My biggest tip is reduce the temptation to rush to tick off all the big sites. Rome has unprecedented depth in cultural sites, which means two things.
Firstly, you can’t see everything in 3 days and will just burn yourself out trying.
Secondly, whilst the mega attractions are superb, they come at a cost of being super busy with fellow tourists. Because of Rome’s depth, there are so many other attractions out there which will give you a far more magical Rome experience.
As for the big hitters, everyone is different. But this is what I enjoyed based on wow factor and would prioritise:
Tier: Mega Wow
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ THE COLOSSEUM – ROME’S FEARSOME AMPHITHEATRE
Rome’s Colosseum view from inside and with the standard pass
One of the Wonders of the World and just insanely impressive in just about every category. You are not visiting Rome and missing the Colosseum.
Top tip – buying the tickets and knowing which one to buy can be a bit faffy with confusing options and struggle with availability. Don’t stress too much – walking on the arena is nice, but you get very similar views from various other section, and the time slot you get given is super flexible. The only ticket I would try to keep an eye out for is the “Full Experience + Underground & Arena” because the underground is cool and you potentially have access to the top tiers. But, again, the Standard Entry is only marginally less wow.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ THE VATICAN MUSEUMS – SISTINE CHAPEL AND AWE-INSPIRING ART
The Hall of Constantine in the Vatican museums. Just one of many ludicrously beautiful rooms
Just astonishing. Even if you have zero interest in history, even if you don’t like museums, and even if you are only in Rome for one day – visit the Vatican museums. The sheer amount of stuff in there and breadth of the ages covered is incredible – you leave with a recalibration of relics: whereas before you were interested in the Roman relics for their age and grandeur, you leave with an attitude of: “Only 2000 years old and only 10 of them? . . . Meh”. And the opulence is worth the visit alone – endless corridors of stunning paintings combined with stunningly manicured grounds. The only place I have seen anywhere in the world that rivals it is the Palazzo Ducale in Venice.
Top tip – whilst there is a tour route, it can still be overwhelming. Give yourself two hours, have a break – there is a nice restaurant in the gardens – then see if you’re done or want to go back into areas that caught your attention. My highlights were the Egypt section (right at the start) – there is a great collection because the Romans were obsessed with all things Egyptian; the Raphael Rooms – 4 magnificent chambers painted by him and his students; the long Map Gallery – 40 very large frescoed panels depicting regions of Italy; and, because I’m a Roman History Geek, the Roman statue section – it includes arguably the most famous of all Roman Statues, the Augustus of Prima Porta.
Tier: Elite
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ SAINT PETER’S BASILICA & SQUARE – THE VATICAN’S IMPERIOUS SHOWPIECE CHURCH
The view across Rome from the dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica
Don’t get me wrong, its super impressive – tallest dome in the world, historically biggest church in the world, wonderful individual features, and a level of grandeur hard to match. But, Italy is blessed with so many similar mega churches, and the crowds can be more oppressive than other sites in Rome despite the sheer size of the interior. 100% worth doing and you’ll have wow moments, but it just misses out on the top wow-factor.
Top Tip – get a ticket that allows you to climb to the roof and top of the dome. Its a mini slog (around 550 steps, so equivalent to 40 stories) and can get surprisingly tight in some of the sections, but the 360 degree views of Rome from the top are well worth it.
Tier: Wow
⭐️⭐️⭐️ THE PANTHEON – MASTERPIECE OF ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE
The roof of The Pantheon, with its hole that allows the weather to come in . . . and the key engineering feat that allowed this wonder to stand for nearly 2000 years
The Pantheon is all about the incredible engineering feat that means this largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built is still standing after near 2000 years and its majesty of harmonious appearance with its diameter exactly equal to its interior height. Considering you only need 20mins or so to experience it, it is a must for a visit to Rome.
Top tip – the piazza just outside is a really nice spot for lunch with its fountain and views of the Pantheon.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ PIAZZA NOVONA – OPEN-AIR BAROQUE SALON
The Fountain of the Four Rivers by Bernini in the Piazza Navona, showing the River Ganges here
One of the prettiest squares in Rome, crammed with restaurants, market stalls, statues and fountains. You’ll most likely spend time in this very central part of Rome so, at the least, have a wander through.
Top tip – Bernini’s Four Fountains is the grand centrepiece. Each one of the four statues represent muscular personifications of the 4 great rivers: the Nile, Danube, Ganges and Rio de la Plata, each with their own characteristics. For example, the Nile has his head covered because they still at the point of construction hadn’t found the river’s source.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ THE TREVI FOUNTAIN – ROME’S MOST FAMOUS FOUNTAIN
The Trevi Fountain – even pretty with a bit of scaffolding
A foaming masterpiece right in the centre of Rome. No tickets needed and you’ll most likely just naturally pass by it while wandering the centre. Join everybody else who throw in an estimated €3000 a day into the fountain.
Top tip – the Romans were obsessed with clean water for drinking, cleaning and bathing, so their height they had 11 major aqueducts feeding into Rome. The only one still running to this day is the Aqua Virgo, which was commissioned in 19BC and has its terminus at the Trevi Fountain.
Tier: Worth it
⭐️⭐️ THE ROMAN FORUM AND PALATINE HILL – ANCIENT ROME’S NERVE CENTRE
The Roman Forum and its connection point with the Colosseum
For a Rome geek, the Forum is utter gold, but for your average visitor it’s a little hard for this part of Roman History to truly come to life. Especially as there wasn’t “one forum” but instead a collection of them, and also especially compared to something as awe-inspiring as the Colosseum. I’d suggest a wander through the Forum, less so the Palantine Hill, as you get the access free with the Colosseum ticket but not at the expense of the attractions above.
Top tip – walking through the forum is great, but the best views are often actually from the nearby pedestrianised Via dei Fori Imperiali, which is also free. Also, when in the forum, be sure to walk “to the end”, which is to Trajan’s Column – it is really really easy just to stay in the main area, vs walking the underground stage to what is in my opinion the most impressive part of the forum.
Tier: Meh
⭐️ CIRCUS MAXIMUS – FORMER CHARIOT-RACING CENTRE
The Circus Maximus, looking from the end with the only remaining tower
The Circus Maximus was Rome’s premier entertainment centre before the Colosseum was built. It could hold 150,000 spectators and must have been truly breathtaking when at its height. Sadly, the structures have since been burned / mined / generally removed so that all that is left is a track surrounded by small grassy mounds. Not a priority for a visit.
Top tip – you can get some of the best views of the Circus Maximus from the Palatine Hill, which saves you the walk along the road 500m long road from the Colosseum.
⭐️ THE SPANISH STEPS – ORNAMENTAL STATEMENT STAIRCASE
Even prettier with some travelling pups
A must for the Instagrammers, and quite pretty, but one to deprioritise.
Top tip – go early. Because this isn’t a paid site, you can get there as early as you want. It pays to do so as the crowds are a big too much in the day.
