20 Best Things to Do in Rome

Rome rewards the curious. Nearly three thousand years of emperors, popes, artists, and cooks are layered into a single walkable center, and you can stand inside a 1,900-year-old temple, eat the best carbonara of your life, and watch the sun set behind a Renaissance dome all in one afternoon. The trick to a great first visit is not seeing everything; it is choosing the right things and giving each one room to breathe.

This guide gathers the 20 experiences we send first-time visitors to most often, grouped so you can build a sensible day. If you want one neat starting point, our Highlights of Rome tour stitches the marquee sights together with a local guide, and the full tour catalog covers everything below in depth.

Ancient Rome: the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine

1. Stand inside the Colosseum, the largest amphitheater ever built, where 50,000 spectators once roared at gladiatorial games. 2. Walk the Roman Forum, the political and commercial heart of the ancient city, where the Senate met and triumphs paraded. 3. Climb the Palatine Hill, the birthplace of Rome and home to imperial palaces with sweeping views over the Forum below.

These three sites sit side by side and share a ticket, so it is worth doing them together with context. A walking tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill turns rubble into vivid history, while a skip-the-line Colosseum, Palatine and Forum private tour keeps the pace your own. Tickets are timed and sell out in peak season, so book ahead; our Colosseum tickets guide explains the options.

Vatican City: museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's

4. Tour the Vatican Museums, a 4-mile sweep of papal collections that includes the Raphael Rooms and the Gallery of Maps. 5. Look up in the Sistine Chapel at Michelangelo's ceiling and his Last Judgment. 6. Step into St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in Christendom, and stand beneath Michelangelo's dome. 7. For the energetic, climb the cupola for one of the best panoramas in the city.

The Vatican is enormous and gets crowded early, so a timed entry or guided plan makes a real difference. Grab a Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel timed entry ticket to walk straight past the line, or go deeper with a skip-the-line Vatican Museums and St. Peter's private tour. Our Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel guide covers dress code, timing and what not to miss.

Art and palaces

8. Reserve the Borghese Gallery, a jewel-box villa holding Bernini's breathtaking marble sculptures and major Caravaggio paintings. Entry is by timed slot only and capacity is strictly limited, so plan ahead with a Borghese Gallery private tour and our Borghese tickets guide. 9. Cross the Tiber to Castel Sant'Angelo, the cylindrical fortress built as Hadrian's mausoleum and later a papal stronghold; a Castel Sant'Angelo private tour walks you up to its terrace views.

10. Visit the Pantheon, the best-preserved monument of ancient Rome, whose vast concrete dome and open oculus still astonish architects 1,900 years later. 11. For fans of the novel, an Angels and Demons private tour links the city's churches and fountains into one thrilling route.

Piazzas, fountains and the postcard Rome

12. Toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain, the baroque showpiece said to guarantee your return to Rome. 13. People-watch on the Spanish Steps, then wander down to the boutiques of the surrounding streets; our Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps guide maps the route. 14. Linger in Piazza Navona, built over a Roman stadium and centered on Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers.

These squares are free, open-air and best enjoyed early or after dinner when the day-trip crowds thin. A private walking tour of the squares and fountains connects them with the stories behind the marble.

Eat and drink like a Roman

15. Eat your way through Trastevere and the Jewish Ghetto, two of the city's most atmospheric food neighborhoods. The Ghetto is famous for fried artichokes, while Trastevere's trattorias serve the four classic Roman pastas: carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana and gricia. 16. Join a food and wine tour of the Ghetto and Trastevere, or sit down to an Eat Like a Roman dining experience. For where to start, see our what to eat in Rome guide.

17. Slow down with a proper aperitivo at golden hour, the Italian ritual of a spritz and snacks before dinner. 18. See the city change color at dusk on a Rome sunset tour; our Rome at sunset and night guide lists the best vantage points.

Go beyond the guidebook

19. Trade the crowds for character on an off-the-beaten-path hidden gems tour or an unusual Rome walk through Tiber Island and the Jewish Ghetto. These quieter corners are where Rome stops feeling like a museum and starts feeling like a city. For more ideas, browse Rome off the beaten path.

20. Take a day trip. Rome is a perfect base for Pompeii, Tivoli's Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa, or wine tasting in Tuscany. See our roundup of the best day trips from Rome to pick the right one for your trip.

How to plan your days

First time in the city? Decide how long you have and build outward. Our one day in Rome itinerary hits the essentials, while three or more days lets you add the Borghese, a food tour and a day trip without rushing. Check the best time to visit Rome for crowds and weather, and read what to know before visiting Rome for tickets, dress codes and scams to skip.

Whatever you choose, the secret is balance: one big ancient site, one art or Vatican morning, a long lunch, and an evening walk through the piazzas. Reserve the timed-entry sights well ahead, leave gaps for gelato and getting lost, and let the Eternal City do the rest. When you are ready to lock in the highlights, our Rome tours cover every experience above with local guides.