Rome Activities
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By Dion Protani
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Last updated: 6 November 2021
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There are so many ways to enjoy Rome that the choice can be a bit overwhelming at times. The Italy Review guide to Rome activities is designed to make your trip easy to plan and an unforgettable experience that you'll live to cherish.
On this page you'll find a single day itinerary for those that don't have much time, as well as an overview of the city's main sights and a list of 30 different activities and excursions that you can book. Whatever I write about Rome, here in this brief description, will somehow feel inadequate, given the amount of time I've spent in the city, or indeed, reading about its history. |
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There are few places in the world with such a vast array of things to see or where the sense of past is so tangible as it is here. I'll always remember my first glimpse of the Colosseum; as I made my way up the steps from the "Colosseo" metro stop, I was gobsmacked at how an ancient structure such as this could possibly still be standing in a modern, thriving city.
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A Brief Overview of Rome
These feelings regularly come to the surface in Rome, no matter how many times you visit. The ancient world is here, laid-out in front of you as it was thousands of years ago. From triumphal arches to forums, markets, theatres and temples, you can walk in the footsteps of some of history's giant characters such as Julius Caesar, the first emperor Augustus, or Cicero whose surviving words tell us more about Rome than perhaps anyone else.
From the ancient world, through medieval times and into the present day, Rome has grown and evolved. History is everywhere you look and comes in different guises. Highlights for a short visit to Rome include Saint Peter's Basilica and the beautiful square outside it, Piazza San Pietro. A short walk from there you'll find the Vatican City with the famous Vatican Museums, boasting the Sistine Chapel among its exhibits. In that same part of the city there's the magnificent Castel Sant'Angelo from where you'll get one of the best views of the city and if you manage to visit those three locations in one day you'll have done well.
From the ancient world, through medieval times and into the present day, Rome has grown and evolved. History is everywhere you look and comes in different guises. Highlights for a short visit to Rome include Saint Peter's Basilica and the beautiful square outside it, Piazza San Pietro. A short walk from there you'll find the Vatican City with the famous Vatican Museums, boasting the Sistine Chapel among its exhibits. In that same part of the city there's the magnificent Castel Sant'Angelo from where you'll get one of the best views of the city and if you manage to visit those three locations in one day you'll have done well.
The other important area to discover is that of the Roman Forum; this is a vast site that's another must-see if you're visiting the city and from there it's a short walk to the Colosseum in one direction or Piazza Venezia in the other. The centrepiece of Piazza Venezia is the monumental "Altare della Patria", a huge marble palace also known as "Il Vittoriano" along with colloquial monikers such as "the Typewriter" or "The Wedding Cake". It's a building that divides opinion among Romans but it's certainly not one that you'll miss.
Il Vittoriano partially obscures another important area (partly why it's not universally loved); Capitoline Hill or Campidoglio was one of the Seven Hills of Rome upon which the city was founded and currently houses the important Capitoline Museums. From Piazza Venezia you can walk to the labyrinthine streets of the Centro Storico where you'll find the likes of the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps. You'll also find a vibrancy, a sense of romance and well, lots of people, all exploring the city and making their own memories of Rome.
Il Vittoriano partially obscures another important area (partly why it's not universally loved); Capitoline Hill or Campidoglio was one of the Seven Hills of Rome upon which the city was founded and currently houses the important Capitoline Museums. From Piazza Venezia you can walk to the labyrinthine streets of the Centro Storico where you'll find the likes of the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps. You'll also find a vibrancy, a sense of romance and well, lots of people, all exploring the city and making their own memories of Rome.
Rome Itineraries
Let's just start this section by making it clear: you won't have time to see everything in Rome. Whether you're coming for a day or to live in the city for a year, the statement rings true. The more you look in Rome, the more you find new (well, usually old) things to discover. This statement is made not to deflate you, but to free you, so that you don't feel the burden of trying to fit everything in.
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The Rome in a Day itinerary will allow you to maximise the little time you have available in the city.
At the end of the comprehensive itinerary you'll probably be feeling a bit exhausted but you will have absolutely made the most of your time and seen some wonderful sights. The itinerary comes with durations for each section and a brief explanation of the sights you'll find along the way. The whole itinerary takes place on foot, you won't need any entrance tickets, join any queues or require any transport. Click the image to your right and you can start the Rome in a Day itinerary. |
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Rome Excursions and Experiences
Rome Sightseeing A to Z Index
Each of the main sights in Rome is featured on the website with its own individual page, listed below in alphabetical order.
Ara Pacis
Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran
Arch of Constantine
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls
Baths of Caracalla
Campo de Fiori
Castel Sant'Angelo
Circus Maximus
Colosseum
Doria Pamphili Gallery
Il Vittoriano
Lateran Baptistery
Mausoleum of Augustus
MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts
Milvian Bridge
Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana
Pantheon
Piazza del Popolo
Piazza Navona
Piazza San Pietro
Piazza Venezia
Ponte Fabricio
Ponte Flaminio
Ponte Sant'Angelo
Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II
Pyramid of Cestius
River Tiber
Roman Forum
Rome Metro Map
Rome Termini Train Station
Saint Peter's Basilica
Sistine Chapel
Spanish Steps
Trastevere
Trevi Fountain
Vatican City
Vatican Museums
Villa Farnesina
Villa Borghese
Villa Doria Pamphili
Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran
Arch of Constantine
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls
Baths of Caracalla
Campo de Fiori
Castel Sant'Angelo
Circus Maximus
Colosseum
Doria Pamphili Gallery
Il Vittoriano
Lateran Baptistery
Mausoleum of Augustus
MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts
Milvian Bridge
Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana
Pantheon
Piazza del Popolo
Piazza Navona
Piazza San Pietro
Piazza Venezia
Ponte Fabricio
Ponte Flaminio
Ponte Sant'Angelo
Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II
Pyramid of Cestius
River Tiber
Roman Forum
Rome Metro Map
Rome Termini Train Station
Saint Peter's Basilica
Sistine Chapel
Spanish Steps
Trastevere
Trevi Fountain
Vatican City
Vatican Museums
Villa Farnesina
Villa Borghese
Villa Doria Pamphili
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