After moving from Connecticut to Spain to travel as much as I could in a year, I can say without a doubt that Rome might just be my favorite city that I visited. The feeling that I had there was indescribable, from the picture perfect street, to the most delicious food I’ve had in my life, to the captivating history, I was enchanted! Rome truly feels ancient, and for me, like there’s an adventure to be had or secret to be discovered. After visiting 10+ cities in Italy, I can say that Rome is one I would LOVE to return to. If you are going to Rome, or thinking of returning like I am, this list is a culmination of the classic things to do in Rome, and also some hidden gems that I’ve been scrolling for hours on tik tok to uncover!
Classic Touristy Things to do in Rome
The Colosseum
This is possibly the first thing you might think of visiting while in Rome. And while it’s very hyped up, it’s completely worth it. If you visit the Colosseum, you’re seeing one of the last standing ancient wonders of the world. The engineering that occurred to build the Colosseum so long ago, to purposely flood it when they felt like it to have battleship shows, is extremely impressive. While this activity will certainly be crowded, if you enjoy history, this might just be one of the best things to do in Rome while you are visiting!
Roman Forum + Palatine Hill
The Roman Forum is the best preserved ruins of Ancient Rome. On a tour here, you can imagine what the city used to look like from the stone that used to be the town center and gigantic temples. I thoroughly enjoyed my tour here, getting to learn more intricacies of what life in Ancient Rome was like. This tour continues up to Palatine Hill,
Spanish Steps
The Spanish Steps are an iconic location in Rome, as they provide a great view on top across the city. They used to connect the Plaza di Spagna with the Spanish Embassy, but now they are essentially a super instagrammable spot. The Spanish Steps are not necessarily the most spectacular, in comparison to other monuments like the Colosseum, but they are a great source of baroque art to see! If you go to the top, you can easily enter Villa Borghese, which we’ll talk about more farther down in this post.
Trevi Fountain
Apart from the Colosseum, the Trevi fountain is one of the most well known landmarks in Rome. It’s a stunning fountain where people arrive at 5 or 6 am in order to get a picture with no one around. There’s a tradition with the fountain, to look away from it and toss a coin over your shoulder. If you throw in one coin, you’re guaranteed to return to Rome. If you throw in two, you’ll fall in love. And if you throw in three, you’ll get both! If you like Rome and are looking for luck in love, give some coins a toss!
Pantheon
The Pantheon currently holds the world record for being the largest unreinforced concrete dome, after being built almost 2000 years ago! It’s a beautiful building with a circular skylight cut out the top, so the light is always natural inside. It’s free to enter on Saturdays and it’s a testament to the engineering prowess of the Romans!
The Vatican + St. Peter’s Basilica
One of the best things to do in Rome is to take a quick trip to another city, to the Vatican! The Vatican is stunning, filled with beautiful art that I could have wandered around and admired for a whole day. Much of the art is gilded or larger than life. This was a super impressive museum to see and one I would love to visit again. While in the Vatican, you have to stop by St. Peter’s Basilica. I was genuinely in awe of this church. Everything was detailed, gold, and beautiful. I also went around Christmas, so there were great decorations and displays. If you’re visiting Rome, I highly recommend visiting the Vatican, no matter your faith!
Lesser Known Things to do in Rome
Buy Locally Made Leather Goods at La Sella
My most treasured souvenir that I got while in Rome, was a handcrafted wallet made by locals in Rome! I found this store through the Tik Tok algorithm and it did not disappoint. The level of craft by these artists is stunning. Did I mention everything can be branded? With every purchase, you can get your name, your initials, or whatever you want permanently added to your leather goods. From belts to dog leashes to purses that look exactly like designer, there is something for everyone in La Sella.
Try All Four Famous Pasta Dishes
One of the parts I was most excited for while visiting Rome, was the food. And the food was the best Italian food I’ve ever had in my life. Of course, while in Rome you should check out their signature dishes, the pastas that they are best known for. I challenged myself to this and was in food heaven every single day of my trip. If you are a foodie as well and are interested in this challenge, you can read more here about the pastas you absolutely need to try.
Palazzo Colonna
If you are a fan of Baroque art, or would enjoy visiting somewhere like the Palace of Versaille, you must visit Palazzo Colonna while in Rome. It’s one of the oldest and largest palaces throughout all of Rome that you can visit on Friday and Saturday mornings when it’s open to the public. This was one of the places I am extremely disappointed I didn’t see on my trip! So now that you know, please go see it for me!
Take a Vespa Tour of Rome
If you aren’t in Rome for a super long time, a great way to see the city is through a Vespa tour! These tours have you sit in the sidecar with headphones to hear about what you’re seeing, as the guide winds through the roads of Rome. This might just be one of the coolest things to do in Rome, since being in a Vespa feels so authentically Italian!
Doria Pamphilj Gallery
The Doria Pamphilj Gallery is similar to the Palazzo Colonna, but much less well known! This gallery is a private collection curated by four Roman noble families. There are paintings made by extremely well known artists, like Caravaggio and other masters. If you are looking for another stunning baroque style place to tour, or one that’ll be less busy, give Doria Pamphilj a shot!
Villa Borghese + Borghese Gallery
If you are looking to go for a stroll in nature with the option to go into a gallery or get a coffee, this might be one of the best things to do in Rome, or at least what you should jot down for your itinerary. To me, Villa Borghese seems gives Central Park vibes, though Rome has multiple gardens! It’s a jaw droppingly beautiful, filled with gardens, temples overlooking lakes, and the baroque style Borghese Gallery. It’s incredibly tranquil, and a great place to relax a bit or stroll through some more artwork.
Villa Medici
This villa has been the residence of distinguished artists for centuries. In fact, Galileo was imprisoned here, and lived here for three years. For years, its art residency programs have been highly sought after and difficult to get chosen for. Villa Medici is another fantastic palace filled with baroque art, and has intricate gardens included in your ticket as well. These manicured gardens also have wandering peacocks you might encounter, making this a quick whimsical experience. While there are many golden, art filled palaces, this one takes the cake for me. This is one of the best things to do in Rome!
Trastevere
Trastevere is known as one of the trendiest neighborhoods throughout Rome. It’s an aesthetically pleasing place, where you can wander the streets, find great restaurants, drink at bars with great nightlife, and shop at some of the best vintage markets. If you have time to explore, hang out in Trastevere to see what hidden gems you can find!
Janiculum Hill
This hill offers beautiful panorama views over the city. This free experience has walking paths, scenic views, and monuments dedicated to those who fought for the unification of Italy. It’s also super romantic at night. From the bottom, it takes about 20 minutes to get to the top and is not a difficult walk.
Climb Vittorio Emanuele II
This large national monument was built in honor of Victor Emmanuel II, who was the first king of united Italy! It’s free to enter, and has an elevator to the top to get stunning views of the city. It’s ginormous, so it’s hard to miss, and it’s nicknamed the “Wedding Cake” or “typewriter” because of its shape.
See the Aventine Keyhole
If you see a random line of people and you can’t tell what it’s for, are you the type of person to go and join it? The majority of the day, there will be a line to an unsuspecting door at the end of a cul de sac. If you bend down to look through the keyhole, you will see a beautiful view of St. Peter’s basilica framed by trees. The door used to lead to the property of legendary crusader knights. This view is special, because through one tiny keyhole, you can see one country and two nation-states all at the same time!
Watch A Soccer/Football Match
As an American who doesn’t really like football, but went to Penn State, I was super interested in seeing what the real football experience was like. I thought the Penn State student section was organized in their chants, wow, Italian sports fans are a whole other level! If you enjoy watching sports, getting to watch a soccer/football game in Rome could be a super fun experience!
Largo Di Torre Argentina
If you are a history lover, this might just be one of the best things to do in Rome! Sure the city is filled with ruins. You can find ancient ruins practically anywhere in the city. But these ruins stand out, because they are the location where Julius Caesar Died. If you find Ancient Rome to be fascinating, a tour through here could be a great stop during your Rome trip.
Conclusion
Rome is an amazing place to travel to, filled with history and tons of things to do. Enjoy both these typical experiences as well as hidden gems, and have the best trip ever. Happy traveling!
