Top 25 Must-See Attractions in Rome
Rome Walks is a city full of museums, squares, Roman landmarks and other highlights. The Italian city has more to offer than just the main Rome tourist attractions like the Colosseum, the Pantheon and St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. During your visit to this city, these are the top 25 of the most famous sightseeing and most popular Rome attractions.
- Places to visit: Colosseum
The number 1 attraction of Rome is the Colosseum; the large amphitheatre that housed 65,000 spectators in Roman days. Gladiators battled each other as well as wild animals in the Colosseum’s arena, which is considered one of the seven modern wonders of the world.
- Trevi Fountain of Rome
The most famous fountain in the capital of Italy and perhaps even the world must be the ‘Fontana di Trevi’, or Trevi Fountain.
- Must see: Pantheon
One of the best maintained buildings from Roman times is the Pantheon.
- St. Peter’s Basilica
The St. Peter’s Basilica, or ‘Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano’ is the spiritual centre of the Catholic Church and residence of the pope.
- Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Over the centuries, the popes amassed an enormous art collection varying from Roman objects and religious relics to countless paintings.
- Roman sights of Forum Romanum & Palatine
The Forum Romanum was the centre of the ancient Roman Empire.
- Famous places: Piazza Navona
One of the most remarkable squares and best places to visit in Rome is Piazza Navona.
- Castel Sant’Angelo
Originally, the 2nd-century Castel Sant’Angelo, or Castle of the Holy Angel, was a mausoleum for emperor Hadrian.
- Galleria & Villa Borghese
The name ‘Villa Borghese’ refers to the largest and most beautiful park in Rome.
- Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
The Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the four papal churches and the largest Marian church in Rome Italy.
- Sights of Trastevere
On the opposite bank of the river Tiber lies the old working-class neighbourhood of Rome.
- Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna)
At the foot of the French church ‘Trinita dei Monti’ lie the 135 steps of the Spanish Steps.
- Rome landmarks: Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II
One of the most remarkable of Rome landmarks, the monument of the first Italian king Vittorio Emanuelle II, is located next to the Piazza Venezia square.
- Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
The remarkable thing about the archbasilica of St John Lateran is that the ‘San Giovanni in Laterano’ technically has the status of most important church of Rome Italy.
- Via Appia Antica & Catacombs
Via Appia Antica (or Roman Appian Way) is one of the oldest roads into Rome from Roman times.
- Piazza del Popolo
The Piazza del Popolo is a large neo-classical square from the 19th century, originally intended to welcome visitors who entered the city from the north.
- Domus Aurea
Domus Aurea are the excavations of Nero’s ‘Golden House’.
- Things to do: Rome sightseeing by bike
An easy way to discover much of the Rome landmarks is by bicycle.
- Palazzo Colonna or Palazzo Doria Pamphilj
In Rome there are a number of beautiful city palaces from the 16th and 17th centuries.
- Basilica di San Clemente al Laterano
The basilica, dedicated to pope Clement I, is not one of the most impressive churches of Roma at a first glance of its interior.
- Weird things to do in Rome: Capuchin crypt
A very bizarre place to visit in Rome is the Capuchin crypt.
- Domus Romane
Below Palazzo Valentini, next to the Forum of Trajan, are the remains of some Roman houses and baths.
- Churches, churches and more churches
Roma counts as much as 900 churches.
- Baths of Caracalla
The ‘Terme di Caracalla’ are the ruins of the immense bathhouse (baths) from the 3rd century CE.
- Day trips from Rome
From the city center you can easily undertake a number of day trips. In this article, you will find an extensive overview of the 12 best day trips from Rome.
If you want a break from the bustle of the city of Rome Italy, a great day trip is to visit the archaeological digs of the old Roman harbour town of ‘Ostia Antica’. This archaeological park is located 30 kilometres west of Roma, has a good connection by train and you can take your time wandering the 100 hectares of Roman excavations and tourist attractions in the Roman old harbour.
Castel Gandolfo is only 25 kilometers from Rome. This small town is easy to visit by train as a day trip from Rome and is known for the summer residence of the Pope (Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo) next to the beautiful lake of Lago Albano.
The town of Tivoli is 29 kilometers east of Roma. In the green surroundings of Tivoli are two villas of the World Heritage List, namely the Renaissance Villa d’Este with a beautiful interior and beautiful gardens.