The Tiber river in Rome with St Peter’s dome in the distance

Updated 2026

11 best things to do in Rome

2,000 years of clues, free fountains and the best pasta of your life.

Photo: Emiliano Carchia / Wikimedia Commons · CC0

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These picks cover ancient Rome, the Vatican, the great piazzas and a neighbourhood for dinner. For each: honest cost, time needed, best time and when to skip it.

Things to do in Rome: tap a number to open it in Google Maps.

Tickets & tours in Rome: compare before you buy

Official sites are often cheapest for single museums; resellers are handy for skip-the-line combos, tours and free cancellation.

Tickets on Tiqets Tours on GetYourGuide Tours on Viator

Colosseum

Ancient Rome

The great amphitheatre of ancient Rome, finished in 80 AD. Standing inside is one of travel’s big moments.

Cost: Paid timed ticket, usually combined with the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (check current prices). Arena and underground areas need specific tickets.
Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
Best time: First slot of the morning

Insider tip: Book on the official site as soon as slots open, or take a guided tour if they’re sold out. Bring your ID – tickets are often named.

Skip it if: Honestly, don’t. If tickets are gone, the outside is free to see and the view from Via dei Fori Imperiali is superb.

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Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

Ancient Rome

The heart of ancient Rome: temples, triumphal arches and the Palatine, where emperors built their palaces.

Cost: Usually included in the Colosseum combined ticket (check current rules)
Time needed: 2–3 hours
Best time: Late afternoon, when it’s cooler

Insider tip: Bring water and a hat – there’s little shade. The Capitoline Hill gives a free view over the Forum.

Skip it if: It’s 35°C at noon – come back later in the day.

Tickets & tours

Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Vatican City

Miles of galleries ending in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling and Last Judgement, plus the Raphael Rooms.

Cost: Paid timed ticket (check current prices)
Time needed: 3–4 hours
Best time: Earliest slot, or late in the day

Insider tip: Usually closed on Sundays, except some free last Sundays that are extremely busy – check the official calendar. Dress with shoulders and knees covered.

Skip it if: You’re only in Rome for one day.

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St Peter’s Basilica & dome

Vatican City

The vast basilica with Michelangelo’s Pietà – and a climb to the dome for the best view in Rome.

Cost: Basilica free; the dome climb is paid (check current prices)
Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
Best time: Early morning, before the security line builds up

Insider tip: Shoulders and knees must be covered. The dome climb has hundreds of steps even after the lift – it’s tight near the top.

Skip it if: You can’t do narrow staircases – skip the dome, not the basilica.

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Pantheon

Centro Storico

A nearly 2,000-year-old temple with the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome and an open oculus to the sky.

Cost: Small entry fee since 2023 (check the current price)
Time needed: 30 min
Best time: Opening time, or when it rains – watch it fall through the oculus

Insider tip: Book online in peak season to skip the line. Then have a coffee in Piazza della Rotonda.

Skip it if: Never – it’s quick and unforgettable.

Tickets & tours

Trevi Fountain

Trevi

The most famous fountain in the world – throw a coin over your shoulder to make sure you return to Rome.

Cost: Seeing it from the square is free; Rome has introduced controlled (and paid) access to the area closest to the basin – check current rules
Time needed: 20 min
Best time: Early morning or late at night

Insider tip: Go at 7 am for photos without crowds. Watch your bag in the crowd.

Skip it if: It’s midday in high season – come back early or late.

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Trastevere at night

Trastevere

Ivy-covered lanes, piazzas and trattorias across the river – the place to have dinner in Rome.

Cost: Free to wander
Time needed: An evening
Best time: From about 7 pm

Insider tip: Walk away from the main squares for better-value trattorias, and visit the mosaics of Santa Maria in Trastevere.

Skip it if: You want a quiet night – try Monti instead.

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Galleria Borghese

Villa Borghese park

Bernini’s marble sculptures and paintings by Caravaggio and Raphael in a small villa. Visits are limited to a set number of people in timed slots.

Cost: Paid, reservation required (check current prices)
Time needed: 2 hours (fixed slot)
Best time: Any slot you can book – they sell out

Insider tip: Book well ahead and arrive early to collect tickets and check bags. Make time for the Villa Borghese park afterwards.

Skip it if: You couldn’t get a reservation – there’s no walk-up option to rely on.

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Piazza Navona

Centro Storico

A long Baroque square on the site of an ancient stadium, with Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers.

Cost: Free
Time needed: 30 min
Best time: Evening, when the street artists are out

Insider tip: Restaurants right on the square are expensive – eat a few streets away and just come for a gelato.

Skip it if: You’ve seen enough piazzas for the day (as if).

#10

Spanish Steps

Piazza di Spagna

The elegant 18th-century stairway to the Trinità dei Monti church, with the fashion streets at its feet.

Cost: Free
Time needed: 20 min
Best time: Early morning

Insider tip: Sitting on the steps is banned and can bring a fine – walk up for the view instead.

Skip it if: You’re short on time – it’s more a photo stop than an experience.

#11

Appian Way by bike

Parco dell’Appia Antica

Ride along an original Roman road lined with tombs, aqueducts and catacombs, a world away from the city traffic.

Cost: Bike rental and catacombs are paid (check current prices)
Time needed: Half a day
Best time: Sunday or a public holiday, when parts are car-free

Insider tip: Rent a bike (an e-bike helps) near the park entrance, and bring water.

Skip it if: You only have 2 days – focus on the centre.

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Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Rome?

Three days: one for ancient Rome, one for the Vatican and one for the piazzas, Trastevere and Galleria Borghese. Four or five is more relaxed.

Do I need to book the Colosseum in advance?

Yes. Timed tickets sell out, especially in high season. Book on the official site as soon as slots are released, or join a guided tour.

What should I wear to the Vatican?

Shoulders and knees covered for St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. Carry a scarf in summer.

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