Prepare to be blown away by all the awesome things to do in Rome.  There’s no tacky amusement parks, no touristy wax museums or anything of the sort. In Rome, it’s all about the iconic landmarks and ruins that make this one of the most unique cities in the world.

Here’s a quick run down on the best things to do in Rome

The Colloseum – You’ve probably seen it a thousand times in photos, but it’s still impressive in real life and going to Rome without going to see the Coliseum is a bit like going to work without no clothes on – no normal person is going to do it.  Get tickets near Palantine Hill (near where the tomato statue is).  You can buy them online but if you go when it opens at 8:30 (check opening and closing times here because they do change throughout the year) I only waited a few minutes.  There’s shitloads of people offering skip the line tickets but again, at 8:30 or even up to mid morning, there’s probably no need for that.   It fills up inside quite quickly and by the time I left, around 10:30, it’s shoulder to shoulder with people trying to take selfies over the railings.

Palantine Hill – When you’re done with the Colloseum, which you probably spend a few hours at, everybody heads to Palantine Hill, which is included in the price of the ticket.  It’s huge, and because of this, doesn’t appear, and isn’t actually that crowded.  It’s lovely walking through it but go to the top and enjoy the views because there’s less people where the actual Palentine Hill is located on Google Maps. Most people walk down to the Roman Forum and that’s the busiest part.

Trevi Fountain – Showed up here in the afternoon on my first day and could literally hardly move.  It’s much nicer at night or early morning (before 9a.m) so go there then and you won’t have to fight for a spot with the thousands of others who have come to throw coins in there and take a selfie. Loads to see and do around this area including some nice shops not far away.

The Pantheon – Much like Trevi Fountain, crowded in the afternoons and best seen early (early) morning.  It’s hard to photograph, even without people, and honestly the inside is rather unspectacular. The Pantheon is probably one of the most disappointing things to do in Rome as far as the well known landmarks go.  Perhaps not disappointing, but underwhelming, especially when you consider the Colloseum, Palatine Hill and St. Peters as “competitors”. Still, it’s got to be seen if you’re in Rome.

St. Peters Basilica – Often considered as the most famous work of renaissance architecture, and the world’s largest church, this is something to behold even as a devote atheist.  It’s free to get in but even when it first opens the lines get quite long getting through the security checks, of which there are many at pretty much every one of Rome’s top attractions and wherever there are worth doing things to do in Rome.

Castel Sant’Angelo – I enjoyed this one more than most, probably because there were the least amount of people inside, even during mid morning.  Make sure you walk up to the top, stopping by in each of the rooms for a glimpse into the history. You can see all over Rome from the top and there shouldn’t be too many people there.

Piazza Novana – A nice “square” (actually rectangle) in Rome built in the 1st century with a couple of statues. Nothing outstanding but definitely worth a visit. It’s lined with restaurants and cafes and doesn’t get too busy even in the afternoon.  There’s a bunch of street performers, artists and the like around there and also guys trying to sell you loads of shit, which is prevalent everywhere in Rome.  It’s a public square so never actually closes so you can show up anytime.

Altare della Patria –

Campo de’ Fiori – Bustling market with pasta, flowers, fruits, . Closes up in the afternoon.

The Streets of Rome – Roam the streets of Rome. I did every morning at about 5-7a.m when there’s not many people around and also throughout the day when the city comes alive.  Hundreds of cobblestone streets and old buildings, cafes, restaurants, boutiques and interesting street scene after street scene are presented to you.  This is a fabulous city to walk around

Campidoglio – This is a hilltop square designed by Michelangelo, surrounded by museums with one of the best views of the Roman forum.

Send us any questions or comments you have about things to do in Rome via email or ask us on twitter.

Send us any questions or comments you have about things to do in Rome via email or ask us on twitter.