Italy vs Ireland

Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) is Rome's main international airport. The Leonardo Express train runs every 30 minutes directly to Roma Termini (central station) in 32 minutes for €14. Ciampino is used by Ryanair and some budget carriers; the Terravision coach to Termini takes 40 minutes for €6.

💡 Validate your train ticket before boarding at Fiumicino — inspectors check on board and fines are immediate.

No visit to Rome begins anywhere else. The Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheatre) is 2,000 years old and still one of humanity's greatest engineering achievements. Combined tickets include the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill — allow three hours for the full complex. Book online: queues without a ticket can be 90+ minutes.

💡 The best photography of the Colosseum exterior is from the northern face at the Arco di Costantino. Go before 10am to beat the tour groups.

Trastevere is Rome's most atmospheric neighbourhood — medieval streets, ivy-covered ochre buildings, artisan workshops and authentic trattorie that have served the same pasta dishes for generations. It's 20 minutes' walk west from the Colosseum. This is where Romans actually live and eat, away from the tourist circuits.

💡 Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere has a beautiful 12th-century basilica and outdoor tables at all hours. The perfect place to sit with a coffee and watch Roman life.

The aperitivo tradition (5pm–8pm) is Italy's answer to happy hour, elevated: order a Campari Spritz, Aperol Spritz or Negroni and free bar snacks appear automatically. In Trastevere, the aperitivo bars spill onto cobbled squares. Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà on Via Benedetta is the best craft beer bar in Rome.

💡 A Negroni (gin, vermouth rosso, Campari) is the correct aperitivo in Rome. No exceptions.

Trastevere has excellent trattorie serving Roman cooking: cacio e pepe, carbonara (the real version — guanciale, not bacon), coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew), supplì (fried rice balls). Da Enzo al 29 and Tonnarello are classics. The Campo de' Fiori is livelier and more mixed — excellent for a glass of wine after dinner.

💡 Roman carbonara uses only eggs, Pecorino Romano, guanciale and black pepper. No cream. No peas. Never. Ask any Roman.

Wake up and walk north through the historic centre. The Pantheon (built 27 BC, the best-preserved Roman temple on earth) is free to enter and requires no more than 30 minutes. Piazza Navona, Bernini's masterpiece of Baroque urban design, is 10 minutes west. Both are at their best in the morning before tour groups arrive.

💡 The Pantheon now charges €5 admission. Book online to skip the queue. Entry is worth it just to stand under the oculus and understand how Rome built this in 125 AD.

The Stadio Olimpico is in the northern Flaminia district on the Tiber's western bank, 6km north of the historic centre. Tram 2 from Piazzale Flaminio (accessible from Spagna Métro, Line A) runs directly to the stadium in 20 minutes. On match days, the tram fills quickly — allow 90 minutes before kick-off.

💡 Tram 2 runs along the Lungotevere (Tiber embankment) — a beautiful route. The stadium is 5 minutes' walk from the tram terminus.

The Ponte Milvio area immediately north of the stadium is full of bars serving the pre-match crowd. Azzurri fans are enthusiastic, colourful and welcoming to visiting supporters. Italian rugby fans come from across the country — Milan, Treviso, Rovigo (the rugby heartlands of the northeast), Naples. The atmosphere is festive rather than ferocious.

💡 Away fans generally find Italian rugby supporters among the most hospitable on the circuit. Mixing is warmly encouraged.

The stadium's elegant curved stands, framed by the Foro Italico's fascist-era architecture and the wooded hillside behind, make for a dramatic visual setting. The national anthem (Il Canto degli Italiani) is sung with real force by the Italian crowd. Italy have shown in recent seasons they can trouble any team on their day — expect a competitive match and an emotionally charged afternoon.

💡 Tickets via Federazione Italiana Rugby (federugby.it). Face value €50–€110. The curva nord is the most vocal Italian fan section. The stadium has open stands — bring sunscreen in spring matches.

The Prati neighbourhood (Vatican side of the Tiber, 15 minutes south of the stadium) is Rome's residential middle-class heartland, full of neighbourhood trattorias that are excellent and un-touristy. After a Six Nations match, fans drift here naturally. Da Cesare on Via Crescenzio is a Roman institution. Pizzarium (the Vatican quarter's pizza al taglio shop) is nearby for a lighter option.

💡 The house wine (vino della casa) at a Roman trattoria is ordered by the carafe — mezzo litro (half litre) is €5–8 and usually perfectly drinkable.

The Vatican Museums (book online — essential) take you through one of the world's greatest art collections to the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo's ceiling overwhelms even the most museum-fatigued visitor. Allow 3 hours minimum. Alternatively, the Galleria Borghese (nearby, much smaller, equally extraordinary — Bernini sculptures, Caravaggio paintings) must be booked in advance and limits visitors to 2-hour time slots.

💡 The Vatican Museums sell out weeks ahead for prime morning slots. Book at least 3–4 weeks in advance. Skip-the-line tours are faster but much more expensive than pre-booked self-entry.

After the museums, step into St Peter's Basilica itself — entry is free, though there is a charge to climb the dome. Michelangelo's Pietà is behind glass near the entrance: a genuinely moving sculpture. The square (designed by Bernini) is one of the most impressive public spaces ever built.

💡 Dress code strictly enforced: covered shoulders and knees required. Keep a light scarf or jacket in your bag.

A final Roman lunch in Prati — a glass of white wine, a plate of carbonara, a small gelato (from a gelateria with natural colours, not fluorescent mounds) and then the Leonardo Express from Termini back to Fiumicino. Allow 2 hours from the city for international check-in.

💡 Gelateria dei Gracchi on Via dei Gracchi in Prati is one of Rome's finest. Ask for a cono (cone) not a cup — the cone is part of the experience.

The Leonardo Express from Roma Termini to Fiumicino runs every 30 minutes and takes 32 minutes. Buy tickets at the station or online. Allow 2 hours before departure.

Rome Fiumicino Terminal 3 (international) has an excellent duty-free selection and several restaurants. A last Aperol Spritz at the departure bar is a fitting farewell to Rome.