Top 10 Best Things to Do in Rome

Twenty-two million tourists packed their bags for the Eternal City in 2024 alone. They certainly didn't cross oceans just to stare at a flat screen. We are talking about Rome, Italy, that is. Apologies to the fine folks of Rome, New York, but your namesake easily wins this round. Rome has SO much to offer. It's a city that cannot be felt or given any justice in pictures. You can scroll through a thousand glossy photos of ancient architecture bathed in golden hour light, but pixels simply fall flat. Smelling the sharp scent of fresh espresso wafting over centuries-old cobblestones requires boots on the ground. You must see for yourself.

1. Visit the Colosseum

   There is so much history, there has been so much bloodshed, and there are so many interesting facts about the Colosseum. How it was built, why, how many people died, when it went out of use. Pictures don't do this attraction any justice. It's massive, awe-inspiring, and a little creepy.

   The Colosseum, wow, that was huge!

2. Visit the Roman Forum

3. Visit St. Peter's Basilica

   Michelangelo's dome, the tomb of St. Peter, and the insane, almost impossible-seeming architecture make this attraction a do not miss.

4. Go See the Vatican Museums

   If you think you know what opulence is before you walk into the Vatican Museums, think again. However, the Catholic Church has had a long, undisputed history of collecting things, and it shows in this amazing museum.

   The Vatican is my other home.

5. See the Sistine Chapel

   The line is long, the people in line suck, no one listens to directions, and you can't take pictures, but you won't regret seeing it for one second.

6. Walk to the Trevi Fountain

   Again, it's a sight pictures don't do justice. That's really the whole theme of Rome. An entire city where the pictures don't even come close to the grandeur, opulence, and scale that it has in real life. The Trevi Fountain is beautiful. And huge. Don't forget to throw a coin in to ensure your return!

7. Walk Palatine Hill

   Though I hardly see how it's a different place from the Forum, technically it is. But a little tip. Go to Palatine Hill first and buy your tickets to Palatine Hill, the Forum, and the Colosseum there. You don't have to pay for all three, it's a much reduced price, and you don't have to wait in line again to buy your ticket at the Colosseum, which is where they get you, and the wait sucks.

8. Visit the Pantheon

   Often mixed up by tourists with the Parthenon in Greece, this old building has some interesting history and is worth a quick visit, and the obelisk outside is pretty neat.

9. See the Victor Emmanuel II Monument

   Or "Altar of the Fatherland." I mean, you can't miss it, and the locals hate it, but give it a visit anyway. I found it to be beautiful and fascinating.

10. Get Gelato and Walk around Town

    Some of the best sights in Rome are those that you see just while walking around. And the gelato is a must.

    I love ice cream! This is the reason why I love Italy!

The Contenders

11. Take a Stroll in Piazza Navona

    The three fountains are beautiful, the artists there are great, and it's well worth a visit, but the food is tourist trap crap.