
Top 10 Fun Things To Do In Rome
Date 2012.07.16 by romecabs in Leisure, Travel Tips and AdviceBuon giorno and welcome to Rome Cabs’ Travel Blog! There are so many interesting and fun things to do and see in the Eternal City, and this is our list of Top 10 Fun Things To Do In Rome to make your visit more enjoyable.
1. Be an Early Bird in Rome
For locals one of the fun things to do in Rome is experience Rome early in the morning.
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2. Be a Night Owl and Enjoy Rome at Night
If you see Rome in the morning, you should also see Rome at night! The Colosseum, Vittorio Emanuelle II Monument, the Pantheon, St Peter’s Basilica, Castel Sant’Angelo and the Trevi Fountain are spectacularly lit up transforming Rome into a theatrical masterpiece.
Some of the most breathtaking photos of Rome were taken at night.
The summer nights are long, so you can take advantage of an after dinner stroll through some of Rome’s most spectacular neighborhoods and piazzas for a spectacular evening out.
If you’re in Rome for only a brief stay and there aren’t enough evenings to cover all the spectacular sites, Rome Cabs provides a Rome by Night Tour that allows you to explore all the different sites in just one evening.
This is particularly beneficial during the winter months when the temperature is very chilly at night making walking the distances between the sites uncomfortable for many people. Christmas time is also a great time of the year to take advantage of the Rome At Night tour as it allows you to not only see the splendid night scenes, but the Christmas decorations as well!
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3. Get Lost in Rome and Explore Off the Beaten Tourist Paths
That’s right, get lost through Rome’s quaint neighborhoods off main squares and discover hidden gems that reveal themselves once you step off the tourist beaten path.
You’ll be amazed that just a couple of blocks away from crowded piazzas like Campo dei Fiori, the Spanish Steps or Piazza Venezia, you’ll discover quiet neighborhoods void of tourists but brimming with local life.
Beautiful architecture, shops and restaurants, locals gathering for a chat, in these off the beaten path neighborhoods you’ll get a taste of Italian flavor under the nose of the most tourist packed attractions.
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4. Shop with the locals in Rome
You can further enhance your local experience by shopping at a local outdoor market.
Rome’s neighborhoods have outdoor markets that attract locals who prefer to shop for their fruits and vegetables from a farmers’ market rather than at a supermarket.
If you’re in central Rome you can explore the daily market in Campo dei Fiori that attracts locals and tourists alike from morning until 1 PM. From fruits, vegetables, pasta, jar goods, olive oil, liquor, bulk items, clothing, kitchenware and souvenirs, there’s something for everyone.
If you’re in Prati area, or staying near the Vatican, you can visit the big indoor farmers’ market on Cola di Rienzo.
But you might just happen to stumble upon a small stand off the narrow lanes of central Rome where fruits and vegetables are lovingly displayed for the locals who live in the area. It’s always a wonderful surprise to find these small stands tucked away on a narrow picturesque cobblestone lane.
Whether you rent an apartment and would like to try your hand at Italian cooking or just want to put together ingredients for a picnic, shopping at a local outdoor market is an Italian tradition and an excellent opportunity to sample fresh local produce.
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5. Be a Local Tourist in Rome
If you would like to have a local experience abroad, don’t just visit off the tourist beaten path neighborhoods, stay on one! Book your hotel, B&B or rental apartment in a real roman neighborhood for a local immersion.
When you go to a restaurant for dinner in a local neighborhood, you will find no “tourist menus” and you will likely be surrounded with Italian chatter that‘ll be music to your ears while your tastebuds devour real Italian cuisine.
Not all local neighborhoods are convenient for visitors. You will have to check in advance for easy access to public transportation and reasonable taxi rates. You can be close to the center and still experience a local Roman neighborhood.
Two local neighborhoods that have hotels and B&Bs with also great public transportation to all attractions in the center, are the Porta Pia and Piazza Buenos Aires areas. These neighborhoods have all the amenities that benefit the locals: supermarkets, pharmacies, local restaurants and cafes, shops and boutiques, and of course: farmers’ markets! You’ll want for nothing when staying in these beautiful Roman neighborhoods.
Please note that if taking a taxi to and from the airport, the taxi fixed rates don’t apply to areas outside the center and outside the city walls. Car service companies, such as Rome Cabs, don’t discriminate between different areas of Rome, therefore transfer rates of private car service companies may be actually lower than taking a taxi!
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6. Instant Sightseeing around Rome
Sightseeing can sometimes happen in the least expected ways.
Many if not most visitors in Rome have taken a local bus at some point. Sure, they are often crowded (especially during commuter hours) and sometimes hot and stuffy, but if park yourself by a window, you can forget you’re in a bus and just enjoy the sightseeing view as you pass through many areas of Rome, some more residential, that you would otherwise not have seen.
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7. When in Rome…Go to church!
Rome has nearly 1,000 churches. Yet only a handful make it on travelers’ “must see” list.
Any time you walk through Rome whether along a main road or an off the beaten path alley, you’re bound to find a church.
Don’t skip these lesser known churches. If you find yourself strolling past one, step inside. In the summer they’re very cool, you can take a rest off your tired feet & admire the artwork. Unfortunately many of the lesser known churches don’t get the attention (and the funding) that their popular counterparts do for maintenance and restoration, so be sure to leave a small donation which helps maintain these centuries old buildings that are always in need of repairs.
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8. Go to Mass for some Spiritual Uplifting
If it’s not possible to attend a Papal Audience because you’re not in Rome on those days or did not reserved tickets in advance, attending mass inside the greatest church in Christendom, St Peter’s Basilica, is a spiritually uplifting experience.
For more information including Mass schedule, please visit the St Peter’s Basilica website:
http://saintpetersbasilica.org/touristinfo.htm
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9. Get a bird’s eye view of Rome
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Rome Photo Tip: Be sure to bring your camera for these picturesque views.
The afternoon light best suits the Ancient Rome side….Morning light best suits the opposite side of the more modern Rome.
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Number 10 of “Fun Things to do in Rome”: CELEBRATE!
See you soon in Rome!
The Rome Cabs Team