Rome – Italy – January 2026

Day 1 – Touch down in Rome!

Italy is one country that can certainly draw in the crowds, with its romantic undertones that blend perfectly with a rich heritage, amazing architecture, and delicious cuisine. Quaint churches and narrow streets set the scene for candlelit meals and coffee and pastries at pavement cafes – Italy is also the place to savour the best pasta, pizza and ice cream!

With a population of approximately 2.75 million and the capital of Italy, Rome is known as the “Eternal City” due to its timeless history at the heart of the Roman Empire. It is one of Europe’s largest cities by area and houses several iconic landmarks like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Vatican City.

Rome, like numerous places, was on my list of city breaks and needed to be slotted into my schedule at a convenient time. January is a really good month to visit Rome if you don’t mind the cooler temperatures, but on the plus side the crowds are thinner and the prices cheaper. Making your euros stretch further will certainly help you out in a city that is quite pricey.

So, after an afternoon flight of just over a couple of hours, with some great views of the Swiss Alps on route, I arrived at my hotel in time to freshen up, have a brief walk around the area next to my hotel, and get my first taste of authentic Italian cuisine at a local restaurant. I must admit that I was a little lazy this time and decided to just jump in a taxi and not to try and work out the metro system, especially after the first Berlin airport run experience, until I had my bearings. It was going dark and all I wanted to do was get to my hotel. Like many of these European cities, the centre of Rome is not that close to the airport. If you do decide to opt for a taxi, then remember to use the white regulated taxis. Uber is also available here if you want to use them.