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Best Things to Do
Top 50 Best Things to Do in Rome [2025]
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Colosseum
4.6
/5
3928 reviews
10
From AU$ 37.58
Colosseo | 1.4 km from downtown
Phone +39 06 3996 7700
Address: Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Selected for 2 years in a row
Highlights:
Magnificent four-story, 80-arch, 240-pillar building
Experience the epic battles of the Colosseum
Saved by 2441 users2069 positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
The ticket was great, but I didn’t use the added discount at the store and seemed unnecessary. If anything it was confusing and I couldn’t figure out which was my ticket. The value was good, at the sacrifice of not getting to choose your time. I went at 1:30pm which I couldn’t choose and it turned out to be the hottest time of day and quite busy
The ticket type I chose include the underground of Rome colosseum, which is quite difficult to purchase through the official website due to very limited availability, and it is only opened to buy one month before your visit. But this time, I reserved the tickets from Trip.com 2 months before my visit, and after 2-3 weeks, I received confirmation of the booking! Fast and efficient! In the tour, my tour guide is Italian, but they’d probably speak English if most of the guests are foreigners. For those who are also interested in historical facts about colosseum, I highly recommend this to you.
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Pantheon
4.6
/5
1311 reviews
10
From AU$ 12.94
Based on 80,325 reviews
Pantheon | 1.7 km from downtown
Phone +39-347-8205204
Address: Piazza della Rotonda, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Recommended sightseeing time: 1 hour
Featured in 2025 Global 100 – Best Things to Do
Highlights:
Admire the design Michelangelo acclaimed
Giant dome's sky eye showers natural light and shadows
Saved by 1305 users623 positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
Very unique experience. Trip online tickets are paid off, providing a very smooth entrance without queuing. The Pantheon itself is an astonishing place.
## The Umbilical Corridor of the Sky: The Space-Time Corridor of the Pantheon
When you squeeze into the stone-columned porch from the noisy Coronari Street, you are suddenly swallowed by the 43.3-meter-high dome - this is not a building, but a model of the universe cast by the ancient Romans with concrete. The dust and mist of two thousand years of incense and candles roll in the light column. The whole temple is like a giant bell covering the mortal world, and you are standing at the critical point between God and man.
**Sky Eye: The Black Hole That Devours Time** (Subverting Cognition)
Looking up and staring at the 9-meter giant hole in the center of the dome, the rainstorm day turned out to be the most magical moment: the rain curtain poured vertically into the temple and crashed into broken diamonds on the colorful marble floor. In the afternoon with strong sunlight, the light column wandered on the ground like a golden hour hand, accurately sweeping across the emperor's tomb niche - the "solar calendar" designed by Hadrian, allowing the deceased to receive a solar coronation once a day. At 11:54 on the winter solstice, the light spot will completely cover the copper nail at the entrance (the starting point of the New Year in the ancient Roman calendar), with an error of less than three minutes in two thousand years!
**The Imperial Code in the Drain Hole** (Kneel and Observe)
Don’t be fooled by the iron bars of the central drain. Crouch and look at the 22 concave holes arranged along the edge of the drain—the base of the bronze rain chain from the Augustan era. Even more shocking is the slightly sloping slope at the bottom of the drain: during heavy rains, the water will swirl clockwise to form a mandala pattern, echoing the 28 ribs of the dome caisson (28 symbolizes the perfect number in the Pythagorean school). Ancient Roman engineers used millimeter-level slope calculations to let the forces of nature dance ballet in the temple for two thousand years.
**The Geometric Murder on the Sarcophagus** (The Horrifying Truth)
There are always crowds in front of Raphael’s tomb, please turn to the corner of the tomb of Perrin del Vaga. There is a dagger-like scratch on the side of the black marble coffin: in 1547, two enemies dueled here, and the blade accidentally hit the sarcophagus and sparks burst out. A closer look at the cracks extending from the scratches formed an equilateral triangle, which coincided with the inscription on the coffin cover, "ARTEM GEOMETRIAE" (Art of Geometry). The Renaissance master even paid tribute to Euclid in his death.
**Acoustic trap of the colonnade shadow** (personal experience of the wonder)
Before sunset, stand behind the bronze monument of Marco Agrippa and recite poems softly. The sound waves were cut and refracted by 16 Corinthian columns, and they actually produced a clear echo in the tomb of Urban VIII 40 meters away! The architect used the difference in sound speed between the front porch and the rotunda to design the "oracle effect". When the last light spot moved out of the eye of the sky, the entire temple turned into a giant resonance box - a stone column emitted the remnant of cheers when the construction was completed in 125 AD (actually the hallucination of the pigeon whistle in the square vortex in the dome).
When the museum closed, I stayed by the rose-red giant column. At the moment when the security guards cleared the area and turned off the lights, the moonlight suddenly poured in from the hole in the dome, condensing into an ice-blue light pool on the Pantelic marble floor. At this moment, touch the mottled bronze door - the door is full of palm prints from 24 million pushes, and your palms overlap with the fingerprints of Cicero and Michelangelo in the dark. The most terrifying miracle of the Pantheon is that it gives the concrete body temperature: when the morning light pierces the eye of the sky again, in the rolling dust in the light column, there are Brunelleschi's exclamation when he stole the master's skills, the fragments of Galileo's manuscripts for calculating the curve of the dome, and the dewdrops of time and space condensed from the water vapor you exhaled and the steam of ancient Roman libations.
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Castel Sant'Angelo
4.6
/5
488 reviews
9.3
From AU$ 55.24
Based on 14,727 reviews
Rome City Centre | 2.5 km from downtown
Phone +39-06-6819111
Address: Lungotevere Castello, 50, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Featured in 2025 Europe 50 – Night Attractions
Highlights:
Witness Rome's evolving fortress
Panoramic Rome & Vatican views
Saved by 785 users251 positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
As soon as I approached the scenic spot, I was attracted by the angel sculptures on both sides of the bridge. When entering Castel Sant'Angelo, you must go to the top to have a look, where you can overlook many ancient monuments on the other side of the river, including a corner of the Colosseum. In addition, the sandwiches at the Central Cafe are good and cheap, but you have to sit there to eat. If the sun is strong, it will be too hot and there is basically no shade.
## Amber of Time and Space: The Prismatic Light of Castel Sant'Angelo
When the waves of the Tiber River lift up the round fortress with a bronze angel on its head, you have stepped into the most bizarre time capsule in Rome - here are the remains of emperors, the sighs of prisoners, the power of the pope and the madness of artists. Don't be fooled by the fairy-tale appearance, every tuff of the castle is soaked with the blood of historical paradoxes.
**Whisper of the Dead in the Secret Passage** (Must-see!)
Enter the underground palace of the original site of Hadrian's Mausoleum, and the mobile phone flashlight illuminates the brick vault in 139 AD. Suddenly touched the wall: a six-pointed star is stacked next to the cross, and there is a line below "1527.5.6" - when the Medici Pope was besieged, the Jewish doctor prayed at this moment. When the cold wind blows over the back of the neck, the smell of wax and rotten wood floats in the darkness, which is the residual fragrance of the refugees burning furniture for warmth. Climb to the top floor and look back from the pedestal of the angel statue. The secret passage is like a giant snake drilling into the Vatican wall. The footsteps of Clement VII who fled along this bloody road are still echoing on the stone wall.
**The light and shadow epic of the spiral ramp** (shocking details)
Spinning up the slope where the coffin was transported in ancient times, a small window suddenly cracked in the stone wall: at 12 noon, the sun pierced in like a golden spear, casting a complete triumphal arch of light on the wall! Looking closely at the edge of the light spot, the dents made by the iron chains of medieval prisoners are embedded with a few glass beads from the Renaissance (left over by nobles visiting the prison). Walking to the ruins of the crossbow platform, the window frame cleverly frames the dome of St. Peter's Basilica - Bernini's design scheme is revealed here: Castel Sant'Angelo is the shield of the Vatican, and it is also the visual coordinate axis of the game of power.
**The torture ballet of the Angel Bridge** (beautiful moment)
Run to the bank of the Tiber River after sunset. Twelve armed angels carved by Bernini's apprentices gradually light up in the twilight: when the eyes of the fifth angel "holding a crown of thorns" reflect the first star, the whole bridge suddenly turns into a mobile theater. Take a closer look at the gesture of Angel II holding a spear: the shadow of the spear tip just points to the ventilation hole of the castle dungeon - a dramatic freeze frame of the prison escapee being betrayed by the moonlight one night in 1574.
**Prisoner's Poem on the Terrace Star Map** (Soul Crit)
Stay overnight at the top terrace cafe, and look up at the bronze angel after the tourists have dispersed: the tip of its sword always points to the direction of the comet. Using the mobile phone star map APP to compare, it is discovered that the angle of the angel's wings is locked to the position of Saturn on May 6, 1527 - the day the city was broken! Even more terrifying is the arrow hole array on the south wall: the moonlight passes through the holes and projects the cipher score of Dante's "Divine Comedy" on the ground (a secret creation of modern monks).
Sit on the east wing turret at midnight and watch the last tram pass the Holy Spirit Bridge. The moment the carriage lights swept across the castle's outer wall, the bullet-riddled wall suddenly appeared - the bullet holes where the Nazis shot guerrillas here in 1944 were repaired by vines into green crosses. At this time, I drank the remaining wine in the glass, and the sound of the imperial death knell and the harp of the Renaissance were intertwined in the wind. The most fatal charm of Castel Sant'Angelo is that it makes you stand at the critical point of blood and beauty: when the first swift swoops down in the morning light to peck at the dew on the tip of the bronze angel's sword, you will understand - Rome's immortality is precisely because it always walks a tightrope between ruins and rebirth
No.
4
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Borghese Gallery and Museum
4.7
/5
339 reviews
8.9
From AU$ 80.52
Based on 18,283 reviews
Flaminio Parioli | 1.3 km from downtown
Phone +39-06-8413979
Address: Piazzale Scipione Borghese, 5, 00197 Roma RM, Italy
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
Highlights:
Unique 2-hour reservation experience
Strict reservation, 2-hour visit
Saved by 331 users188 positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
Haha, we missed the time perfectly. Everyone, please pay attention to the reserved date. It also gives me a good excuse to go to Rome again. The pictures were taken at the nearby Piazza del Popolo. There weren't too many people there, so we could go shopping together.
A lot of Bernini's classic works, I admired them for two hours and still felt unsatisfied. I heard many stories about Bernini and the popes. I especially liked the various details and the different textures of marble. He is a real master.
No.
5
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Villa Borghese
4.0
/5
66 reviews
8.9
Based on 8,140 reviews
Flaminio Parioli | 1.5 km from downtown
Phone +39 06 0608
Address: 00197 Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
No.1 of Family-Friendly Attractions in Rome
Highlights:
Art galleries & zoo together
17th-century Siena heritage garden
Saved by 170 users
Verified User Reviews
This villa is located in the Bogcai Garden, which is more like an entertainment park with many entertainment projects. The villa is well preserved and has a good view from its small hillside.
This place is actually a large garden, and the villa is another name for it. The buildings and gardens inside are actually closer to a more modern style. Compared with other very classical Roman buildings, this place seems a bit more relaxed.
No.
6
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Roman Forum
4.7
/5
631 reviews
8.9
From AU$ 37.58
Colosseo | 1.4 km from downtown
Phone +39-06-39967700
Address: 00186 Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
No.4 of Night Attractions in Rome
Highlights:
Ancient Roman city center ruins
360° view of Rome's center
Saved by 634 users288 positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
Roman Forum and the Colosseum are amazing historical places everyone should see. The tickets, adult + child x2 full experience are the best for the value we have paid.
The Roman Forum is a vivid reminder of ancient Rome’s greatness. Though much of it is in ruins, what remains is enough to spark imagination about its past glory. Walking through the lively, bright city, I realize the forums aren’t confined to one spot—they’re spread throughout, giving me a sense of how vast and advanced Rome once was. It’s an experience that blends history and atmosphere bringing the ancient world to life. I really love it here~
No.
7
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Trevi Fountain
4.6
/5
1224 reviews
8.4
Based on 3,023 reviews
Trevi Fountain Surrounding | 1.1 km from downtown
Phone +39 06 0608
Address: Piazza di Trevi, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Recommended sightseeing time: 15-30 minutes
Featured in 2025 Global 100 – Night Attractions
Highlights:
Toss coin & revisit Rome
Neptune statue & fountain theme
Saved by 930 users457 positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
The fountain at the Spanish Steps in Rome is called the "Fountain of the Broken Ship". It is one of the famous Baroque fountains in Rome and is located in the center of the Spanish Square. The main body of the fountain is a broken ship half submerged in water, with water overflowing from all sides of the ship, symbolizing the scene after the flood recedes. This unique design not only solves the problem of insufficient water pressure in the low-lying areas of the square, but also gives the fountain a very high artistic value. The meaning of the Broken Ship Fountain is "the ship of heaven", symbolizing the persistence of faith in disasters.
One of the most beautiful and breathtaking little building in Roma. Even if there is a lot of people at the surrounding area, you can always enjoy the view. Would recommend to go very early in the morning or late at night.
No.
8
Palatine Hill
4.6
/5
228 reviews
7.5
From AU$ 37.58
Colosseo | 1.7 km from downtown
Phone +39-6-39967700
Address: Parco archeologico del Colosseo, Via di S. Gregorio, 30, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Recommended sightseeing time: 1 hour
Highlights:
Romans' favorite picnic spot
Legendary birthplace of Rome
Saved by 255 users35% positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
## Hill of the Gods: The Power Rings of Palatine Hill
When you climb the ridge on the gravel of the Imperial Avenue, you suddenly fall into the creation myth of Rome - Palatine Hill. There is no bloody glory of the Colosseum, no perfect dome of the Pantheon, only the half-buried palace ruins in the wild flowers whispering in the wind. But please believe that every inch of soil in this hill, which is no more than 60 meters high, is soaked with the genes of Western power.
**The space-time wormhole of Romulus's hut**. Next to the ruins of the Augustus Palace, a small circle surrounded by several charred wooden stakes is actually the legendary place where the mother wolf feeds her baby! Crouching down to touch the cracks of the carbonized oak, the fingertips feel incredible heat - not the sun's scorching, but the residual heat of the bonfire 2,800 years ago. When wild poppies sway on the rammed earth ground, you will see the figures of shepherds Romulus and Remus swaying in the heat wave: it turns out that the starting point of the empire is just a few charred fences.
**The secret language of mosaics in Villa Livia**. Entering the semi-underground residence of the queen, you will be caught off guard by the spring scenery in the room: turtledoves carrying figs fly over the branches of yellow fragrant plums, and pomegranates burst on the walls inlaid with colored stones. The peacock squatting in the corner has a lively look, and the grape vines under its claws extend to the real ground, entangled and coexisting with the weeds outside the wall - the ancient Roman craftsmen used 40,000 colored stones to solidify the luxurious feast at the peak of power into an eternal hymn to life.
**The Cliff Theater of Domitian's Palace**. Standing on the edge of the ruins of the most luxurious palace in the empire, there are tourists like ants in the Colosseum under your feet. In the past, tyrants set up cantilevered stands here and used pure silver railings to isolate the world. Today, the marble fence has long been weathered, but you can still experience the dizzy pleasure of power: when the dusk dyes the Colosseum into golden and red ruins, the mountain wind brings the faint roar of lions and the roar of chariots, and the whole city of Rome turns into a bloody sand table under your feet. At this moment, I suddenly realized that all empires will eventually return to dust, only the mountain wind is eternal.
Please bring a wild olive leaf before going down the mountain. Passing through the remains of the Flavian Palace arch in the sunset, the moonlight is pinning the shadow of the Doric colonnade on the stone wall of the Faun Cave. Augustus's ghostly purple robe brushes across your arm, and a few green peacocks suddenly pass over the broken walls of Tiberius's palace, and their long tails sweep down dewdrops like tears of the collapse of the empire. The most deadly magic of the Palatine Hill is that it makes you a creator and a gravedigger at the same time - when the mountain wind fills your clothes, you can hear more than just the sighs of Caesars, but also the echo of the eternal throbbing of power rushing in your own blood.
The view from the forum is great. Worth the walk up. Also keep an eye out for parrots and lizards, you might spot some! Fill up at the fountain. The walk is a mouth-drying one.
No.
9
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Arch of Constantine
4.4
/5
494 reviews
7.5
Based on 1,763 reviews
Colosseo | 1.5 km from downtown
Phone +39 06 2111 5843
Address: Piazza del Colosseo, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Recommended sightseeing time: 0.5-1 hour
Highlights:
Colosseum ruins & captivating views
One of three remaining arches
Saved by 335 users128 positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
## Skeletons of Victory: The Millennium Paradox of the Arch of Constantine
When the giant shadow of the Colosseum expands behind you, you suddenly encounter this arch blackened by time - it is like a bronze medal inlaid on the artery of the empire, and the three arches swallow and spit out the storms of twenty centuries. Don't be deceived by the mottled appearance: this ancestor of the Western triumphal arch is actually a shocking artistic plagiarism, and each relief is revealing the absurd nature of the game of power.
**The Rubik's Cube of Power Made of Reliefs**. Get close to the north column and take a closer look: the top layer is a bear hunting picture from the Hadrian era, the middle layer plagiarizes the war scene of Trajan Forum, and the bottom layer actually appropriates the relief of Marcus Aurelius's captive offering! The carving styles of different dynasties coexist strangely on the door frame - Constantine's craftsmen dismantled the glory of the previous dynasty and collaged it into the coronation robe of the new emperor. As the setting sun dyed the profiles of the soldiers of Trajan's legion golden red, they were stabbing the wild deer of Hadrian's era with spears in their hands, and the absurdity ran through their spines like an electric current: the so-called eternal victory was nothing but a carefully choreographed Inception.
**The toes of the angels hung in the cracks of history**. Looking up at the broken monument of the pavilion, four stone statues of Dacian captives were chained and kneeling for a thousand years. Among them, a stubborn fig tree emerged from the crack of the left knee of the captive in the southeast corner! At dusk, the homing swifts flew over the empty eye sockets of the stone statues, and the sound of their wings startled the ripe fruits, and the purple-red juice spread on the ground of the doorway like old blood stains. This wild tree born from the bones of the empire is like the most pungent metaphor: the monument of the conqueror will eventually become the seedbed of life.
**The triumphal procession of ghosts under the moonlight**. At midnight, I avoided the crowds and sat alone on the steps of the Arc de Triomphe. When the lights of the Colosseum went out, a miracle happened: the marks on the arch suddenly turned into dragons of torches, and the sound of elephants and chains floated in the wind. The Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 AD, which determined the fate of Christianity, was reproduced here - you can see Constantine's army rushing through the doorway with the La Brand Banner, but the reflection strangely turned into a cross shape. At this time, touching the inner wall of the doorway, the folds of the goddess of victory polished by pilgrims, I don't know when half a modern copper coin was embedded, and the ancient Roman silver dinar coin looked at each other faintly in the moonlight.
Before leaving, please look for the mysterious graffiti on the west side of the arch: "omnia vanitas" (everything is empty) engraved by a medieval monk. When the morning light first appeared, this line of small words was as glaring as a dagger next to Constantine's gilded inscription. The most shocking revelation of the Arc de Triomphe lies in the holes beneath its shiny surface - the stolen reliefs, the wild trees in the cracks, the hoofbeats of ghosts, all mock the eternal vanity. And when a new day comes, when a flock of pigeons suddenly soars from the top of the pavilion like a captive on your shoulder, you finally understand from the sound of their wings: all triumphs are temporary, and only time is the ultimate conqueror.
The Arch of Constantine, an ancient building standing in the city of Rome, is like a historical giant that has experienced vicissitudes of life, quietly telling the glory of the past. When I approached it slowly as a tourist, it seemed as if I had traveled through time and space and stepped into a legendary era of war.
From a distance, the Arch of Constantine is tall and solemn. Its magnificent outline casts a huge and deep shadow under the reflection of the sun, adding a solemn atmosphere to this land. Many tourists, like me, stood not far away and were deeply attracted by its majestic momentum. They stopped and looked up at this building that carries a thousand years of history, with their eyes full of awe and curiosity about history.
Approaching the Arch of Triumph, you can clearly see its exquisite stone carvings. Every stone seems to be given life, vividly showing the exquisite craftsmanship of ancient Rome. The reliefs on the arch are delicate and vivid, depicting the heroic scenes of war and the heroic postures of heroes. They waved their swords and charged forward, their majestic momentum made people's blood boil. A tourist from France couldn't help but sigh: "These carvings are amazing! It seems that every knife can feel the passion and fighting spirit of the soldiers back then. The fearless spirit they showed in the battle is shocking."
And those scenes depicting victory and peace are filled with peace and joy, as if showing the glory and honor of the ancient Roman Empire to the world. A British couple with a child smiled and said to the child: "Baby, look at these paintings. There was once a powerful empire that created such a great achievement. We should learn from their bravery and wisdom." The child also looked at it curiously, with a yearning for history in his eyes.
Walking slowly along the Arc de Triomphe, the stone slabs under my feet carry countless footprints. Perhaps there were triumphant generals and mighty soldiers who walked here. They cheered and saluted people with a victorious smile. And now, I also follow their footsteps and feel the historical weight of this building. The surrounding walls are also covered with exquisite carvings. An Italian local resident said with emotion: "I grew up near here since I was a child. The Arch of Constantine is like an old friend to me. Every time I see it, I feel extremely proud that our country has such a great cause." Tourists were also infected by his emotions and immersed in this ancient and great atmosphere.
Standing in the center of the Arch of Constantine, looking up, the sky and the arch form a beautiful picture. The sun shines through the arch, casting mottled light and shadow, as if telling the story of the years. An American tourist immersed in this wonderful atmosphere said: "Here, time seems to be still, I feel the pulse of history, and the awe of civilization arises in my heart." At this moment, many tourists, like me, with awe of history, quietly feel the unique charm of this building.
As the sun gradually sets, the afterglow dyes the Arch of Constantine into a golden color. It looks more mysterious and charming in this warm evening breeze.
No.
10
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Civita di Bagnoregio
4.8
/5
52 reviews
7.4
From AU$ 16.20
Based on 4,317 reviews
86.5 km from downtown
Phone +39-324-8660940
Address: 01022 Bagnoregio, VT, Italy
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-3 hours
Highlights:
Scenic viewpoint over valley
Inspiration for Miyazaki's Castle
Saved by 132 users36% positive reviews
Verified User Reviews
Belu Rigio (Figure 1) is a small hilltop village in Viterbo province in the region of Lazio. Its history can be traced back to 2,500 years ago. The village is isolated from the outside world and is connected by a narrow long bridge (Figure 2). Inside the village, mostly medieval buildings (Figure 3), stone streets and alleys winding, the bells of San Donato church echo in the valley (Figure 4), and ancient houses and arches continue to tell posterity about the historical changes. (Picture 5-9) ..... Hiking across the bridge, there is an uphill, a certain physical fitness is required, and the tour time is about 2 hours.
❣️This ancient city is strategically located and surrounded by magnificent natural scenery, allowing tourists to enjoy the charming natural scenery while visiting the ancient monuments. Once you enter the ancient city, you will be attracted by the intricate architectural layout. It is as if you are in an ancient world. There are many attractions worth visiting in the ancient city of Civita di Bagnoregio. The most eye-catching ones are the ancient castles and palaces. They stand in every corner of the city, exuding a solemn and mysterious atmosphere. ❤️In short, the ancient city of Civita di Bagnoregio is a tourist destination full of charm and history. I wish you a pleasant experience in your trip to the ancient city of Civita di Bagnoregio.
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