Location: Rome
Top Things to do in Rome
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10 Historic Sites in Rome That You Shouldn't Miss
Rome wasn't built in a day--and you'll need much more than a day to take in this timeless city. The city is a real-life collage of piazzas, open-air markets, and astonishing historic sites. Toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain, contemplate the Colosseum and the Pantheon, and sample a perfect espresso or gelato before spending an afternoon shopping at the Campo de’Fiori or Via Veneto. Enjoy some of the most memorable meals of your life here, too, from fresh pasta to succulent fried artichokes or a tender oxtail stew.
Restaurants in Rome
1. Basilica Papale San Paolo Fuori le Mura
2. Villa Borghese
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,870 reviews
Famous villa constructed at the beginning of the 17th century for Cardinal Scipione Caffarelli Borghese, nephew of Pope Paul V, which is surrounded by one of the largest and most beautiful public parks in Rome.
Reviewed By FunFilledFamily - Tulsa, United States
My fourth trip to Rome and I decided to try something new that I hadn't heard of before and that was Villa Borghese. Besides the awesome art on display, the property in this area is incredible. We walked and walked enjoying the truly beautiful park and other attractions - Villa Medici, garden, fountains, zoo - it was truly picturesque and incredible. For Americans, it was like Central Park. There were bikes and golf carts to rent to drive around the grounds. Loved my afternoon here and wished I had allowed more time to explore more. Go!!
3. Museo Nazionale Romano - Palazzo Altemps
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 486 reviews
The Museum of Palazzo Altemps houses absolute masterpieces of ancient sculpture belonging to famous and valuable noble collections received in state ownership. The installation aims to integrate - in a harmonious combination - the marbles in the decorative context of the rooms, having in mind and proposing solutions adopted in the arrangement of antique collections. The visit, on two floors, reveals a succession of decorated rooms, a maze of stairs and corridors leading to the discovery of the ancient works of art.
Reviewed By JonathonGreen
Housed in a splendid 15th century palazzi.Houses the best of rome's classical sculptures.Many pieces from Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi's collection.Houses the amazing Trono Ludovisi,a marble sculpture of Athrodite.Has a grand central courtyard and frescoed rooms.Also has a good Egyptian collection.
4. Palatine Hill
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 24,994 reviews
The commercial, political and religious center of ancient Rome, which features the Arch of Septimus Severus, Temple of Saturn, Arch of Titus and the House of the Vestals.
Reviewed By genie26c - Plymouth, United Kingdom
I would certainly advise pre-booking your tickets, or join a group tour to avoid the very long queues and group tours get to use a separate entrance too, which makes it even easier. We'd just been on an express tour of the Colosseum with 'Tour in the City' and wanted to see the Palentine Hill and Forum as well (your Colosseum ticket includes entry to Palentine Hill and Forum) so our Colosseum guide was able to arrange for us go with another tour company that they are affiliated with ('Fun Tours'), which meant we were able to get into the Palentine Hill/Forum and also tag onto that tour too - which was really informative and didn't take too long, maybe about 45 mins. Then we were left to our own devices. The Palentine Hill is surprisingly tranquil and has some beautiful views. it wasn't crowded and it was nice to simply walk about and take in the scenery and history of everything at our own pace. Thoroughly enjoyed it here and if we'd been a bit more organised, it would have been nice to bring refreshments/food and find a quiet place to sit and have a picnic.
5. Domus Aurea
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,324 reviews
The imperial estate of Nero was built in 64AD, which is comprised of a series of pavilions, set in an articulated garden with an artificial lake in its center.
Reviewed By Lesleyjane71 - Kent, United Kingdom
If you love archaeology and Ancient Rome is your thing, and if you are lucky enough to visit Rome over the course of a weekend then please do make sure you book for a guided visit of Domus Aurea. It is only open on a Saturday and Sunday and tickets must be booked on line, which can be a little daunting but well worth it. Despite what some people have written, the site entrance is easy enough to find. Head to the Piazza Del Colosseo and if you use the Oppio Café and the metro across from the Colosseum as your marker you can not go wrong. Turn Left and take a very short walk up the hill to the entrance of a Parco delle Colle Oppio. As you go in the entrance turn left and walk about 50 paces and you will see the entrance to the Domus Aurea and there will be guides and assistants waiting. Ignore the positioning of it on google maps. It will through you right of course! If you are early, do not be scared to walk around the park, there are fine ruins there of Trajan's baths which sit atop the buried ruins of the Domus. For some reason, people think that this is the Domus it is not. Yes there are some refugees sleeping in the park but to be honest they pose no threat. In fact you are more than likely to see them cleaning up the place. The area is full of dog walkers and runners and as a single female traveller, I felt absolutely safe in there. So now that the whereabouts of the entrance has hopefully been demystified, on to the visit. You go in your designated time group and don fetching hairnets and hard hats before being led underground by one of the archaeologists fortunate enough to work at the site and who will be very passionate about their work, so some may find this a little boring others will relish it. To be able to traverse the corridors of a fraction of this once vast and oppulent palace is phenominal. It is damp but well lit so take a light weight jacket or sweater, you may need it. You are free to take as many photos as you like. The VR is amazing and puts you right in the heart of the palace as it may once have been as well as giving you an idea of what the view across Rome from here would have been like. Word of advise, if you are light sensitive or suffer a bit of vertigo or balance problems then the VR headset is likely to make you feel a bit weasy. I had to lift mine up a few times just to get my head back straight. You are sitting down for the VR session so don't panic and it is well worth persevering with. You carry on with your tour and it is hard to believe that you are walking in the footsteps of Nero no matter how sadistic and twisted he was. There are a few wall frescos still visible, the rest having been removed to safe them from being completely ruined by the damp. Unfortnatuely they have now desided not excavate further as the cost of preserving the rest of the underground network of rooms and corridors is just to expensive both in monetary terms, manpower and the tecnologies needed to keep it from deteriorating but please rest assured, what you see is well worth it. Have a great trip!
6. Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 16,079 reviews
One of seven pilgrimage basilicas in the world, this church was founded in 432 AD and is where the famous architect Bernini is buried.
Reviewed By 282LisaH - Melbourne, Australia
We were staying in Trastevere with an air B and B.we walked around the cobbled lanes and came across piazza Santa Maria and this beautiful church which I had read about it is amazing and inspires serene meditation ????♀️ . The frescoes and building are beautiful and it sits in the piazza . Absolutely stunning and to think it started building in the 2nd century
7. Quirinale Palace (Palazzo del Quirinale)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,193 reviews
This palace was built by Gregory XIII in 1574 as a summer residence, which serves today as the residence of Italy's president.
8. Santa Cecilia in Trastevere
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 407 reviews
This Church was constructed between 817 and 824 AD, on the site of an earlier fifth-century building, and features a grand courtyard, garden, twelfth-century bell tower and a gothic tabernacle by Arnolfo di Cambio.
Reviewed By Fatherandson
Santa Cecilia in Trastevere is one of Rome's most beautiful churches. Perhaps the main attraction is Pietro Cavallini's Last Judgment fresco, often cited as the masterpiece of the artist who, with Giotto, was a prominent Late Gothic artist and a forerunner of the early Renaissance. To see the fresco, you must ring the doorbell to the left of the church's entrance. There you will pay two euros and then enter an elevator that takes you to the second floor, The fresco is located at the rear of the nun's choir. During our visit we were the only ones there. The church also has some subterranean archaeological remains, one euro entrance, which were not particularly worthwhile.
9. Terme di Caracalla
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,464 reviews
The ruins of ancient Rome's public bathhouse, dating back to the 3rd century.
Reviewed By Kufra - Rome, Italy
The Roman thermal bathhouses were the forerunners of the modern fitness and aquatic centres, just as are many practices in ancient Rome. This expansive ruin commissioned by Caesar Caracalla is no exception and is in fact an excellent example. Situated on the route one would take when walking from the Circus Maximus, the ancient Roman racetrack ruins, to the Porta Sebastiano, the southern gate of Rome's surrounding ancient walls leading to the Via Appia Antica, the ancient Roman highway to Brindisi, this imposing structure is surrounded by a green, parklike area, and includes the ruins of its olympic sized swimming pool, steam rooms, hottub, cold and tepid baths, and the structures where its exercise and weight rooms, running track, food court, music room, pleasure gardens, reading room, hair dresser's salon, and other related centres of its complex were located. It is an amazing glimpse into life in ancient Rome, centre to a superpower.
10. Colle del Gianicolo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,691 reviews
A scenic hill popular for its breathtaking views of the city.
Reviewed By Lovett17
Every day at noon, the canon fires (blancs of course) across the city a tradition since 1847, on the order of Pope Pius IX. In addition to a spectacular view there is an interesting park with the statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi on his horse and along the road nearby busts of famous soldiers who died in the process of the unifaction of the various states and the battles that ensued. Further along can be found Giuseppe's wife Anita also on horse-back, a pistol in one hand her baby in the other - some girl!
