General info

General Rome Information

Rome Orientation

Rome is halfway down Italy's western coast , about 20km (12mi) inland. It's a vast city, but the historic centre is quite small. Most of the major sights are within a reasonable distance of the central railway station, Stazione Termini. It is, for instance, possible to walk from the Colosseum , through the Forum, up to Piazza di Spagna and across to the Vatican in one day, but you wouldn't really want to. All the major monuments are west of the train station, but make sure you use a map. While it can be enjoyable to get off the beaten track in Rome, it can also be very frustrating and time-consuming.

The Palatine Hill and the Forum are the centre of ancient Rome. Via del Corso runs north from the Forum to Piazza del Popolo, with the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain just to its east. The Vatican is northwest of the Forum, across the River Tiber .

Area : 150 sq km
Population : 3.8 million
Country : Italy
Time Zone : GMT/UTC +1 (Central European Time)

When to Go

The main travel season in Rome begins shortly before Easter (when the greatest number of visitors flock to the city) and runs through October. As far as the weather goes, the best seasons for travel are spring and fall, when it's neither too hot nor too cold, there's usually plenty of sun, and the famous Roman sunsets are at their best. In July and August, tarvel if you like, but learn to do as the Romans do -- get up and out early, seek shady refuge from early afternoon heat, take a nap if you can, resume activities in the late afternoon, and stay up late to enjoy the evening breeze. During August many shops and restaurants close, and on the August 15 holiday Rome is a ghost town, so its not recommended that you travel then. Roman winters are relatively mild, with some persistent rainy spells. During the winter months, especially January-March, you have a better chance of getting into the major tourist attractions without having to wait in line. Recent summers in Rome have been some of the driest and hottest on record. Rome, nonetheless, is glorious in every season, so don't let the weather stop you from coming to see one of the worlds most beautiful cities.