After spending two weeks in Italy, my best advice is to forget Fodor’s and follow Rick Steves. He is the rock star of travel guidebooks, and I can personally attest that his advice is current and accurate. We ran into him at the Spanish Steps as he was updating his chapter on Rome, and he was as kind as he was knowledgeable. Here is a sample of his sage advice combined with lessons we learned along the way.
THE COLOSSEUM
“For many, the most frustrating sight in Rome is the Colosseum,” Steves says on his Facebook page. “Everyone wants to go there, and a reserved and prepaid ticket is essentially required. After huddling with my favorite Roman guides, their (and my) advice for people wanting to avoid crowds (especially important in 2025, which is a Jubilee Year and will be doubly crowded) is this: See the Colosseum from the outside, do the adjacent Forum with more gusto, and then lace up your sandals and walk 15 minutes to the Baths of Caracalla. Here, you’ll have more space (and more silence) to appreciate the gargantuan engineering marvels of the ancient city.”
I took his advice even further. I walked with my family to the Colosseum, took a quick pic, left them there to do their pre-paid tour, and continued walking to the Piazza Madonna in the bohemian Monti neighborhood.
Sitting outside at an old café, I ordered some drinking chocolate (it comes with fresh whipped cream and delicious cookies, who knew!) and listened to German students, locals and expats speak excitedly in their languages as they gulped down multiple Aperol Spritzes. For every Aperol Spritz they ordered, the server brought them little bowls of peanuts, potato chips and pretzels. They didn’t even order any food – Aha! That’s how students eat on a budget. One of the German girls had her backpack on the back of her chair and the server raised his voice and scolded her. I couldn’t understand a word of their conversation but then he pointed to a seedy-looking dude eyeing her backpack as he pretended to shop at the store next door, and I understood exactly what he meant.
My family learned a great deal about Roman history and engineering that day, but I learned about language, culture, crime and food. The bruschetta pomodoro at that café was the best I’ve ever had, and with a bottle of water, and of course the dreamy hot chocolate, my total bill was 12 euros. The vintage stores were super cool in that neighborhood too; I bought my son a groovy ’50s Hawaiian shirt.
But if you must do all the big things in Rome, here are some tips.
VATICAN CITY
According to Steves, schedule your tour late in the day; mornings are insanely crowded. Also, spend the money and book a small private tour in advance for less waiting time. Even then, you will be prodded through like cattle, so Steves doesn’t even include the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum on his tours. We attempted a morning visit but the crowds were freakish, so I snapped a few pictures and we walked to a castle instead. We walked back at night, after it was closed, and it was much more peaceful and beautiful. However, there were dozens of homeless camped out in tents where the crowds had been, so it didn’t seem very safe. I was glad to have my two boys with me. I watched a YouTube video of the Sistine Chapel tour while drinking wine and it was fantastic.
THE PANTHEON
Our VRBO was near the Pantheon, a perfect location in the center of Rome. We were able to walk to every attraction and restaurant; the only cabs we took were to and from the airport. We chose a rainy day to enter the Pantheon — less crowded and it was fascinating to see it rain inside through the hole at the top. We were going to pay the five euros to enter, but were offered a guided tour for only 15 euros. Well worth it — it was short but very informative. (FYI: The absolute best gelato in Rome is at Giolitti, near the Pantheon.)
BORGHESE GALLERY AND VILLA BORGHESE GARDENS
Tickets to the gallery must be purchased well in advance and you must be present at your allotted time slot, or your spot will be given away. Lucky for us, we complied with these rules and were treated to a wonderful experience viewing breathtaking sculptures and art. The gardens are free to the public and were a welcome respite after all that art. Four of us rented a pedal car which was hilariously fun, but a walk in the park works wonders too. The park spills into Piazza del Popolo which is a great place to listen to street musicians and people watch.
VICTOR EMMANUEL MONUMENT
Splurge and ride the glass elevator up to the top for the best view of the city. A must-see, even if you skip the museum and just go for the view. We discovered an M.C. Escher gallery/exhibit across the street that blew our minds — it was so fantastic.
TREVI FOUNTAIN AND
PIAZZA NAVONA
Plan to go in the evening. The fountain is breathtaking but crowded. Piazza Navona is less crowded and a great place to have dinner al fresco.
CAMPO DE’ FIORI
Walk through the historical Jewish Ghetto, stroll along the Tiber River, eat the best fried artichokes in Rome at Da Giggetto, or grab the best pizza in town at Forno Campo de Fiori. Buy your souvenirs, flowers, fresh produce and bakery items at the fabulous Campo de’ Fiori Market, open every morning except Sunday.
SPANISH STEPS
This is a very crowded, posh area but hey, Rick Steves asked us to take his picture there and that’s how we met him. Worth the trip — you may meet someone famous there. If you have big bucks to spend on high-end shopping, do the “Dolce Vita Stroll” along Via del Corso.
FLORENCE
Florence had such a different vibe than Rome — smaller and less crowded. Our beautiful VRBO was high up on a hill near the Piazzale Michelangelo with a magnificent view of the city. One of my favorite nights was when we hired a private chef to come and cook Tuscan specialties for us and we ate outside on the back patio overlooking the city. We used Lalli’s Private Chef but there are plenty to choose from.
Once again, follow Rick Steves for a detailed itinerary. The absolute must-sees are: the Uffizi Gallery (finest paintings), the Accademia (David!) and the Duomo Museum (great bronze work). All of these require a reservation and tickets purchased in advance. You would be wise to plan your entire trip to Florence around these three attractions. Once you have these tickets and times, fill in the blanks with wandering, sightseeing and delicious food. The boys also enjoyed the Galileo Science Museum.
The Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens as well as the Church of Santa Maria Novella did not require advance tickets and were easy to get into. We enjoyed them. San Miniato al Monte is worth the climb for the frescoes and unbeatable views. Oltrano, just across the river, offers plenty of vintage shops, boutiques and cool cafes. And of course, make sure you take a picture on the iconic Ponte Vecchio bridge. We had cocktails at a rooftop bar overlooking the Ponte Vecchio, and it’s my fondest memory of Florence.
SIENA AND PISA
Florence is a great location for side trips. Beautiful Siena is only 1.5 hours away by bus or train. When you tour the Cathedral, be sure to upgrade your ticket to climb upstairs for the best view of the city. Pisa is another easy train ride. We did both and highly recommend — that leaning tower is all that and a bag of chips.
Day trips to Tuscan vineyards and wineries are also a great idea. We traveled to the Chianti, Montalcino and Montepulciano regions and tasted some amazing wines.
CRIME
Last but not least, be careful in Italy. Where there are crowds, there is crime. Don’t ever leave your backpack or purse on a chair in a restaurant. Keep it in your lap or under your feet. Never leave any valuables in your rental car. We witnessed a frantic British tourist who left his luggage in the back seat of his car briefly while he carried his wife’s suitcase up to their Airbnb. A thief smashed his window and took his suitcase in a matter of minutes. In Rome, luggage is very valuable to thieves. If they are homeless, they can store their tent and all their belongings in it and wheel it around, attempting to look like a tourist.
Even with crowds and crime, ancient Italy is one of the most fascinating and beautiful places on earth. Do your research, plan your trip, buy your tickets in advance and then GO! And don’t forget to just wander. Sit in a café alone for a while and take it all in. The best things happen when you leave time to wander.
