Visiting Rome
Ten tips
1 You should visit plan to visit the 4 Major Basilicas of Rome: St. Peter's (Vatican), St. Paul's outside the Walls, St. Mary Major, and St. John Lateran. These are the four grandest churches in Rome and each will take your breath away.
To attend a Papal Mass, click TICKETS FOR A PAPAL MASS.
2 The best part of Rome are the off-the-path churches. Saint Peter's Basilica is amazing, and plan to visit churches such as St. Agnes in Agony off the Piazza Navona or St. Maria Trastevere for a Sunday Mass.
3 If you're able to do so comfortably, walk everywhere. Try not to use cabs or the metro - although public transportation in Rome is excellent. Walking a city is the best way to know a city
4 Bus tour. Speaking of getting to know Rome, try one of those tourist double decker buses and ride around the city at least once. It will provide you with a global view of the city.
5 Read a good book on Christian Rome before you arrive. It will give you Catholic insights into the history and theology of Rome.
6 Eat meals at scenic Italian spots as a treat. Food will cost more on the piazza of the Pantheon or on Piazza Navona. But it's worth it. Watch people. Listen to the musicians. Watch performers.
7 Pasta is great, and sample other delicacies in Rome. Italian food isn't all pasta. Try the cured pork dishes, the veal, the cheese, and the vegetables. If you are into pasta, some of the best pastas are those that are lightly topped with sauces or fine oils.
8 Everyone raves about Roman gelato. Be sure to try some real gelato.
9 Prayer at holy sites. Rome is a holy city of martyrs, relics, saints, tradition, and glory. Be sure to pace your time in Rome so that you have time to be still and to pray at Michelangelo's Pieta and the other beautiful works of art reflecting our faith. Avoid rushing from church to church. Find the tabernacle; be still and talk to Jesus about your time in Rome.
10 Live in the moment and feel Rome. For Catholics in so many ways, it is like coming home. Be comfortable at home. Savour the moment and experience the embrace of God for you in the eternal city.