Things to do at Rome Italy | The best guide

Best things to do at Rome Italy (The city of the seven hills) or (the eternal city).

There are many synonyms for the lively capital of Italy. That alone shows that Rome is something special. So, anyone who has ever traveled to the Italian metropolis knows why that is so – nobody can escape its charm.

In this article we are going to mention the most important sights in Rome.

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PIAZZA DEL POPOLO

People’s Square stands the largest obelisk in Rome, at the foot of which water-spouting lions provide refreshment. The square used to be the first sight of the city to visitors arriving from the north.

For centuries, merchants, statesmen and other travelers traveled through the Porta del Popolo, among them Martin Luther, for example, who took up quarters in the Augustinian monastery on the Piazza del Popolo. To the east of the Piazza del Popolo rises the Pincio hill with the Villa Borghese. Anyone who climbs it has a wonderful view of Roman life on the piazza.

SPANISH STEPS in Rome, Italy

Like so many sights in Rome, its construction also goes back to the initiative of a pope, in this case it was Innocent VIII, who prevailed against the Sun King Louis XIV – he had financed the church on the mountain and wanted a befitting entrance to build in the French style.

However, the Vatican prevailed, and so the staircase is consistent with Italian architecture. In keeping with its name (Santa Trinità  is the Holy Trinity), the staircase divides into three parts, each with wide terraces. There is a lot going on here at any time of the day and often also at night; The boat-shaped fountain at the foot of the stairs promises cooling off on hot days.

PALATINE HILL in Rome, Italy

The Palatine is one of the proverbial seven hills on which Rome is built and is directly adjacent to the Colosseum. As the site of numerous imperial palaces and temples, the Palatine is one of the most important and largest archaeological sites of ancient Rome; the hut of the city’s founders, Romulus and Remus , is said to have stood here.

The first emperor to have his residence built on the hill towards the end of the 1st century AD was Augustus, who was also born on the Palatine. His palace, the Domus Augustana , is one of the few buildings, along with the  Domus Flavia  , whose remains can still be visited on the Palatine Hill. A staircase leads from the Palatine to the Roman Forum below.

COLOSSEUM in Rome, Italy

As a central landmark, it belongs on the to-do list of every visitor to Rome.

The impressive amphitheater built in the first century AD.

At that time, it served as a venue for brutal games in which people competed against wild animals or other people for the amusement of city leaders and citizens. But the Colosseum was also the scene of theatrical performances and even naval battles.

Under the floor of the arena were storage rooms and animal cages; with the help of an advanced system of elevators and winches, the required props and decorations could be lifted to the surface. A tour of the Colosseum takes one to two hours and is worth it – the 2,000-year-old architecture is stunning and audio guides available to borrow provide plenty of interesting background information.

TREVI FOUNTAIN in Rome, Italy

One of the top Rome sights is the most famous fountain in Rome, if not in the world. The Trevi Fountain is the result of an architectural competition that Pope Clement XII. promised. The architect Nicola Salvi, who did not live to see the completion of his work in 1762, opted for the depiction of a sea palace with a triumphal arch and numerous sea figures, including the god Oceanus.

ROMAN FORUM in Rome, Italy

It was a marketplace and center of political power, so the Roman Forum is considered the heart of ancient Rome.

VILLA BORGHESE in Rome, Italy

It is the green space in the city.

The city’s green lungs emerged at the end of the 16th century from the vineyards of the Roman noble family Borghese.

Today there are numerous museums on the site, including the world-famous Galleria Borghese and the Museum of Etruscan Art. In addition, the Bioparco, i.e., the Roman zoo, in which 200 different animal species are kept, can be found on the north side.

Villa Borghese is also a popular spot for joggers and walkers; on a small lake you can rent rowing boats and watch ducks.

BOCCA DELLA VERITA in Rome, Italy

The Bocca della Verità (Mouth of Truth) is a marble disk in the portico of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin near the banks of the Tiber. The face that adorns the disc has a hand-width indentation where the mouth is.

As early as the Middle Ages, there was a legend that the stone mouth closes as soon as you put your hand in it and lie – a kind of ancient lie detector. Hundreds of visitors have been trying it out every day for a long time, but so far, the stone man has shown mercy and has not moved his strangely expressionless face.

TRASTEVERE DISTRICT

It’s name is Trastevere district or(artists quarter). Locals and tourists alike enjoy the quaint alleys, the romantic Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere and the seemingly endless number of bars, restaurants and pubs.

Originally, Trastevere was a district of workers, immigrants, and outsiders. The district has retained its internationality to this day.

PIAZZA NAVONA

A huge square in the heart of the city reveals a lot about its origins: the elongated, almost oval area resembles a running track in a stadium. And such a thing used to be found here; Emperor Domitian built a sports facility that could accommodate over 30,000 people.

So, after the spectator stands gradually converted into houses in the Middle Ages, the stadium first became a park and finally became a square after paving in 1495. The most important sights in Piazza Navona are the Church of Sant Agnese, built in honor of the martyr Agnes, and the Fountain of the Four Rivers from the 17th century: on it four male sculptures symbolize the four continents known at that time in the form of the rivers Danube, Nile, Ganges, and Rio de la Plata.

CAMPO DE’ FIORI

Every morning (except Sunday) market people gather here and open colorful stalls with vegetables, fruit, cheese, pasta, clothing, household goods and lots of Rome souvenirs.

So, as evening approaches, the market stalls have long since closed and loafers and strollers take over the piazza. The many restaurants and bars that line the edges of the square invite you to linger and watching people.

CIRCUS MAXIMUS

The largest chariot racetrack in ancient Rome. Built as early as the 6th century BC and provided with stone grandstands in 103 AD.

Up to 200 chariot races, gladiator fights and other events took place here annually; up to 250,000 people can sit in the grandstands. Today you can see the ground plan of the original Circus Maximus on a lawn and the remains of the spectator stands.

PANTHEON

The impressive round building with the columned facade was originally built as a temple to the gods and converted into a church in 609 AD. The dome of the Pantheon is particularly impressive: it symbolizes the sky, the opening in the middle stands for the sun and the contact with the stars.

With a diameter of 43 meters, this was the largest dome in the world for 1700 years. Visitors to the Pantheon enjoy the meditative atmosphere inside and the charming play of sunlight that falls through the dome.

VATICAN CITY

The Vatican is the most small country in the entire world. The Vatican has been independent since 1929; it is the spiritual center of the Roman Catholic Church and the residence and official seat of the Pope.

If you want to see it, you should come to the general audience on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. in the large St. Peter’s Square (in case of bad weather in the Audience Hall Paolo VI.). Officially, you need a free admission ticket from the pilgrimage center, but you can get in without one, especially during fair-weather audiences on St. Peter’s Square.

VATICAN MUSEUMS AND SISTINE CHAPEL

They divide into different chronological and geographical areas such as oriental antiquities, classical antiquity, art from the Renaissance to the 19th century or contemporary art. The Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican Museums.

This connectes to St. Peter’s Basilica and contains, in addition to numerous other works of art, the world-famous frescoes by Michelangelo, for example the much-quoted Creation of Adam. As with St. Peter’s Basilica, it makes sense to show up early.

ST. PETER’S BASILICA

The largest Christian Basilica in the world – is located on the west side of St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.

The basilica contains 45 altars, 800 columns, what is believed to be the tomb of Peter and countless famous works of art.

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