Things to do in Rome

With so many things to do in Rome, planning our trip and what we wanted to see, specially on our limited amount of time, was very important. There is of course the Colosseum, the many fountains and piazzas, the museums, the churches, Vatican City... so much history, art, shopping, food... can we do it all?

We had four days in this wonderful city that has so much to offer.

Rome seemed a bit chaotic at first glance, but public transportation actually worked very well and it was very easy to get around. A lot of the main sights and things to do in Rome we wanted to see were easily reached and many were close together, so it was time to grab a  map, got some comfortable walking shoes and off we went!

We followed and highly recommend Rick Steves' Rome 2010. The recommended self-guided walks are well planned and easy to follow. There are many tips for planning your visits to the Museums, getting advanced tickets and saving the hassle of long lines, when to go to avoid crowds, etc. This book will save you lots of time and money and guide you to all the favorite things to do in Rome.

Also worth the money is the Roma Pass.  This is a good deal if you're staying for 3 days and visiting at least two of the major sights.  It includes public transportation, buses and metro within the city, entrance to two museums or archeological sites and price reductions for the other sights.  We bought our cards online  in advance and picked them up at the Colosseum,  the first place we visited, the best part was we got  to skip the long line.  Also note that sites in Vatican City i.e. Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel are NOT covered by the Roma Pass.

If you're traveling with kids, keep in mind:  Public transportation for kids 10 and under is free.
Entrance to museums and archeological sites for children under 10 with a EU passport is FREE of charge.  Please note that even when it is free, if the museum requires a reservation, the child also needs to have one. 

When is the best time to go?  In May, June, September and October the weather is pleasant.  If you're limited (like we were because of the kids' summer vacation) to  July and August, the heat is intense, make sure your hotel has air conditioning, drink plenty of fluids to keep hydrated and enjoy lots of gelato!

So here's our list of our Favorite Things to Do in Rome:
Our first stop was at the Colosseum,

The Colosseum

...followed by the nearby Palatine Hill and Roman Forum. This is the heart of Ancient Rome and just a short walk away from our hotel in Central Rome.

Roman Forum - Foro Romano

From the Roman Forum we took the shortcut  to the terrace level of the Vittorio Emmanuel Monument which had great views of the Colosseum and Roman Forum.  We had lunch and a well deserved break here.

 Vittorio Emmanuel Monument

There is a coffe shop at the terrace of the Vittorio Emmanuel Monument and an elevator that takes you up to the very top.  The views from here are magnificent.  An awesome view of the city and beyond, you could see as far as St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City.  

Our second day started at  the Pantheon, also a must-see of Rome tourist attractions, is probably the best preserved structure from Ancient Rome.  The centerpiece of this temple is its dome, which was the base for other famous dome buildings, the Duomo in Florence, St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City and even the Capitol Building in Washington D.C.  

 

The Pantheon

And when you enter inside the temple, a surprise awaits, at the top, the dome is not completely closed up.  The Oculus, is a 30-foot hole at the top, and the only source of light for the entire building:

Pantheon's Oculus

Nearby the Pantheon is Piazza Navona, it is a very lively place, with cafes, trattorias and the exquisite fountains in the middle of the plaza.  This is a great place to grab a bite or just people watch. 

Next was Vatican City in the afternoon.  We officially left Italy and entered the Vatican, a separate independent country.  

 Entrance to Vatican City

Here the highlights are the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Square and Basilica.  Because of the novelty of crossing to another "official" country, we got our postcards mailed from the Vatican, which has its own postal service and stamps. 

Rest of day 2 was spent bumming around the Trevi Fountain area, the beautiful Baroque style fountain which is always full with tourists tossing the coins for good luck.  There is lots of shopping and eating places around here, the fountain is beautiful at night. 

 Trevi Fountain

Day 3 started early as we headed over to Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence some 25 miles from Rome, for a chance to see the Pope on one of his weekly blessings.    

Waiting for the Pope at Castel Gandolfo

If seeing the Pope is on your list of things to do in Rome and the Vatican, this is something that needs to be planned, as schedules and location for blessings vary during the year, and normally occur only on Sundays or Wednesdays. 

The afternoon of day three we spent by the Spanish Steps area, lots of ritzy stores in this area, did our souvenir shopping and grabbed something to eat.

Piazza di Spagna

 Nearby just up on Via Veneto is the Capuccin Crypt, it is full of skeletons, skulls and bones from monks that died between 1528 and 1870.  They are arranged and displayed in this crypt in the basement of Santa Maria della Immacolata Concezione.  Because this is a religious site, please observe the dress code (no shorts or bare shoulders) 

Our last day was spent walking around some of the churches nearby our hotel.  These churches besides being houses of worship are almost like a museum as they are filled with history, art and treasures and are certainly worth a visit.

First on the list was the Church of St. Peter in Chains or San Pietro in Vincoli.   This was to be Pope's Julius II's Tomb but Michelangelo did not get to finish it.  In this church are housed two pairs of chains, the ones that held St. Peter while he was captive at Mamertime prison and the other pair while he was jailed by Herod in Jerusalem.

Another highlight of this church is Michelangelo's Moses:

Also worth a visit is Santa Maria Maggiore which is one of Rome's oldest and well-preserved.  This church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and there is a beautiful Madonna painting and altar.  Also  fragments from what is believed was Jesus' Manger are housed here. 

Santa Maria Maggiore is close by the Termini station, but is actually part of the Vatican, not Rome, so if you still have postcards to mail with Vatican stamps, the mail boxes here are actually Vatican City mail boxes not Italian post.

For the kids, it was time at  Rome in 3D,  this is a multimedia show where you are a gladiator and walk through the tunnels of a reconstructed version of the Colosseum where the fighters used to wait for their turn at the lions and other animals.  Then you become an expectator and sit through a 3D movie with the spectacle as it was back in those days.  There are a lot of interactive games at the end complete with roman togas and costumes, gladiator weapons to play with  and the gift shop of course. 

That was the end of our great four day stay in Rome!  We hope to come back again soon and keep adding to our list of favorite things to do in Rome!  

Related Posts

City Map of Rome Italy:  here we mark all the Rome Tourist Attractions covered in this trip, use this map to orient yourself and plan your activities.

Ancient Rome Buildings: Overview of the Colisseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.  What the buildings looked like in their glory, best way to tackle this sights with kids.

Vatican City: St. Peter's Square and Basilica.

The Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel: Overview of highlights and how to navigate through the maze with the children.

Seeing The Pope at Castel Gandolfo

Our hotel in Central Rome

Day Trips from Rome:   If you have the time, consider going to some other great places easily accessible from Rome: Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Florence, Naples, a wine tour through the Chianti region, etc. Here are some ideas and tours offered by Viator from Rome.

Other Fun Things to Do in Rome:  How about a Segway tour of the city?  Or a Photography tour with someone to show you around the best spots for that perfect shot?  Here are some fun tours arranged by Viator,  whether it's a Dinner Cruise on the Tiber or an audience with the Pope.