Car Hire Rome Fiumicino Airport

If you’ve driven in continental Europe before, then you’ll know there are a few key differences to consider. Cars in Italy are left-hand drive and you’ll be on the right-hand side of the road, with overtaking on the left.

Speed limits will be signposted wherever you drive but vary from 50km/h in built-up areas all the way up to 130km/h on autostrada – Italy’s motorways – which also generally carry tolls.

From the airport, take the A91 that will take you straight to the heart of Rome. If your hotel is in the centre, or you’re planning to drive to the major attractions, be aware that Rome has a zero-traffic zone – called a Zona Traffico Limitato (ZTL). You’ll be fined if you enter it. Don’t panic if your hotel is in this area though – you just need to call ahead with your car details and they’ll pass them on to the police to make sure you’re not penalised.

Parking in Rome can be difficult to come by with limited bays available. Look out for parking garages on the outskirts of the city, the Parking Ludovisi garage is a great option for those staying in the city, with an hourly rate of €1.80.

If you want to get around the city with ease, there’s a ring road consisting of the E80 to the south and east, and the A90 to the west and north. If you’re staying outside of Rome or heading elsewhere in Lazio, you can take the SP601 south for a scenic, coastal drive or take the E80 in a northerly direction for Civitavecchia to experience more of Italy during your trip.

Rome’s landmarks are numerous. Its squares and palaces countless. There’s an embarrassment of riches when it comes to great works to hunt out, timeless galleries and museums to wander through, Roman ruins to gasp at. That’s only the surface. Discover our guide below to all of Rome’s best bits.

The A-list

It’s not just first-timers in the Eternal City who make an itinerary of all the major sights. Even those who’ve been several times are enchanted again by the scale and splendour of the Colosseum, Forum, St. Peter’s Basilica and Pantheon.

As a rule of thumb, if somewhere requires a ticket to get in, it’s best to book online in advance. This way you can often get timed entry, which means less time spent in queues and more time enjoying the city. Some free venues are busy too, such as the ostentatious Trevi Fountain – join the crowds in the tradition of tossing a coin into the water.

Climb up to the Palatine Hill to see the city from above, an area where emperors once resided. It’s rich in ruins with brilliant, panoramic views of the city.

What to eat in Rome

Italy’s regions each have their own specialties, and while tourist haunts might serve you up Neapolitan pizza or ragu alla Bolognese, you’re better off trying Roman specialities in the place they were first imagined.

The pasta here is sensational, and if you find a spot popular with locals then there’s rarely a bad dish of carbonara or cacio e pepe to be found. The latter, the deceptively simple combination of pasta, pecorino cheese and pepper, punches well above its weight here, and is especially good at Trattoria da Danilo on Via Petrarca.

For a more rarefied experience, La Pergola holds three Michelin stars and its chef Heinz Beck is world-renowned. The menu sounds simple – turbot with asparagus, cacio e pepe with shrimps – but is anything but, and the views of the city have to be seen to be believed.  

Roaming from Rome

Outside of Italy’s capital, the area is teeming with fascinating towns and villages to visit. Ostia Antica is one such, a stone’s throw from the airport and an archaeological treat. The extensive ruins tell a tale of a former port town that once housed 50,000 people before finally being abandoned and falling into disrepair.

You can wander as you like, but highlights include the Baths of Neptune and even a café complete with menu fragments. As the city was empty by the 9^th century, it speaks volumes about how the place has been preserved.