RomeWise
Welcome to Romewise with Elyssa — Your Go-to Guide to Rome and Florence, Italy
I live in Rome and have over 20 years of experience in its tourism scene. I'm here to share my exclusive insider tips on visiting Rome, Florence, and other parts of Italy.
On my channel, you'll find a mix of content, mostly about Rome and Florence, other parts of Italy, and sometimes beyond.
Follow my practical advice, trip-planning suggestions, and videos about art, history, food, architecture, and more to maximize your trip.
New videos every week. Join me! youtube.com/@Romewise/?sub_confirmation=1
RomeWise
Every year around now I get a wave of messages from people who booked Rome in August and are now nervous they made a mistake.
You did not. When I moved here in 2001 the city genuinely did shut down for the month, and I spent that first August hunting for an open supermarket. It is not like that anymore. Most shops and restaurants stay open now, and the ones that close mostly do it in the few days around the 15th.
Come, plan around the heat instead of fighting it, and enjoy how quiet the city is away from the big three sites.
If you want the full picture, my Rome in Summer video covers what tourists get wrong about visiting this time of year.
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 9
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RomeWise
A question I keep getting, and the answer has changed: can you bring liquids over 100ml through security at Fiumicino.
At FCO, yes. It has the newer scanners, and containers up to two litres are allowed. That is a real change from what most of us are used to.
The complication is everywhere else on your route. Different airports, different equipment, different rules, and a bottle that is fine in Rome can be taken from you on your connection. Check each airport, not just the one you leave from.
2 weeks ago | [YT] | 23
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RomeWise
If you're cruising to Rome this year, this one's for you. Your ship docks at Civitavecchia, about an hour from the city, and you do not have to book the ship's excursion to get in. I filmed the whole trip, port to Rome, so you can see exactly how it works: the shuttle options, which train ticket to buy, and my rule for getting back on time.
3 weeks ago | [YT] | 5
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RomeWise
Great news! Colosseum night tours are back for summer 2026: ticketing.colosseo.it/en/eventi/una-notte-al-colos…
You can watch my video about it here: https://youtu.be/fr9W2bkd_sA
4 weeks ago | [YT] | 6
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RomeWise
A quick note about the channel for the summer: From now through early September, I'm moving to a new video every two weeks instead of every week. Part of it is the heat, part of it is the very Italian instinct to slow down in August, and part of it is that it gives our small team room to breathe and put more care into each video. I'll still be around in between with shorts, livestreams, and posting across our social media pages.
We'll be back to the regular weekly schedule in September. Thanks for sticking with me!
1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 161
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RomeWise
Tomorrow at 12pm ET I'm going live on YouTube for the Italy travel myth-busting AMA. Bring whatever you've read online about Italy travel that you're not sure about, anything that has you wondering about your trip.
I hope to see you all there! youtube.com/live/gZva8GU5gzQ?feature=share
youtube.com/@Romewise
1 month ago | [YT] | 19
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RomeWise
Don't forget: I'm going live here on Sunday June 7 at 12pm ET for an Italy travel myth-busting AMA. Bring whatever you have read online about Italy travel that you are not sure is true, and I will sort the real from the noise. Set a reminder with the bell on the livestream page.
youtube.com/live/gZva8GU5gzQ?si=ptjpu6cTdFPxTOpm
2 months ago | [YT] | 34
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RomeWise
The Italy travel space online is full of questions sparked by viral videos, social media posts, and Facebook group threads. Pick a week and you'll find at least one rumor that needs sorting out. The goal of Sunday's live is to help travelers feel more confident about their trip, not pile on the noise. June 7 at 12pm ET. Bring your own.
Set your reminder and join me here:
youtube.com/live/gZva8GU5gzQ?feature=share
2 months ago | [YT] | 48
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RomeWise
Going live on Sunday June 7 at 12pm ET for an Italy travel myth-busting AMA. To prep, I want your help. Drop in the comments here: what's the most confusing or scariest thing you've seen posted about Italy travel? Specifics welcome.
Click here to set your reminder: youtube.com/live/gZva8GU5gzQ?feature=share
2 months ago | [YT] | 33
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RomeWise
If you watched my Saint Peter's Basilica video from early 2025, the updated 2026 version is now on the channel. Same-day phone booking is new, I've tested the shaded ticket line myself and confirmed it's significantly faster, and a few other things have shifted.
Full video out now!
2 months ago | [YT] | 8
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