Rome, Italy: Why It's the Best City for Your First Trip to Europe ~ Adventures in Southern California

Pantheon in Rome

When someone asks me, "Where should I go for my first trip to Europe?", I always tell them to go to Rome. Yes, it's crowded, but it's a city that lives up to expectations in every way. You can wander through Rome for hours without an agenda and be blown away by what you’ll discover around every corner. People will wait in line for hours to see the Sistine Chapel, but you can wander into dozens of Cathedrals and churches in Rome for free and see incredible paintings, sculptures, and architecture without waiting in line. You really need at least 4-5 full days just to see the main attractions, and even then, you'll barely scratch the surface.

Rome has thousands of restaurants, and the food is one of the best parts of visiting. Google reviews have really leveled the playing field for tourists looking for a great meal without feeling overwhelmed. You're never more than 50 feet from somewhere good to eat, and it's easy to avoid the tourist traps by looking at reviews. We didn’t sit down for every meal. One thing I noticed was how many locals were eating sandwiches for lunch, so that's what we started doing. Another tip is to stop inside grocery stores to buy bottled water, sodas, and snacks. You'll pay a fraction of what the corner stores charge.

Exploring Ancient Rome: The Colosseum and Roman Forum

The Colosseum and Roman Forum are two attractions you absolutely have to see. We actually skipped going inside the Colosseum and just walked around the exterior, which is impressive enough on its own. The line can get insane and you’ll waste half a day standing around. Instead, we spent our time exploring the Roman Forum, and I would highly recommend it. I walked straight into the Forum with my ticket and there were less than 100 people on the street. Plan on spending at least 2 hours at the Forum. You can buy tickets online to skip the line and get a guaranteed entry time.

The Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Rome's Churches

A great way to spend a day in Rome is just walking through the historic center. Start around the Pantheon, one of the best-preserved ancient Roman buildings, and work your way toward the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps. There are beautiful piazzas, fountains, restaurants, and churches everywhere you look. One church you shouldn't miss is Chiesa di Sant'Ignazio di Loyola, which has an incredible painted ceiling that creates the illusion of a massive dome. Another favorite is San Luigi dei Francesi, where you can see three original Caravaggio paintings inside the Contarelli Chapel. Both churches are free. This is what makes Rome so amazing. Some of the greatest artwork in the world is sitting inside churches that you can walk into right off the street, without paying museum admission or waiting in a huge line.

Trastevere, the Tiber River, and Rome's Best Neighborhoods

One of my favorite neighborhoods in Rome is Trastevere, located across the Tiber River from the historic center. It's filled with narrow cobblestone streets, colorful old buildings, outdoor restaurants, bars, and beautiful little squares. It's a great place to explore during the day, but I especially recommend coming back in the evening when the restaurants and nightlife get going. Make sure to visit the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of Rome's oldest churches, with beautiful golden mosaics inside. Another area I really enjoyed was around Ponte Palatino, where you can walk along the Tiber River and see some beautiful historic bridges, the nearby Tiber Island, and ancient ruins along the riverbanks. Rome is an incredibly walkable city, and exploring these neighborhoods without a strict itinerary was one of my favorite things about the trip.

Biking the Appian Way and the Park of the Aqueducts

One experience I highly recommend is renting a bicycle and getting outside the crowded city center. You can find bike rentals for around $15 a day and explore the Appian Way (Via Appia Antica), one of the oldest roads in the Roman Empire. You'll ride along ancient stone roads, past Roman tombs, ruins, and beautiful countryside that feels completely different from central Rome. Another place you absolutely shouldn't miss is the Park of the Aqueducts (Parco degli Acquedotti). This enormous park has miles of open space and trails running alongside massive ancient Roman aqueducts.You can ride your bike right through the park. It's one of the most memorable things we did in Rome, and surprisingly, there were very few tourists compared to the major attractions downtown. I'd recommend setting aside most of a day to explore the Appian Way and the aqueduct park, especially if you enjoy biking, history, and getting away from the crowds.

Getting to Rome

If you're flying to Rome from LAX, I recommend looking for flights in September and October. I've had great luck finding roundtrip tickets from Los Angeles to Rome for around $500–600 during the fall. September and October are also great months to visit Italy because the weather is generally comfortable for walking around, and you can avoid some of the intense summer heat. I usually start looking for flights about six months in advance and compare prices between several airlines. I've flown with Iberia, Swiss, Lufthansa, and British Airways and have had good experiences with all of them. One way to do it is to fly into Rome and out of Venice. You can hit Rome, Florence, Bologna, Verona and Venice for a perfect 2 week trip.