Rome

A Curated Travel Guide to the Eternal City and Ancient Attractions of Rome, Italy

Rome is an iconic travel destination known for its ancient ruins, Renaissance art, neighborhood culture, and vibrant food scene. We were in Rome for four full days and, honestly, it wasn’t enough. Whatever time you have, the best you can hope for is a good cross-section of landmark attractions and loads of pasta.

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Of course, being a top travel destination also means there are crowds, long lines, and a lot of overwhelming information. Traveling during the shoulder seasons of Spring (April/May) or Autumn (September/October) is ideal for both thinned-out crowds and more comfortable temperatures, but it’s still a major city and busy year-round.

Above photos: Icons of Rome – Wine bars, Umbrella pines, and the Arch of Titus

This post is aimed at helping you narrow down the choices so you end up with something manageable and memorable. I’ll help you tick the boxes of Rome’s must-see attractions, while incorporating some quieter moments away from the queues and crowds.

• Where we stayed
• Things to see and do in Rome
• What & where to eat
• Getting around Rome

Where we stayed

There are so many great hotel properties in Rome. If you aren’t partial to a certain chain or brand, a good place to start your search is on Orbitz. Central Rome is ideal for proximity to the major sights, but these hotels can also be really pricey.

We chose to stay in the Prati district, which is still considered central, but is across the Tiber River. It worked out well for us because we were within walking distance to both the central attractions and the Vatican. It was a bit of a hike to the Colosseum, so we ended up taking Lime scooters. Otherwise, we only needed a taxi to get to our e-bike tour of the Appian Way.

We stayed at Le Méridien Visconti. This Marriott property had everything we needed and was close to local restaurants and shops. The rooms were sophisticated, and most importantly, clean. It was a little removed from the heavy bustle, which we found very nice after our full, exhausting days.

Things to see and do in Rome

We divided our time in Rome between four main areas: (1) Central Rome, (2) Ancient Rome, (3) Vatican City, and (4) Parks. You can pack as much as you want into each day, but I would recommend leaving a decent amount of wiggle room between each stop. We knew Rome would be crowded, even in the Spring shoulder season, but over-estimated the power of our “skip the line” tickets.

Day 1 Itinerary: Central Rome

How you organize your day and walking map will largely depend on where you are staying. Wherever you start, just make sure the flow is logical and brings you back to your accommodations at the end of the day.

We focused on the attractions in Central Rome for our first day. There are a couple of things missing from this list (namely, Piazza Navona and Galleria Doria Pamphilj) that we incorporated into other days due to our late start after arriving and getting through customs.

• Piazza di Spagna and The Spanish Steps
• National Roman Museum and Baths of Diocletian
• Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major
• Trevi Fountain
• Aperitifs: Hotel Fontana Terrace
• Galleria Sciarra
• Pantheon

Piazza di Spagna and The Spanish Steps

Think of Piazza di Spagna as a neighborhood of sorts. It is a romantic, open square with the Barcaccia Fountain at its center (still fed by an ancient aqueduct water supply) and surrounded by several notable attractions. The most famous of these is the Spanish Steps, the 135-step grand staircase that connects the piazza to the Trinità dei Monti church.

Piazza di Spanga is a popular meeting point from about 10:00 am onwards, in part due to the luxury designer shops that flank the square in all directions. If you are hoping to get a photo in front of the Spanish Steps without a bunch of other people, your best bet will be early morning or after 7:00 pm.

We tried to go inside the Trinità dei Monti church, but it was only open for guided tours. Some of the information I read stated that it was open to the public from 12:00 – 7:45 pm on Wednesdays, but that was not the case when we got there.

More information can be found on the Trinità dei Monti website.

Above photos: Piazza di Spagna and the Trinità dei Monti church (left) and view from the top of the Spanish Steps (right)

The Keats – Shelley House is a bit of a hidden gem in plain view to the right of the Spanish Steps. It is dedicated to the British Romantic poets, especially the works of John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley. It takes less then 30-minutes to walk through the small museum and admire the collection of books in the library. We were able to buy admission tickets at the door without any wait.

More information can be found on the Keats – Shelley House website.

Above photos: The Keats-Shelley House Museum

National Roman Museum, Baths of Diocletian

The ruins of the Baths of Diocletian are part of the National Roman Museum, located near Piazza della Repubblica and the main train station. They were the largest imperial baths in Rome, dating to around 300 AD. Despite most of the complex no longer standing due to urban development, the scale of the halls that remain is tremendous. All of a sudden, the vastness and history of this city started to sink in. I could actually picture toga-wearing spa-goers mulling about.

The baths remained in use until the siege of Rome in 537 AD when the aqueducts were destroyed and cut off the water supply. A millennium later, several ecclesiastical buildings were erected on the site, including a charterhouse and cloister designed by Michelangelo. These structures are now part of the present-day museum and hold a collection of statuary.

More information can be found on the National Roman Museum website.

Above photos: National Roman Museum

Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major

The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major is arguably the most beautiful church in Rome. If you only have time to visit one church, let it be this one. It is the oldest and largest Marian church (i.e., dedicated to the Virgin Mary) in Western Christendom, dating to 432 AD. It is heavily decorated from floor to ceiling.

The church is free to enter, but you will need to stand in a queue to go through a security check. A booked tour is required to access the papal apartments, loggia, and panoramic terraces. We didn’t do all the extras, only because we had similar things planned for other attractions.

More information can be found on the Saint Mary Major website under the “Visits” tab.

Above photos: Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major

Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain is a major tourist attraction that draws visitors en masse. I have mixed feelings. It is definitely something to see, but I’m not convinced it is worth spending hours in line for a photo.

Above photo: Trevi Fountain

Due to the popularity of the Trevi Fountain, the City of Rome has recently implemented crowd control measures during the busiest time of the day. However, if you come here in the early morning hours, there is no wait, no crowds, and you can practically have the fountain to yourself.

There are a few different approaches to seeing the fountain: (1) Stand in line for an opportunity to pass directly in front of the basin and capture your perfect photo; (2) Pass through Piazza di Trevi where you can see the fountain from a short distance; (3) Take a tour where you can go underground to see the working aqueduct and learn in-depth history; (4) See the fountain from a terrace in one of the surrounding buildings, which is what we did.

Aperitifs: Hotel Fontana Terrace

During my research, I discovered Hotel Fontanta, a small hotel that overlooks the Trevi Fountain. They have an enclosed terrace overlooking the Trevi Fountain where they serve breakfast and apéritifs for hotel guests — as well as non-guests on a first-come-first-served basis. No reservations — just show up, and if they have availability, they will seat you. There $25 pp charge that includes an apéritif and snacks. At first, that sounded rather hefty until we went to other locations known for their views and realized that it is just the going rate for apéritifs with a view.

Above photo: View of the Trevi Fountain from Hotel Fontanta

Galleria Sciarra

The Galleria Sciarra is an Art-Nouveau courtyard at Via del Corso and Via Santa Maria near the Trevi Fountain. The late-19th-century shopping arcade is now simply a pedestrian walkway with four-story frescos and an iron & glass ceiling. It is a hidden gem, but not completely off the tourism radar.

Other attractions near Galleria Sciarra include Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Basilica dei Santi XII Apostoli, Galleria Colonna, and Biblioteca Casanatense. Clearly, there are several options of where to go from here. We came back to this area the following afternoon when we had some time to spare. In the meantime, we decided to end our first day in Rome at the Pantheon.

Above photo: Galleria Sciarra

Pantheon

The Pantheon is an ancient Roman temple dating to 27 BC. After the arrival of Christianity, it was converted into the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs in Rome. Many Christian martyrs were re-burried here after they were removed from the catacombs. It is also the final resting place of great Renaissance architect, Raphael.

The dome of the Pantheon has a round opening or “oculus” where air, light, and rain come through. We visited the Pantheon right after it had been raining, and sure enough, the floor was wet at the center where the water was draining.

There is a €5 per person fee to enter the Pantheon. It is a good idea to purchase your tickets online in advance, directly from the official Musei Italiani website to avoid long queues. Alternatively, most guided tours include admission and an audio guide and/or a live expert guide. Click here to explore guided tour options.

Side note: If you are attempting to purchase tickets online from outside of Italy, be aware that the Musei Italiani website can be hit-or-miss. I had the best luck accessing during Italy’s normal business hours (which will be 6 – 9 hours ahead depending on where you are in the US).

Above photos: Pantheon

Day 2 Itinerary: Ancient Rome

Some solid advice: Do not schedule your visit to the Colosseum and Palatine Hill on your first day in Rome. The crowds are massive and there is a fair amount of walking involved. Not for the weary or jet-lagged.

• Guided Tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum on Palatine Hill
• Santa Maria in Aracoeli Basilica
• Capitoline Museums
• Altar of the Fatherland
• Galleria Doria Pamphilj
• Aperitifs: Oro Bistot
• Via del Corso

Guided Tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum on Palatine Hill

Ancient Rome is impressive. The Colosseum and Roman Forum on Palatine Hill are major sites and utterly fascinating. If you aren’t terribly interested in history, this part of Rome will still blow you away as you contemplate the fullness of time in the archeological ruins.

Above photos: The Colosseum and Roman Forum

I highly recommend a guided tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum. It is very helpful to have an expert to guide you through the history and significance of each of the areas. You could easily spend all day here and struggle to understand the context. Our local guide was efficient and very knowledgeable. It helped us make the most of our time, bypass the long queues, and actually learn something.

After seeing the Colosseum, there are several good options for where to spend the rest of your day, such as the Trastevere neighborhood across the Tiber River, the Monti neighborhood that sits between Palatine Hill and the main train station, or the attractions in the immediate vicinity. We opted for the latter.

Santa Maria in Aracoeli Basilica

The Santa Maria in Aracoeli Basilica (translated, The Basilica of Saint Mary of the Altar in Heaven) is located on the highest point of Capitoline Hill, famously known for its steep set of stairs. If you make it up the stairs, you will be richly rewarded with the Romanesque-Gothic decoration of this historic Franciscan church and the amazing views of the Rione IX Pigna district.

The church is located right next to the Capitoline Museums and can be visited either before or after the museum. It is one of four Papal Basilicas in Rome and contains many relics and works of art, including the Holy Child, said to be carved from olive wood trees that grew on the Mount of Gethsemane.

Above photos: Santa Maria in Aracoeli Basilica

Capitoline Museums

The Capitoline Museums are a complex of art and archaeology museums. Fun fact: It is the world’s oldest public museum! If you are a less enthusiastic patron of the arts and ancient artifacts, consider just making your way around to the “greatest hits” and catching a glimpse of the panoramic views over the Roman Forum.

The museum buildings themselves are pretty impressive. Collection highlights include the Capitoline She-Wolf (I love the story behind this symbolic sculpture), the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, the Dying Gaul, and the Capitoline Venus.

For more information and current exhibits can be found on the Capitoline Museums website.

Above photo: Capitoline Museums

Altar of the Fatherland

The massive Altar of the Fatherland is hard to miss. This monument, located in Piazza Venezia, was dedicated to Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of unified Italy, and commemorates the fallen soldiers of World War I. The base of the monument is the Vittoriano and the garden, which are free to visit.

There is a ticketed option that provides access to the Central Museum of the Risorgimento, High Portico, and Panoramic Terrace via panoramic elevator to the top of the monument. We did not do the ticketed portion, but in hindsight, I wish we had. If nothing else, I would have loved to have seen the Library of Archaeology and Art History.

Above photo: Altar of the Fatherland

Galleria Doria Pamphilj

The Galleria Doria Pamphilj is a private art gallery housed inside Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, an aristocratic home still inhabited by the Doria Pamphilj family. This is a 2-for1 opportunity to see a beautiful 17th-century palace and an impressive art collection.

It is hard to say which impressed me more — the four stunning rococo-style wings or the masterpieces by Velázquez, Caravaggio, Raphael, and Bernini. If you love art, this an absolute must-see in Rome. There are other impressive palazzos in Rome (e.g., Palazzo Farnese), but many of them can only be accessed with a private guide. I loved being able to discover Galleria Doria Pamphilj at my own pace and linger in the spaces that captured my interest.

Advance entrance tickets with audio guide can be purchased here.

More information can also be found on the Galleria Doria Pamphilj website.

Above photos: Galleria Doria Pamphilj

Aperitifs: Oro Bistrot

When 4:00 pm hit, we were ready for apertifs. Restaurants in Rome generally do not open for dinner until 7:00 pm. If you are used to eating earlier, aperitifs are the answer to staving off hunger for a few more hours. We headed over to another little hotel famous for its view — Oro Bistrot at the NH Collection Rome Fori Imperiali Hotel.

Oro Bistrot has some Instagram fame due to its incredible views of the Altar of the Fatherland. So, be sure to make reservations and be prepared for high drink prices. The view was absolutely worth it for us.

More information and bookings can be made on the Oro Bistrot website.

Above photo: View of Altar of the Fatherland from Oro Bistrot

Via del Corso

Via del Corso is a famous, main street with historic buildings and shopping that connects Capitoline Hill to Piazza del Popolo. We chose this as our route back to our hotel, stopping in at places along the way. The northern end of the street is restricted to traffic, with only a few taxis and buses, making for a really nice pedestrianized experience.

If you aren’t much of a shopper, consider filling your afternoon with a cooking class. There are several pasta-making and tiramasu-making group and private classes where you can learn the traditional methods of making Italy’s most classic dishes — and then devour your creations:)

Day 3 Itinerary: Vatican City

• Early morning tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
• Saint Peter’s Basilica
• Castel Sant’Angelo
• Piazza Navona
• Via dei Coronari

Vatican Museums & The Sistine Chapel

Vatican City is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and the permanent residence of the Pope. Although it is its own country, it is surrounded by Rome’s neighborhoods and can be reached on foot from central Rome.

The main attractions are the Vatican Museums and Saint Peter’s Basilica. The museums are ornately decorated and hold an astounding wealth of art, tapestries, treasures, and ancient artifacts. There are at least 50 museums within the Vatican, but most people do not visit them all. The most popular attractions within the Vatican Museums are the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel, famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling (unfortunately, photography is not permitted inside the Sistine Chapel).

The Vatican Museums receive between 20,000 – 30,000 visitors daily. Daily!!! I highly recommend joining an early morning small group tour to help you navigate the crowds. The Vatican Museums open an hour earlier for groups, but even groups need to wait in line and go through security checks.

It took nearly an hour to go from our group tour meeting point to inside the museum. When you see the number of people that are there, it will seem unlikely that you will ever make it inside. But once the museum opens, the line moves fast, and before you know it, you’re staring up at the world’s most famous frescos.

Above photos: Vatican Museums

Saint Peter’s Basilica

There are some tours that include Saint Peter’s Basilica, but the additional cost didn’t make sense for us. We decided instead to separately purchase our entry tickets and elevator tickets for the dome. No matter who you are or what kind of ticket you have, you will still need to stand in line to go through security checks.

Once inside, we were able to freely explore the church while we waited for our scheduled time to go up to the dome. The elevator takes you up to a terrace, but then there are some very narrow stairs to get up to the very top. While I thought the dome was incredibly impressive and very worthwhile, it isn’t for everyone. If you don’t like heights, tight spaces, or crowds, you might want to skip the dome.

More information can be found on the Vatican Museums website.

Above photos: Saint Peter’s Basilica

We spent half the day (about 5 hours) in the Vatican Museums and Saint Peter’s Basilica. We could have easily spent the entire day there (and people certainly do), but we saw an amazing amount in those 5 hours and were ready for a leisurely lunch.

Above photo: St. Peter’s Square

Castel Sant’Angelo

Castel Sant’Angelo is in close proximity to Vatican City and a logical attraction to fill the rest of your afternoon. It is a huge round castel-like building, but is actually a mausoleum built by Emperor Hadrian for himself and his family in the second century.

You explore the rooms, the dungeon, and works of art, but the real show-stopper is the view from the panoramic terrace. Some even find Castel Sant’Angelo to be one of the more relaxing attractions in the city. It is open late (usually until 7:30 pm), and it can easily be squeezed into your itinerary at the end of the day.

More information can be found on the Castel Sant’Angelo website.

Above photos: Castel Sant’Angelo

Piazza Navona

We entered Piazza Navona from the southern end after crossing the Tiber River at Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II and walking down Via del Governo Vecchio, a beautiful little street lined with antique and vintage shops, gelato take-away counters, and cafes. Just a heads up that many of the shops close for lunch and don’t reopen until around 3:00 pm. Keep an eye out for Two Sizes pastry shop and their famed tiramisu to-go cups!

Above photos: Via del Governo Vecchio

Piazza Navona is an oversized, open square on the opposite side of the Tiber River from Castel Sant’Angelo. Walking through the square, er oval actually, you get the sense that it used to be something else. In fact, it was. In the first century, this area was the Stadium of Domitian, also known as “Circus Agonali,” which was used for athletic contests and gladiator fights.

Today, the vibrant piazza contains several landmark fountains, La Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi fountain by Bernini, and two smaller fountains by Giacomo della Porta (an apprentice of Michelangelo). During the Advent season, the square is transformed into a Christmas Market with food and artisan stalls. Other times of the year, the square is full of street artists, tourists, and kids with too much energy (lol). I wholeheartedly recommend grabbing a gelato as you stroll through the square and take it all in.

Above photos: Piazza Navona

Via dei Coronari

A block off the north side of Piazza Navona is a wonderful little cobblestone street, Via dei Coronari, that will set you back in time. The narrow street is one of the most picturesque in Rome, renowned for its 15th- and 16th-century architecture and adorable artisan shops.

Via dei Coronari will connect you back to Castel Sant’Angelo and the Tiber River. Alternatively, you can walk down Via dei Coronari on your way to Piazza Navona and then continue on to other attractions in central Rome from there.

Above photos: Via dei Coronari

Day 4 Itinerary: Parks

By our fourth day in Rome, we were ready to step away and see some green. A lot of visitors to Rome miss the parks due to time constraints. If you can swing it, an extra day is well worth it to see the parks and attractions within them.

• Appian Way
• The Park of the Aqueducts
• Catabombs of San Callisto
• San Sebastiano
• Villa Borghese
• Galleria Borghese

Appian Way

Quite possibly my favorite tour in Rome was our e-bike tour of the Appian Way and Aqueduct Park. First, e-bikes are just plain fun! All of the hard work of a cycling tour is easy breezy leaving you to enjoy the scenery without too much effort. It would have been impossible for us to cover the area on foot, although there were plenty of people out jogging or walking their dogs.

The Appian Way is one of Rome’s most ancient and strategically important roads. This “Queen of Roads” still has some of the original cobblestones and ancient tombs. Ever hear the phrase “All roads lead to Rome”? This is where it originated. The road is now part of a protected park and is best experienced with a local guide who can explain the different sections of the road and the fascinating history.

Above photos: The Appian Way

The Park of the Aqueducts

Part of the Appian Way is another protected area known as The Park of the Aqueducts. This public park covers approximately 240 hectares and contains seven ancient aqueducts built to supply water to the city of Rome. There are multiple walking and biking paths that meander and criss-cross through a variety of terrain, some grassy, some wooded. You truly feel like you are miles and miles outside of Rome, even though it is only 15-20 minutes from the main train station.

Above photos: The Park of the Aqueducts

Catacombs of San Callisto

One of the big draws to the Appian Way is the opportunity to visit the Christian catacombs at San Sebastiano and San Callisto. Most people just visit one or the other because they are similar. We chose to visit the catacombs at San Callisto, the larger of the two.

These catacombs no longer have any bodies (nothing gory to see), as most of them were moved or entirely disintegrated. It was the official cemetery of the Church of Rome in the 3rd century when Christians were heavily persecuted. The complex is around 12 miles of underground tunnels on four separate levels. The most well-known burials are the Crypt of the Popes, where 16 popes were buried, and the Crypt of St. Cecilia.

Above photos: San Callisto Catacombs and the Crypt of St. Cecilia (right)

Basilica of St. Sebastian Outside the Walls

Although we did not take the time to visit the catacombs of the Basilica of St Sebastian Outside the Walls (San Sebastiano), we did wander inside the church. It is one of the seven pilgrimage churches of Rome and dates to the early 4th century. The name refers to the fact that the church was built outside the Aurelian Walls and it also helps differentiate it from another church dedicated to St. Sebastian located on the Palatine Hill.

Above photos: Basilica of St Sebastian Outside the Walls

Villa Borghese

Following our morning tour of the Appian Way, we took a taxi to the Villa Borghese on the complete opposite end of Rome. We were dropped off near the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art and made our way across the park.

The Villa Borghese is akin to Central Park in NYC. It is full of monuments, landmarks, a zoo, museums, and play spaces. There is a little lake where you can rent a rowboat and get up close to the Temple of Aesculapius, one of the park’s popular attractions, or rent bicycles to fully explore the 80-hectare landscape.

Above photos: Villa Borghese

Galleria Borghese

Probably the most well-known attraction within Villa Borghese is the Galleria Borghese art museum housed in the former Villa Borghese Pinciana. The Galleria Borghese collections include some of the most prestigious masterpieces in the world by Bernini, Caravaggio, and Raphael. There are only 20 rooms across the two floors, but an art-lover could spend quite a bit of time here.

Admission into Galleria Borghese is by time-entry tickets. Tickets often sell out, so be sure to purchase them online well in advance to avoid being disappointed.

Above photos: Galleria Borghese

What & Where to Eat in Rome

A few days in Rome hardly qualifies me to hand out advice on the best places to eat in this huge city. However, we did have some really memorable meals and revelations.

The first revelation was that many of our so-called Italian dishes in America are not Italian at all. For example, you won’t find spaghetti and meatballs on any menu. Nor chicken parmesan.

There are a handful of dishes that I would say are “must-try’s” when in Rome.

• Cacio e Pepe, meaning cheese and pepper, is a deceptively simple, classic Roman dish that perfectly emulsifies the ingredients together and is completely delicious.
• Carbonara done right is pasta tossed with cured pork cheek, eggs, pecorino, and black pepper. It is an absolute pillar of Roman cuisine.
• Pizza Margherita originated in Naples, but is a hallmark of Italian food. The San Marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzarella are key.
• Carciofi alla Giudia are Jewish-Roman whole artichokes that are deep fried until crispy. At the very least, just make sure you get any kind of artichokes in Rome. Hands down, my favorite Roman veg.
• Burrata is a must. This ginormous dollop of cheese consists of the freshest mozzarella and a gooey center of stracciatella (cream + shredded mozzarella).
• Tirimasu is a no-bake dessert with layers of espresso-soaked cookies, mascarpone, and cocoa powder. It’s a staple that you can always make room for, no matter how much pasta you’ve eaten.
• Chianti or any type of Italian wine with lunch and dinner is deeply a part of Italian culture. We loved trying the light reds and regional wines.

Above photos: Cacio e Pepe, Burrata, and Pizza in Rome

A few of the restaurants we really loved were:

• Ristorante Maccheroni: Piazza delle Coppelle, 44 | Website
  • Location: Historic Center near the Pantheon
  • Vibe: High-energy, rustic trattoria
  • Stand-out: Wine and pasta
• Taverna Bacchus: Via Ennio Quirino Visconti, 56 | Website
  • Location: Prati, not far from Castel Sant’Angelo
  • Vibe: Traditional, feels like home
  • Stand-out: Bruchetta and homemade tiramisu
• Il Sorpasso: Via Properzio, 31/33 | Website
  • Location: Prati, between Vatican and Casel Sant’Angelo
  • Vibe: Casual, neighborhood gem
  • Stand-out: Salads & antipasti; super extensive wine list
• AcquaRoof Terrazza Molinari: Via del Vantaggio, 14 | Website
  • Location: Campo Marzio, near Piazza del Popolo
  • Vibe: Glamorous roof-top
  • Stand-out: Cocktail menu and seafood

Above photos: Ristorante Maccheroni (left); You can’t live on love alone, you also need some carbonara (center); Rooftop view from AcquaRoof Terrazza Molinari (right)

Getting Around Rome

The first things everyone asks is “Do I need to rent a car in Rome?” The answer is emphatically, “No.”

Rome is a huge city, but also very walkable. We only hired taxis a few times — for transfer service to/from the airport and to/from our Appian Way e-bike tour. Uber operates in Rome, but it is mostly for black car service. It is important to download the Free Now and/or itTaxi apps on your phone. The apps work just like Uber and will let you summon a ride and see the estimate in advance.

When your feet can take it no more, hop on a Lime scooter (download this app ahead, too!). The Lime scooters are all over the place, so you can just grab one when your feet are tired. However, be aware of both pedestrian and motorized traffic conditions. Early mornings and evenings are ideal for scooters.

Another great way to get around the city is to book a hop-on-hop-off bus or golf cart sightseeing tour. Whether you have mobility concerns or are just short on time, these tours allow you to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. Plus, they have audio guides or in-person narration.

Tour Links

We booked more tours in Rome than we typically do for other destinations. This was partly because there was a lot of history that we felt needed to go hand-in-hand with the sights. We were further motivated to find ways to navigate the crowds and scale of the attractions.

We were happy with everything that we did, but would especially advocate for tours of Palatine Hill (Colosseum, Roman Forum) and the Appian Way. It is helpful to have advance tickets for most of the museums and other attractions. If there is something you are really keen on visiting, it is always best to have your arrangements sorted ahead of your travel to avoid any disappointment.

All of the tours I’ve mentioned — plus a few others that are strong contenders — can be found in my Rome Shop on Viator.

Thank you for reading my post! Please feel free to add friendly comments or questions below!