The Best Things to Do in Rome for First-Time Visitors

Some of Rome’s most popular attractions get very busy, especially in spring, summer, and around holidays.

If you know you want to visit the Colosseum or Vatican Museums, book your tickets before your trip. Timed tickets also make it easier to build the rest of your day around them.

Don’t book every minute of your trip, though. Leave the rest of the day flexible.

A museum or archaeological site can easily take two or three hours. Add walking, security checks, lunch, and a coffee break, and the day fills up quickly.

I would usually plan one or two major attractions in a day, then add smaller stops around them.

You’ll have a much better time than trying to squeeze in five major sights and spending the whole day checking the time.

In central Rome, walking is often the easiest way to get around.

You’ll see much more than you would from a bus or taxi, and many sights are close enough to combine in one walk.

Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll probably walk more than you expect.

For longer distances, use the metro or bus instead of spending an hour walking somewhere that could take 15–20 minutes by public transportation.

Rome’s metro is useful, but it doesn’t go everywhere you might expect.

There are only a few lines, and much of the historic center is not directly served by the metro. Buses fill in some of the gaps, but traffic can make them slow.

For a first visit, don’t worry about using public transportation for every short trip. Walk when the distance makes sense and use the metro when you need to get from one part of Rome to another.

This sounds obvious, but it can save you from a wasted trip.

Museums and attractions have different closing days and hours, and churches can have different schedules because of religious services.

Check the official website before you go, especially if you are visiting on a Sunday, Monday, or holiday.

Put places with fixed opening hours into your itinerary first. Everything else can be arranged around them.

It’s usually worth starting your sightseeing earlier in the morning. The main attractions are generally less crowded, and you’ll have more time to see everything without rushing.

You’ll also have more time later in the day to enjoy a long coffee or lunch instead of trying to fit them in between attractions.

Don’t schedule your lunch like another attraction.

If you find a good trattoria, sit down and take your time. If you’re not hungry, grab something quick and keep going.

The important thing is not to spend your entire day eating near the sights just because it is convenient. A short walk away from the busiest tourist streets can make a big difference.

If you are visiting Rome in summer, you’ll notice the heat quickly.

The middle of the day is often the hardest time to walk around, especially if you have been sightseeing since morning.

This is a good time to have a longer lunch, return to your hotel, or sit somewhere in the shade. You can continue later when it gets more comfortable.

At least once during your trip, leave the map alone for a couple of hours.

Pick an area such as Monti, Testaccio, Trastevere, or Prati and walk around without trying to see every attraction.

Stop for a coffee, look into small shops, have lunch, or just follow streets that look interesting.

You’ll see a side of Rome that doesn’t come from ticking off famous landmarks.

You don’t have to spend every evening in a restaurant.

Go for a walk after dinner, visit a piazza, get a gelato, or simply walk through the historic center when the daytime crowds have started to thin out.

It’s also a good time to see some places you already visited during the day. They can look completely different after dark.

This is probably one of the most useful practical tips for a first trip.

Rome is not enormous, but it is big enough that going from one end to another several times a day will eat up your time.

Before you leave your hotel each morning, look at everything you want to do that day and put it into a logical order. Also check opening hours, especially for churches and smaller attractions. Some places have split hours, closing for a few hours in the afternoon and reopening later.

Just avoid unnecessary backtracking.

You don’t have to spend every evening in a restaurant.

Go for a walk after dinner, visit a piazza, get a gelato, or simply walk through the historic center when the daytime crowds have started to thin out.

It’s also a good time to see some places you already visited during the day. They can look completely different after dark.