Rome with Zuzana - July 2026
This was my first trip to Rome, and it wasn’t planned at all!
My family and I were visiting relatives elsewhere in Europe this summer and the decision to visit Rome was done on a whim. We flew from Bratislava to Rome (Rome Fiumicino), the flight took about an hour and a half.
The Leonardo Express train from the Rome Fiumicino to the center of Rome (Roma Termini) was comfortable and took 32 minutes. These trains do get full and some of the passengers ended up with no seats, perhaps because we arrived during the lunch time. (editor’s note –having also taken this train in the reverse direction early in the morning, it would seem very full is the usual operating status)
We booked an apartment in Rome in a 17th century building in the Monti district, a historic area in the center of the city. The neighbourhood offers boutique shops and local cafes. We arrived at the apartment around 1pm and after a short refresh we took it to the street, literally. I should point out that Rome’s temperature while we visited was about 35-37C!
We first headed out to see Colosseum – Rome’s most iconic symbol of ancient grandeur - as that was #1 on our list of places to see! I pre-booked Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Entrance through Viator which was extremely helpful as we had digital tickets before heading into the Colosseum itself. I strongly recommend the tickets to be booked online – as it’s important to know that there are no on-site ticket sales available.
As expected, the Colosseum was busy, we enjoyed the tour tremendously. It’s the kind of place where you feel the history seeping through the walls. To experience the sheer size of the monument and learn about the details of this complex labyrinth of tunnels and machinery hidden below the ground will be remembered by all of us, especially by my daughter who spent all last school year learning about Romans.
We probably spent two hours walking through the monument. We continued the tour at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill to explore more Roman history. The best time to visit these monuments is either in the morning or late afternoon for fewer crowds and softer light.
After the tour we decided to get a dinner and walk around the city some more. We walked up the Spanish Steps. The top of the steps offers incredibly beautiful views over Piazza di Spagna. We ended a day with an ice cream – at that point probably the 5th ice cream of the day. Total distance walked that day – close to 20km.
The following day, after a good night sleep we headed out early – after a quick espresso and pastry in Vatican City, we headed straight to St. Peter’s Basilica. Again, I booked the tickets ahead of time via Viator. St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the largest churches in the world, built over the tomb of Saint Peter, the first Pope. The visit to the top of the Dome was worth it although the lines were never ending (this was inside the Basilica). The initial entry had no lines whatsoever, perhaps because we came first thing in the morning. Some suggestions for visiting the Vatican – always book the tickets online, dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered), and bring water.
Our walk continued through Piazza del Popolo and towards Castel Sant’ Angelo – historic fortress. We didn’t get to go inside as there was an emergency evacuation as we arrived there.
We decided to cross the Tiber River from there and head to Pantheon - a masterpiece of ancient Roman engineering. It was built nearly 2000 years ago and it is one of the best-preserved monuments of ancient Rome. Its massive dome and oculus are to this day architectural wonder of this time. Fun story from this location – my brother informed me happily that he purchased tickets online so we wouldn’t need to stand in a super long line up – only to be informed by the staff there that our tickets were for entry to Pantheon in Paris! We had a good laugh and purchased another set of tickets this time for the right location!
We continued walking and arrived at Trevi Fountain where we spent probably five minutes total as the Piazza was literally packed with people. The best time recommended to visit is super early in the morning or late at night.
After a quick lunch and another ice cream we headed for the zoo as this was on the wish list for my daughter. The Rome’s Zoological Garden is located at Piazzale del Giardino and can be easily reached from the city center by trams, bus or metro. We chose to walk (!) and we must have spent another couple hours walking there. It’s all a blur now!
We walked a bit more and eventually headed back, stopped at Spanish steps again and walked through Piazza Navona (lively square with stunning fountains and street art) to eat and did a bit of shopping. Total distance walked that day – close to 40km.
The next morning we headed out again for short visit to Circus Maximus – largest stadium in the world built in 6th century BC – originally held 250,000 people and 600m long. After this we picked up our bags and headed to airport. Train ride back to the airport was easy, same as when we arrived and half an hour later we were back at the lively airport enjoying what Rome Fiumicino had to offer – shopping and ice cream! The flight back to Bratislava again took one and a half hours.
Few suggestions:
Start early
Breakfast timing matters – best cornetti are gone by 11am!
Walk instead of taking cab – Rome’s beauty hides in small alleys
Choose comfortable shoes!
Water is free – bring a bottle and refill at the city’s 2500+ fountains
Dinner usually starts late at 8pm
