Tomás Almeida
Rome beyond the checklist
Based in Monti, Rome.
Tomás moved from Lisbon to Rome a decade ago and writes about the city's neighbourhoods, lesser-walked sights and half-day itineraries. He is as happy explaining the Aventine keyhole as routing a first-timer through the Forum before the queues form.
Latest stories
Trevi Fountain Tickets: The EUR2 Fee, Opening Hours and How to See It Free
The fountain charges non-residents to walk along the water, while the view from the piazza stays free. The question is what that ticket buys, and which of the tickets nearby are worth the money.
Christmas in Rome 2026: Vatican Tree, Nativity Scenes and the 8 December Start
The Vatican tree and crib go up over 6 to 7 December 2026, and the colonnade crib show opens on 8 December. A dozen more nativities across Rome stay up until Epiphany.
Campo de' Fiori in Rome hour by hour, rain included
The stalls work Monday to Saturday mornings only, so the rest of a Campo de' Fiori day runs on whatever doors you booked ahead.
An Unhurried Day in Rome's Villa Borghese
Galleria Borghese sells timed slots; the terraces, the lake paths and two small cinemas in Rome's central park cost nothing. Here are the cheap hours.
Walking the Vatican Museums on an October Morning in Rome
Start at 08:00, take the one-way route through to the Sistine Chapel, and eat either side of the visit at the Prati counters.
Standing Under the Pantheon's Open Oculus in Rome
The best-preserved building of the ancient world costs €7 and needs half an hour, and it is at its best if you arrive in the first hour or the last.
How to Walk Piazza Navona Without the Crowds in Rome
The square is free and never closes, so everything turns on which hour you walk in and which doors are open when you do.
Following the Barberini Bees Across Rome's Painted Ceilings
Which chapel is the real Barberini one, where to stand under Cortona's ceiling, and eleven more painted skies worth building a 2026 Rome trip around.
Walking the Cinecittà Backlot Where Fellini Built Rome
The standing Forum on Via Tuscolana opens at weekends only, and only if you book ahead. Here is how to walk it properly in 2026, then follow Fellini's city to a bar on Piazza del Popolo and a Vespa convoy on the Appian Way.
The Aqueduct Park Where Rome Comes to Picnic on Sundays
South of the crowds and the ticket queues, two ancient aqueducts still march across open pasture, and on a Sunday, the whole neighbourhood turns up with bread, wine, and a blanket.
How Rome's Jewish Ghetto Keeps Its Kitchen Alive
In Rome's tiny Jewish Ghetto, four centuries of enclosure produced a cuisine that still runs on its own clock — fried artichokes, kosher ovens, and a bakery that's never bothered with a sign.
Rome Walks at Dusk: A Passeggiata From Popolo to Trastevere
A paragraph-by-paragraph route through Rome's nightly stroll, from Piazza del Popolo's sunset terrace to Trastevere's fountain steps, with honest notes on door policy, timing and price.
Rome's Underground: The Buried City Beneath the Eternal City
Beneath the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain lies a second Rome of catacombs, buried palaces and pagan temples — here's how to actually get into it in 2026.
Seven Hills, One Scoop: Finding Rome's Gelato Without Falling for the Tourist Trap
The neon mountains in the window are the tell — here's how to read a Roman gelato counter and taste the real thing, one honest scoop at a time.
Ancient Rome After Dark: A Local's Guide to the Colosseum and Forum Without the Crowds
The ancient city belongs to the tour groups by day — but after the gates close it turns quiet, floodlit and, for a few hours, almost yours.
The Best Golf Cart Tours for Families in Rome
The tried-this-year guide to Rome's family golf cart tours — from genuine car seats for toddlers to low-floor carts for grandparents, with honest per-person prices.
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