***Please note that this What To Do in Rome, Italy Travel Guide will be updated and recirculated periodically to reflect the most up-to-date information. This list was most recently updated as of December 2025.***

Over on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee), I have been sharing ALL about my 6 days in Rome, Italy! If you have watched the Lizze McQuire movie which takes place in Rome, there is SO much to do in this incredible city as in the movie the characters are sightseeing for two weeks with a jam-packed schedule. Rome, Italy – also known as the Eternal City – is an incredible city with literally an eternal amount of things to do. While it may be overwhelming to decide what to do in Rome, Italy, I decided to put together this travel guide to help you do just that.

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

For more travel abroad inspiration, check out my exploring 50 Countries Expedition page.

What To Do In Rome, Italy Travel Guide

This What To Do in Rome, Italy Travel Guide will walk you through not only things to do in the Eternal City but also share: About, Getting There (from the United States/Canada), Getting Around, and Where to Eat. That way, when you land in Rome, you will have a plethora of knowledge at your finger tips and be ready for some sightseeing!

But, before I get into all of the things to do in Rome, Italy, feel free to peruse lodging options for your trip!

 

About Rome, Italy:

Rome is the capital city of Italy. It is also the most populated city within Italy and has its home in the country’s Lazio region. Fun fact: Italy is made up of 20 regions, including the very well-known Tuscany alongside Umbria, Lazio (where Rome is!), and Abruzzo. Rome has a vast history, dating back to 753 AD at its establishment as the heart of the then-Roman Empire where much of its ancient ruins and sites remain today and are visited by thousands each year, to a mega center of the Christian faith and Renaissance, and to this day as the capital of a unified Italy since 1870. Rome is also home to Vatican City – an independent nation that ensures the Catholic Church’s autonomy on a global front. Vatican City was established on February 11, 1929 and is where the Pope resides. Today, Rome has left a huge mark and legacy on our world today, being the place where Christianity was established as a major world religion, the modern Western calendar and alphabet were developed, world-renowned artists like Michelangelo practiced and succeed in their artistic talents, and romance languages such as Italian, French, and Spanish were developed and nourished here.

Getting There (from the United States/Canada):

Within Italy, the two cities with major airports are Rome and Milan. The major airport in Rome is Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO). FCO has several direct flight options from several major United States cities, including on American Airlines and United Airlines. As a United Loyalty member, I opted to fly a direct flight option round-trip out of Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) aka my home airport. From Washington, DC, I took an overnight flight to Rome that was 8 hours long there and 10 hours long to get home from Italy. As for those beyond the East Coast of the United States and Canada, I know cities such as Los Angeles on the West Coast have flight times of approximately 11-15 hours each way. So many fellow United States tourists that I chatted with in Rome happened to have connecting flight(s), so I felt very lucky to have been able to have a direct flight for my round-trip.

It is also worth noting that upon departure and arrival in/out of FCO airport, all visitors must have their passports ready to go through Italian customs. In addition to Italian customs upon arrival and departure, all visitors must go through the United States/Canadian customs upon arrival within their home country. Within Italy, the Italian customs process can be a bit confusing, however, there are staff members and usually crowds of people to help make it less so.

Getting Around:

While Rome does have its own transit system, I opted to either walk given my hotel’s central location downtown, take Ubers/taxis (you can find taxis on the Uber app in Italy!), or book a Big Bus Tours pass (which I will share more about below in the What To Do section!). From previous experiences, Rome’s transit system gets very crowded very fast, which is something I wanted to avoid in the August heat when I was there this time around. It is also worth downloading the Freenow app, which is essentially a digital platform for hailing taxis at least within Rome. Whatever mode(s) of transportation that you use within Rome, you are for sure to get your steps in!

What To Do:

Before I get into the meat of what to do in Rome, Italy, it is worth mentioning that I primarily used Get Your Guide to book all of my activities and have all of my tickets and vouchers in a central place on my phone. All of my activities were booked via Get Your Guide and you can pretty much find any ticketed item on this app.

Hop on & off of Rome via a Big Bus Tour – It is NO secret that Rome, Italy is notorious like any other big city for all of the walking! One of the best ways to get around Rome is by booking a Big Bus Tour pass. There are several Big Bus Tour options for Rome, including a 24 hour day pass, 48 hour day pass, and 72 hour day pass – all of which you can use the next day as long as it’s within the 24-72 hours in which you book it for – as well as a 3 hour and 1 day pass option. Alongside a Big Bus ticket, pass holders depending on their ticket can book discounted tickets at an additional cost to the Colosseum, The Vatican, and receive a complimentary cup of gelato at participating locations. To limit the amount of walking and Uber fares myself, I booked a 72 hour pass which included a complimentary night tour route to see the Eternal City all lit up! See more on all of the Big Bus Tour options in Rome here.

Take a sunset guided tour of the Colosseum – The Colosseum is a amphitheatre that dates back to the Roman Empire with its construction starting around 72 AD. It is one of the most well-known structures to this day. When I visited Rome back in 2018 as a college student studying abroad in Tuscany and visited the Colosseum, I wanted to learn more about it. At the same time, it was pretty crowded when I went. SO, this time around I decided to book an excellent guided sunset tour of the Colosseum on Get Your Guide. The tour operator is Rome Tours and the tour was excellent and interactive, especially for the kids within my tour group who got to pretend to be gladiators! Since the tour started around 6pm/18:00, the crowds were extremely minimal and allowed for tons of breathing room and cooler golden hour temperatures to enjoy the Colosseum. I highly recommend a guided tour of the Colosseum, especially to learn more about this iconic structure and its history over the centuries! Book the exact tour I booked here.

Make a wish at the Trevi Fountain – Hey now, hey now! This is what dreams are made of!!! You may as well have your Lizzie McGuire moment (if you get my reference!) at the Trevi Fountain and make a wish! It is worth noting that at pretty much all daylight hours, the Trevi Fountain gets pretty crowded, so it’s suggested to avoid the crowds and visit around 6-7am if you want to avoid them. Somehow, I went at 5pm and got a nice photo spot though, so maybe luck will be on your side!

Climb (or just admire!) the Spanish Steps – The Spanish Steps are a famous Baroque monumental stairway in the heart of Rome. There are 135 steps to climb if you so choose to (I did not!). However, if you’re like me, it is worthwhile to admire the Spanish Steps in all of their monumental glory and beauty and indulge in some retail therapy  at one of the many shops nearby while you’re in the area.

Sit in the Papal Audience at The Vatican – One of the neatest experiences of my life was sitting in the Papal Audience at The Vatican! I write my in-depth about my experience, where to find the most up-to-date Papal Audience Schedule, and how to be apart of the Papal Audience yourself here.

Tour The Vatican & Sistine Chapel – Personally, I think that every person who visits Rome should tour The Vatican and Sistine Chapel at least once in their lifetime! I toured The Vatican & Sistine Chapel in July 2018 when I studied abroad in Tuscany and found it to be a super neat experience, however, it was super overwhelming and packed with tourists. The vast amount of magnificent artwork makes it worthwhile to do at least once in your lifetime! I highly suggest booking an early morning entrance (before 8am) if you’re able to to reduce the crowds and have a more enjoyable experience.

Take in city views and learn about Rome’s history at Castel Sant’Angelo – Constructed in 135 AD by Roman Emperor Hadrian and situated right alongside the Tiber River, Castel Sant’Angelo also known as Manusoleum of Hadrian, was initially used for Emperor Hadrian and his family. In the following centuries, Castel Sant’Angelo was used as a fortress and castle for the Popes. Today, Castel Sant’Angelo is a museum, showcasing the ancient rooms of Emperor Hadrian, beautiful Renaissance frescoes, and stunning riverfront and city views of the Eternal City. It is worth noting that Castel Sant’Angelo involves a lot of walking on uneven, cobblestone pathways and staircases.

Indulge in some retail therapy – There’s no shortage of opportunities to indulge in some retail therapy in Rome! From luxury shopping on Via Condotti and the surrounding streets near the Spanish Steps to vintage shopping and thrifting in the Monti neighborhood, the Eternal City truly has something for every shopper!

Admire sculptures and masterpieces at the crowd-controlled Galleria Borghese – Housed in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana which was home to the Roman Borghese family, Galleria Borghese is a breathtaking art gallery featuring the Borghese family’s vast collection of Roman sculptures and artwork. At every turn, Galleria Borghese has magnificent pieces of artwork and will leave you in awe! A unique feature of Galleria Borghese is that the museum is crowd-controlled and every visitor only gets 2 hours in the museum to ensure everyone has a crowd-free experience. It is highly recommended to reserve your tickets in advance and show up early to your ticket time.

Stroll the magical Villa Borghese – Villa Borghese is a landscape garden in the heart of Rome that is home a several buildings, attractions, and museums including the Galleria Borghese. It is the largest park in central Rome and has close proximity to the Spanish Steps and luxury shopping at Via Condotti. Villa Borghese also has several magical photo opportunities and architectural delights to enjoy, spots to rest and read to book or take it all in, an onsite cafe and cocktail bar, and gorgeous gardens. There are also opportunities to rent a golf cart or bike to enjoy all that Villa Borghese has to offer!

Take in the incredible palace-like interiors and gardens of Colonna Palace – One of the oldest and private homes in Rome, Colonna Palace has belonged to the Colonna family for over 20 generations. Colonna Palace has onsite gardens and Galleria Colonna which showcases authentic Roman Baroque. Truly, Colonna Palace is a hidden gem in the heart of Rome and will leave you with your jaw on the floor! Be sure to reserve your tickets to this Roman jewel as its only open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays and be appointment any other day.

Say a prayer and blessing and tour the museums at Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore – Also known as the Basilica of Saint Mary The Great, the Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore is one of four Papal basilicas in Rome and one of seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. Most notably, the Basilica enshrines the venerated image of Salus Populi Romani which depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary as the health and protector of the Roman people. Additionally, eight Popes are buried within the Basilica, which is also known for its intricate Baroque architecture. Alongside saying a prayer and admiring the baroque architecture within the church from the ceiling to the floors, the Basilica also has an incredible museum with a 360 degrees terrace to take in the Eternal City from up above. The museum is less crowded and showcases some neat facts about the Basilica as well as the Catholic faith, including one of the world’s oldest Nativity sets! If visiting just the Basilica there is free admission with no reservation needed, otherwise reserve your tickets to the museum, terrace, or a guided tour here.

Stroll the Roman Forum and take several moments to learn about Roman history and enjoy the historic sight’s atmosphere – The Roman Forum was the city center of ancient Rome, a key political, civic, religious place. It is a rectangular forum that is surrounded by several ruins of key government buildings of ancient Rome. Ancient Roman citizens referred to this space which was originally a marketplace as Forum Magnum or simply Forum. While an archaeological site in the heart of Rome, the Roman Forum also functions as a historical park containing not only ruins but greenery and is truly a magical place to take in tons of history and scenic views. It is worth noting that tickets must be reserved in advance to visit the Roman Forum. Reserve your tickets here.

Get lost in the magical streets of the Eternal City – Last but not least, Rome offers no shortage of opportunities for LOTS of walking! Why not get lost in the gorgeous and incredible streets of the Eternal City?!?! There’s truly something unique and beautiful at every turn!

Where To Eat:

Before I get into sharing where I ate in Rome, it is worth mentioning that there are several places to dine at across the city. Whether it be an upscale restaurant, wine bar, Gelateria, cafe, pizzeria, or sandwich shop, the Eternal City has eternal dining options! You truly cannot go wrong with any spot!! I will mainly list out where I ate while in Rome, but, as previously mentioned, you can’t go wrong at many different spots!

• Lunch at Alla Rampa
• Wine, snacks, & gelato at White Bar & Restaurant
• Dinner at Angelino “ai Fori” dal 1947
• Gelato at Gold Ice
• Dinner at Ristorante Plebiscito
• Wine at La Bottega del Caffe
• Gelato at Caffe Roma Gelateria
• Lunch at Bistro Monti
• Dinner at Santa Maria Osteria
• Lunch at Moderno Bar Bakery & Cucina
• Dinner at Le Bistro Roma
• Lunch at Alimentari
• Snacks at Autogrill

Wrap-Up:

When figuring out what to do in Rome, Italy, it is tough to narrow down all that I wanted to do. There is SO MUCH to do in Rome, Italy that you truly cannot go wrong with anything! My biggest piece of advice for deciding what to do in Rome, Italy is to prioritize activities that you and your group are interested in the most and use GetYourGuide to book them so you have your tickets in one central location. GetYourGuide was my central spot for finding out what to do in Rome, Italy but also a place to decide what to do and learn more about all of the incredible sights to see. Indeed, you cannot go wrong with whatever you decide to do in Rome!

XOXO – Katie <3