Rome: history, food and romance, for couples

Who this guide is for

Couples visiting Rome for the first time who want four or five unhurried days: long walks through the old streets, the big ancient sites without the worst of the queues, good food and evenings that feel like your own. We base you in Trastevere, the old quarter across the river, and give you two calmer and cheaper options nearby, Testaccio and Monti.

It’s not the right guide if you’re travelling with small children, if your trip is about nightclubs until dawn, or if you plan to drive around the city in July. Rome works for all of those, but this guide is about the rest.

What’s inside

Twelve chapters. We start with where to stay, when to go and how many days you need, then the airports, the trains, the buses and how much you can simply walk. Next comes what to pack, ancient Rome around the Colosseum, the Vatican, an evening walk through the old centre, the things that make Rome good for two, and the lesser-known corners and day trips. We finish with hand-picked stays in three neighbourhoods, how to eat well and avoid the tourist traps, a real budget for a week, and the tips people rarely tell you. Every place is also on one map.

The twelve question marks are the places we’d plan a Rome trip around. They open, with names and photos, in the full guide, together with a Google map of every place we mention.

Prices checked in October 2026 for the 2027 season.

Want a plan built around your dates, your pace and your budget? Order a custom trip plan.