Things to do in Rome: top sights, neighbourhoods and practical tips

More Rome guides

• Rome in one dayA one-day walking route through Rome: Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, Piazza Navona and Trevi Fountain, with times, walking distances, lunch spots and tips.
• Rome in 2 daysA 2-day Rome itinerary: day 1 ancient Rome and the centre, day 2 Vatican Museums, St Peter's and Trastevere. With times, tickets and tips to save time.

Rome's must-sees

Rome comes in layers: imperial, medieval and Renaissance, and Baroque. Don't try to see everything; pick from these and leave time to wander.

1. 1

   Metro B Colosseo

   Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

   The Flavian Amphitheatre hosted games and spectacles for around 50,000 people. The ticket also covers the Forum, the political heart of republican Rome, and the Palatine, the hill of the imperial palaces. Book a timed slot and allow 3 to 4 hours.

2. 2

   Piazza della Rotonda

   Pantheon

   A 2nd-century Roman temple turned church, with the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world and an open oculus about 9 metres wide. It is also the tomb of Raphael.

3. 3

   Piazza di Trevi

   Trevi Fountain

   The city's most famous Baroque fountain, completed in 1762. Go early or at night to avoid the crowds, and note that getting close to the basin now costs €2.

4. 4

   Historic centre

   Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori

   Navona keeps the shape of Domitian's stadium and Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers. Five minutes away, Campo de' Fiori has a morning market and plenty of evening life.

5. 5

   Vatican City

   Vatican Museums and St Peter's

   The Sistine Chapel, Raphael Rooms and the largest basilica in the Catholic world. Book online weeks ahead and set aside a full morning.

6. 6

   North of the centre

   Spanish Steps and Villa Borghese

   The Trinità dei Monti stairs lead down to Piazza di Spagna and Via Condotti. From there a walk takes you to Villa Borghese, the largest park in the centre, home to the Galleria Borghese (booking required).

Neighbourhoods to explore

• Trastevere: cobbled lanes, trattorias and nightlife across the Tiber. Great for dinner.
• Monti: a bohemian district next to the Forum, with design shops and wine bars.
• Testaccio: the Romans' food neighbourhood, with its market and traditional cooking (carbonara, cacio e pepe, coda alla vaccinara).
• Prati: elegant and quiet, beside the Vatican; a good place to eat after the museums.
• The Jewish Ghetto: narrow streets with Roman-Jewish restaurants and the ruins of the Portico of Octavia.

Museums and art beyond the Vatican

The Capitoline Museums, on Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio, hold the Capitoline Wolf and the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. The Galleria Borghese gathers masterpieces by Bernini and Caravaggio; capacity is limited and booking is required. To identify any sculpture or fresco in the churches, point the AnyArt camera at it and listen to its story without hunting for the label.

Tickets, transport and when to go

• Always buy Colosseum and Vatican Museums tickets on the official sites to avoid mark-ups.
• The historic centre is walkable; use the metro for longer hops (Vatican, Colosseum, Termini).
• A city transport ticket costs €1.50 and is valid for 100 minutes on buses, trams and the metro.
• Avoid Mondays for state museums: many close. The Vatican Museums are open Monday to Saturday.
• For churches, cover your shoulders and knees; it's mandatory at St Peter's.
• In summer, do outdoor sights early in the morning or at sunset.