In April 2022, I took a month long trip to the Italian capital. Aside from one week where my mother and lover joined me, I solo-travelled the eternal city. In some ways, Rome is a typical European city, and in many others, it is incredibly unique. A must-visit, some might say, myself included. If you’re a solo female traveller that’s heading to Rome, here are some tips! 

A/N: I wrote this piece as a guide for my sister’s ex-girlfriend who was embarking on a trip to Rome. I have no idea whether she visited any of these places because I literally never met her. Anyway, that’s why the writing is a little janky, but I promise you’ll get the idea. 

Getting Around 

I used airport taxi transfers to get from Fiumincino airport to my AirBnB and they were honestly great. Not spon, obviously. They were cheap, were waiting for me with a beautifully written sign in the airport, and also when I emerged on my final day very early in the morning. 

Taxis in Rome are quick (believe me, the drivers do not mess around), but just as expensive as taxis in any other major city. They usually hang around in droves outside the major tourist attractions. 

Uber is available in Rome, with Uber Van, Uber Lux and Uber Black. While you’ll definitely be more comfortable in an Uber than in a regular taxi, and you can request a ride with them up to 30 days in advance, they’re much more expensive than a regular taxi. 

Renting a car is only really recommended if you’re doing some travelling to Rome’s outskirts, or to places in the wider Italy. Roman roads aren’t hard to navigate, but they are hard to drive, being as they are incredibly narrow. From what I can tell the traffic light system is also insane. If you’re a confident biker you could try renting a vespa, but keep your wits about you! 

As well as ride shares, you should try a ride on one of the Lime Scooters. They’re available all over the city and are super convenient if you don’t feel like taking a walk one day. Most people don’t ride them on the pavements though, instead sticking to the edge of the roadways so proper caution must be exercised.

In contrast, the Metro, operated by Roma ATAC, is incredibly cheap and very reliable. Roma ATAC also manage the buses, trams and inner-city trains, and a ticket for one is good for all the others, too. Tickets can be purchased from vending machines and in tobacco shops, and those cute little newspaper shops, throughout the city. Remember to get your tickets validated in the station!!! If you’ve got a Roma pass, you’re probably already good for public transport. 

But honestly, Rome is so compact that just walking around the centre you’ll come across incredible shit. If I was you, I’d pack walking shoes and get going. For example, on the day we were headed to Venice, my mother and I took at 40 minute stroll at 6am to the train station, and came across this sight: 

Things to Know

Rioni – Rome is divided into 12 districts, or in Italian, regione. In the Roman dialect, these are referred to as rioni. If you’re only travelling to Rome for a long weekend, you probably won’t find yourself venturing out of the central rioni. However, if you have the time I would certainly suggest exploring all of them. 

7 Hills – All of Rome to the east of the Tiber is built upon and around 7 hills. These are the Aventine, Palatine, Capitoline, Caelian, Esquiline, Viminal, and Quirinal hills. If you feel yourself begin to walk uphill in Rome, keep going! There’s usually some very pretty spots on the top, and if not, some bloody great views. Definitely make a point of visiting the Aventine hill and the Palatine hill. 

Nasoni – If you’ve never been to Rome before, the Roman sewer system is 2500 years old and still functions incredibly well. You can’t flush tampons down the loo, obviously, you shouldn’t really be doing that anywhere. However, because of ancient Roman innovation, the city has free tap water that comes from Nasoni – taps in the street that look like big noses. You can download an app that shows you the location of every single Nasoni, so you’ll never have to buy a bottle of water. 

English in Rome – If you’re sticking around the city centre, most of the shop-keepers, wait staff and other tourist-facing individuals such as security guards and museum workers will be fluent in English, or at least know enough English that you will have no problem conversing with them. Many of them are also fluent in Spanish, French and have knowledge of German and Portuguese. However, if you’re venturing further out of the city or simply asking directions from the average Roman, some Google Translate wizardry might be necessary. Don’t let it stop you!

The Usual Stuff 

The Colosseum and Palatine Hill – Get a guided tour or, at the very least, an audio guide. You can find audio guides for free on Spotify or Youtube – they won’t be as good as the stuff you have to pay for, but it’s much easier than crowding around the information boards and squinting to read their 12-point font. You can find tickets through tour operators, or here. Book everything the week before you go. 

The Pantheon – The Pantheon and the square outside it is always, ALWAYS, packed full of people. You have to book your tickets in advance through this site, and make sure you arrive early. My advice is go for the earliest time slot in the morning and then grab breakfast from one of the cafes in the square. 

The Trevi – You’ll likely come across the gorgeous fountain while you’re out and about strolling. Just follow the streams of people heading down certain alleyways. You don’t have to pay, but once again, go early in the morning or very late at night for views that don’t have 10,000 other people in them. Also, don’t buy anything from the shops or restaurants on this square. The food will taste good, but your bank account won’t thank you. 

Castel Sant Angelo – I’m a firm believer, which I probably shouldn’t be as a Welsh woman, that if you’ve seen one castle you’ve seen them all. However, if fortifications are your thing, a tour around Castel Sant Angelo may be a good way to spend the best part of a day. You can buy tickets through a tour operator, or from the tickets booths inside the castle – these are first come first serve, so once again, go early. If you don’t want to go inside the castle, take a look at the gorgeous bridge outside or chill in the gardens round the back. 

The Vatican – Honestly, it’s worth going to the Vatican square just to add another country to the list of those you’ve visited. We visited during Easter weekend, which was manic but very exciting to see. You’ll have to book tickets if you wish to go inside, but you can find lots of history and interesting architecture just strolling around the 44 hectares. The best views of the Vatican, in my opinion, can be had from the bridge outside the courthouse, just a little ways up the road. 

The Unusual Stuff

Ok, so these aren’t really the main tourist places they’re just fun extra things that not many tourists make the effort to see. If you’ve seen the Trevi, the colosseum, the pantheon etc these are great places to fill your days. 

Sant’Ignazio of Loyola Church – Via del Caravita, 8, Roma, 00186 – 1 Hour 

Gorgeous and huge church with a beautiful painted ceiling. Pick up some cute postcards for super cheap, light a candle for our Lord and Saviour if that’s your kind of thing. Across the piazza is a gorgeous lil restaurant (super attentive to solo diners). If you do one thing from this list, make it this one. 

Protestant Cemetery – Via Caio Cestio, 6, Roma 00153 – 1 – 4 Hours

Little bit out of the way, but super pleasant walk from the centre (on your way you can see the cloaca maxima and the Jewish Quarter). The cemetery is really close to one of the seven hills – can’t remember which one. Aventine – I remembered. Walk up and over the hill and visit the Parco Savello for good views. There’s also a rose garden on this road but only in Spring and Summer y’know. 

Capuchin Crypts – Via Vittorio Veneto, 27, Roma 00187 – 2 Hours

Like 10 mins walk away from the Trevi there’s a load of cool museums, one of which is the Capuchin Crypts (if you’re not into creepy shit maybe don’t do this one). I think you can only get in if you book way in advance or take a tour – I took one with viatour that cost £65, super great they ferry you around on an air conditioned coach and then they take you to the catacombs too! Face the Barberini hotel in the piazza outside the crypts and then walk up the hill to your right, and on the left a little ways up is Palazzo Barberini – smaller art museum with beautiful grounds that you can picnic in. 

Giardini Del Giancolo – Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi, Roma 00165 – 3 Hours 

Again, these are a little bit out of the way but if you want to stretch your legs they’re perfect. Also once again idk how good they’ll be in November. The ladies at the ticket booth are super nice and the gardens are really peaceful. They go in a zig-zag up the side of the super secret eighth Roman hill, Janiculum hill, so if you exit out of the back turnstiles you can walk up the hill to the Piazza Giancolo for more incredible views and a panino or two. 

Villa Borghese – Piazzale Napoleone I, Roma 00197 – 2 – 6 Hours 

Beautiful gardens and a gorgeous art museum. They’re absolutely huge, so you can stroll around for a good while and every exit will lead you somewhere good. Go to the actual Villa and get a guided tour – you can book tickets in advance with Get Your Guide (mine were like 5 euros and then they just gave me a guided tour for free so idk maybe try that???) Then get a porcetta (if ur veggie don’t do that) and an ice cream from one of the lil vans and then sit and people watch. 

Piazza Cavour – Piazza Cavour, Roma 00193 – 2 Hours 

Abso stunning piazza that’s a little way out of the centre but not much – 15 min walk maybe. The bridge outside the courthouse has the most amazing views of the Vatican at sunrise and sunset. Near this piazza is Castel Sant Angelo, and there’s a lil market running alongside the river. It’s all tourist tat but super fun. Also really easy to reach the Vatican from here. Around here is a whole host of great restaurants that the tourists don’t go to, incredible Japanese from Sushi e Noodles, or drinks from Tudini Guiseppe, next door to Trattoria Memo for pasta, and then up a few streets for Gelarmony which does really good desserts. 

On Your Way 

Honestly, Rome is probably one of the only cities where you’ll come across 2000 year old relics on a random backstreet. But thankfully this means you never have to walk far before there’s something to gawp at. Here’s some stuff you probably won’t want to go out of your way for, but are still interesting to see on your way to other stuff. 

The Birthday Cake and Mussolini’s Balcony – Heading to the Colosseum, or coming back from it, you’ll come across the ruins of the Foro Traiano, Mercati di Traiano, and the Colonna Traiana. Across the street is the Altar of the Fatherland, affectionately termed ‘the birthday cake’. On the Western side of the piazza in front of the birthday cake is the balcony where Mussolini used to give his addresses to the people of Rome. 

Cloaca Maxima – The big asshole, or the greatest sewer, is the mouth of that ancient sewer system I mentioned earlier. It directed water from storms away from those districts in and around the Colosseum. It’s hiding on the edge of the Tiber and can be seen from the nearest bridge.  

Tiber and Tiber Island – Chances are you probably won’t be able to go to Rome without seeing the Tiber at least once. After all, it flows straight through the centre. I’d recommend saving a day to just walk along the edge and see where it leads you. As a little tip, a lot of Rome’s homeless usually camp next to the river, but only on the Eastern side, so make sure not to disturb them. Tiber Island, as you can probably guess, is a little island in the middle of the Tiber by the Jewish quarter. It’s long since been a site of healing and hospitals, and still houses two to this very day. 

The Keyhole – You’ll probably see the keyhole on the Aventine hill mentioned as a ‘must-see’, or at least as a quirky little place in Rome to visit. However, since it’s on top of a big old hill, and there’s a half hour queue in front of it, I’d say don’t go out of your way to visit. If you’re in the area, however, go and take a little look through. I quite like it since it’s almost impossible to get a good photo of the view – you just have to appreciate the here and now. 

The Foot – A fragment of what was once an unimaginably big statue in front of the temple of Serapis and Isis, this giant marble foot now sits on an unassuming side street. Go kiss some toes. 

The Wall – The ancient Romans loved to build walls around precious cities and settlements that they saw as vulnerable. If you’re already at the colosseum, walk towards Hadrian’s column and keep going. You’ll come across Rome’s very own city wall.  

Eating Out in Rome 

Here are some restaurants I went to in Rome. They might not be the best but I can certainly say they were all tasty tasty yum yum. 

Prati 

L’officina Della Pizza – Teeny tiny little shop with pizza al taglio. You pay depending on how big your slice is. I had the mushroom one – so tasty! You can get it to go and sit in the square.  

Gelarmony – Desserts of every kind, but our favourite was the marshmallow and merengue ice cream. Get panna on top too. 

Sushi e Noodles – Go to Italy and eat Japanese food. No really, it’s so tasty. It’s not even that expensive and it’s the best quality sushi I’ve ever eaten. Eat in for the full experience. 

Trastevere 

Il Trapizzino – You’ve probably already had this one recommended to you but let me be the next person to tell you ‘oh my God, you have to try this!’ The pizza sandwich is incredible – my favourite fillings were the meatballs and tongue.  

I Suppli – Another one you’ve probably already had shoved down your throat, I Suppli is as incredible as everyone says. If you like deep fried rice balls and cheese then you’ll be in heaven. They’re such a great warm snack for the windier days. 

Hostaria Dar Buttero – We found this one down a side street and it was so kitschy. Traditional decor and really cheerful staff, but my god the food! Literally like going to your Italian grandma’s house if you were lucky enough to have an Italian grandma. 

Ponte 

Écru – If you’re searching for vegan restaurants in Rome, trust me, this is the one. I can’t remember what I ended up getting because the menu is huge but it was some kind of radish salad. After a fortnight of pizza and gelato it was so refreshing. 

Osteria De Memmo – Authentic little osteria with seasonal dishes. I had the osso bucco which was incredible! And my mother sampled their spring fried artichokes which she still raves about to this day. 

Regola 

Ar Galleto – My mother and I really pissed off the waiters here because we didn’t book, so make sure you book. Still, they managed to fit us in and were absolutely superlative with the recommendations. I tried the carpaccio for starters, osso buco for main (which I had developed a little bit of an obsession with at this point), and had the maritozzi for desert – all insanely good. 

Catinari – For pasta and seafood it simply has to be Catinari. This is one of those restaurants that manages to pair traditional Roman dining with flair for the tourists. It’s tucked away in the Jewish Ghetto, so you know they have artichokes galore. 

Parione 

Lo Zozzone – This is another teeny tiny restaurant that is just stunning to look at. It’s honestly surprising how good the food is considering how close it is to the main tourist thoroughfares. I had the caprese salad and cacio e pepe and I’m salivating just thinking about it. 

Terra Di Siena – This one has a big Tuscan influence, so if you want hefty slabs of meat and the best roasted vegetables you’ll ever eat, make a point of going to this one. My mother said the wine list was the best at this one, so go see if you agree. 

S. Angelo 

Renato Al Ghetto – Another restaurant with Israeli influence, try the baccala for the best cod you’ve ever had. Be warned, the wait staff are a little less attentive at this restaurant than many of the others I went to, but it’s quite nice to just sit and enjoy your meal sometimes. 

Aromi Bistrot – Another dinky little bistro, if you like fresh sandwiches and burgers then Aromi is the one for you. They also have a ton of seafood on the menu, which is beautifully prepared and really light. 

Pizza Florida – Alright, I hear you. A Roman pizza stop called pizza Florida did originally strike fear into my heart. But, after my first slice of potato and truffle pizza here, I went back every single day. Again, it’s take out, so grab your slice and get going. 

S. Eustachio 

Caffè Sant’Eustachio – Good luck pushing through the crowds to get into this one. If you can survive the crush and the jaded serving staff, it’s definitely worth the hype. I didn’t try the coffee (blasphemous, I know) but the little pastries were to die for. You can even pick up some to take home as gifts. 

Antica Salumeria – Another one that’s always ridiculously busy, this little sandwich shop sits on the same square as the pantheon. Get your cash out before you go in, and jab your finger at the sandwich you want. They’ll heat it up for you and then you can go and explore. 

Brucio Coppelle – All pizza in Rome is great, right? Well, this might just be the best of them. For the pizza pie lovers, the dough here is honestly the best part, and that’s saying something since the toppings are stunning. Try one of their beautiful desserts, too. 

Trevi 

Le Cave di Sant Ignazio – A really sweet little cafe with a lovely outdoor seating area right on the square. I could’ve sat here for days. The staff are wonderful, always ready to give recommendations and intent on feeding you until you’re bursting at the seams. Great mix of locals and tourists which is always a good sign. 

Osteria Bacco – Finally, another one for the meat lovers, I had the only steak I had in Rome here and it’s the only steak I want to eat for the rest of my life. My mum had the octopus and gave it eight thumbs up. Also incredible prices considering where it’s situated. 

And there you have it, your guide to Rome. Let me know how it goes! You’ll love it.