Rome City Guide

Known as the "Eternal City", today Rome is the magnificent capital of Italy and the region of Lazio. Located on the Tiber River, between the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea, Rome was once the governmental center of the Roman Empire, a large area expanding from Britain to Mesopotamia.

Nowadays Rome is best known for its numerous museums, landmarks and monuments, all in all for its invaluable historical center that has earned its rightful place among the UNESCO World Heritage sites. When thinking of Rome immediately La Dolce Vita, Vatican City and Three Coins in the Fountain just pop up into one’s head, but these are just a few of the many marvelous things that the city holds.

Traditionally Rome is thought to have been established by the legendary twins Romulus and Remus, deserted by the Tiber River they were brought up by a wolf, until a shepherd found them and raised them as his own sons. With a metropolitan area giving home to more than 3.3 million people, Rome did not have to struggle much in order to climb up to the top when it comes to favorite tourist destinations.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Italian is the main language and also that in many places different types of dialects are used among locals. However, in Rome English is pretty widely spread, especially around tourist attractions, and there are many, it is always handy to have an Italian Phrasebook making it easier to get your ideas across. If you speak other Romance languages they might be handy , and if not just remember to be polite and smile and people will be more than happy to help you!

Choosing the perfect time to visit Rome depending on the climate is not really so hard. Summers, swamped by tourists, are hot and dry and sometimes they can be bit windy depending on how close you get to the see, while winters are known to be cold and foggy, but again weather changes depending on the area. Wanting to avoid the crowd, try visiting in spring or autumn, but if you do not mind all those people and want to enjoy a hot summer in Rome, feel free to do so!

Note that in August many stores will be closed, due to the fact that for two weeks Rome’s inhabitants have their own vacation, so do not be surprised to find Chiuso per ferie (Closed for Holidays) sign on many doors!

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Rome guide