Direct flights from Manchester to Rome take less than three hours, although it may be necessary to take a connecting flight in order to help minimise costs. Brussels, Munich and Frankfurt are among the cities that are popular for a stopover, which shouldn't be much more than a few hours. Early morning flights can often represent the best value for money while maximising your time in the Italian capital.
Rome has two airports, Ciampino and Leonardo da Vinci, with the former located around 7.5 miles southeast of the city and the latter a little further away around 20 miles southwest on the coast. Be sure to check your flight details from Manchester to Rome for both legs of the journey to ensure you are aware of which airport you will be using.
Ciampino is served by bus companies such as the inexpensive Cotral, which departs every 15 minutes with the final destination being the Anagnina bus and metro station. From here Metro Linea A runs right the way through Rome - tickets can be bought from machines or at news stands, while it may be a good idea to purchase a travelcard if you plan on doing plenty of exploring.
There is a rail station close to the airport that can be reached by bus, with trains running frequently to the city centre for around two euros. A taxi to central Rome should cost in the region of 30 euros - check with your driver before departing - while Ciampino offers car hire facilities thanks to companies such as Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt and Thrifty.
Located at Fiumicino, Leonardo da Vinci offers an express train, the Leonardo Express, which costs around 11 euros and runs every 30 minutes between 6.30am and 11.30pm directly to Rome’s main railway station, Stazione Termini. The Cotral bus service departs from outside the Terminal 2 arrivals area, while Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt all offer car rentals.