As someone who has lived in Rome for a year now, it was definitely trial and error when figuring out the best ways to explore the city, but I think I now have it figured out. I remember the very first day I was here, I hopped on a random city bus and sat by the window to see all of the sights and to get a feel of the city – I will never forget this moment for many reasons; 1. After we had gone through the entire city I had to figure out how to get back and I ended up getting on the wrong bus and going completely in the opposite direction all alone! 2. The roads in Italy are insane. I mean like hold-on-to-your-boobs-because-you-are-going-to-lose-one-of-them kind of crazy. So, while that was an interesting experience, let me tell you some of the better ways to get around so you don’t end up like me 😉

THE best way to get around Rome’s historical center is to walk. When I got on that bus I was imagining historical Rome to be much larger than it actually is. In reality, if you start at the Colosseum and walk through the city to see the Roman forum, Piazza Venezia, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps, it takes about an hour IF you don’t stop and look at the sites. So if you’re able, I’d say go for the walking!

There are now Lime, Bird, and a few other brands of electric scooters around town that have been very convenient for moving quickly from place to place. The cobblestone is a bit brutal when riding the scooters but it is possible. Bird is a little more expensive than the others but it is much easier to ride on the rough roads. If you are comfortable to rent a moped, that is also an option—warning about Roman driving though: If you have never driven in Rome or have seen the way the traffic works here I really advise against this one. It’s a crazy system they got goin’ here.

Taxis here are pretty expensive and most of the time I stick to Uber if I am going to call a cab. They only have Uber Black here, but I have found it is cheaper than taxis most of the time and you can’t get ripped off because it is a fixed price before you get into the car. However, if you must take a taxi, they are easy to find and reliable for the most part. My biggest tip is to make sure the pay meter is VISIBLE inside the car. It is illegal for them to hide the price from you so if you don’t see the meter when you get in, get out. I’ve only been ripped off in this way one time and it was from the airport. There is a standard fee from Fiumicino Airport to the city center that many tourists don’t know about so watch out for that if you are taking a taxi!! (I believe the fee is about 48 euros). There is also an app called FreeNow that I also mentioned in my Ischia post that works like Uber for taxis.

If you MUST take public transportation it is also another option…but don’t say I didn’t warn you 😉. Okay in all fairness the metros are very reliable as long as there are no strikes happening (they happen somewhat often). The nice thing about the metro is that you can use ApplePay/contactless credit card to get through. Really don’t bother with the ticket boxes because they almost never work. Another option is going into any tobacco shop and asking for transit passes. Based on how long your stay is they have 1-day passes as well as 7-day passes. These tickets will let you go on the metros/busses/and trams. But be sure to validate your tickets when riding the busses and trams. There are little boxes on board (see photo below). The first time you get on, you validate your card by inserting it in the box to time stamp it and then you are good to go for however long your card is good for.

I hope this helps you navigate your way through this gorgeous city!

Ciao for now,

Chloe