Top places to visit in Rome

• Trevi Fountain

  Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 0.5 h · entry EUR 2

  Rome's most spectacular Baroque fountain (1762) by Nicola Salvi, fed by the 2,000-year-old Aqua Virgo aqueduct. Tossing a coin is said to guarantee your return to Rome.

• Colosseum

  Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · entry EUR 18

  The world's largest ancient amphitheatre (80 AD), once seating 70,000 spectators for gladiatorial combat. Its 4-storey travertine facade is the enduring symbol of Imperial Rome.

• Pantheon

  Temple · 4.7 rating · about 0.8 h · entry EUR 5

  Built by Hadrian c. 125 AD — the best-preserved ancient building in Rome, with an unreinforced concrete dome and 9-metre oculus that remained the world's largest dome until Brunelleschi's Florence masterpiece.

• Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

  Museum · 4.7 rating · about 3 h · entry EUR 20

  Over 7 km of galleries housing five centuries of papal art collections, culminating in Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling (1508–12) and the Gallery of Maps.

• Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

  Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 1.5 h · entry EUR 18

  The ceremonial heart of ancient Rome — temples, arches, and basilicas of the Forum alongside the Palatine Hill, birthplace of the city and home of its emperors. Included in the Colosseum combined ticket.

• Piazza Navona

  Cultural · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h

  Rome's most theatrical Baroque square on the site of Domitian's Stadium, dominated by Bernini's 1651 Fountain of the Four Rivers, flanked by Sant'Agnese church and pavement cafes.

• Villa Borghese

  Nature · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h

  Rome's largest English-style landscaped park, home to the Borghese Gallery, a boating lake and the Temple of Aesculapius — a beloved green lung at the heart of the city.

• Borghese Gallery

  Museum · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · entry EUR 15

  The finest private art collection in Rome, housed in Casino Borghese (1613): Bernini's Pluto & Persephone, Apollo & Daphne, Caravaggio's David, Titian's Sacred and Profane Love.

• Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

  Church · 4.8 rating · about 1 h

  One of Rome's four major basilicas, built in the 5th century over the reputed site of an August snowfall, with stunning 5th-century nave mosaics and a golden coffered ceiling.

• Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano

  Church · 4.8 rating · about 1 h

  The oldest and highest-ranking of Rome's four papal basilicas, founded by Constantine in the 4th century — officially the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the Pope's episcopal seat.

• Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill)

  Viewpoint · 4.7 rating · about 1 h

  The highest of Rome's viewpoint hills, with a sweeping panorama across the historic centre from the Passeggiata del Gianicolo terrace, lined with Risorgimento-era busts.

• Bioparco di Roma

  Wildlife · 4.4 rating · about 2.5 h · entry EUR 18

  Rome's city zoo inside Villa Borghese park, home to white tigers, penguins, giraffes and over 200 species — a family favourite in a leafy parkland setting.

Things to do

• Colosseum Skip-the-Line Tour Museum · 3 h · from EUR 50 per person
• Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Museum · 3.5 h · from EUR 62 per person
• Vatican Museums Sistine Chapel Skip the Line Heritage · 3.5 h · from EUR 57 per person
• Pantheon & Centro Walking Tour Walking Tour · 2 h · from EUR 16 per person
• Colosseum Arena Floor Access Tour Heritage · 3 h · from EUR 49 per person
• Borghese Gallery Tour Museum · 2 h · from EUR 41 per person
• Pompeii & Naples Day Trip Day Trip · 12 h · from EUR 120 per person
• Skip-the-Line Colosseum Underground & Arena Floor Tour Sightseeing · 3 h · from EUR 29 per person

Day trips and tours

• Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Skip-the-Line Tour 3 h · from EUR 33
• Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St. Peter's Basilica Tour 4 h · from EUR 41
• Rome Food Tour: Testaccio Market & Neighbourhood 3.5 h · from EUR 37

Where to stay in Rome

• Vatican / Prati about EUR 150 per night

  Quiet residential area; closest to Vatican, excellent restaurants, easy metro access

• Centro Storico / Pantheon about EUR 280 per night

  Heart of ancient Rome; walking distance to Pantheon, Navona, Trevi; premium prices

• Trastevere about EUR 180 per night

  Bohemian medieval neighbourhood with cobbled lanes, lively restaurants, and nightlife; most atmospheric area to stay

Hotels

• Hotel de Russie 5-star · INR 75,000 to INR 280,000 per night
• Palazzo Manfredi Rome 5-star · INR 55,000 to INR 180,000 per night
• Hotel Eden Rome 5-star · INR 60,000 to INR 220,000 per night
• Hotel Hassler Roma 5-star · INR 85,000 to INR 350,000 per night
• Hotel de Russie, Rome 5-star · EUR 620 to EUR 1,800 per night
• J K Place Roma 5-star · INR 55,000 to INR 180,000 per night

Where to eat

• Da Enzo al 29 italian, roman, trattoria · about EUR 38 per person
• Eataly Roma italian, food_hall, market · about EUR 35 per person
• Roscioli italian, roman, deli · about EUR 60 per person
• Tazza d'Oro italian, coffee, cafe · about EUR 3 per person
• Sant'Eustachio Il Caffè italian, coffee, cafe · about EUR 3 per person
• Giolitti italian, gelato, dessert · about EUR 5 per person
• Tonnarello italian, roman, trattoria · about EUR 30 per person
• Bonci Pizzarium italian, pizza, roman · about EUR 12 per person

Getting around

• Metro main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Transit Pass main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Walking

  Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.

Safety and scams to avoid

• Overpriced Tourist Menus

  Restaurants near Colosseum and Vatican

  Menus without prices or with surcharges; €3 cover charge (coperto) added to every person

  How to avoid it: Ask for the full printed menu with prices; check coperto before ordering

• Rose Scam

  Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps

  Someone places a "gift" rose in your hand or onto your friend then demands payment

  How to avoid it: Refuse any item; say no firmly and keep walking

• Fake Gladiators at the Colosseum

  Colosseum entrance and Arch of Constantine

  Men dressed as gladiators invite photos and then demand €20+ cash with aggressive pressure

  How to avoid it: Decline photos, walk away; they are not official

More in Italy

• Venice
• Florence
• Milan
• Naples
• Cinque Terre
• Verona