Why is Rome called the Eternal City? The ancient Romans believed that no matter how many empires rose or fell, Rome had the power to live on forever. Visit some of the archaeological wonders, or take a leisurely hop on/hop off tour, to make your own memories of the city that all roads lead to.
Rome is often said to be the world’s greatest open-air museum, boasting hundreds of historic sights around every corner and in every square. There’s so much to see and do that you’d need a month to take it all in, but a week or less is enough to give you a taste of Italy’s incredible capital.
With more than 3,000 years under its belt, Rome has long been one of the world’s leading centres of culture. There are masterpieces like the Sistine Chapel, numerous wine-fuelled feasts to partake in, and a raft of iconic sights, including the world’s largest amphitheatre – the Colosseum.
Best of all, the majority of Rome’s attractions are within walking distance of each other, so you’ll be able to soak up the Roman way of life as you walk to the Pantheon or Trevi Fountain. Maybe you’ll discover a hidden church with beautiful frescoes or a secret trattoria serving excellent wine from the Lazio hills. That’s when the phrase ‘when in Rome’ really comes in handy...
An Italian winter wonderland awaits, so immerse yourdelf in our winter cities guide and prepare to be inspired!
Discover the real Rome while staying in one of our carefully selected hotels
11 day suggested trip
11 day suggested trip
Experience more of Italy by adding an excursion to your holiday.
To pre-book one of our specially selected excursions, please call our Italy Experts on 01293 765055*.
Most international flights arrive into Rome Fiumicino airport (FCO), which is about 45 minutes from the centre of Rome. Direct flights to Fiumicino travel from from Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Jersey, Leeds, London City, London Gatwick, London Heathrow, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle. The flight time comes in at about 2 hours 30 minutes.
Some direct flights also head to Rome Ciampino airport (CIA); it's approximately 30 minutes away from the city centre. These flights jet off from London Stansted, Edinburgh, Manchester, East Midlands and Glasgow, taking around 2 hours 30 minutes.
You can visit Rome at any time of the year. The city can be crowded and the weather can get hot in July and August, but you can often find some good hotel offers during this time. Spring and autumn are popular months for visitors. The warm weather makes it one of the best times to wander through Rome's piazzas (via the gelato shops, of course). But winter also has its charms – read our 10 reasons to visit Rome in winter blog post to find out why we love it.
At the current time, British citizens do not require a visa to visit Italy.
Whilst tipping isn’t embedded into Italian culture it is always appreciated as an acknowledgement of good service. Nowadays people generally round up a bill in a bar or cafe and leave 5-10% extra on a restaurant bill. Taxi bills are usually also rounded up.
On guided tours/excursions, it is customary to leave a token of appreciation for the driver and guide.
On small group escorted tours, it is customary to leave a token of appreciation for the driver and guide at the end of the tour.
The official language of Italy is Italian. English is widely spoken too, so getting by is easy.