We love Rome. At its heart is a truly ancient city! There is so much to explore and a lot of it is walkable, depending on how tired you allow yourself to get.
People have told us they found Rome to be dirty and unappealing, but our view is that their feelings have been clouded by their experiences on the way into the heart of Rome and where they may have been staying.
First Impressions?
To be completely honest, arriving into Rome by rail or by road (we’ve done both) is not a scenic journey. You will see graffiti, run down neighbourhoods, and some rubbish, just like in most cities across the globe. If your hotel is out of the historic centre, you may be put off by a crowded, and unglamorous trip on the ‘Metro’ into the centre each morning (stay in the historic centre if you can, it’s worth paying extra for). However, once you are within the walls of the old city, you are surrounded with amazing sights, cobblestoned streets, and tempting bars and trattorias.
Don’t let your impressions be set by a few discouraging sights on your way into the city (and it certainly isn’t all bad!). Once you are in the heart of Rome, see it with fresh eyes, be open to any cultural differences, tolerate the crowds of tourists, and you will love it.
Here are our top five sights in Rome, the ones we return to each time we visit, and our key tips. You will probably be familiar with them, as they are always talked about, and with good reason.
Drawn in by the Fontana di Trevi
On our very first trip to Rome, hubby could not wait to see the iconic Fontana di Trevi. However, he was taken aback to discover it is on the sidewall of a building. He had imagined it was the typical round fountain construction, so was immediately amazed to find it wasn’t.
Every person visiting Rome wants to see this fountain and throw a coin over their shoulder into its waters (including us). And when you are there, it feels exactly this way – that every tourist in Rome is at the fountain wanting to throw a coin over their shoulder. The crowds across the entire day, and well into the night are intense.
We viewed a webcam of the Fontana di Trevi to keep an eye on the crowds. Is 9am busy? Yes. 10pm busy? Yes. Midnight? Yes, still busy. The best time to go is first thing in the morning. If you go before 8am, there won’t be many people. They are still having their hotel breakfasts, or recovering from their late nights. By 8am in summer, the sun is shining fully on the fountain and your photos will be great!
Our advice is that if avoiding the crowds, or getting a great picture is important to you, monitor webcams in the days leading up to your visit to pick the best time. Imagine going at 6am and having it pretty much to yourself! Amazing and worth getting up for. This is another scenario where staying in the historic centre pays off. Nip out, then go back to your accommodation for breakfast afterwards.
Climb the Spanish Steps
Like Fontana di Trevi, there is a crowd here well into the night. The other thing to watch out for is that there are often men here trying to give ladies supposedly ‘free’ roses. The scam is that they then ask the partner for the money. Politely refuse to take one and expect them to be persistent. I once told one of these flower givers that I was allergic, and he moved straight on to his next victim.
The Spanish Steps are lovely around late afternoon and sunset. The sun will be shining on the steps, and the view from the bottom up to the white Trinità dei Monti church is wonderful. In front of the church is an Obelisk, which adds to the scene.
The fountain at the base of the steps, Fontana della Barcaccia (Fountain of the Boat), incorporates drinking water spouts at each side. Many people drink and fill their bottles from here. You’ll see them using the side stepping points to access the drinking water spouts.
Around the Spanish Steps are many of the upmarket fashion shops in the historic centre. Great for window shopping. We loved stopping at La Buvette for an iced cappuccino or a ‘shakerato’ (straight espresso with sugar, shaken and poured on ice), which is a 2 minute walk from here. Though slightly pricey (€12 in 2018), the drinks are delicious and always come with a little treat on the side. Sit outside if you can.
The Majestic Vittoriano
The impressive white marble of this enormous monument had us delighted. One of its nicknames in Rome is the ‘Wedding Cake’ for obvious reasons. It is dedicated to King Vittorio Emanuele II and the unification of Italy. It also serves as an honorary place for people lost in wars, containing an ‘altar’ to the unknown soldier.
The first thing to know is don’t sit on the steps or any part of the monument. You will be moved on by the security guards. Security staff are playing a constant game of ‘unseat the tourist’ all day long here. You only have to stand around for five minutes to watch it unfold before you.
There is no cost to visit most areas of this amazing structure and there is quite a bit to explore inside. Don’t miss taking the elevator up to the rooftop terrace for an amazing view over Rome.
While you are there, don’t miss heading behind the Vittoriano to the ‘Campidoglio’. This square at the top of a lot of steps was designed by Michelangelo. There are a couple of worthwhile museums and the square itself is picturesque.
Captivated by the Colosseum
The Colosseum is another obvious key sight when visiting Rome. What amazes us about the Colosseum is the sheer size of it, and how well maintained it is (after recent restoration work a few years back). And of course its incredible history.
Depending where you are coming from and the time of year, the walk to the Colosseum could be lengthy, and hot (and without much shade). It’s a 20 minute walk from the Fontana di Trevi, or a 12 minute walk from the Vittoriano. We have caught the Metro, as the Colosseo Metro station is right next to the Colosseum. The trains are hot and crowded, but you save your feet.
There were massive queues for tickets each time we visited, so buy your ticket online, or if you can’t be sure of a date and time, one of our guidebooks suggests buying your ticket at the ticket office for the Palatine which has shorter queues. The one ticket gives you access to the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine, so maximise the use of it.
The best time for photos in the warmer months is late afternoon. Like with Fontana di Trevi, we made use of webcams to scope out when the sun was in the best place.
Impressed by St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City
Technically, St Peter’s Basilica is not in Rome, however of course you are going to see it whilst in the Ancient City. We have walked to Vatican City (long walk, but explored along the way), and have also caught the Metro. The Metro station most convenient to Vatican City, Ottaviano, isn’t all that close, so you’ll still have a 10-13 minute walk.
St Peter’s Basilica is huge! Not only is it impressive from the outside, with the Saints looking down at you from the top of the Basilica and surrounding structures, it is definitely worth navigating the crowds to visit the interior. It’s free to enter.
What about the Queues?
Our first visit inside the Basilica was part of a tour of the Vatican Museums. We were able to head straight into the Basilica from the Vatican. Our next visit was independently, and we did not book a tour. We arrived around mid morning and the line to access the Basilica was long. It wound all the way back to the street end of Piazza San Pietro! We were a little put off, but were actually pleasantly surprised by how quickly it moved.
We timed it and we were at the Security Gates in 24 mins. So, don’t be disheartened, and don’t feel pressured to buy a ‘skip the line’ tour from the spruiking tour guides. We read a Trip Advisor review where the reviewer had bought a ‘skip the line’ tour on the spot, only to have to wait in the tour company’s office for enough people to join the tour. Unfortunately, this took longer than the wait in line. I actually held our spot, whilst Hubby took some photos in the Piazza.
Getting Inside
Being a church, you are expected to dress appropriately, including covered shoulders for women, and no shorts. We saw people turned away at the security gates for not being covered (we also saw touts selling scarves in the Piazza). Your bag and camera will also be scanned by security.
Inside, there is so much to take in. Amazingly, all the ‘frescos’ covering the walls are actually incredibly detailed mosaics.
The dome is really high with its peak at 119 metres, and you can see the tombs of past Popes in the basement. You will see plenty of significant works of art, such as Michelangelo’s Pieta. There are so many amazing features to take in, it is well worth bringing your own guidebook, or hire the electronic guide, so you don’t miss the highlights.
There is so much to see around the Basilica, such as the amazing colonnades (great for photos), and you can also buy a ticket to climb up to the outside of the Dome. We plan to do this on our next trip to Rome. And of course, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, which will have to be the subject of a future story of their own.
There’s So Much More
If you’ve been to Rome, you may or may not agree with our top five sights. Admittedly, it was hard to shortlist, as there are so many captivating things to see. We also love the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Trastevere neighbourhood, so there may be a part two to this story in the future.
If you are considering a trip to Italy, click here to read our other stories from our time in Italy.