Getting to Rome is pretty easy. The area is served by three airports. Leonardo Di Vinci International, better known as Fiumicino, is the primary arrival point for most visitors and is located about thirty minutes outside the city. The modern cruise ship port at Civitavecchia is about sixty minutes from the city. However, getting into the city from these arrival points can be exasperating.

Taking a taxi or driving a rental car is expensive and complicated, especially if you want to do a little sightseeing along the way. There is a Metro tram service, which requires some patience, advance knowledge of the system and hauling your own bags. And, there is train service into downtown Rome from other cities throughout Europe. This also requires even more advance planning and knowledge. Having learned all of this the hard way, we now hire a driver and car instead.

“All roads lead to Rome,” the locals also say frequently, but they often fail to mention that most of those roads are plagued by a chronic congestion of cars, taxis, trucks and Vespa motorcycles. This is not a city in which tourists should attempt to drive themselves. In the first place, only authorized vehicles are allowed in the central city during working hours. Parking is at a premium, even after hours when private cars are allowed.

The city is served by a two-line Underground Metropolitana subway system, which is very congested at peak times and during events. There is also the Rome Metro, which is part of an extensive over ground transport network of several suburban and urban tramway lines in and around the city. And, of course, taxi service abounds mostly when and where it isn’t needed. It’s expensive on a trip-by-trip basis, especially with radio cabs. Don’t bother with any of these forms of transportation. Having learned all of this the hard way, as well, we hire a driver and car for city travel.