The best things to see and do in Rome
We spent three days in Rome in May, and spent our time exploring some of the most famous sights. I loved Rome and could have spent longer than three days here, but a long weekend was still plenty of time to experience the city, explore its history, and get a feel for the modern attractions and nightlife.
In this blog, I’ll cover the best things to do in Rome, and whether the most famous attractions in the city are really worth it.
The best things to do in Rome
The Colosseum
Arguably the most famous historic site in Rome is the Colosseum. Dating back to 72D, this ancient building is the world’s largest standing amphitheatre and is definitely worth visiting on a trip to Rome. The great thing about Rome’s historic attractions is that they are right in the modern city centre, so you can easily see and walk around the outside of the Colosseum for free. If you do want to look around inside, you can buy tickets in various packages from the official website here.
Is the Colosseum worth it? Yes, the Colosseum is one site in Rome that is worth the hype, and since most tickets also grant you access to two other attractions, it makes the cost even more economical.
How much does the Colosseum cost? From €18, including access to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
The Roman Forum
The Roman Forum was the ‘city centre’ of ancient Rome where day-to-day life was lived. It’s incredible to be able to walk around this area, which is right in the heart of modern Rome, and understand what life was like thousands of years ago. You can buy tickets as a package that also include access to the Colosseum from the official website here.
Is The Roman Forum worth it? Yes, the history of the Roman Forum is amazing and well worth experiencing for yourself.
How much does The Roman Forum cost? From €18, including access to the Colosseum and Palatine Hill.
Palatine Hill
Palatine Hill is the supposed birthplace of the city of Rome, founded by Romulus in 753 BCE. Today, it's a beautiful park and still has plenty of the archeological sites where excavations have taken place, and some buildings that you can explore including homes of rich residents of ancient Rome.
You can buy tickets as a package that also include access to the Colosseum from the official website here.
Is Palatine Hill worth it? Yes, and it’s right next to the Forum so you can walk into one from the other depending on your preferred order.
How much does Palatine Hill cost? From €18, including access to the Roman Forum and Colosseum.
Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel
One of the other top attractions in Rome is visiting Vatican City, including the world famous Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel is known for its beautiful painted ceiling by Michaelangelo. To visit it, you must also buy a ticket for the Vatican Museums, and walking through these rooms will lead you into the Sistine Chapel. It starts with an exhibition on the ancient Egyptians, including real mummies, and takes you through stunning rooms filled with art and history. It takes around an hour to reach the Sistine Chapel, and it does get busy.
The queues to get in are also notoriously long so it’s best to buy queue jump tickets if they are available. Buy tickets here or through accredited tour operators (often the best way to jump the queue).
Is the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel worth it? Yes, the museums are beautiful and the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling lives up to the hype although the chapel itself is small and very, very busy.
How much does the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel cost? A standard ticket costs €20. With queue jump it costs €25.
Basilica de San Pietro
You can see Saint Peter’s Basilica, most famous as being the site of the tomb of Saint Peter, from Saint Peter’s Square for free. Or, you can purchase a ticket to explore the inside of this huge and very impressive building. The queues are long but they move fast, and the inside of the cathedral is beautiful. If you want to experience it from above, you can also visit the dome of the cathedral for an additional cost.
Is the Basilica de San Pietro worth it? Yes, if you’re choosing between churches and cathedrals to visit on your trip to Italy (and there are a lot!) this should be a front-runner.
How much does the Basilica de San Pietro cost? Standard entry tickets cost €7 and can be bought here. The queues get very, very long so you can also opt to pay more for a queue jump ticket. You can also buy a different ticket package to enter the dome of the cathedral.
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is famously one of the busiest tourist attractions in Rome, but they have recently implemented a ticketing system so you can enter the lower levels of the steps next to the fountain for a slightly less crowded experience. We thought it was worth the €2 price to be able to sit next to the fountain for a while and enjoy the view. You can see it perfectly well for free from further back, but it’s much busier in this area.
You can also visit for free after 10pm, and in the evenings there is often a light display projected onto the back walls of the fountain.
Is the Trevi Fountain worth it? Yes, it’s a beautiful fountain with impressive carvings and turquoise waters.
How much does the Trevi Fountain cost? Free to view from the street or €2 here for a closer look.
The Pantheon
The Pantheon is another famous historic site in the centre of Rome. It’s a Roman temple that dates back to the 2nd century and has acted as a Catholic church in more recent years.
The Pantheon sits at one end of a large square with a fountain, surrounded by cafes and bars which are a great place to take a break and enjoy the view. You can enter the Pantheon with tickets bought here, or simply experience it from the outside.
Is the Pantheon worth it? It is definitely worth visiting the Pantheon, but we didn’t buy a ticket to enter. Instead, we had an Aperol spritz from one of the bars in the Piazza and enjoyed the view of the facade instead.
How much does the Pantheon cost? Standard tickets cost €5 or it is free to see from the outside.
Piazza Navona
Close to the Pantheon is Piazza Navona, which is a large square bordered by bars, restaurants, and shops with a large fountain in the middle. If you’re in the area, it’s a pretty place to explore. But the bars are expensive tourist traps and the staff can be very pushy trying to get you to come in!
Is Piazza Navona worth it? If you are nearby, yes. But it might not be worth going out of your way to visit.
How much does Piazza Navona cost? Free
Campo de’ Fiori
Another famous square in Rome is Campo de’ Fiori. This market square is lively and feels less touristy than Piazza Navona (although of course it is still pretty touristy!) Like all the Piazzas in Rome, it’s full of places to eat, drink, and shop.
Is Campo de’ Fiori worth it? Yes, if you’re choosing between piazzas this is one of the more interesting ones, especially when the market is on.
How much does Campo de’ Fiori cost? Free
Spanish Steps
The Spanish Steps in Rome connect the Piazza di Spagna at the bottom with the Piazza Trinità dei Monti and the Trinità dei Monti church at the top. The beautiful white stone steps are decorated with bright pink flowers, and at the top the crowds thin out. The Piazza di Spagna and the steps at that end of the staircase are very, very busy but it’s still a beautiful place to visit if you’re nearby.
Is the Spanish Steps worth it? Yes, but be aware of the crowds.
How much does the Spanish Steps cost? Free
Villa Borghese
Villa Borghese is close to the top of the Spanish Steps near Trinità dei Monti. It’s a large, landscaped garden home to beautiful buildings and museums. If you’re in the area, it’s a peaceful place to escape the busy streets of Piazza di Spagna. It also has stunning views across the city.
Is Villa Borghese worth it? If you want a more relaxing break exploring museums and parks in Rome then Villa Borghese is worth it.
How much does Villa Borghese cost? Free
Castel Sant’Angelo
Castel Sant’Angelo was originally commissioned as a mausoleum for the Roman Emperor Hadrian and has since been used as a fortress and castle by popes. Now it is a museum, and it sits on the bank of the river Tiber next to Sant’Angelo bridge. It’s an easy walk from the Vatican.
Is Castel Sant’Angelo worth it? We didn’t enter the castle so I’m not sure about the museum, but the castle is beautiful to see from the outside, especially from the bridge.
How much does Castel Sant’Angelo cost? Tickets start at €16 and can be bought here.
Monument to Victor Emmanuel II
This huge marble monument sits close to the Colosseum on a roundabout in Rome’s city centre. You can enter for free and walk through the impressive structure, which also has incredible views across the city from its balconies. There is a museum and gallery inside that requires a ticket to enter.
Is the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II worth it?
How much does the Monument to Victor Emmanuel II cost? Free, but there is a museum inside that is ticketed.
Trastevere
Trastevere is one of Rome’s most popular nightlife areas. It’s full of great places to eat and drink and has a buzzy feel in the streets. In the 12+ years since I last visited, Trastevere has become noticeably busier but the vibe is still just as good. Our favourite places to eat and drink in Rome were almost exclusively in this area!
Is Trastevere worth it? Yes, this is one of Rome’s most popular neighbourhoods for food and drink.
How much does Trastevere cost? Free to explore the neighbourhood
Find out more about our favourite places to eat and drink in Rome here.
Monti
Monti is another popular area to explore in Rome. It’s close to the central sites of the Colosseum and is also walking distance from the Spanish Steps. We stopped here for lunch, and loved the vibrant atmosphere in the streets, despite it feeling quieter and slightly more residential than the rest of the city centre area.
Is Monti worth it? Yes, Monti is close to the central historic sites in Rome, and offers a quieter, more local feel.
How much does Monti cost? Free to explore the neighbourhood
Find out more about how we spent three days in Rome here.