The Sustainable Travel Guide to Rome
Sunset at Piazza del Popolo, after exiting Villa Borghese
Chances are that if a group of people combines the words ‘Europe’ and ‘romance’, a few of them will say “Rome” before saying “Paris”. This city has been the haven of many a lovebird, just ask Audrey Hepburn how her Roman Holiday went! After all, Rome in Spanish is Roma, which turned backwards is amor, in other words: love.
A less obvious choice than its French counterpart, Rome has built its legacy through its colorful and maze-like streets that take you back in time obliviously, in such a way that you may be walking around with a gelato–minding your own business–and suddenly come face to face with an ancient amphitheater where gladiators used to fight, or run into a set of stairs that seem endless but lead you to more streets, more architectural wonders, and more thirst for the eternal. In Rome the past and the present collide, but this last one is subjugated by the first. As time loses continuity and it diffuses the walls that separate moments in history with the very present, it’s easy to let oneself go and be taken by the streams of undying energy that take over the streets, by the melodies of the Italian lyrics being sang by a soprano on the street, and sweep past the buildings and the ruins that will linger for many years after we have ceased to exist ourselves.
I visited Rome for the first time when I turned 15, and I celebrated that milestone birthday with my family. In Argentina, a woman’s 15th birthday is a major event, and is usually celebrated in the biggest way possible for each case.
It was interesting to see that the possibility of a second trip to Italy knocked on my door 15 years later, when I had already turned 30. With my perpetual wanderlust that makes me want to visit thousands of places at once, together with my still latent thirst for visiting the remaining gems in Italy and revisiting old places, I think waiting an extra 15 years to visit again is a good option, and worth keeping this made-up tradition for. I will keep you posted once I hit my 45th birthday, and my 60th, and so on.
Originally, this trip’s destination was supposed to be Poland, since I have a Polish citizenship, but have never actually visited the country. As being a national fraud is unappealing to me, and I feel a magnetic pull towards this country because it seems such a beautiful one, I knew I had to go. However, the nearby war made me skeptical, so I moved on to my second option, which was a road trip across the U.K., something that has been on my list for a while. All this changed when a dear friend of mine, who was staying in Brescia for a few months to get her Italian citizenship, told me she had a few spare days to travel. Italy, then, was a no-brainer.
At first, we were going to meet in Brescia directly, after I spent a few days by myself in Rome, where I arrived by taking a direct flight from Miami. However, as she hadn’t been to Rome yet, and her citizenship was ready sooner than she had expected, she was able to join me.
I booked an Airbnb in Trastevere, a neighborhood that my mom recommended, and she checked-in before me. When I arrived, she opened the door and welcomed me after a few years of not seeing each other, separated by distance and oceans. We walked for 3 days straight, sipped more coffees than I could count, and discussed life’s various affairs.
After those three days in Rome, we traveled across Tuscany, South Tyrol, Brescia, and Umbria, but I went back to Rome for one final night, before catching my return flight the following morning. During these days, I got to walk around the city aimlessly and discover its sustainable side, which allowed me to prepare this eco-friendly travel guide to Rome, so that when you have the chance to place your feet in this amazing city, you get to do so as sustainably as you can.
WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT ROME
Rome fuses the past and the present so beautifully, it is easy to understand how it is a must-see city in Europe. With its rich history and breathtaking architecture, it succeeds in transporting us to the past and teaching us about it. Culture is bountiful–there is always a museum, an art piece, a play, or a historical site to visit.
The streets alone are an attraction, as they are enveloped by old and beautiful buildings, filled by vivacious people, cute coffee shops, the most wonderful smells, and an unmistakable vitality; pastel colors, fountains, Piazzas, the scent of homemade marinara inviting you in.
The Best Time to Visit Rome
I visited Rome in October, and I thought it wasn’t going to be crowded, but I was mistaken. The best time to go to avoid the big crowds is between November and April, with exception of the Holidays in December. This could mean having to take your coat and chunky sweaters, but from my experience, it can be worth it. It’s not the same to appreciate the Fontana di Trevi while sipping a coffee from the nearby restaurant than to be dodging people that are trying to film TikToks or to follow their tour guide. There can also be something dolcissimo about seeing Rome during the colder months, perhaps even adorned with Christmas decorations.
My friend and I at the Parco del Colle Oppio, with a view of the Colosseum in the background
A SUSTAINABLE AND CONSCIOUS TRAVEL GUIDE TO ROME, ITALY
As with any place, there is a way to visit Rome in a more sustainable way! I’m here to help you with that, so you can see the greener and eco-friendlier side of the Eternal City.
Note: take your reusable water bottle on your trip, since there are numerous free water fountains across the city, with delicious water from the mountains! And a warning: you will be charged for filtered water at restaurants, unlike in the U.S.
PLANT-BASED FOOD IN rome
Because a plant-based diet is more sustainable, this eco-travel guide to Rome can’t skip a list of vegan/plant-based restaurants!
VEGAN RESTAURANTS IN ROME
I went to this organic restaurant to have lunch, since they serve a whole food plant-based buffet that was filled with healthy plants and incredible flavors. Basically, as in all buffets, you grab a plate and choose anything you want, and then you weigh it. It was a bit expensive, but that’s the price for organic homemade plant-powered food.
They also serve breakfast and dinner (they have vegan croissants!). As an additional note, the water they serve comes from Rome’s aqueducts and is micro-filtered with vegetable carbon.
I’m so glad I made it to this place, which is meters away from the Tiber River. It’s a raw vegan restaurant that offers delicious meals, including salads, sandwiches, breads, noodles, breakfasts, snacks, and so much more. I had a hazelnut biscuit and a smoothie. It offers a very inviting atmosphere, with cute decoration, and very nice staff. They use organic ingredients that come from the earth and from small local farms, and that are processed at low temperatures (lower than 40 degrees Celsius).
Another vegan restaurant in Rome you can visit during your trip is Buddy Veggy. There are some delicious vegan options you can try to fuel up before continuing your tour across this wonderful city (and even a whole brunch menu), like vegan pancakes or vegan omelets for breakfast; vegan nuggets or vegan avocado tartare as antipasti, your traditional pasta menu in vegan form, which includes vegan carbonara or vegan spaghetti puttanesca, to name a few; a vegan mixed grill for 2, that includes Beyond Meat sausage and burgers, vegan bacon baked beans and homemade potatoes; a wide variety of vegan pizzas and focaccia; salads, bowls, and lots of vegan desserts! Tempted much?
This is the place to go when you’re in Rome as a vegan or if you eat a plant-based diet: a supermarket with a wide selection of vegan products. It is a great option whether you’re just passing by and want to grab a bite or snack on-the-go (they have some ready-to-eat foods), or if you’re staying at an Airbnb with a kitchen and you want to cook a nice vegan meal yourself.
The gluten-free and vegan alternative I found at Mama Eat. Our first pizza in Italy. A taste of heaven.
Restaurants in Rome with vegan options on the menu
A vegetarian Indian restaurant that offers many vegan options, Vega Food is a great place to stop for a quick vegan meal. I ordered a dosa, which is a crepe made with legumes and rice, and filled with vegetables. It also came with a side salad. Flavors were on point; the only warning is that they served food in disposable plates.
This was the first place I ate in when I arrived in Italy. My friend and I went there because we didn’t want to waste any time and go straight to eating a good Italian pizza. As I’m a celiac, and this place had a gluten-free menu, we went there, since it was also close to our Airbnb. I ordered a GF Marinara pizza, so that I could have a vegan option. I was a bit skeptical at first because that meant having a pizza with just tomato sauce, oregano and garlic, but boy, was I wrong! The pizza was one of the best things I ever had. The dough was great, but the taste of that tomato sauce was heaven-like.
However, when we went there a second time, I ordered a gluten-free pasta with plain tomato sauce, emphasizing the fact that I needed it to be vegan, and it came with bits of meat!! A vegan’s worst fear. I didn’t get to chew a piece, but I felt a weird taste in the sauce, and that’s how I noticed. They apologized, but it ended up being a bittersweet experience with this place. My suggestion: just order pizza, not pasta.
This is another restaurant in Rome with vegan options that include vegan main courses, pizzas, salads, and desserts. For instance, you can order a vegan cheeseburger or a vegan margherita pizza, and have a vegan tiramisu for dessert.
There are two Origano locations in Rome, so choose the one that’s closer to your plans!
This trattoria is in the Castro Pretorio neighborhood, near the Chiostro di Michelangelo, and has a few vegan options in their traditional menu, as well as a completely vegan menu for appetizers, starters, second courses, salads, pizzas and calzoni, so it’s like having a vegan restaurant within a regular restaurant!
Some delicacies you can eat here are: vegan croquettes, focaccia, bruschetta, bucatini (with smoked seitan), risotto, spaghetti, vegan cacio e pepe, ravioli, seitan escalopes, chickpea omelet, seitan steak with porcini mushrooms, vegan porcini and truffle pizza, vegan calzone, not to mention the vegan desserts that include vegan tiramisu, cakes, focaccia with vegan Nutella, and ice cream. Run before you get taken over by your deepest desires!
Vegan options at Vega Food
VEGAN COFFEE & gelato IN Rome
Two things that Italians are experts in–besides pasta and pizza–are coffee and gelato, two wonders that will sooth your soul after having some pasta and pizza, or just because!
When you are walking around the Eternal City, you will start feeling you need an energy booster. You will undoubtedly run into a coffee shop, and the deal will be closed. Italians mostly have their coffee standing up, and I recommend you do so as well so you can experience Italy in its wholeness. First, you need to make your way to the bar and order. They will bring you coffee, and if you ordered a ‘café’ (an espresso), you will take a shot, as if it was tequila. Feel the caffeine get into your bloodstream and enjoy. If you order larger coffees, like an americano, just remain standing up and sipping it while enjoying the sight of other people doing the same, or even try practicing your Italian with the barista. Every coffee shop I went to had exquisite coffee, so don’t worry about where you will be drinking one. Also, news flash: you can get a coffee for about a euro.
In terms of gelato, I’m not a fan (I’m a savory food girl), but I definitely had to try Italian gelato while I was there, so I looked for places that offered vegan and gluten-free flavors.
Taking these two into consideration, this is the list of great places to find coffee and vegan ice cream in Rome.
Good Coffee with plant-based milk options in Rome
As I mentioned above, the chances of being serendipitous when the body is asking for caffeine, and being successful at it, are high in Italy, because they know how to prepare a good cup of coffee. However, there are some places that demand a visit, not just because they have good coffee, but because they offer a unique experience.
Behold the Antico Caffè Greco! This is a historic landmark café that opened in 1760, and it is the oldest bar in Rome, and second oldest in the entire country, only after Caffè Florian in Venice. Many historic figures have sipped coffee inside these walls, including Goethe, Byron, Keats, Ibsen, Joyce, Hans Christian Andersen, Thomas Mann, Mark Twain, Orson Welles, Nietzsche, and Baudelaire.
La Casa del Caffee Tazza D’Oro
In the heart of the historic center of Rome hides this artisan coffee company that was founded in 1944. They have different blends you can try from, and it’s conveniently located so you can grab a quick coffee before visiting the Pantheon or Piazza Navona.
This one is a bit further away from the center of Rome, but it’s not far from the Trastevere neighborhood. It’s a vegan café full of cats, which is another way of saying ‘heaven’! It works as a restaurant at night and as a breakfast spot in the morning. What better way of chilling in between attractions by sipping a coffee, eating a vegan cake, and cuddling with a cat?
This little organic store is so cute! It’s like a market, that even though isn’t exclusively vegan, you can find fruits, vegetables, bread, beer, and some vegan baked goods.
Vegan Gelato in Rome
This gelateria is located in a beautiful street in the Monti neighborhood, and it offers a lot of vegan flavors, which they distinguish with a blue spoon. Hence, choose one or two of those flavors–which range from vegan dark chocolate to vegan hazelnut cream–and ask them to serve them in a cone to be more sustainable (they have gluten-free cones!). Enjoy it while walking the streets of this beautiful and delicious city!
Gelateria Artigianale Il Capriccio di Carla Roma Monti
Another gelateria in Rome with vegan options. This one is located near the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, or a 15-minutes’ walk from Fontana di Trevi. They have gluten-free cones and several vegan flavors, so you can go back home with “tasting Italian ice cream” checked off your list.
Vegan gelato at Gelateria dell’Angeletto, where you can also find gluten-free cones
Moving around Rome sustainably
The first sustainable way of moving around Rome I would suggest is walking, because it’s the one I used myself. Actually, it’s my favorite eco-friendly form of transportation whenever I’m traveling, and that’s because it’s the best way to get to know a new place, with a ‘slow living’ attitude. What a waste it would be to not be able to put one foot in front of the other in each magical corner in Rome. Every time, I got carried away by its enchanting nature. I turned one corner and I couldn’t figure out whether I wanted to turn right or left, as I felt every street deserved to be walked upon.
Nonetheless, if you are truly in need of a faster way of moving around, consider grabbing a bike, although this will not be very convenient to tour the historic district, since the streets are tight and very crowded. You will need to get a card and credit in a metro station, and then go to one of the bike sharing stations around Rome. Another option is to grab a scooter, which are scattered across the city. I tried it and it was okay for a couple of blocks, until I reached a street with stone pavement, and I almost fell off it.
When in doubt, you can also use traditional public transportation, but I didn’t use it except to go to and from airport, and to go to other cities in Italy. When I arrived, I took a train that took me from Rome Fiumicino Airport to the Trastevere station. Then, I grabbed a bus to get to my Airbnb in that same neighborhood.
Connecting to nature in Rome
There are various ways to connect to nature within the Eternal City. When we spend time outside, walking on grass and admiring the trees, we not only promote our physical and mental health, but we get to appreciate Earth a bit more, and this way, we can take better care of it.
A great place to ignite your sustainability fire is Villa Borghese, an urban park with gardens, a lake, fountains, trails, museums, and villas, among other attractions. My advice is to visit it an hour or two before the sun sets, walk around, have a picnic, or read a book under a tree, and then exit the park through the Piazza del Popolo, where you will get an amazing view of the sunset.
Another recommendation is the Parco del Colle Oppio and Parco del Celio, which are close to the Coliseum, and you can appreciate this monument from those parks.
If you want to get a bit further away from the city’s downtown, you can go to Parco della Caffarella, the Villa Doria Pamphili, and the Villa Ada Savoia.
Always walking–sneakers on–in Piazza Navona
SUSTAINABLE AND ECO-FRIENDLY SHOPPING IN ROME
To be honest, there is one thing I didn’t like much about Rome: how many people were in the city, mostly tourists. Of course, this magnificent place, with so much history, gastronomy, and beauty to offer, will be desired and visited by many. However, there comes a point where the place feels less authentic. What I mean by this is that this influx of tourism means more souvenir shops, less local aesthetic. There are hundreds of them, in every neighborhood in Rome, but they all sell the same cookie-cutter stuff. Most of these things will become obsolete as soon as you get back home. So, unless you truly want something, or you see something that you think someone back home will absolutely love, I have an alternative so that you can replace souvenir-buying for sustainable shopping in Rome!
A secondhand shop in Rome where you can buy clothes and accessories to give them another chance in life, and support long-term programs worldwide and socio-environmental projects in Italy. There are three Humana Vintage locations in Rome, but I went to the one in Via Cavour. Beautiful selection, and sustainable!
This place was adorable because of its originality and sustainable motto. The store is focused on fashion and design made with repurposed materials. They collect industrial waste, defective or vintage materials to create one of a kind bags, jewelry and furniture. For instance, they make earrings out of can tabs.
Another thrift shop in Rome that’s eclectic and filled with treasures. This vintage shop opened in Rome in 1998, and offers items from luxury brands, as well as non-designer clothes and accessories. Pay a visit when you’re in the Eternal City.
In case you have an upcoming wedding–whether your own or someone else’s–this vintage store in Rome can provide you with what you are looking for. From wedding and cocktail dresses to vintage accessories, this store has treasures that have been on earth as early as 1880!
Upcycled items at Re(f)use
OTHER PLACES TO VISIT IN rome
Visiting the unmissable gems in Rome is also low-impact and sustainable! Don’t skip these places when you’re visiting Italy’s capital–but beware–you might fall in love.
Monte Palatino
Monte Palatino is one of the most ancient parts of Rome, since it’s where Romulus and Remus, the twin brothers, were found and raised by a she-wolf, according to the foundation legends of Rome. When they grew up, Romulus killed his brother and founded a settlement on the hill–the mythical foundation of Rome in 753 BC. Afterwards, founding families of big names lived here. The ruins will take you back in time, only like the Eternal City can.
Colosseum
This amphitheater is almost 2,000 years old and has taken on the role of being the most prominent symbol of Rome. More than 50,000 people enjoyed various spectacles back then here, including gladiator fights and executions of prisoners, among others. How entertaining, right? If you do the guided tour that includes the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum, you can skip the lines.
Roman Forum
The Roman Forum used to be the center of public life, where political, religious, judicial, and commercial activities were held. The place used to be a marketplace, but also the meeting point for Romans for several happenings, including public speeches and criminal trials. Nowadays, the ruins of these historic days remain, and it’s one of the most perfect spots to go back in time, learn about history, and remember how small we are in this wide and infinite time-space continuum.
Castillo de Sant’Angelo
This castle was originally commissioned by the Roman emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for him and his family and was later used by the popes as a fortress and a castle. Currently, it is a museum, which means you can visit it! However, if you don’t feel like touring it on the inside, don’t worry, since the exteriors of the castle are just as worth it. It is located next to the Tiber River, which makes it a great place to take a stroll and appreciate the breathtaking views from this side of the city. The interesting thing about this place is that, when you look at it from a map, you can see it is star-shaped! How cool is that?
When I visited it, my friend and I walked around it, and we ran into a few street bookshops on the way, as well as a big chess board, where we stopped for a few minutes to play. When I went back to Rome before taking my flight home, at the end of my trip, I ordered a vegan gluten-free pizza to-go at Mama Eat (mentioned above), and walked it all the way to the castle, found a comfortable spot, and enjoyed the most Italian moment I could create: chewing a pizza while admiring this incredible monument.
The Scalinata dell’Ara Coeli, on the way up to the Basilica di Santa Maria in Ara Coeli
Fontana di Trevi
Even if you haven’t been to Rome, you might feel as if you have visited the Fontana di Trevi, and that’s because of its popularity. From Instagram posts to movies, most people know what the Trevi Fountain looks like. However, I can’t highlight enough how important it is that you pay a visit, face to face, when you are in Rome. First, because you will eventually run into it, even when you aren’t trying to. As the saying goes “all paths lead to Rome”, well, all paths lead to the Trevi Fountain, and I have experienced this firsthand. Second, and most importantly, when you are standing right in front of it you get to appreciate all its exceptional details.
Another thing you can do is the traditional coin-throwing experience. According to the legend, anyone who throws a coin in the fountain will one day return to Rome, those who throw two will also fall in love in the city, and anyone who throws three will get married as well. Coins are collected daily and given to an Italian charity.
The Spanish Steps
You might have also seen these stairs in movies like Roman Holiday or The Talented Mr. Ripley, so you will recognize them immediately. They can serve as a great workout, but they do better as a Roman emblem. The steps take you from Piazza di Spagna to Piazza Trinità dei Monti, although they can also be a great sitting spot to eat your gelato.
Pantheon
The Pantheon used to be a Roman temple and was only used as a church after the year 608. There are altars and graves, including that one of Raphael, who had always been inspired but this masterpiece of architecture. Book a massage session for after your visit because you will be staring at the ceiling for minutes at a time, and get torticollis. The reason for this is that the dome has an opening that lets the light in in a special way, and creates a connection between visitors and the heavens. Curiously, entrance is free. Don’t miss it!
Trastevere
Trastevere is the neighborhood my friend and I stayed in, and I 100% recommend it. When we left our Airbnb after leaving our luggage and changing clothes, we were welcomed by buoyant streets filled with people from different countries as well as locals, coffee shops, bars, restaurants, music, cobbled lanes, and cute facades. If I had to choose one word to describe it, I would say ‘vivacious’. Or colorful. Or picturesque. Or alive!
Get lost in the typical Italian alleyways and narrow streets on your way to coffee or the market, soaking up the Italian atmosphere, and then cross the Tiber river on your way to downtown Rome. You can also pay a visit to the Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere, the Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere, the Botanical Garden, or Villa Farnesina.
The cutest bookstore ever in Rome. You will find hundreds of street book shops that sell used books, which make a great way of shopping sustainably!
Piazza Navona
This city square is unbelievable and a must in Rome. You might be able to differentiate it by its obelisk or fountains, or because the Museo di Roma is located there. Perhaps you can do a bit of dolce far niente and just sip a glorious cup of coffee while sitting in one of the outdoor areas in a coffee shop and appreciating detail by detail this beautiful piazza that will steal your heart eternally.
Quirinal Palace
The Quirinal Palace isn’t only a historic building in Rome but it’s also currently one of the official residences of the President. It’s located in Quirinal Hill, which is the highest of the seven hills in Rome. You can visit the palace and the gardens!
Villa Borghese and Piazza del Popolo
As I mentioned above, Villa Borghese is a wonderful place to spend some time in nature amid the chaos of the city. My friend and I walked there for a few hours, talking about life, watching dogs play with one another, smelling the trees, and being surprised by the buildings we found along the way. I recommend exiting the park near the Piazza del Popolo, since there is a lovely terrace there from which you can see the Piazza, and since it’s a bit higher than the square, you can see a bit beyond the horizon. This makes it one of the best places to watch the sunset in Rome.
Other amazing places I would recommend are Campidoglio, Piazza Venezia, Il Milite Ignoto and Basilica di Santa Maria in Ara coeli.
Hopefully, this sustainable travel guide of Rome will be useful and inspiring to you, and that it helps you learn more about this timeless city in a more environmentally-friendly way!
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Hi, I’m Melina,
I’m the creator of Sustainable Rookie, and my goal is to share what I learn throughout my sustainability journey, so that I can help other people live a more conscious life.
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