Top Things to Do in the Rome | Must-See Attractions & Experiences

Plan Your Travel To Rome

Places To Visit In Rome

Santa Maria della Vittoria

The Santa Maria della Vittoria is a church situated on the Via Venti Settembre in Rome. It has a fancy interior and is blessed with a lot of natural lighting. The most notable artwork here is Bernini’s racy Santa Teresa trafitta dall’amore di Dio (Ecstasy of Saint Teresa), displayed in the Cornaro Chapel. There are also other art pieces by painters like Guercino, Nicolas Lorrain, and Domenichino. It is dedicated to the victory of the Catholics over the Bohemians in the war of the White Mountain. However, it was constructed before that, between 1608 and 1620. It was designed by the architect Carlo Maderno in the baroque style. It has a plain exterior, but the inside looks pretty with paintings and gilded stuccos. Bernini also designed the Cornaro Chapel. His Ecstasy of Saint Teresa portrays Teresa floating on a cloud while an angel pierces her with a golden arrow. The sculpture was made between 1647 and 1652. The church is small, so it can be a little crowded. Read More

The Sistine Chapel is the official residence of the Pope, located in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. Visitor’s primarily come here to see Michelangelo’s The Last Judgement, The Creation of Adam and his ceiling paintings. However, the side panels painted by other Renaissance artists also look incredible. Flocks of tourists visit every day and fall in awe of the art pieces displayed here. Pope Sixtus IV ordered the construction of this chapel between 1473 and 1481. The name of the building’s architect is still unknown. Michelangelo spent four years, between 1508 to 1512, to complete painting the ceiling. Among all the ceiling works, the nine stories from Genesis stand out. Michelangelo’s The Last Judgement covers an impressive 10,000 square feet. But even before Michelangelo, other talented artists like Botticelli, Perugino, Luca, and Ghirlandaio had worked on the side panels of the Sistine Chapel. Time had worn out these frescoes, and it took even longer to restore them than to create them in the first place. The Sistine Chapel does pay the price for its popularity, though, by being crowded most of the time. Read More

St. Peter's Square

St. Peter's Square is a sizable and beautiful piazza located at the base of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. It's an architectural wonder designed by Bernini. The square is comprised of an elliptical part and a trapezoidal part. At the ellipse's heart is a 25m obelisk flanked by two gorgeous fountains, one by Bernini and one by Maderno. One side of the ellipse is enclosed by Bernini's colonnades, consisting of 284 columns and 88 pillars and with many statues of saints on top. With dimensions of 320 meters long and 240 meters wide, it is believed to have the capacity to hold an astonishing total of 300,000 people. Bernini was commissioned by Pope Alexander VII between 1656 and 1667 to build the square where the apostle Peter had been killed. His pupils continued his work and created a total of 140 statues. The grandiose Royal Staircase was built just as the square neared completion to link it to the Vatican Palaces. Initially, this magnificent square was created for the Pope to make announcements from the basilica's balcony. The plainness of the colonnade's pillars and columns leads your eyes to the grand welcoming entrance of St. Peter's Basilica. Read More

The Stadio Olimpico, or the Olympic Stadium, is the stadium of two big football clubs—AS Roma and SS Lazio—located in Rome. Besides football matches, the stadium hosts rugby games and international pop and rock concerts. A guided tour of the stadium gives you a look at the changing rooms, media rooms, the turnstiles and the pitch. You can also access the museum and marvel at the jerseys and photos of accomplished players. The stadium is a part of the Foro Italico sports complex and was a project initiated by Mussolini. The first official match here took place between Italy and Hungary in 1953. Many Olympic games have been arranged in this stadium since then. The present-day capacity of the stadium is around 73,000 seats. During the football season, from August to May, football matches take place featuring one of the two Serie A teams—Roma and Lazio. In addition, six Nations rugby tournaments are held here in February and March. Read More

The Terme di Caracalla is a complex of old ruins located on the Via delle Terme di Caracalla in Rome. The Baths, which were the city’s second-largest Roman public baths, in this complex, are the most visited site here. Virtual Reality visors available at this archaeological site engender an excellent audio-visual experience of how people lived here in ancient times. In summer, the Teatro dell’Opera hosts fantastic concerts, operas and ballet performances. The Terme di Caracalla was constructed by the emperor Septimius Severus and his son, Caracalla. The baths in this 28-acre complex could accommodate over 1500 bathers at a time. There were two palestre (gyms) adjacent to the baths. The structure also had some shops and gardens. The baths fell out of use when the Visigoths in AD 537 blocked Rome’s water supply. The Teatro dell’Opera’s open-air stage was recently built in 1937 and has been hosting singers, dancers, mime artists and other performers since then. The 1960 Summer Olympics were held in the Terme di Caracalla. Read More

The Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary is a no-kill cat shelter located at the historical site of Largo di Torre Argentina in Rome. This ancient site has become a cat-lovers paradise and is home to over a hundred feral cats. Volunteers at the sanctuary also arrange for adoptions, spaying and neutering and feeding the cats who live here, many of which have disabilities. The sanctuary also sells feline toys and souvenirs and relies on visitors to make donations to keep helping these cats. You can adopt these cats and take them home or even ‘adopt at a distance’, i.e., give monthly donations to a specific cat at the sanctuary. Read More

Trastevere is a pretty Roman neighbourhood contiguous to the River Tiber (tras Tevere = across the Tiber). Stroll through charming old-fashioned cobblestone streets or enjoy an appetising meal in an intimate open restaurant. The Piazzi di Santa Maria is a popular landmark in Trastevere. There’s a basilica here with a lovely fountain near it where people can relax. In Trastevere, you can enjoy an authentic Italian vibe. It also offers excellent nightlife if you want to go bar-hopping. On Sunday mornings, you can shop in Rome’s famous flea market at the Porta Portese. Villa Farnesina is a fantastic 16th-century palazzo housing works by Raphael and Peruzzi with well-maintained gardens. There’s another basilica dedicated to Saint Cecilia, with intricate frescoes designed by Pietro Cavallini. Treat yourself to a rich Italian gelato while enjoying Trastevere’s relaxed atmosphere. Read More

The Villa Borghese Gardens is a park located in the Piazzale del Museo Borghese in Rome. Spanning 80 hectares, this is an excellent spot to relax and look at some exquisite Roman art. The Borghese Gallery here has paintings on display by renowned artists like Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, and Caravaggio and some statues, like "Apollo and Daphne" by Bernini. 200 different species of animals can be found in the Rome zoo (Bioparco di Roma). Rentable scooters, bicycles and rollerblades are available if you want to tour the park this way. The Borghese Gardens is peppered with Roman sculptures, Renaissance art, fountains and several museums. It was bought by the state from the Borghese family in 1901 and became a public park in 1903. Apart from the above-mentioned Borghese Gallery, there’s the Villa Giulia, famous for Etruscan Art, the Villa Medici, and the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna, which has a collection of 5,000 contemporary art paintings. Other points of interest include Pincio’s Water Clock and Silvano Toti Globe Theatre, a replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. You can rent small cars and even row boats to enjoy a peaceful ride on the lake. The Tempio di Esculapio, dedicated to the god of medicine, is located on the lake. Read More