15. Rome, Italy
Rome, Italy’s capital, has an immense history, spanning 28 centuries. It is home to such iconic landmarks as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Pantheon, along with the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Vatican City, within Rome’s borders, is the only existing example of an independent country within a city.
Happiness: 47th
Historical Landmarks: 2nd
Sports: 4th
Schools and Education: 8th
Governmental Stability: 36th
Crime: 48th
Healthcare: 10th
Affordability: 37th
Food: 11th
Innovation: 12th
Pollution: 44th
Climate: 4th
Overall Average: 21.92
Happiness: According to the World Happiness Report, Italy scores in the top happiness category.
Historical Landmarks: UNESCO has declared the Historic Center of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura as World Heritage sites.
Sports: Rome is currently home to two clubs that play in the Serie A league, Lazio and Roma. They alternate use of their home stadium, the Stadio Olimpico.
Schools and Education: Rome has three universities within the top 1000 worldwide—Sapienza University Rome at 125, University of Rome Tor Vergata at 300, and Roma Tre University at 564.
Crime: In Rome, crime is moderately high with home burglaries, car thefts and violent crimes being in the moderate range. There is a high risk of corruption and bribery, vandalism and theft.
Affordability: Rome has a cost of living index at 66.1, meaning it is on the more expensive side of European cities but not quite as expensive as others.
Food: 17 restaurants in Rome have at least 1 Michelin star, so it has some delicious options for a great meal.
Pollution: A pollution index score of 66.02 means that Rome has high air pollution and moderate noise and light pollution.
Climate: Rome reaches the high 80s (F) in summer months, while in the winter, it can be found in the mid 50s in Fahrenheit.
Personal Note: I traveled to Rome in the summer of 2017, and I think of the city being more tourist-dominant than most places I’ve visited. Of course, it must be considered that I wasn’t in the city for very long and so really only got the chance to see the main attractions, but the entire old town area felt very compact and crowded in every direction. With such incredible attractions like the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, this partly shouldn’t come as a surprise. The city is home to some of the most iconic sites in Europe, and unlike other landmarks I’ve visited, the ones in Rome don’t disappoint when present in person. However, the combination of the extreme heat when I visited, chaotic and polluted streets with the cars and motorbikes, and heavy foot traffic somewhat dampened the experience in the center of town. When in Europe, Rome is amongst the top of many lists to visit for its significant history, and I can certainly see why, as the city “made my mouth open” more times than almost any other place. Still, there are some clear drawbacks to life in Rome that even I experienced in a very short trip. Therefore, I’m a bit surprised it ranked this highly for livability, but not in extreme disagreement with its placement either.