Rome Attractions - Top 25 Landmarks & Things to do in Rome

 

Rome Attractions - Top 25 Landmarks & Things to do in Rome

Rome 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. Click one of the must-see highlights, things to do or Rome landmarks for more information on this unique monuments, museum or tourist attractions:

1. 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. In the giant ‘ruins’ of the Colosseum, you can visit the stands, the arena and the underground spaces of the largest Roman amphitheatre. Because of the huge number of visitors, it is highly recommended to book tickets to the Colosseum in advance, which is considered one of the seven modern wonders of the world. More info of the famous landmark 'Colosseum'.

2. Trevi Fountain of Rome The most famous fountain in Rome and perhaps even the world must be the ‘Fontana di Trevi’, or Trevi Fountain. This baroque fountain, located on the Piazza di Trevi, was built in the 18th century. The landmark and monument displays the god of the sea, Neptune on his chariot. No visit or Rome sightseeing is complete without tossing a coin in the Trevi Fountain, as this means the person throwing the coin will ‘one day return to Rome Italy’.

3. Must see: Pantheon One of the best maintained buildings from Roman times is the Pantheon. What function the building had in those days is still not clear, but the Pantheon was given to the pope by emperor Hadrian in 608. The current church has several unique funerary monuments (painter Raphael and a few Italian kings), as well as a remarkably large and open dome (oculus). During your city break in Rome, you can visit the Pantheon for free.

4. 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. The enormous basilica, located in the independent state of Vatican City and next to St Peter's Square, was built on what is believed to be the grave of Peter. St. Peter’s Basilica contains masterpieces such as Bernini's baldachin and ‘La Pieta’ by Michelangelo, but you can also visit the crypts with 148 papal tombs. Plan your visit to St Peter's well ahead, or you will likely be standing in line for a long time.

5. Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Over the centuries, the popes amassed an enormous art collection varying from Roman objects and religious relics to countless paintings. In the Vatican Museums you can visit 54 richly decorated rooms and view these art treasures of the Catholic church. The highlight for many visitors is likely to be the famous Sistine Chapel. The chapel with lovely frescos by Michelangelo that is mostly known as the site of conclave when a new pope is elected. Because it gets so many visitors, this attraction has by far the longest lines. Reserving skip-the-line tickets is a must if you do not wish to wait in the hot sun for over two hours.

6. Roman sights of Forum Romanum & Palatine The Forum Romanum was the centre of the ancient Roman Empire. During your visit to the Forum Romanum, you will walk past Roman excavations and the archaeological park full of old temples, arches, market halls and other important buildings built there by different emperors. Next to the forum lies Palatine Hill, where you will find excavations of imperial residences. More info 'Forum Romanum'

7. Piazza Navona One of the most remarkable squares in Rome is the Piazza Navona. The square therefore owes its elongated shape to its original purpose as a Roman athletics stadium. Interesting sights on the square include a number of fountains, such as the ‘La Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi’ by Bernini, an interesting obelisk, and you can visit the excavations of the old stadium of Domitianus. In addition, Piazza Navona is a lively square with many street performers, cafés and terraces.

8. Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna) At the foot of the French church ‘Trinita dei Monti’ lie the 135 steps of the Spanish Steps. The Spanish Steps decent to the Piazza di Spagna, where you will find a distinctive fountain by Pietro Bernini. The 18th-century Spanish Steps have grown into a tourist hotspot, and the top of the stairs offers a gorgeous view of Rome.

9. Galleria & Villa Borghese The name ‘Villa Borghese’ refers to the largest and most beautiful park in Rome. At one time, this estate belonged to the very wealthy cardinal Scipione Borghese, and was built around the villa of the same name. Since 1903, it has been in the possession of the municipality of Rome and serves as a public park. The ‘Galleria Borghese’ can also be found in the park, a museum displaying the large private art collection of Borghese. The gallery contains sculptures and paintings by artists such as Caravaggio, Rubens, Bernini and Leonardo da Vinci.

10. 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. The church on the Esquiline hill is from the 5th century and still contains many authentic mosaics. It also has a distinctive golden ceiling. It is said that there are even pieces of wood from the crib of Jesus under the altar.

11. Sights of Trastevere On the opposite bank of the river Tiber lies the old working-class neighbourhood of Rome. Trastevere is a typical Italian neighbourhood where you can get lost in a maze of narrow streets, see old medieval houses, and go for a lively night out in the area's many restaurants and bars.

12. Castel Sant’Angelo Originally, the 2nd-century Castel Sant’Angelo, or Castle of the Holy Angel, was a mausoleum for emperor Hadrian. After archangel Michael appeared here in 590 and ended a plague, pope Pius II had a large bronze statue of the angels placed on top of the castle. The Castle of the Holy Angel was part of Rome's defences and offered a place where popes could shelter, as the Vatican was connected to it by a tunnel. 1. 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. In the giant ‘ruins’ of the Colosseum, you can visit the stands, the arena and the underground spaces of the largest Roman amphitheatre. Because of the huge number of visitors, it is highly recommended to book tickets to the Colosseum in advance, which is considered one of the seven modern wonders of the world. More info of the famous landmark 'Colosseum'. 2. Trevi Fountain of Rome The most famous fountain in Rome and perhaps even the world must be the ‘Fontana di Trevi’, or Trevi Fountain. This baroque fountain, located on the Piazza di Trevi, was built in the 18th century. The landmark and monument displays the god of the sea, Neptune on his chariot. No visit or Rome sightseeing is complete without tossing a coin in the Trevi Fountain, as this means the person throwing the coin will ‘one day return to Rome Italy’. 3. Must see: Pantheon One of the best maintained buildings from Roman times is the Pantheon. What function the building had in those days is still not clear, but the Pantheon was given to the pope by emperor Hadrian in 608. The current church has several unique funerary monuments (painter Raphael and a few Italian kings), as well as a remarkably large and open dome (oculus). During your city break in Rome, you can visit the Pantheon for free. 4. 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. The enormous basilica, located in the independent state of Vatican City and next to St Peter's Square, was built on what is believed to be the grave of Peter. St. Peter’s Basilica contains masterpieces such as Bernini's baldachin and ‘La Pieta’ by Michelangelo, but you can also visit the crypts with 148 papal tombs. Plan your visit to St Peter's well ahead, or you will likely be standing in line for a long time. 5. Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Over the centuries, the popes amassed an enormous art collection varying from Roman objects and religious relics to countless paintings. In the Vatican Museums you can visit 54 richly decorated rooms and view these art treasures of the Catholic church. The highlight for many visitors is likely to be the famous Sistine Chapel. The chapel with lovely frescos by Michelangelo that is mostly known as the site of conclave when a new pope is elected. Because it gets so many visitors, this attraction has by far the longest lines. Reserving skip-the-line tickets is a must if you do not wish to wait in the hot sun for over two hours. 6. Roman sights of Forum Romanum & Palatine The Forum Romanum was the centre of the ancient Roman Empire. During your visit to the Forum Romanum, you will walk past Roman excavations and the archaeological park full of old temples, arches, market halls and other important buildings built there by different emperors. Next to the forum lies Palatine Hill, where you will find excavations of imperial residences. More info 'Forum Romanum' 7. Piazza Navona One of the most remarkable squares in Rome is the Piazza Navona. The square therefore owes its elongated shape to its original purpose as a Roman athletics stadium. Interesting sights on the square include a number of fountains, such as the ‘La Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi’ by Bernini, an interesting obelisk, and you can visit the excavations of the old stadium of Domitianus. In addition, Piazza Navona is a lively square with many street performers, cafés and terraces. 8. Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna) At the foot of the French church ‘Trinita dei Monti’ lie the 135 steps of the Spanish Steps. The Spanish Steps decent to the Piazza di Spagna, where you will find a distinctive fountain by Pietro Bernini. The 18th-century Spanish Steps have grown into a tourist hotspot, and the top of the stairs offers a gorgeous view of Rome. 9. Galleria & Villa Borghese The name ‘Villa Borghese’ refers to the largest and most beautiful park in Rome. At one time, this estate belonged to the very wealthy cardinal Scipione Borghese, and was built around the villa of the same name. Since 1903, it has been in the possession of the municipality of Rome and serves as a public park. The ‘Galleria Borghese’ can also be found in the park, a museum displaying the large private art collection of Borghese. The gallery contains sculptures and paintings by artists such as Caravaggio, Rubens, Bernini and Leonardo da Vinci. 10. 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. The church on the Esquiline hill is from the 5th century and still contains many authentic mosaics. It also has a distinctive golden ceiling. It is said that there are even pieces of wood from the crib of Jesus under the altar. 11. Sights of Trastevere On the opposite bank of the river Tiber lies the old working-class neighbourhood of Rome. Trastevere is a typical Italian neighbourhood where you can get lost in a maze of narrow streets, see old medieval houses, and go for a lively night out in the area's many restaurants and bars. 12. Castel Sant’Angelo Originally, the 2nd-century Castel Sant’Angelo, or Castle of the Holy Angel, was a mausoleum for emperor Hadrian. After archangel Michael appeared here in 590 and ended a plague, pope Pius II had a large bronze statue of the angels placed on top of the castle. The Castle of the Holy Angel was part of Rome's defences and offered a place where popes could shelter, as the Vatican was connected to it by a tunnel. Rome sightseeing, activities & landmarks 13. 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. The building is also called the ‘Altara della Patria’ – the altar of the fatherland – and commemorates the unification of Italy. Romans also use nicknames for it such as ‘typewriter’ and ‘wedding cake’. The colossal white building also contains a museum and the tomb of the unknown soldier, which is guarded by two soldiers. 14. 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. It is one of the four papal basilicas and the cathedral of the Rome diocese. The baroque-looking church has been modified many times over the century, including the addition of the distinctive façade with statues by Alessandro Galilei. 15. 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. Noteworthy sights on the square are the two identical churches built across from each other, the city gate ‘Porta del Popolo’, an enormous Egyptian obelisk and the steps that let you climb Pincio Hill for a wonderful view. 16. Via Appia Antica & Catacombs Via Appia Antica (or Roman Appian Way) is one of the oldest roads into Rome from Roman times. The road with its large cables and lined with many cypresses was originally intended for trade and moving military troops more quickly. The road was located just outside the city walls, which meant there were many catacombs and funerary monuments on the side of it. The best way to visit the Via Appia and its tourist attractions is on a bicycle. 17. Domus Aurea Domus Aurea are the excavations of Nero's "Golden House". Since 2014 it is possible to visit the remains of this huge palace in a very nice way; with a guided tour where you can also see through VR glasses what the huge palace must have looked like at the time. The tour is only available on Saturdays and Sundays, as restoration work is underway for the rest of the week. A lesser-known Rome tourist attraction, but one of my personal favorites. Reservation is necessary (more Domus Aurea). 18. Attractions and Rome sightseeing by bike An easy way to discover much of the Rome landmarks is by bicycle. Rent a bike yourself, or even better, go with an English-speaking guide to the landmarks and sights of Rome. In a few hours you will see many highlights and you will hear interesting stories about the history of Rome landmarks. Highly recommended! The tours are popular, so we recommend that you book in advance (More information). 19. Domus Romane Below Palazzo Valentini, next to the Forum of Trajan, are the remains of some Roman houses and baths. After a few days in Rome, you are probably tired of all the stones and archaeological excavations, which is why Domus Romane is highly recommended. The excavations are brought to life with the help of a tour with visual animations and effects. Last visit to Rome, this was my positive surprise. It is recommended to book because of the small groups allowed (more Domus Romane). 20. Palazzo Colonna or Palazzo Doria Pamphilj In Rome there are a number of beautiful city palaces from the 16th and 17th centuries. These palaces are all splendor with overwhelming private collections of paintings and frescoes. During your city trip, it is worth visiting at least one palace and its associated galleries. I prefer two palaces; if you are in Rome on a Saturday morning I recommend you the Colonna Gallery, on other days you can visit the Doria Pamphilj Gallery. 21. Basilica di San Clemente al Laterano The basilica, dedicated to pope Clement I, is not one of the most impressive churches of Rome at a first glance of its interior. What makes this Basilica of San Clemente special is that multiple church buildings were built on top of each other over the centuries. During your visit, you will have the opportunity to get to know the history of the church through excavations of a 4th-century church, a secret church from the 1st century and Roman foundations. 22. Weird things to do in Rome: Capuchin crypt A very bizarre place to visit in Rome is the crypt of the Capuchins. In five chapels under the "Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini" church, the bones and skulls of nearly 3,600 Capuchin brothers have been incorporated as works of art in the crypts. In the museum you will learn more about the Capuchin Brothers, after which you will visit these very special crypts. 23. Churches, churches and more churches Rome counts as much as 900 churches. Be sure to spontaneously step into a church during your Rome visit; even the least famous churches are often beautiful. This article gives you more details about 15 of Rome's most special churches. 24. Baths of Caracalla The ‘Terme di Caracalla’ are the ruins of the immense bathhouse (baths) from the 3rd century CE. At one time, it was the largest bath complex of Rome with a capacity of 2,500 visitors. Unfortunately, earthquakes and plundering of building materials have left their marks. However, the archaeological digs give a good impression of how truly huge the baths of emperor Caracalla were in those days. 25. Roman sightseeing in Ostia Antica 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 Rome, has a good connection by train and you can take your time wandering the 100 hectares of Roman excavations and tourist attractions in Rome's old harbour. 26. Day trip: Castel Gandolfo Castel Gandolfo is only 25 kilometers from Rome. This small town is easy to visit by train as a day trip and is known for the summer residence of the Pope (Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo) next to the beautiful lake of Lago Albano. Since a few years, Pope Francis, who does not use the Papal Palace itself, has opened the complex to the public. It is therefore a unique opportunity to visit this historic site with the beautiful Barberini Gardens. Reservation is necessary. More info about 'Castel Gandolfo'. 27. Day trip Tivoli: Villa d'Este & Villa Adriana The town of Tivoli is 29 kilometers east of Rome. 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. The other sights are the Roman excavations of Villa Adriana, the enormous villa of Emperor Hadrian. Read more about the villas in Tivoli, a fun day trip from Rome.