Weekend Rome – The best insider tips
Rome, if there is a city perfect for a weekend trip, it is the eternal city. As far as I'm concerned, you can leave me there for a year; I find it so nice there. The fun thing about Rome – but I am the president of the fan club – is that it is enjoyable all year round. There is so much to do that you will have fun even if it is pouring rain. I have gathered all my Rome knowledge (I lived there for half a year and have been there at least twenty times since) for you in the perfect weekend Rome overview. Here we go.
Flying to Rome
Just as there are many roads leading to Rome, there are also many flights that bring you to this city. There are several flights per day from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Eindhoven with different airlines such as KLM, ITA Air, Transavia, and Ryanair. The flight takes 2 hours and 15 minutes, so two episodes of The Summer I Turned Pretty, a cup of coffee (or a prosecco to get in the mood), and you’re there. The center of Rome, centro storico, is only accessible for destination traffic, so it’s better to take a taxi (very affordable) than to rent a car yourself, as that will mainly cause you hassle. Taking the train from Fiumicino (the airport) to Roma Termini is also a good option. The easiest is to take the Leonardo Express: it takes you directly to Termini Station without stops and costs €14. You can also choose the FL1 line; it is slightly cheaper (€8) and does not stop at Termini, but does stop in Trastevere, which you could call the Jordaan of Rome. Don’t forget to validate your ticket before boarding the train.
Hotels in Rome
Rome has more than 4000 hotels, so the choice is huge. I haven’t tested them all, but I can recommend a few.
Hotel Forum
We always call Hotel Forum ‘old junk’. It’s not really that: it has four stars, but you definitely shouldn’t go there if you like modern design. It is super classic, and the decor will undoubtedly remind you of your grandmother’s. Think shiny wooden cabinets, and every table leg has a curl carved into it. You can imagine all sorts of things. But: the hotel is located at the Forum Romanum (hence the name), is very reasonably priced, is accessible by car, has its own parking garage with valet service, spacious rooms, an American rooftop bar with a view over the old city, and an insane breakfast buffet with a view of the Forum and the Colosseum. And did I mention they have a pancake machine? That’s a hit if you’re traveling with kids. Honestly, I would be satisfied with a weekend just in Hotel Forum. Reading a book with that view simply surpasses everything.
The Rome EDITION
The Rome EDITION is a luxurious five-star hotel in the heart of Rome, at Salita di San Nicola da Tolentino 14, close to the famous Via Veneto. The hotel is designed by renowned hotelier Ian Schrager, who has perfectly succeeded in blending modern design with Roman elegance. This hotel is the opposite of Hotel Forum: much sleeker and more luxurious – think Canaletto walnut wood and Carrara marble bathrooms – and with a rooftop (with pool, very nice in the summer) that you often see appearing on TikTok.
Also a really nice extra: Punch Room & Jade Bar, two stylish bars where creative cocktails are served.
- Passo dopo passo: an elegant mix of sherry, tarragon, sencha tea, lime, white vermouth with stone fruits, and amaro.
- Ombra Rossa: a tribute to Emperor Trajan, with pomegranate vermouth, sherry, black pepper, gin, cloves, grapefruit, raspberry, and hibiscus.
- Diplomatic Immunity: a powerful combination of Zacapa 23 rum, white vermouth with ginger and lemongrass, sencha, mezcal, cumin, and mango cordial.
- Britannia Punch: a fusion of English and Roman flavors with gin, white vermouth, mint, elderflower, lime, basil, blueberry, cucumber, and a hint of Pimm’s.
- Buonasera: a fruity mix of lemon vodka, grapefruit, strawberry cordial, cardamom, and hibiscus.
- Forse un punch? (non-alcoholic): peach, lime, raspberry, basil, oolong tea, seltzer, and a non-alcoholic distillate.
UNAHOTELS Trastevere Roma
This hotel opened just three years ago. It captures the vibrant spirit of Trastevere with an interior full of books, artworks, and warm colors. The rooms are light, soundproof (handy, as Trastevere is a lively neighborhood where the little beaks don’t exactly close at 10:00 PM), and the hotel has a rooftop terrace with a restaurant offering a stunning view over the center of Rome.
Donna Camilla Savelli – VRetreats
This hotel was a monastery in the 17th century and is designed by the famous architect Francesco Borromini. Here you will find what you are looking for: that mix of historical charm and modern comfort. The rooms range from former nun cells with marble bathrooms to more spacious rooms with wooden beam ceilings. The location near the Gianicolo hill – my favorite spot – is just outside the chaos, but three hops and you’re in the hustle and bustle of Trastevere.
Eating in Rome
In Rome, you naturally eat well, but be careful: Roman cuisine is originally a ‘poor’ cuisine, which uses a lot of organ meats and other “rejected” meats. The Romans were not rich and thus used a lot of meat that was considered inferior. The funny thing is that they prepared it so deliciously that at one point the pope also asked for the ‘poor’ food because he heard so many praise stories about it.
I’m not very happy with calf intestines or kidneys, tripe, or any of the cow’s stomachs. So keep your culinary dictionary handy when looking at the menu.
To start with my personal favorite: Trattoria Monti, in the Monti district. Indeed, I named our dog after it. I’m going there this summer and haven’t been there for a while, so I don’t know if what I write is still exactly the same, but in my time it was run by two brothers and their mother. Mother cooked with what she found at the market that day, and the brothers served it all deliciously. We’ve taken people there who go back every time they are in Rome. Trattoria Monti, Via di San Vito 13.
Another favorite is Gusto (gusto.it), which you find just behind the shopping streets. I would – if the weather permits – reserve outside (fuori). Then you sit beautifully on the terrace. Inside, you have a pizzeria and a more formal section. Choose what fits the moment. It’s the perfect choice if you’re in the mood for something less traditional and a bit hipper. Tip: they also have nice gifts. The cooking apron we received years ago from our friends in Rome, and we still use it.
If you want traditional, I would go eat at Checco er Carettiere in Trastevere – that’s the Jordaan of Rome. Website Checco er Carettiere. I find it the most fun on their patio. I have already reserved and can already think about what I’m going to eat. Be sure to look at all the photos of celebrities who went before you, paying special attention to the photo where Muhammad Ali, Sergio Leone, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Robert de Niro, and journalist Gianni Minà are all together in the picture.
Haute cuisine in Rome
If you are looking for the best restaurant in Rome, then La Pergola is an absolute must. This restaurant, in the Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel, has three Michelin stars. The food is divine, the service impeccable, and the wine cellar impressive with more than 53,000 (yes really) bottles.
Another excellent choice is Il Pagliaccio, the first restaurant in Rome to receive two Michelin stars. Il Pagliaccio is recognized by prestigious guides such as Les Grandes Tables du Monde and Wine Spectator.
Another tip for star lovers is Orma. Opened in 2023 and already awarded a Michelin star, chef Roy Caceres combines Latin American and Asian flavors in innovative dishes.
Don’t do: restaurant Maccheroni used to be a hit. I went there this summer and was quite disappointed. It has become a tourist trap, so just let that go.
Culture in Rome
Of course, you want to go to the Colosseum. The line to get in is long. My tip: buy a ticket for the Palatine – one of the seven hills on which Rome is built, near the Colosseum – and then you immediately have your access to the Colosseum and bypass that long line. Thank me later.
If a gladiator comes up to you and offers to take a photo with you, say no. Because he will pose very nicely with you and then casually ask €50 for it later. Thank me later II.
Galleria Borghese
The Galleria Borghese is perhaps the most beautiful museum I have ever been to. You can see works by Bernini (Apollo and Daphne and The Abduction of Proserpina), Caravaggio (David with the Head of Goliath and Sick Bacchus), Titian, Raphael, and Rubens. The building itself is already a work of art, with frescoes, marble, and mosaics.
Visiting is only possible by reservation via the official website or a tour operator. You get 2 hours of access in time slots, so hours of yawning and staring are not an option. The museum is closed on Mondays.
My tip: combine your museum visit with a walk or picnic in the park of Villa Borghese. And the most fun is to buy a picnic basket, and that can be done at:
- Gourmetaly – “Barefoot in the Park”: an organic picnic basket with salads, fruit, muffin, and prosecco. There is also a luxury option where the food is already prepared for you, complete with cushions and blankets.
- GiNa Cucina: near the Spanish Steps. The baskets contain sandwiches, salads, fruit, dessert, wine, and a picnic blanket. Afterwards, you return the basket.
- RomexLove: one step further: you are picked up in an electric golf cart and taken to a furnished picnic spot. Including prosecco, candles, and cushions. A proposal nearby, I hear.
The Vatican and papal palace
A little case of embarrassment: I've never been inside the Sistine Chapel. The line was too long, but if you buy tickets with a guide via GetYourGuide, you're guaranteed a time slot. Just walking into Vatican City and entering the church is an experience you won't forget quickly. The grandeur, the beauty, the nuns and priests – it's an experience in itself.
Santa Maria Maggiore
An immensely large church near Termini station (and close to Trattoria Monti – maybe you can combine them) where you can see beautiful mosaics, a staircase by Bernini, and where various high-ranking individuals are buried: Clement VIII, Clement IX, Nicholas IV, Paul V, Pius V, and Sixtus V. The famous artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini is also buried here, as well as Saint Jerome.
If you're there, I would definitely walk to one of the AS Roma stores to buy a shirt of your favorite football player.
Castel Sant’Angelo (Castle of the Angels)
If you've walked through Trastevere, walk over the bridge to Castel Sant’Angelo. This castle plays a significant role in the Bernini Mystery and in the final act of the opera Tosca. The castle was built after a procession in which people begged God to put an end to the plague epidemic. Then the archangel Michael is said to have appeared, sheathing his sword – which would be a sign that the epidemic would stop. To thank God and the archangel, Pope Pius II had this chapel built.
In my memory, it's free, and you have a great view over the city.
Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain & Pantheon
Go to Piazza Navona, throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain (which is not located at Piazza Navona, of course, but further in the historic center) and take a look at that beautiful light in the Pantheon.
Shopping in Rome
All nice and well, those restaurants and that culture, but you also want to take some ‘souvenirs’ home, of course.
You shop on Via Condotti, where you'll find all the major fashion houses – even if it's just to gawk at the beautiful windows. Via del Babuino near the Spanish Steps is also a favorite. But you can't go home without visiting Via Cola di Rienzo. This is more of a nice residential area than a tourist area, and it has all the shops that make you happy. From Sephora to Intimissimi and Tommy Hilfiger to exclusive boutiques from MaxMara, Missoni, and the more affordable Brandy Melville.
