Rome will make you never want to leave. If you are looking for the best Rome things to do, this guide brings together the places in this ancient city I would actually recommend: the Vatican and Colosseum, early-access tours, Spanish Steps, a very famous fountain, boutique hotels, the prettiest neighborhoods, the best restaurants, coffee spots, dessert stops, wine bars, shopping and the practical tips that make the city easier to handle. Every crumbling wall here has a story older than anything you have ever stood next to.

Below you will find my favorite spots, hidden gems, travel tips, major attractions, best tours, Roman pizza and honest tips from my most recent solo trip. Plenty of it is aimed at solo travelers who want a real Rome Italy experience with a little comfort, rather than a rushed checklist. Enjoy your Roman holiday in the eternal city!

Updated in 2026

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Rome things to do: practical tips before you go

Visit between April and June or in September and October for the best combination of pleasant weather and manageable crowds. July and August are hot and hectic: temperatures can easily climb past 40 degrees in the afternoon, which makes sightseeing incredibly uncomfortable. Whatever time of year you visit, always book your Colosseum and Vatican tickets in advance. The queues without pre-booked tickets are long enough to ruin your day.

Plan for at least five full days to explore Rome and the rich history at a relaxed pace, especially since it’s a large city and spreading your sightseeing out lets you move at your own pace. On my most recent solo trip I stayed at The Hoxton, which turned out to be one of the best decisions I made. For your first day, a fun Fiat or Vespa tour is a smart option for a first trip because it helps you see all the highlights quickly without destroying your feet before day two.

Getting around in Rome

Taxis are expensive in Rome, and while the city’s public transportation is useful, the metro network is limited because of all the archaeological discoveries underground. Buses run on their own schedule, and ticket inspection is hysterically strict, so always tap and go (and make sure the light turns green) or stamp your ticket. Roma Termini is the central train station in Rome. Renting a car in Rome is not recommended due to traffic.

Even easier: get the Roma Pass and you will never have to think about it again. Stay connected from the moment you land with a Saily eSIM, downloaded before departure so you can navigate instantly.

Stunning boutique hotels in Rome

My stay at The Hoxton was one I absolutely loved. As a solo traveller, it was ideal: sociable lobby that feels like a living room, a good restaurant, a lively bar and plenty of digital nomads and fellow solo travellers to meet. The only downside is that it sits about a 25-minute bus ride from the centre, so factor that in when planning your days.

For those who prefer a more luxurious stay, two beautiful options are worth adding to your list. Umiltà 36 is a five-star boutique luxury hotel a short walk from the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon, blending Art Deco with contemporary design. The rooftop bar is worth the visit alone.

Opened in 2024 and just a 2 minute walk from the Trevi Fountain, Je Rome Hotel has 29 renovated rooms, plus a cocktail bar and restaurant downstairs. It is part of the Ner Collection and a great option if you want to stay right in the center.

For something more luxurious, Casa Monti in Monti is the one I would splurge on. The interiors alone make it worth every euro. Parioli is an upscale residential neighborhood in Rome, which also helps explain The Hoxton’s calmer setting.

The Hoxton Hotel | Best Boutique Hotels in Rome

Rome things to do: sightseeing and top tours

Vatican early access tour

Standing in Vatican City at 07:30, before the crowds arrive, is one of those travel experiences that stays with you. My guide Julia referred to the other tour groups as “the Barbarians” and kept urging us to stay ahead of them, which made the early morning feel like a slightly theatrical heist. So much fun.

The Vatican Museums hold centuries of art and end in the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s frescoes leave the place feeling almost unreal. After 3.5 hours you will be completely “temple tired” and unable to absorb a single new stimulus. Walk back to the center over the Ponte Sant’Angelo and let it sink in.

St. Peter’s Basilica is home to the Pietà and its moving depiction of the Virgin Mary. If you want even earlier access, look into the Key Masters Tour. Book well ahead if you want to add the Vatican Gardens or time your visit around a papal audience.

Colosseum and Roman Forum early access

Walking through the Colosseum is surreal in the best possible way. This is the place your history books spent entire chapters on, and standing inside it feels like walking in a film set. The Colosseum is the largest ancient amphitheater in the world and once held over 50,000 spectators. During my visit the entire Colosseum was being brushed down with brooms, walls included, in preparation for the Pope’s Good Friday address the following day. A very Roman scene.

The Forum Romanum, or roman forum, was the political, religious, and commercial heart of ancient Rome and is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. A guided tour of the Roman Forum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, really enhances your experience by bringing this ancient city to life in a way that independent exploring simply cannot match, especially once you start connecting the site to the wider roman empire.

Book your early access colosseum and roman forum tour, which usually includes palatine hill, well in advance, particularly in spring and summer, as this sprawling site of ancient ruins can take hours to explore. And wear comfortable shoes for the uneven ground.

Vespa and Fiat tours

Rome will absolutely destroy your feet, because you can walk everywhere! A Vespa or Fiat city tour is a brilliant way to cover a lot of ground quickly while actually enjoying the view and relaxing as a passenger prince or princess, and the historic center lets you see a surprising amount of the whole city from a Vespa or Fiat on day one. Scheduling this for your first day is smart: you get oriented fast and arrive everywhere else with a sense of the city already in your head. This kind of scenic ride also reaches corners tour buses cannot access as easily.

The impressive Forum Romanum

Rome things to do: best neighbourhoods

Trastevere: the most characterful neighbourhood in Rome

One of my favourite areas in the city, Trastevere has a raw, lived-in energy that the more polished tourist zones completely lack. Book a food tour through Trastevere; the concentration of specialist food shops here is extraordinary, and it works especially well as a street food experience with tastings of local specialties.

The pistachio tiramisu from Santini is divine, the sandwiches from Trapizzino (just five euros) are perfect for a quick lunch, and the cookies from Biscottificio Artigiano Innocenti are dangerously good. The snacks from Supplì will haunt you. For shopping, try Pifebo Vintage Shop and Handmade. A food tour is highly recommended!

Note that after lunch many shops close and only reopen around 18:30. Good restaurants in the local neighborhood: Da Enzo (no reservations, expect a queue), Pianostrada, Tonnarello, Contempo and Nannarella. End the evening at Vino e Vinili for a glass of wine and whatever vinyl happens to be playing. Also worth knowing: Via dei Vascellari, Via dei Genovesi and Via della Scala are three of the best streets to wander here.

Monti: Rome’s coolest neighbourhood

Monti surprised me! Via Urbana is lively and the side streets are full of beautiful terraces, independent shops, and other cool places. Favourites include Ruby Loves Rome for clothing and jewellery, the small terrace at Taverna Urbana, Aromaticus for an organic lunch and cocktails at Drop of Blackmarket Hall Rione. Follow my Instagram for more Monti spots as I keep discovering new ones.

Campo de Fiori and surroundings

The morning market at Campo de Fiori is not to be missed. Combine it with lunch at Roscioli (book ahead!) and make sure to walk down Via dei Cappelari, one of the prettiest streets in the neighbourhood. Via dei Coronari, Via del Governo Vecchio and Via dei Banchi Vecchi are all worth adding to your walking route.

Rome things to do: best shopping

Booktique is a concept store with all kinds of fun things, great books and gifts. Ruby Loves Rome in Monti does beautiful clothing and jewellery. Lela is the place for beautiful homeware, Nous for the best jewellery selection, and Essenzialmente Laura di Laura Bosetti Tonatto stocks the most extraordinary perfumes. Bag à Porter Coronari is a great spot for bags and wallets. Finally, do not miss the streets Via dei Coronari and Via del Governo Vecchio for independent boutiques and antique shops.

Rome things to do: best ice cream and dessert

Gelateria Giolitti is the oldest ice cream shop in the city and it absolutely lives up to the reputation. With over 50 flavours the choice is overwhelming, but the queue gives you time to decide. Worth every minute of the wait. Gelateria de Viale in Trastevere and Frigidarium are both really good alternatives.

For something completely different, Mr. 100 Tiramisu serves one hundred flavours of tiramisu, or a tasting of three if you cannot decide. Pasticceria Santini offers the best cakes, sweets and tiramisu in the city.

Pro tip: Around the Pantheon, do not let yourself be tempted by those lemon sorbet cups. Prices are often not displayed and I ended up paying fifteen euros for one. Felt rather ripped off.

Giolitti ice cream

Rome things to do: best wine bars

Cul de Sac is the oldest enoteca in Rome (the staff is not the friendliest though), with a wonderful Primitivo and an extensive charcuterie menu. Order the truffle cheese. I went back twice. Enoteca Bortone is a cosy gem with the best sharing boards; on my first visit we were the only tourists and the Friday evening vibe with locals was wonderful. Birra e Sale is another solid option worth adding to your evening itinerary.

New discoveries from my recent solo trip that I cannot stop thinking about: Ruma Bottega & Cucina Agricola for gorgeous cheeses, Vino e Vinili (a wine bar and vinyl café where you can always drop in for a tasting or simply decompress), Retrovino, Vinoteca 900 and the utterly spectacular rooftop bar Gigi Rigolatto. At this rooftop you pay around 24 euros for a cocktail with a view, but the amount of beautiful snacks they bring alongside makes it completely worth it. Order the Capri! Fantastic spot. Also worth knowing: The Gin Corner Rooftop for dangerously good cocktails.

Gigi Rigolatto at the beautiful Orient Express Hotel

Rome things to do: best breakfast, brunch and lunch

Écru is a vegan and vegetarian raw food spot and art gallery that serves my favourite turmeric latte in Rome, alongside homemade cashew yoghurt. Delicious breakfast! The kind of place you linger in longer than planned. Barnum serves great coffee plus delicious homemade pastas and salads that are ideal for a proper lunch. Coromandel is famous for its brunch and always requires a reservation, so book ahead. For a more casual lunch, Mercato Centrale is a fun stop for trendy food stalls and local dishes.

Roscioli deserves its own paragraph. I stood in line for ten minutes before asking the person next to me whether they had a reservation. They did. I did not. Roscioli works with time slots, so booking ahead is non-negotiable. Three Canadian women with a reservation generously invited me to join their table, which turned an embarrassing moment into one of the highlights of the trip.

Every anchovy dish here is outstanding, and honestly the entire menu is exceptional, making it one of the best places to linger over classic Roman takes on Italian food. There is also a lovely deli shop inside worth browsing. My favorite place!

More great brunch and lunch options

For a low-key lunch at a seriously high level, go to LABottega pastificio con cucina. The menu changes daily and the owner makes sure you end up with exactly what you will love most. At this kind of restaurant you order a glass of white wine without looking at a wine list and receive something good for six euros.

Antica Enoteca has what might be one of the most beautiful terraces in Rome. Very popular with tourists, but absolutely worth it. Inside is equally warm and lively. Order the fresh pasta with truffle. Rome is also deeply in love with artichoke and you will find tasty variations on every menu. Osteria Bonelli is also a great option if you want traditional Roman cuisine.

Pro tip: Tap water in Rome is excellent quality. Wine, strangely enough, is very expensive in many places. Ten euros a glass is not unusual, which is particularly baffling given that Italy produces it right on the doorstep.

Escosazio does the best smoothies in the city, alongside organic bites and sandwiches. Ginger has delicious açaí bowls, salads and fresh juices. L’Antica Salumeria is an authentic trattoria where the older gentlemen behind the counter have clearly been working there all their lives and love offering little tastings of what they sell. Truly worth a visit: the homemade truffle sausage is extraordinary and the sandwiches are outstanding.

Rome things to do: best coffee

Among all the coffee I had in Rome, and possibly anywhere in recent memory, Faro was the absolute standout. This place ranks in the top 100 best coffee shops in the world. The baked goods and lunch dishes are equally impressive. I ordered the Maricordo, an old-fashioned Roman cream pastry with lemon cream that tasted like a one-way ticket to heaven. So good!

Barnum also wins the prize for the best iced coffee in the city. Sant’Eustacio is a traditional coffee bar with delicious homemade cookies. Note that sitting outside costs slightly more than ordering at the bar inside, which is standard practice across Rome. Order at the counter like a local and save the terrace for a glass of wine later.

Rome things to do: best cocktails and nightlife

Jerry Thomas Speakeasy and Fluid are both worth a visit, and Bar del Fico is a local favourite with a huge terrace, a laid-back atmosphere and a perfect spot for people-watching. If you want a more local night out, head to Testaccio, famous for its lively party scene and local eateries and often seen as one of the top nightlife areas in the entire city. The Trastevere neighbourhood in general is a paradise for craft beer lovers, with specialty bars tucked into almost every side street.

Rome things to do: frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Rome?

Five full days is ideal when visiting Rome, giving you enough time to see the major sights, explore neighbourhoods like Trastevere and Monti at a relaxed pace and still have evenings free for long dinners and wine bars. Three days is the absolute minimum if you want to cover the highlights without rushing, and even then you should prioritize the Colosseum and Roman Forum as your essential introduction to Ancient Rome.

What is the best time of year to visit Rome?

April, May, September and October are the sweet spot: pleasant temperatures, manageable crowds and everything open. July and August are very hot and extremely busy. Winter is quiet and mild, with shorter queues at all the major sites.

Do you need to book the Colosseum and Vatican in advance?

Yes, always, especially for the Colosseum and major sights in Vatican City. The queues for walk-up tickets can be several hours long, particularly in summer. The Pantheon now requires a guided tour for entry.

Book a guided Colosseum tour with skip-the-line access and go early in the morning to beat both the crowds and the heat; it’s especially worthwhile here and at the Roman Forum for the historical context. If you want to add the arena floor or underground, that usually requires a separate ticket.

The same applies to the Vatican early access tour; arriving at 07:30 makes an enormous difference.

Which neighbourhood is best to stay in for a solo trip to Rome?

Trastevere is charming, lively and full of cosy restaurants and bars. Staying within walking distance of the major sights makes a solo trip much easier. Monti is slightly quieter and very photogenic. For solo travellers specifically, The Hoxton is a great base: the sociable lobby means you are never sitting alone, and you will easily meet fellow travellers.

Is Rome easy to get around?

Rome has a limited metro network due to the archaeological finds underground, so you will mostly rely on walking, buses and taxis. Taxis are pricey. Buses work well but ticket inspection is strict, so always tap and make sure the light turns green. The Roma Pass covers public transport and gives you skip-the-line access at several sites, making it great value for a five-day trip.