Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Rome to London. The right side delivers the most dramatic single moment of the flight — the panorama over central Rome during climb-out, which is genuinely spectacular and unique. The landing view on the left at Gatwick is pleasant but relatively ordinary English countryside. Right side wins overall for the Rome departure alone.

During takeoff from Fiumicino (FCO), sit on the Right side for the best views. FCO typically departs on runway 16R/34L or 16L/34R. Northbound departures on runway 16 heading northwest give the right side a clear view over central Rome — the Tiber river bend, the Colosseum area, and Vatican Hill are all visible before the aircraft turns northwest. Left side faces the Tyrrhenian Sea coast. Notable sights include: Tiber River snaking through Rome, Vatican City dome of St. Peter's Basilica, Colosseum and Roman Forum district, Castelli Romani hills southeast of the city.

When landing at Gatwick (LGW), sit on the Left side for the best views. Gatwick predominantly uses runway 08L/26R or 08R/26L. Arrivals from the south on runway 08 approach from the southeast, giving the left side views over the North Downs, the Surrey Hills, and the urban sprawl of Crawley and Horley directly below on final approach. Right side faces open farmland to the north. Notable sights include: North Downs chalk ridge, M23 motorway corridor, Crawley town grid below on final approach, Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The flight from Fiumicino (FCO) to Gatwick (LGW) takes Approximately 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours.

After Rome the route tracks northwest over Tuscany and the Apennines, then crosses the Alps near the Mont Blanc massif or the western Swiss Alps depending on routing, followed by a long transit over eastern France including the Rhône valley and Burgundy plateau, then the English Channel crossing near Dieppe or Boulogne before entering southern England over the Weald of Kent and Surrey