You pull into Roma Termini, step outside, and within a few blocks you're walking past ruins that were already ancient when the Cologne cathedral was a construction site. Rome doesn't ease you in. It just hands you 2,000-plus years of history and asks what you'd like to see first.
After the quiet of the Alps and the calm of Venice at night, Rome was a volume knob turned all the way up. Scooters, fountains, espresso bars, crowds, and the whole thing is somehow wonderful.
How we'd tackle it
- Book the big stuff ahead. The Colosseum and the Vatican Museums run on timed tickets and sell out, especially in summer. Lock those in before you arrive.
- Walk everything in the center. The historic core is compact. Pantheon to Piazza Navona to the Trevi Fountain is an easy wander, and half the fun is what you stumble into between them.
- Plan around the heat. Rome in July is hot. Do the outdoor sights early, retreat somewhere shady (or air conditioned) mid-afternoon, and come back out when the evening cools down.
Weirdo tip: free water everywhere
Those little iron fountains all over the city are called nasoni ("big noses"), and they pour cold, drinkable water all day. Refill your bottle and save a small fortune. Block the spout with your finger and the water shoots up from a hole on top so you can drink from it like a pro.
The end of the line (for now)
Rome closed out our honeymoon: Cologne to Wengen to Venice to Rome, all by train, all worth it. We came home already arguing about the next route, which is exactly how you know a trip went right.
