A few years ago, working as travel agents, we served a group that wanted to really get to know Rome. They asked us what we thought of pre-packaged 7 day tours, advantages and disadvantages of such tours, and our overall opinion so they could make up their minds on the best strategy possible for their adventure on the Eternal City.We gave them the hard truth.
We knew we were risking losing the sale, but we told them there is no way you can REALLY get to know Rome in 7 days, even guided by the most knowledgeable professional. Of course, every traveler has a different purpose for their trip. If you want to get a feel for Europe, and you’ve booked 7 countries in 8 days, that’s fine too. If, on the other hand, you’ve already skimmed the surface of this rich continent, and wish to go farther this time, you probably want to become a native of Rome, and live a few days like Romans do.

That’s where we suggest you rent an apartment near the Termini (see link for a traditional suggestion), learn to buy groceries in Italian, cook and live like a Roman for 15 days(or more, if possible)!

You’ll feel a great sense of accomplishment by doing this!
You will:
1) be forced to improve your Italian speaking skills
2) get around real supermarkets, not tourist priced shops.
3) learn native customs, greetings, dig through smaller shops and lesser touristic streets

Plus, and this is the most important aspect of all, you won’t be paying an expensive price for a room in central Rome just to spend your entire day around city(while your room is locked and costing your precious Euros).Walk and Metro!
Rome is a city you need to tour by foot. The streets of Rome were not meant for automobiles, in fact, you’ll notice that throughout the central historic area there are walkways where even a small motorino(the small motorbikes are all over the place) can’t pass through. Walk through one of these small pathways from the Navona piazza region to the Pantheon and back! As you exit a narrow passage you’ll be faced with a striking scene: one of Rome’s oldest buildings, the Pantheon, faced by a McDonalds restaurant…. Such is the Eternal City!

Comfort is essential
There are no REALLY cheap lodging options in central Rome. If you plan on studying or living in Rome on a real tight budget, do consider renting a room in a family home or shared rooms on guest houses.

But, if you are in the middle ground and look forward to “tourism trip as a native”, you probably want to rent a self-catering apartment with a staff you can contact for tips and information on getting around Rome.

Zip codes matter!
You probably want something with a zip code similar to 00185. Like in most places, zip codes are grouped by geolocation. All codes approximate to 00185 are near the Termini region, where you’ll be near the main train and bus station and at just 5 minutes walk from the Colosseum. If you want to stretch it a bit, cross the historic area, walk down to the Tevere, and cross it into the historic grounds of the Vatican.

The Termini Area
We reccommend apartments in the Termini area because of the intense movement of people around these streets, tourists, natives, book stores, souvenir shops, restaurants, fast pizzas(they’re great, square cut, wrapped and out the door you go!), coffee shops, internet cafes and so much more. While Trastevere is the more romantic hangout, the Termini area is the more suburban, busy scene in Rome. The Termini is where the Italians meet and mix with the tourists. As you walk by totally unconcerned with work, you’ll be passing by regular citizens working on their daily chores.

Conclusion
Don’t buy shrinkwrapped packages if your intention is to delve into the Roman culture. Plan for a longer vacation, rent an apartment and live there like a native for a while. Plan on long walks, plan on repeating the same destination over 2 or more days, especially the Sistine Chapel and Vatican grounds, there is just so much to cover. The historic center will take you a week if you wish to even skim the deep, rich, history you’ll encounter in every quarter there.

If you’ve got suggestions of apartments for rental in Rome, we’d love to hear from you! Leave your suggestions on our comment fields, and please let us know how your overall experience was! We love hearing from other travelers and the experiences they had with their lodging!