Everything you need to know about tourist attractions in Rome

There is so much to see in such a huge, ancient city like Rome… so how do you decide? There are places for people who love art, architecture, history, or need a pretty instagram picture. To help you decide your itinerary, here is everything you need to know about tourist attractions in Rome.

The Main Attractions:

• Trevi fountain – make a wish and hope this magical fountain grants it! This landmark of Italy is not to be missed. Keep in mind that if you would like a picture without people, you will need to come here before 9.
• Colloseum – this is the epitome of Ancient Rome ruins!
  • My personal recommendation: this is actually a really great area to stay in Rome! It’s cheaper than in the very central areas (ex. Trevi fountain area), but has great access to buses going back and forth all the time to the city centre. If you would like some more tips on visiting Rome, head over here.
• The Pantheon – built in devotion to the gods, the Pantheon is the best preserved monument of Ancient Rome. Head inside to see beautiful marble interior have a nice breakfast/lunch/treat in the piazza where the Pantheon is located.
• Forun Romanum and Palatine Hill – head to the most sacred street in Rome, Via Sacra, to walk through the excavated from the Roman Empire. This is a cultural, political and religious centre of temples dedicated to the gods, palaces, arches and the forum of Julius Caesar.
• Piazza di Spagna (The Spanish Steps) – although designed by a French man, the infamous Spanish steps rest on the Piazza di Spagnia where the Spanish embassy used to sit. These steps are infamous for their Baroque-style design and are one of the most photographed spot in Rome.
• Vatican City – this is not IN Rome, but Rome provides walkable access to the Vatican City where lies the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square.
  • Even if visiting historical sites are not your vibe, the beauty and talent behind these Vatican City monuments is just unbelievable!

Other tourist attractions in Rome worth visiting:

Piazza’s

• Piazza Navona – a beautiful public square with an incredible fountain. Grab some tiramisu from down the road (Mr. 100 or Two Sizes – you choose!) and head over to this piazza for a relaxing sit-down surrounded by beautiful architecture with a lot of history!
• Piazza Venezia – you will probably ride around this incredible square in the chaos of converging roads and think, “what is this amazing building in front of me?!” You are actually riding around Venice Square. Here you will find the old Embassy of the Republic of Venice, which is now the Museum of Medieval and Renaissance art. You will also see the modern Roman forum, Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II, which is now a national symbol of Italy representing freedom and unity of the country.

Parks

• Villa Borghese – a villa found within a beautiful park. Grab some gelato and enjoy an evening walk here!
• Colle del Giancolo – come here around sunset for an amazing view of the city of Rome
• Colle Aventino – Aside from the picturesque trees that grow in this park, there is actually a keyhole called Priorato dei Cavalieri di Malta, you can look through to see a wonderful view of St Peter’s Basilica.
• Roseto Comunale – if you are obsessed with flowers, this is a beautiful rose garden on the backdrop of Ancient Rome ruins
• Villa Doria Pamphili – an idyllic landscaped park is a great break from the city life. Grab some food to have a picnic, go on a bike ride, and take a walk on the many trails the park has to offer.

History and Ruins

• Foro di Cesare – The Imperial Fora are ruins of the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. Visit this for a getaway to Ancient Rome
• Colle Capitolino – this is one of the 7 hills of Ancient Rome dedicated to the Roman God, Saturn. As you walk up, you find the tomb of the unknown soldier, the Temple of Saturn, the Arch of Septimius Severus, and there are plenty of view of the Roman Forum, At the top, you have Michelangelo’s Piazza del Campidoglio. Here you will find monuments and statues of infamous mythological characters.
• Arco di Tito & Arch of Constantine – two grande arches found nearby the Colosseum

Aside from the places I mentioned, of course, there are many museums, catacombs and churches that you can visit.

Less obvious tourist attractions in Rome:

• Book a cooking class and learn from the pros what real pasta should taste like!
• See the opera, I Virtuosi dell’opera di Roma
• See a puppet show at the San Carlino Gran Teatro Dei Piccoli
• Head out to the club to dance until the morning:
  • Ice club – cool off at the nightclub made out of ice!
  • Qube – night club made up of 3 levels open multiple nights a week. Known for having special nights of fire dancers, it invites people of many different genres of music to party
  • Goa – a garden-themed techno nightclub with art installations and performances
  • Babel – baroque-styles nightclub that has themed nights of techno, hip hop, and house music
  • Shari Vari – a nightclub of 3 floors for all the hip hop lovers

As you can tell, with all these tourist attractions listed and more, you will never be bored in Rome! When you are done visiting all the hotspots, ask the locals for advice! Here is a great blog post to read by a local in Rome.

Is there any sight-seeing spot you really enjoyed when you visited Rome? Let me know down below!