VATICAN CITY

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Your Rome holiday or adventure will not be complete without at least a half day allocated to this world’s smallest sovereign state. Just 0.44 sq km you can see the city in an hour. However, the history that is harbored in this little place is undeniably so important and epic—you will need a good day to immerse yourself in such a unique and humbling experience. 

ST. PETER’S BASILICA

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The largest and richest church in Italy is St. Peter’s Basilica. You cannot visit Vatican City and not enter the doors of St. Peter’s Basilica. The work of Michelangelo, especially the ‘pieta’, brings richness to the history and beauty of the church. Similarly, Bernini’s Baldachin at the papal altar, as well as the grottoes, are both spectacular. Before entering the basilica—start with the architecture outside—the top front with statues is perfect for detailed photo captures. Before leaving the church, go up to the cupola—the views from the cupola of St. Peter’s Square and beyond will forever be engraved in your memory.

SWISS GUARDS OUTSIDE ST. PETER’S BASILICA

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Right at the gate from St. Peter’s Square to St. Peter’s Basilica, there stand two guards who are the Pope’s guards and have been since the 1500’s. The army of Swiss men—who are catholic—are there to guard the entrances to the city of Vatican, in addition to guarding the pope.

VATICAN MUSEUMS

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When you think of the Vatican City, you must right away admire its religious museums exhibiting great artwork and artifacts believed to have been retrieved from as far back as the period of Jesus. Although people call it ‘a museum’, it is actually a collection of different museums housed in Palazzo Apostolico Vaticano. Raphael rooms and Sistine chapel are all part of the Vatican museums—with  Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel being the most popular. In the 16th century, Pope Julius II found the museums. For detailed information on the Vatican museums, see the 20 highlights at the Vatican Museum you must see.

SISTINE CHAPEL

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Even though the Sistine Chapel is part of the Vatican Museum, the place is so popular and mesmerizing—it deserves to be mentioned separately. When in Rome, if there is one place you must visit—Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Drawing over 20,000 visitors a day, Sistine Chapel stands as one of the most visited places in the world. When inside, focus on the ceiling and the ‘Last Judgement’ painting on the front wall—the amount of detail and thought put in the artwork by Michelangelo is impeccable.

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ROMAN FORUM

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Prominent people like Pompey and Julius Caesar led marches through the Roman Forum ruins. Whilst the Roman Forum cannot compete with the Colosseum with regards to traffic, it is still one of the most visited places in Rome. Despite being a ruined site, you are able to see how interestingly the buildings, serving very different purposes, were arranged. This was the center of shops, churches, and even masters and their slaves—everything happened at the forum. As the Roman forum is very close to the Colosseum and palatine hill—it is best to start your tour from the Colosseum (the most congested) and walk up to the forum entrance.

COLOSSEUM

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The great Colosseum—one of the new seven wonders of the world—draws thousands of visitors every day. This old gladiator fighting den is full of history—not a pleasant memory considering all the bloodshed of animals and gladiators. Roman Forum, Arch of Constantine and Palatine Hill are all in close proximity to the Colosseum.

ARCH OF CONSTANTINE

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Right outside the Colosseum, there stands a triumphal arch in Rome—through which emperors walked when they entered the city in triumph. The sole reason for its erection was to commemorate the victory of Constantine at the Milvian Bridge battle in year 312. At 21 m high, 25.9 m wide and 7.4 m deep—it is a spectacle.

PALATINO

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Palatino (Palatine Hill) is sandwiched between Roman Forum and the Circo Massimo. You will find pine trees and ruins—it was the most exclusive neighborhood in the Ancient Rome. Apparently, this is where Romulus killed his twin brother Remus and founded the city in 753 BC. It is also recorded that this is where Roman emperors lived—in their mighty glory and in luxury. Human habitation has been dated back to 8th century BC.  When Rome fell, Palatino fell into disrepair—much later, during the Renaissance, rich families planted gardens on the hill. You will find Museo Palatino—which houses a small collection of finds from the Palatino. The nearest metro station is Colosseo. Via dei Fori is the bus stop for Roman Forum and Palatino.

SPANISH STEPS & PIAZZA DI SPAGNA

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Piazza di Spagna is one spot in Rome that is cherished by both locals and foreigners because of the communal spirit that it manifests when people sit on the Spanish Steps—admiring the sinking boat fountain. Boutiques and many international shops are found at the square. When you visit Rome and have a resting time in between shopping and lunch, you would want to make a stop at the Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna. The nearest metro station is Spagna.

PIAZZA DEL POPOLO  

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Piazza del Popolo is a big public square that attracts visitors because of its obelisk that stands right at the center. The 36 meters high obelisk was brought from Egypt. The atmosphere here is calm and the square is not overpopulated as other popular piazzas in Rome. The nearest metro station is Flaminio.

PIAZZA BARBERINI

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Piazza Barberini was named after the Barberini Family—one of Rome’s dynasty clans. The Fontana del Tritone (Fountain of the Triton) sits right at the center of the piazza—depicting Triton, the sea god, blowing water with dolphins surrounding him. The nearest metro station is Barberini.

FONTANA DI TREVI

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The Trevi Fountain is one of the most visited attractions in Rome and remains as one of the most photographed places by Instagrammers. The beautiful water in this large baroque fountain is home to countless coins thrown in by tourists believing that one day they will return to the eternal city. The place receives so many visitors throughout the day—you will be lucky to find a fountain with no people around it. It was designed by Nicola Salvi in the 18th century and includes wild horses, rocks, and other figures.

PIAZZA VENEZIA

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This public busy square in Rome is known for its magnificent architecture and beautiful views. The most important attraction here is Altare della Patria, also known as IL Vittorian. This monument was built in the 19th century to commemorate Italian unification and honor Italy’s first king—Victor Emmanuel.

VILLA BORGHESE       

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Villa Borghese is a park located in the north side of Rome. The park is made up of museums such as Galleria Borghese, gardens and other attractions. It is one of the largest parks in Rome. The best way to see most of the park that is beautiful is to take a tour bus.

BORGHESE GALLERY AND MUSEUM

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Locally known as Museo Borghese, this art gallery in Rome houses famous art collections such as paintings by Caravaggio, Botticelli and Raphael—as well as sculptures by Bernini and Gian Lorenzo. Although not as popular as the main attractions in Rome, Borghese Gallery and Museum is still worth your time. Tickets are around €15 and the nearest public transport stop is Via Pinciana.

BONCOMPAGNI FASHION AND TEXTILE MUSEUM

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Museo Boncompagni is a fashion and textile museum on Via Boncompagni in Rome that will take you back to the fashion and trends of decades ago. If you want to understand the Italian style and sense of fashion, make sure you visit the museum.

INSULA ROMANA

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Insula Romana (Capitoline Hill), also known as Casa Romana Dellara Coeli, is a ruined building that sits at the bottom of Capitoline Hill. It was a residential estate built in the 2nd century.

PIAZZA DI SAN MARIA MAGGIORE

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Piazza di San Maria Maggiore is another public square with a charm—this is where you will find Obelisco Esquilino and Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore—which was founded in the 5th century and has remained a landmark in Rome for a long time. The square is surrounded by bus and tram stops—sightseeing buses also take this route.

PANTHEON    

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This 2000 years old church is a former temple that was completed in 126 AD. Entrance is free. The nearest stop for public transportation is Largo Di Torre Argentina. Although not as popular as the main attractions in Rome—Pantheon is still a place to see and admire.

PIAZZA NAVONA    

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Piazza Navona is said to be Rome’s most iconic square. It has fountains, cafés, street performers—among other interesting things. The most beautiful attraction here is Fountain of the Four Rivers that has an Egyptian obelisk right at the center of Piazza Navona. There are other fountains on the square that are also nice. The nearest stop for public transportation is Corso del Rinascimento.

RESTAURANTS SERVING TRADITIONAL FOOD IN ROME

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SUPPLIZIO : Street food and sandwich shop at Piazza Navona near the Tiber river. It is located on Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 143.

FLAVIO AL VELAVEVODETTO: Restaurant serving very traditional unique food. You will find the restaurant on Via di Monte Testaccio, 97.

SORPASSO: For those who want to have a tasty snack near the Vatican City, head over to the favorite local restaurant ll Sorpasso—located on Via Properzio, 31/33.

LOCAL FOOD IN ROME

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara: pasta, pecorino and Parmesan cheese, egg yolks, black pepper and pork

Filetto Di Baccala: Butter fried salty codfish

Suppli: A deep-fried rice ball filled with cheese, meat, and vegetables. The name means a surprise.

Airports: Fiumicino and Ciampino are two airports in Rome.

Sightseeing Tour Buses: There are so many hop-on-hop-off buses in Rome that have stops outside all the must-see attractions in Rome. Some well-known tour buses are Rome Open Tour and Ciao Roma.

Buses and Metro: Metro is the most reliable form of transportation in Rome. For more information on public transportation in Rome, click here.