Italy’s capital city has way too many unmissable sights to see. We managed to tick off almost everything in the space of three days by following three simple steps.
Divide exploration into manageable chunks
We chose the 3 areas of the city below to divide our days exploring the landmark attractions and we saw a lot more than we expected.
By allowing a day for each area, it allows you to weave in and out of the streets with a fine tooth-comb as well as saving your legs travelling across the city.
Area 1 – The Colosseum
Here you will find the most iconic building in Rome and one of the seven world wonders, the Roman Colosseum. The Colosseum is also very close to Palantine Hill, or the Palatino, (one of the Seven hills of Rome) and the Roman Forum.
All three can be seen in one day with one special trio ticket offered by the tourist board of Rome. The ticket costs €12 and can be purchased at any of the ticket offices at the sites above. Expect dense queues and allow enough time to explore all three in one day.
For time perspective, we spent around an hour in the Roman Forum and two hours in the Colosseum.
The Altar of the Fatherland and the Imperial Fora are also in this area, both sites are free to see and offer a remarkable display of the history of the city.
The Imperial Fora dates back to the era of Julius Caesar and Trajan where they built public buildings for the Roman Empire.
Other sites of interest here is the Arch of Constantine, St. Clement Basilica, Circus Maximus and the Mouth of Truth.
Area 2 – Pantheon and Trevi fountain
Both the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain are free to visit and they are both located in a dense area of historical buildings. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the churches in this area, such as the Church of St. Louis of the French and the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, all are free to enter and offer a newer perspective of the city’s religious history and are usually less crowded than the main attractions.
Area 3 – The Vatican
Cross the Ponte Principe Amadeo Savoia Aosta bridge over River Tiber and spend a full day enjoying one of the most famous landmarks of the world.
St. Peter’s Square is home of the Vatican. The buildings in the Square can offer you a valuable insight into the religious and artistic history of Rome with some of the most famous attractions on earth. The Sistine Chapel, in the heart of the Square, is home to Michelangelo’s famous painted ceiling. St. Peter’s Basilica is free to enter as well as the Vatican Museums.
Even with an advanced pass for sites that charge an entrance fee, you should expect to queue alongside like-minded visitors from all over the world.
This area will also offer other scenic sights by the river such as the Castel Sant’Angelo, the Janiculum and the Supreme Court of Cassation.
Buy passes in advance
We missed out on seeing the Sistine Chapel due to bad planning. We turned up on the day at 3pm not realizing it closes to the public at 4pm and the queue was this big:
Shop online for the best deals and consider paying more for fast track entry if you really want to see something.
Enjoy the hidden delights
Look out for the many hidden monuments, columns, obelisks and inscriptions across the city.
Taking a free walking tour will also point you in the direction of sites that you may not have considered on your itinerary. We always take a walking tour on our first day in any city as the guides are not only full of useful knowledge on the history of the buildings, they also give away tips on good food and saving money. Our guide pointed out hidden gardens and other blissful places to relax tired feet.
We also learned that Italian gardens are generally characterised by elegant formal lines and a mass of fruit trees. The Italian government have kept the appearance of fruit trees across the city and once you know about them, you will notice them even more.
With a historical Arabic influence and the onset of the Roman Empire, new varieties of fruit trees appeared across Italy from all over the world. Citrus fruits trees can be found in lots of areas of Rome, you just have to look out for them!
Every major city in Europe has a free walking tour, we recommend Rome Free Walking Tour for Rome.
Don’t forget, when in Rome, do all things Italian. Indulge on ice cream, pizza, pasta and maybe even lavish Italian clothing.
Like it? Pint it!
