Things to Do in Rome, Italy

Known to the Italians as Roma, this historic city is a must on every Italy itinerary. I loved every city on our trip but Rome was especially special. The history in Rome can be seen everywhere you look and felt everywhere you visit.

We spent 2 days in Rome, the eternal city (because one day got eaten up by travel and check-ins) and I felt that was a great amount of time to hit the big Rome landmarks. But I would’ve like one more day just to check off some of the smaller sights I wanted to see! I suggest aiming for 3 full days in Rome.

Here are all of the must see sights in Rome and a few helpful tips I learned while we were there. For any reference about weather (perfect) or crowds (still pretty busy) we were there in the middle of October.

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Roma Pass

Before we get started on sights I have to recommend that you get the RomaPass. This is a 48 or 72 hour pass that allows you to use unlimited buses, trams and subway rides. On top of this the 48 hour pass gets you into one sight free and you get into two sights free with the 72 hour pass.

One of those sights is the Colosseum and Roman Forum which was a no brainer for us. It costs 32 euro for the 48 hour pass and 52 euro for the 72 hour pass.

Things to do in Rome:

The Colosseum

Hands down my favorite sight and a must see in Rome is the Colosseum. So full of history and crazy stories of events held in the arena in ancient times. Did you know they used to fill it with water and hold boat fights!? The technology they used at the time is astounding. I would never have guessed they were capable of such things.

Tickets to the Colosseum are 16 euro for an adult and 6 euro for children under 17. Or you can use use the RomaPass. We also paid 2 euro per person in order to reserve a time slot ahead of time which is strongly advised especially during peak season. By doing this you simply arrive at the colosseum, pick up your tickets and enter at your reserved time. You get to skip the long lines and have more control over how much time you spend inside.

Roman Forum and Palentine Hill

This area was the central hub for daily life in Roman times. It is littered with ruins and columns and is HUGE. Most likely you won’t be able to see it all, and you may not want to in order to save your feet!

There are not many signs to tell you what things are so it is easy to get bored of looking at ruins. I would listen in on guided tours to learn snipets of information about the area. I would recommend booking a tour or finding a free self guided tour online to really learn about people and life that used to exist in these ruins.

Your RomaPass Colosseum ticket includes this area so it doesn’t cost any extra.

The Pantheon

The pantheon is a huge church with greek columns in the front. It has a giant domed center that has a hole in the center leaving it open to the elements. The floor is slightly sloped with a drain in the center to collect the water when it rains.

A few very choice people are buried inside like the first and second emperors of Italy as well as Raphael (the artist NOT the ninja turtle haha).

The Pantheon is completely free, inside and out.

Trevi Fountain

The Trevi fountain is stunning, definitely another must see. I was caught off guard because unlike many other sights Trevi Fountain is not located on a giant square but is actually randomly in an extra wide alley way. Because of this it gets VERY crowded.

Even though we went during October, the off season, it was still incredibly busy. Because of this I recommend going as early as you can stand to really enjoy being there. We went at about 8 am to take pictures and there were only about 30 people or less.

Legend says when you throw a coin from your right hand over your left shoulder you will come back to Rome. A second coin thrown means that you will fall in love. And a third coin thrown means that you will get married! All the coins thrown into the fountain are collected by the city to help provide for the poor and homeless population of Rome which is really cool.

I definitely threw in a coin because I for sure want to come back to Rome one day.

The fountain is completely free to visit.

Trevi fountain with its large stone sculptures and turquoise waters was my favorite sight to see in all of Rome. It is large and majestic and somehow in the middle of some unassuming street in Rome. Definitely make a stop to throw a coin into the fountain and see it for yourself. — Trevi Fountain

Spanish Steps

This area can also get quite crowded during the day but is still worth the visit. It would be very fun to get some sandwiches or a pizza to go from a nearby restaurant and have a picnic on the steps!

I went early in the morning as well as the middle of the day and in the morning it was nice to experience them with out the crowds and take pictures. Later in the day although it was much busier it was not uncomfortably crowded at all. You can enjoy it any time of day.

The steps are completely free!

The Vatican

The home of the pope and headquarters of the Catholic church are technically the smallest county in the world. The whole country is located within the city walls and contains some of the most famous art in the world.

For convenience I suggest buying tickets in advance and paying the extra 4 euro to skip the line. We got lucky with no lines but I have heard they often have lines that take a couple hours! The tickets cost about $24 per person altogether.

San’t Angelo Castelo

The Castelo is near the Vatican and is another option to get into free with the RomaPass. We didn’t have time to go through it but I did see it from the bridge. A large and impressive fortress I think this would be a great place to visit next time we are in Rome.

Walk the River Tiber

San’t Angelo Castelo is right on the River Tiber, a large river that runs through Rome. If you wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city then this is the place to go. Go for a walk or a run or even a bike ride and just enjoy nature on the banks of the river.

Food to Try

There are a few places in Rome that we ate at and LOVED. Those are the places I will share here. So these are all tried and delicious in our own opinion, not sponsored.

Feliziani

While you are near the Vatican I highly recommend going to Feliziani for breakfast or lunch. Their ham pizza was AMAZING and they have a wide variety of pastries, pizzas and desserts. The canoli: deliciouso. And of course they serve the Italians favorite, cappuccinos.

Pizza é Mozzarella

One of the ornately decorated ceilings inside the Vatican. The Vatican is its own country located within the city of Rome, Italy. That makes visiting a fun thing to do while in Rome. — A ceiling inside the Vatican

Between the Colosseum and the Pantheon is a small, hole in the wall pizza place with amazing pizza at amazing prices. It is extremely affordable and you pay per 100 g which gets you mouthwatering handmade authentic Italian pizza. There are lots of flavors to choose from but what really makes this place special is the owners. They go out of their way to make the experience enjoyable for you by offering water (unheard of in Europe) and letting you know to wait to order if a fresh pizza is about to be brought out. Make sure to add Pizza é Mozzarella to your list.

When to Visit Rome

We visited Italy in October and had near perfect weather the entire two weeks we were there. It was warm enough we didn’t need jackets most days but not so hot and stuffy that you were sweating. The crowds were still there to be sure but nothing like the crowds I’ve heard accumulate in the summer months.

I would highly recommend trying to see Rome in October like we did or sometime in the fall. Similarly try visiting Rome in the spring in order to beat the heat and crowds before summer starts.

Winter would mean even less crowds and more chilly weather but I would still choose to visit in the winter over the summer. The summer is the most popular time to visit due to school breaks which means the biggest crowds. However, the biggest turn off for me is the heat which can be in the high 90’s F during the summer. That sounds miserable to try and sight see all day and standing in lines while melting.

From our experience, the best time to visit Rome is in October.

There is beauty to be found on just about every street in Rome. These large ancient columns were located on a random side street. Istagramable places in Rome are everywhere you just have to keep your eyes open.

When in Rome!

Rome is one of my favorite places I have visited thus far. The history, the culture, the food, all of it. I already can’t wait to go back one day!

These are some of the most popular things to do in Rome so make sure that you are reserving times and buying your tickets in advance whenever you can. Especially if you are visiting during high tourist season.

We spent two weeks total in Italy and we had a very fast paced itinerary to make the most of it. Definitely check out our Italy itinerary post for more helpful tips, must have items and to see how we chose where to go and what to see during our trip.

Roma Pass