trains run regularly from the Roma Termini and the Roma Triburtina stations, so you shouldn’t have to wait long to explore a new place!
Final Thoughts
Rome is a fantastic city with rich history. You can hardly turn a corner without running into a significant historical monument. Whether you’re walking the upper deck of the Colosseum, imaging the glory of the forum, or exploring the underground catacombs, Rome will keep you busy! If you prefer a personal touch and expertly guided experience, be sure to check out Livitaly Tours. If you would rather do it yourself, download the Rick Steves Audio Europe App, and just wander around the city. And of course, When in Rome, do as the Romans do! Cheers!
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