Popular Attractions in Rome

Rome is one big open-air museum, where you never have to wander far before stumbling upon an ancient amphitheater, temple or Roman bath. Our pick of Rome’s most popular attractions includes all of these, plus Michelangelo, Caravaggio and Bernini masterpieces, fora, fountains, fabulous foodie markets and more.

UPDATED FEBRUARY 2025By <a href="#author-bio">Stuart Bak</a>
By Stuart Bak
Tourist looking at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City

The Vatican Museums

Frescoes inside the Sistine Chapel

Prepare to have your neck well and truly cricked at the Vatican Museums, where all the biggest-ticket attractions will have you gazing heavenwards, mouth agape in awed and reverent silence. We’re talking the twin joys of Michelangelo’s masterful Sistine Chapel Ceiling frescoes and the soaring dome of St Peter’s Basilica, of course. But that’s not all there is to see here: the museums also boast mindblowing masterpieces by Bernini and Botticelli, as well as a whole suite of rooms by painter-decorator extraordinaire Raphael.

The Colosseum

Tourists with bicycles at the Colosseum

Only the largest and most well-preserved Ancient Roman amphitheater on the planet, the Colosseum is a difficult one to miss. You’ll find it rising majestically from the heart of Rome’s Centro Storico, a dense labyrinth of cobbled alleyways and baroque piazzas that’s home to an embarrassment of landmark Rome attractions. But few can quite match the majesty of this elliptical gladiatorial arena, inside which the temptation to start loudly quoting Maximus Decimus Meridius might prove impossible to resist.

The Roman Forum

The Roman Forum

Stray cats slink among the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum, vanishing into atmospheric archways and running rings around the towering columns of the Temple of Saturn. Grab your camera and snag Insta-perfect snaps of moggies among millennia-old monuments, where elaborate sarcophagi, ancient aviaries and cursed headless statues provide additional eye candy.

Pro-tip: the OMNIA Vatican & Rome Pass lets you visit as many attractions as you like over three days, and includes entry to the Forum, the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and many more top Rome attractions, all for one low price. As an added bonus, you’ll also get unlimited free travel on public transport for 72 hours. Click here to find out more and get your pass.

The Capitoline Museums

Statue of the Capitoline Wolf in Rome

Michelangelo left his fingerprints all over Rome back in the day. The monumental steps that lead up to the complex of museums atop Capitoline Hill? Designed by Michelangelo. The trapezoidal piazza at their center? Michelangelo. The layout of the buildings that house the frankly astonishing collections? Also Michelangelo. 

Step inside to view art by other great Italians of yore, including Bernini’s mesmerizing Bust of Medusa and landmark pieces by Caravaggio, Titian and others. This is also where you can come face-to-face with the symbolic Capitoline Wolf and masterful Dying Gaul sculptures plus many more fine examples of Greek and Roman statuary.

Campo de’ Fiori

Bright red bicycle leaning against a stall in Rome's Campo de’ Fiori market.

Rome’s longest-running market (since 1869, fact fans) is a sensory saturnalia of sounds, scents, colors and flavors. The name Campo de’ Fiori translates as ‘field of flowers’, and you’ll find plenty of those here at this daily (except Sundays) market just south of Piazza Navona. Grab a rainbow of fresh seasonal blooms then follow your nose to foodie stalls that fairly groan with fresh local produce. 

Think mountains of moist homemade cake, pungent Lazio cheeses and fine Tuscan wines, aromatic just-baked bread and the satisfyingly sweet crunch of authentic cannoli. If you’re easily tempted you won’t last 10 seconds here.

Read our guide to some of the best street markets in Rome.

The Trevi Fountain

Couple throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain

Being one of Rome’s most popular free attractions means the Trevi Fountain is often somewhat oversubscribed during the day. It’s why we always recommend visiting this opulent 18th-century confection at dusk or dawn, when the light is at its softest and you have the best chance of bagging that ‘alone in Rome’ selfie you’ve always dreamed of.

Toss a coin into the fountain (over your left shoulder, but with your right hand) if you want to guarantee your return to Rome. It’s two coins to find love and three for marriage. Tsk, that’s inflation for you.

The Baths of Caracalla

Archways at the Baths of Caracalla

Whisper it, but the Baths of Caracalla are arguably even finer than the Forum if you’re in the market for a glimpse into the most decadent corners of Roman history. This sprawling 3rd-century spa south of the Colosseum would, at one time, have accommodated some 1,500 bathers at any given time. A human minestrone, if you will.

Check out the tepidarium, frigidarium and cisterns and get snap-happy beneath the remaining archways. And, though many of the mosaics statues and other works of art that once adorned this opulent complex have found their ways into museums and private collections, you can still ogle a few ancient bits and bobs as you make your way around.

Piazza Navona

Hand clutching colorful gelato in a cone on Piazzo Navona

When in Rome… grab yourself a gelato – lemon, pistachio or stracciatella for the win – and stroll Piazza Navona for some of the best architectural eye candy in town. The piazza is particularly enchanting in the evening, when Bernini’s monumental public fountains, the baroque Church of Sant’Agnese and the imposing Palazzo Pamphilj are illuminated in all their atmospheric glory. But you can people-watch over al fresco coffee and cannoli at any time of day.

The Spanish Steps

View up the Spanish Steps to Trinità dei Monti church

Go up them, go down them, pause for a selfie on them, but whatever you do don’t sit on the Spanish Steps. The penalty for doing so now stands at an eye-watering €250 – just one measure designed to preserve (and keep the traffic moving on) this perpetually popular Rome attraction.

But don’t let that put you off! The 135-step climb to the top is relatively undemanding, and the rewards for making the ascent are immense: quads of steel, stellar skyline views, and access to Trinità dei Monti church, the creamy Renaissance confection that overlooks the Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna below. Reassuringly, pausing for breath on the way up (or indeed down) is not currently punishable by fine.

Looking for more things to do in Rome? The OMNIA Vatican & Rome Pass can save you $$$ on regular admission costs at Rome’s most popular attractions. Click to bag yours!

Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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A Visitor's Guide to the Vatican Museums

The Vatican Museums see over 5 million people per year; and with an estimated worth of over €15 billion it’s no wonder people flock to see it! At an impressive 9 miles in length the museum is bursting with art from floor to ceiling. It’s believed that if you spent just one minute admiring each painting it would take you four years to see the entire collection. And that’s not including the sculptures, tapestries, frescoes... The Vatican Museums are filled with some of the greatest masterpieces of all time; from Michelangelo to Botticelli, Bernini and Raphael. There are 54 rooms, or salas, in total ranging from miniature mosaics, Etruscan artefacts, classical antiquities and much more... But as part of the Holy See in the Vatican City (and the smallest country in the world), needless to say there are rules to be followed and customs to be respected. It’s hard to know where to begin, so we’ll give you some advice from what to see and to what to wear, with our visitor’s guide to the Vatican. Rules Because the Vatican City is a place of worship and the heart of the Roman Catholic Church, any visitor must abide to their rules and regulations - even if its outside of your beliefs. You may not wear short skirts, sleeveless blouses or shorts (cover all knees and shoulders) so make sure you come appropriately dressed in advance or you’ll be sold an overpriced scarf by a lurking tout to drape over yourself. As any important building or museum, you must be respectful of your surroundings. The Vatican Museums date back to the early 1500s so it’s almost an artefact in itself. Don’t try and touch any of the sculptures, or tapestries on display – even though there will be hoards of people inside - please leave enough room around the art pieces. Cameras may be used in the museum with no flash, but not in the Sistine Chapel. This is to protect the fresco from fading – and let’s be honest, it would be a travesty if Michelangelo’s Last Judgement were to peel and discolour. What to see An average visit to the Vatican Museums takes about four hours and from the moment you get in there are works of art, sculptures and architecture to be admired. From the spiral staircase built in 1832 right at the entrance, to the four imposing Raphael Rooms in the public part of the papal apartments, you can explore the great Vatican Museums from top to bottom. Discover the Ancient Egyptian Museum covering nine rooms, or learn about the different Popes in the portraits gallery. If you love statues, you can’t miss the hallway of marble masterpieces. Checkout the Sistine Chapel on your way out to end on a high. Literally. Remember no cameras are allowed, so take a mental picture of the famous 15th century ceiling and while you're in there, admire Botticelli’s long murals, too - something that often gets overlooked. Beat the crowds With the OMNIA and Vatican Card you can get free and fast track entry into the Vatican Museums, saving you hours of queuing in the summer months. Just flash your card and jump straight to the front. To make your experience even more enjoyable, our advice is visit around midday or 1pm when the early birds are leaving to get lunch which means there might be a lull in numbers. Saying that, it’s always pretty busy so make sure you’re good in crowds. There’s an outdoor area and little café in the grassy courtyard, too, if you need a break – and it’s always nice to sit outside and admire the architecture from a different perspective. If you want something a little different, why not try their Night Time Tours, which run in the summer (May-July and Sept-Oct) when the Vatican Museums are open until 11pm. It's the perfect time to go as you’re guaranteed fewer people and a calmer experience - even if it's at an extra cost. St Peter’s Basilica St Peter’s Basilica is part of the Vatican City however it’s not accessible through the Vatican Museums. For this, you’ll have to queue up under the right hand colonnades of St Peter’s Square and enter from the front of the basilica. Like the Vatican Museums, you must have shoulders and knees covered to be allowed entry. As this is a daily place of worship you must be respectful of those around you. With an OMNIA Vatican & Rome Card you can get a free audio guide and skip the lines to St Peter’s Basilica once you’ve visited the Vatican Museums, to complete your exploration of the Vatican City. Discover more of the Rome and the Holy See with the OMNIA Vatican & Rome Card - your indispensable sightseeing pass!
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St Peter's Basilica in Rome
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Tourist Traps in Rome

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that the closer you are to any major tourist attraction – be it in London, Paris, New York, or wherever – the more likely you are to fall into a classic tourist trap. Sure, you’ll want to hit up bucket-list biggies like the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain while in Rome, but it pays to be aware that this will position you squarely in the danger zone – we’re talking tacky overpriced souvenirs, street scammers, tediously long queues, and takeaway pizza that no right-minded Italian would touch with a bargepole. Fear not though: we’ve got your back. Read on for our guide to the worst tourist traps in Rome, how best to avoid them, and what you should do instead. Tourist Traps at Major Rome Attractions Number one on the list for most Rome sightseers is the Colosseum, that great oval arena in the heart of the city. It just happens to be the biggest and best-preserved Ancient Roman amphitheater on the planet, and one of Rome’s most photo-friendly attractions, so it stands to reason that it’s busy pretty much all the time. First tip: dodge the faux-gladiators touting for photos outside and, if you absolutely must have a selfie with one of them, avoid a fleecing by agreeing a price first. Better still, get yourself onto the arena floor and strike your own Russell Crowe poses for the camera. Yes, it’s busy down there, but there are ways to avoid the worst of the crowds: quieter evening tours kick off around 9PM and the atmosphere under the floodlights is electric – you can almost hear the crowd baying for gladiator blood. Recommended. Another Rome must-do, the Trevi Fountain is also best visited at dawn or dusk if you hope to avoid the worst of the crowds (and touts, and street scammers). This is also when the light is at its softest and most romantic, all but guaranteeing the perfect #humblebrag shots to fill up your Insta. Trevi is the only fountain in Rome to hold a long-established coin-tossing tradition. So sure, flip in a coin and make your wish, but don’t go doing this at every other fountain in town (as many do) – that pocketful of change is far better spent on authentic gelato or produce from local markets like these ones. Skip-the-line tickets are your friend at most other major attractions, especially the Vatican Museums, though be aware you’ll still have to wait for a little whatever ticket type you have. And, although decidedly touristy, the ubiquitous hop-on hop-off bus tour is actually a pretty good way of getting around the city and ticking off many of the top Rome attractions without tiring yourself out. You can save a bit of extra cash for gelato with the OMNIA Vatican & Rome Pass, which includes the hop-on hop-off bus tour, plus access to many more major city attractions, tours and activities. Find out more about the pass here. Traps for Hungry Rome Tourists You’d think it would be impossible to have a bad meal in the world’s culinary capital, but alas, it is not. As ever, a good rule of thumb is that, if it’s within spitting distance of a major Rome attraction, it’s a tourist trap. We’re talking soggy pizza, microwaved supermarket spaghetti, mass-produced factory sauces, and worse (did somebody say ‘pineapple on pizza’?). Besides proximity to tourist hotspots, there are a few telltale signs which can help you sidestep the dodgiest dining disasters. Restaurant signs and menus that are a) in English, b) laminated or c) laying claim to e.g. ‘the best pizza in town’ are major red flags. Run away as fast as you can! The same goes for menus with no prices on them. If you can’t be shown prices up front, it’s a hard no. Aggressive waiters or touts vying for your custom out front of the eaterie. Do. Not. Engage. Italian stereotypes on restaurant signage: mustachioed dudes scoffing pizza, Italian flags, anything still trading on The Godfather movies… avoid, avoid, avoid. Unless, that is, you actually enjoy eating overpriced and unsatisfying food. Gelato from street carts. Far better to find a traditional store in a non-touristy area than to pay top dollar for a single scoop of synthetic disappointment. The people-watching potential of popular piazzas like Navona and del Popolo is second-to-none; the food resolutely… not. Seek out trattoria in smaller neighborhood piazzas for the best Roman cooking instead. The best tip we can give is to eat where the locals eat. Non-touristy neighborhoods like Trastevere, Coppedé and Testaccio are among the most picturesque in town, and are also where can tuck into traditional amatriciana, carbonara and cacio e pepe, safe in the knowledge they’ve been freshly prepared from scratch in the trattoria’s own kitchen. And, if in doubt, Tripadvisor is your friend. Rome Tourist Traps: Common Scams Rome can have an intoxicating effect on newbie visitors, wowed by seeing all those instantly recognizable attractions – the Colosseum, the Pantheon, St Peter’s Basilica – up close. Such distractions make you a prime target for scammers, pickpockets and other dodgy dealers. Here are a few of the scams you may encounter around Rome’s tourist traps, plus tips on how to avoid them. The freebie scam. Picture the scene: you’re minding your own business sitting on the Spanish Steps, or gazing wistfully into the glittering shop windows of the Via del Corso, when a woman or small child approaches and offers you a rose, charm or other trinket. The problem is that, the minute you take it, those sweet, innocent faces will harden and the loudly aggressive demands for cash payment will commence. Avoid by simply declining the item offered, saying a firm ‘no’ and walking away. The map scam. Sidewalk café tables are prime real estate for incurable people-watchers and a great way to watch the world go buy over cappuccino and cannoli. But don’t let yourself get too distracted and, if anyone slaps a map down on your table on the pretext of asking for directions, be on high alert. When they lift the map to leave, chances are they’ll also grab any valuables you’ve left lying underneath. Arrivederci, phone and wallet! The coin scam. Tourist trap hotspots abound around the major Rome attractions and you’ll find plenty of restaurants, stores and street vendors ready to give you dud coins in your change. So, if you absolutely must have that tacky Colosseum keyring, at least check for rogue lira coins in your change before walking away. Read our guide to staying safe in Rome here. Save on Popular Rome Attractions, Tours and Activities Save on admission to Rome attractions with the OMNIA Vatican & Rome Pass. Check out @omniavaticanrome on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
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Plan Your Trip to Rome

Planning a trip to Rome and seeing all the best rome attractions is no mean feat; it’s a city of great cultural and historic importance and the thought of trying to fit everything into just a few short days can seem impossible. Whether you’re a veteran tourist, or a first-timer, it’s hard to prioritise your favourite monuments and landmarks when you really want to see them all! How to do it? With the OMNIA Vatican & Rome card it’s easy. For three consecutive days, the card acts as your complete sightseeing package while on holiday. Giving you free entry to the Vatican Museums and tours, including Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel, you can skip the queues and save up to four hours in the busy months. If anyone is planning on traveling to the city in the summer, not having to wait in line is a definite added bonus. When in Rome... The Coliseum, Roman Forum and Capitoline Museums are also high on people’s itineraries, as is the Villa Borghese Gallery and the National Museum of Castel Sant’angelo; so it’s just as well the card gives you free entry to two out of those five must-not-miss landmarks, as well as discounted entry to a further 30 top attractions. If you fancy something a little different and want to put your feet up and see the city through a different perspective, why not try the hop-on, hop-off bus tour. The perfect way to see the sights – and give yourself a much needed break! Included in the OMNIA Vatican & Rome Card is a free bus tour ticket, valid for three consecutive days, giving you a bit of extra flexibility to plan your itinerary just how you want it. Many tourists who visit Rome like the independence and to explore things the local way. If this sounds like you, there’s a travelcard valid for the entire duration of your three days, allowing you access to Rome’s extensive transport system; including the Metro, buses and rail service. Explore Rome the Roman way and don’t worry about having to carry any spare change to flag down taxis. Hassle-free holiday The run up to any holiday is both exciting and stressful. What the OMNIA Vatican & Rome card does is minimises the stress, but allows you time to plan and think about what you want to see and where you want to go. Free with the Card is a detailed guidebook about the city and its monuments – providing you will all the information you need to start to work out what you want to see. It’s hassle free and saves you lots of time and money and you can order online and pick it up whenever you’re in Rome from one of three central collection points. If you haven’t got a date in the diary yet, the card is valid for 12 months from purchase, so you can start planning and thinking ahead with the free guidebook. There’s really no easier option; this package is the perfect travel companion and will make your trip to Rome that bit easier, cheaper and definitely more fulfilling!
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