There are some occasions when you would want to join a city tour and others when you prefer taking the lead and exploring a city on your own. I second both options and if you are wondering how to see Rome without a tour, this article is for you.
While I think joining a tour, especially if led by a local expert/archaeologist/scholar has huge benefits and will help you greatly understand Rome’s culture and history, everyone knows their needs and preferences, so ultimately, the decision is yours. And yes, I think it’s possible to visit Rome on your own.
Here’s how.
Plan with care
I know Rome is huge and chaotic, but it’s also very popular among world travelers and especially the city center is very tourist-friendly. Being aware of your whereabouts is quite straightforward and planning your own trip is not too difficult.
Things like finding a great hotel in the perfect neighborhood, avoiding tourist traps restaurants, and deciding what to see and do require scrupulous planning and take time but they can all be done independently.
If you want to plan your own Rome trip but need some guidance, I have put together an easy course that allows you to create a perfect experience in no more than ten days. And once your travel plan is done, I will personally check it and give you my customized feedback.
Check out my “How to Plan a Perfect Trip to Rome Course” here
Craft a great itinerary
Crafting a fantastic itinerary is one of the most important aspects of a perfect trip to Rome. This is very personal and if you are traveling independently, you have the freedom to add and remove any sights that don’t capture your attention, even if they are very famous.
If you are visiting Rome without a tour, you can also decide to devote some time to relaxing and actually enjoy the Dolce Vita Italy is known for.
Often, guided tours resemble a landmark marathon and don’t leave much free time for tourists. If you are up to it, by all means, there are many great tours of Rome. But if you’d rather take your time to enjoy life, you can craft your itinerary.
If you want to have a custom itinerary crafted just for you based on your needs and preferences, you can check out my tailored services.
Choose your resources carefully
In a time of history when even the largest search engine prefers AI-written content penalizing human-written websites, it has become all the more difficult for readers to find accurate and reliable information.
Particularly about Rome and Italy, which are very popular tourist destinations, garbage, watered-down, and inaccurate information are filling the Internet. This carries the inevitable results of leaving travelers completely unprepared when they reach the country and exposing them to unwanted surprises.
My Rome Actually website has never and will never host AI content. The information, facts, details, and material you will find here will always stem from fact-checked events and first-hand experience. And so will the facts and tips you will find on my other websites about Italy and about Sardinia.
Why?
Because this is my country, I love it and I’m never tired of researching our culture and history. And the last thing I want is for visitors to have a bad experience and stressful adventures wasting their time and money.
Be ready to walk
There is very little way around it: in Rome, you will walk a lot. A way to walk less is to join a good golf cart tour so that you will be whisked around town and you will stop in strategic places where your guide will explain the main features and historical facts.
LivTours also runs private evening golf cart tours with drinks if you fancy adding a typical aperitif to your experience.
Apart from these tours or the rather slow hop-on-hop-off buses, I think the best way to enjoy Rome is by walking. So arm yourself with comfortable walking shoes and explore the eternal city like a Roman!
Use public transport
Whether you have booked your hotel a bit far from the city center or you are staying in Rome for only a few days and need to optimize your time as much as possible, consider using public transport.
The modes of public transport in Rome include bus, tram, metro, and city trains. Even though the buses have their lanes on many roads, they remain stuck in the traffic jam. Trams, metro, and trains, however, go faster and are my go-to choice whenever I can.
Need help deciding what to see and do in Rome?
Check out my custom itineraries and I will craft a perfect trip for you!
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