20 Best Things to Do in Rome (2026 Guide)

Rome has more things to do in Rome than any single trip can fit in, and this is a resident’s rundown, not a rushed checklist. It mixes the free things you can repeat every week, the fountains, the piazzas, Trastevere at sunset, with the ticketed sites worth a whole morning, the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums, the Galleria Borghese. Every price and opening time below was checked against the official venue or ministry source in 2026, and I have flagged where a site needs advance booking. Things move fast here, so always confirm before you go.

Free and Low-Cost Things to Do in Rome

The best things to do in Rome cost nothing at all. Start at the Trevi Fountain, Rome’s largest and most theatrical fountain, where tradition says tossing a coin over your shoulder guarantees a return trip; it is floodlit and open around the clock, so go early or late to dodge the crowds. A short walk away, Piazza della Rotonda fronts the Pantheon, and even without paying for the interior, the 2,000-year-old dome and portico are free to admire from the square.

Piazza Navona, built over an ancient stadium, is the city’s best outdoor gallery, anchored by Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers. From there it is an easy stroll to the Spanish Steps, or across the river to Trastevere, whose cobbled lanes make it one of the most atmospheric things to do in Rome after dark. For a free view over the whole city, climb the Gianicolo Hill or walk the Villa Borghese gardens, both open daily.

1. Trevi Fountain – free, open 24 hours
2. Pantheon exterior and Piazza della Rotonda – free to view
3. Piazza Navona – free, Bernini’s fountains
4. Trastevere – free to wander, best at dusk
5. Villa Borghese gardens and Gianicolo Hill – free city views

Historic Things to Do in Rome: Ancient Rome and the Vatican

For history, the top things to do in Rome are the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, sold on one combined ticket: 18 euro for adults, 2 euro for EU citizens 18 to 24, free under 18. It opens daily from 8:30am, closing between 4:30pm in winter and 7:15pm from late March to September, with the Forum and Palatine opening at 9am. Book the Colosseum’s timed slot in advance through the official site, colosseo.it, since walk-up demand regularly sells out.

The Vatican Museums, home to the Sistine Chapel, are the other essential. Full entry is 20 euro (10 euro reduced), open Monday to Saturday 8am to 8pm, last entry 6pm; the last Sunday of the month is free but opens only 9am to 2pm and gets busy. Book a timed slot on tickets.museivaticani.va, or compare a guided skip-the-line tour on klook.com if you would rather not manage it yourself.

The Pantheon, the best-preserved building from ancient Rome, now charges entry: around 7 euro from July 2026, 2 euro reduced for EU citizens 18 to 25, free for under-18s and on the first Sunday. It opens daily 9am to 7pm, last entry 6:30pm. If your things to do in Rome list is heavy on ticketed sites, book ahead on tiqets.com to secure entry rather than queueing.

Art, Museums and Roman Views

Two more sites round out the best things to do in Rome for art and views. The Galleria Borghese holds one of Italy’s finest collections of Bernini sculpture and Caravaggio inside a 17th-century villa, but it can only be visited by reservation; there are no tickets at the door. Full entry is 16 euro plus a mandatory 2 euro booking fee, open Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 7pm, last entry 5:45pm, closed Mondays.

Across the river, Castel Sant’Angelo, the fortress Hadrian built as his mausoleum and later a papal refuge, gives one of the best rooftop views over St Peter’s Basilica for around 16 euro, open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am to 7:30pm.

If you plan several paid sites in a short trip, the Roma Pass bundles transport with free or discounted entry: 38 euro for 48 hours with your first museum free, or 62.90 euro for 72 hours with two free entries. Compare it against a multi-attraction pass on gocity.com before committing, since which one wins depends on your list.

Family-Friendly Things to Do in Rome

Travelling with kids opens up a different set of things to do in Rome. The Bioparco di Roma, the zoo inside Villa Borghese park, charges 19 euro for adults and 14 euro reduced (under 1 metre free), open daily except Christmas from 9:30am, closing 5pm in winter and up to 7pm on summer weekends.

The Villa Borghese gardens are free and built for families: rent a bike for the flat, shaded paths, or row a boat on the small lake by the Pincio terrace. For getting around without a stroller on buses, compare rental prices on bikesbooking.com before defaulting to taxis.

Neighborhoods, Food and Day Trips

Some of the best things to do in Rome are not attractions at all, but neighborhoods. Trastevere is the obvious evening pick, but Testaccio, built around Rome’s old slaughterhouse and pottery hill, has quietly become the best food neighborhood, with its market and trattorias serving classic Roman cucina povera. Campo de’ Fiori runs a produce and flower market every morning except Sunday, then turns into a bar-hopping piazza by night.

Arriving with luggage before check-in? A left-luggage point near Termini through radicalstorage.com lets you start sightseeing hands-free, and booking an airport transfer through welcomepickups.com avoids the taxi-rank markup on day one. Once you have covered the centre, day trips to Ostia Antica, Tivoli or the Castelli Romani wine towns are an easy train or bus ride out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best free things to do in Rome?

The Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps, Trastevere and the Villa Borghese gardens are all free, making an easy day of walking through the historic centre, the things to do in Rome residents repeat the most.

How much does it cost to visit the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums?

The combined Colosseum, Forum and Palatine ticket is 18 euro, and the Vatican Museums are 20 euro full price or free on the last Sunday of the month. Both need a timed slot booked through their official sites.

Do I need to book attractions in Rome in advance?

For the big sites, yes. The Colosseum, Vatican Museums and Galleria Borghese all sell out walk-up slots, and the Borghese sells no tickets at the door at all, so book each one online first.

Is the Roma Pass worth it?

It depends how many paid sites you plan. The 48-hour pass at 38 euro or the 72-hour pass at 62.90 euro pays off with two or more paid museums; for just the Colosseum and a walk through town, single tickets are cheaper.

What can I do in Rome without a car?

Nearly everything on this list. The historic centre, Trastevere, the Vatican and Villa Borghese are all walkable or a short metro or bus ride apart, and a car is more hassle than help inside Rome’s traffic zones.

Expat Essentials for Rome

A few quick wins make settling into Rome easier while you work through this guide. An Airalo eSIM keeps you online from the moment you land, a pre-booked Welcome Pickups transfer takes the stress out of arrival day, and NordVPN protects your logins on public wifi. See our full list of trusted services below.

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