Rome is as magnificent as you expect. It’s a dramatic tangled city of historical sights with layers of beauty and mystery. The moment you leave the airport, you will be bombarded by the blend of ancient and modern igniting all your senses.

You might have read my previous post 3 Weeks in Italy where I talk about why I decided to go to Italy and a brief outline of my Itinerary. Since that post, I had a family tragedy and its been a while since I could write. Rome was the first stop of our 3-week holiday in Italy. We flew from Sydney, Australia to Rome which is an incredibly long flight. We did the best we could by upgrading our seats with Emirates to a twin-seat in economy on the leg to Dubai.  This was ideal and worth another $48 AUD. We almost booked an airport lounge for the 3-hour layover in Dubai to have a shower and relax as we were to arrive in Rome at 7.30am.  But luck had it, closer to our departure date we were offered a Business class upgrade for only another $650 AUD each. I had never flown business class and jumped on this special deal. A chance to enjoy a proper sleep, lovely champagne, a nicer menu, also a complimentary Bulgari toiletry bag. The air hostess was friendly and attentive. Yes, there is quite a difference in this next level which you would expect with a business upgrade.  

I felt so refreshed after the 6.5hr flight from Dubai to Rome and it was thanks to the exceptional care received in Emirates Business Class.  Also considering I was arriving in Rome at 7.30am with several hours before the Hotel check-in time, I felt lively enough to enjoy the day.

The next important step in my planning was I had booked a private car to collect us at the Airport one hour after arrival time to allow for customs processing.  I had seen a post on the net about Rome4us private transfers.https://rome4.us/

It was an easy booking process and we didn’t need to pay until we were dropped at our Hotel. The cost of the half-hour journey was only 50 EUR in cash.  Now I could have also just hailed a taxi from the Airport for the set rate of 48 EUR or caught a train 14 EUR into Rome Central.  If a train, I would have had to wheel my bags around to the train platform and it was August so even in the early morning I was already sweating. Then because my Hotel was located in the center of the old part of Rome, I would need to catch a Taxi from the train station or walk with the bags a long way in the heat. It all seemed too hard after the long flight from Sydney. I compared the cost of train tickets for two people, plus a taxi, it wasn’t much of a saving.  I also liked the idea of being collected by private transfer and arriving for the start of my dream holiday in a stylish clean air-conditioned Mercedes or similar.  On completing the private transfer email inquiry form on Rome4us, we received a reply within hours and then just added the driver’s number to our WhatsApp for communication on arrival. Easy!

Travel tips from this post:

• Buy some Euro currency prior to flying to cover one day’s expenses. (Saves finding an ATM at the airport on arrival and in the event that the ATM is not available on the day which can happen, also you can’t withdraw more than €250 on the day, don’t risk trying as your card might get retained, better to use the currency counter if you need more at the Airport or use the ATM in town later) Some taxis and private transfers want cash this is why I suggest arriving with some Euro.
• Upgrade your flight class if a special comes up or pay for a better seat location. (This can make all the difference to having a good flight and arriving fresh especially if it’s a long haul flight)
• Book a private transfer from the Airport to your hotel in Rome. (A special treat for yourself and more affordable than you would think)
• Hopefully, you also bought a Travel Sim card prior to departure. As soon as the plan lands insert it into your phone and immediately set up, making all communication easier, especially if you book a driver.  I bought mine online from Sims Direct. when in Australia.

My next post will be about my first two days in Rome.

Published by Seafarrwide

Passionate woman, enjoying life, learning new things, love traveling, writing thoughts and sharing memories. View all posts by Seafarrwide