Before you go to Rome - the essentials

Rome is Italy's main gateway and a city that rewards a little planning: how you arrive, what you book ahead and where you sleep shape the whole trip. This chapter gathers the essentials - the two airports, tickets for the headline sights, seasons and weather, neighbourhoods, money and what to pack - so you land ready and can spend your days seeing, not sorting.

In a nutshell: Rome is Italy's main national and international gateway, so getting there is the easy part: most overseas visitors fly in, landing by plane at Fiumicino or Ciampino, or arrive by train at Stazione Termini on Trenitalia or Italo high-speed services; driving by car is possible but the traffic, the parking and the limited traffic zone make it the least relaxing option. Book the headline sights - the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums, St Peter's - as early as you can, and plan your days so three or four days cover ancient, baroque and Vatican Rome without burnout. The weather is kindest in spring and autumn, when the skies are blue and the heat stays bearable; summer brings soaring temperatures and crowds, winter short cold days and rain, and hotel rates dip from November to March. Where to stay is a choice of neighbourhood, from the monumental calm of Ancient Rome to the bars of Trastevere, and with demand this high you should book the moment your dates are fixed. Money is simple: the euro, cards accepted almost everywhere, contactless good enough to pay for the metro, plus a little cash for small change. Pack comfortable shoes for the cobblestones, a hat and cover-ups for the Vatican's dress codes, and stay connected with free Wi-Fi at the airports, a local SIM or an eSIM. The details are below.

With the practicalities settled, the best of Rome is yours to explore: the neighborhoods overview takes you from the Colosseum and the Forum to the Vatican, while day trips head out to Tivoli, Ostia Antica and the Castelli Romani when you want a change of scene.