Full Guide to Seeing The Highlights of Rome, Italy

I spent about 5 days in Rome, and digested as much information as I could while I was there. I don’t love fast travel, but I didn’t have the budget to travel for longer in Italy.

Some Advice to Heed

First and foremost, it’s easier to stay in downtown Rome, specifically because of transport costs. The airport is the most expensive place to travel from. I spent $80 on FREENOW (which is like their version of Uber) for a 15 minute drive. It would’ve cost $15 to take the train downtown, which is 30-60 minutes away if I was staying there.

I also have to mention the necessity of booking in advance, because there were a lot of places that I couldn’t visit since they were overbooked. For example, the Colosseum and the Vatican fill up the fastest, and I was lucky enough to visit 1/2. Thankfully my timing was lucky; when you visit the first Sunday of the month, almost all the museums and historical attractions are free (not including the Vatican since it’s a different city). There was only one place that required reservations that day (spoiler alert, I didn’t make it), and everywhere else just had a very long line… but they moved pretty quick.

Over 50 Restaurants Saved on My Maps

I’ve never researched more restaurants in my life. I have something to say about most of them since I made it my business to visit as many as I could in 4 days.

You can’t go to Rome without trying a slice of Roman-style pizza. There are tons of tourists traps around with this type of pizza, so let me help you avoid them. Go to Pizzeria La Boccaccia for an affordable and delicious focaccia square (or a couple).

Since I visited lots of other pizza spots, I need to mention Pizzeria Alle Carrette (pictured). It wasn’t Roman style, but it was quite good and the drinks were stellar. I heard many great things about the pizza at Emma too. They have pasta too, but the pizza is what should get you through the door.

Of course, since you’re in Italy, you’re going to want some pasta, and I have some great affordable, well-priced, or expensive (but worth it) recommendations.

On my last night, I got a delicious meal at Ristorante Piccolo Spazio, which was pretty close by to my hostel. While the food was delicious, I was more impressed with the service. They were very attentive, and made sure I was taken care of, in spite of being a solo diner. It was also quite affordable, which meant I could try more menu items.

Pastificio Guerra is a can’t miss if you’re on a budget. They have very affordable pasta to go, and the Carbonara is heavenly. You need to get there early if you don’t want to end up at the end of the line that wraps around the street… but there is no way to avoid a wait in one way or another. The portion sizes are great too, I made the mistake of getting 2 when I only needed one.

Now let’s talk about the best Carbonara in Rome, Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina. A little pricey, but well-worth it if you’re looking for this insanely good pasta dish, it even earned a Michelin Star. Another good pasta place that is worth checking out is Tonnarello. The dishes are served in the pan, and it’s known as one of the best places to eat in Trastevere.

Now rice balls are my favorite, so I definitely tried Arancini while I was here. I popped into Mami to grab some, and they were next level incredible. That wasn’t the only thing they served, they had pizza there too, and it all looked fantastic with a decent price.

If you’re looking for some gelato, I have a fantastic place, but you’re gonna have a guaranteed line. If you pass by it and see a short line, then you need to grab some. I wouldn’t say it’s worth the wait in a long line though. This gelato place is called La Gelateria Frigidarium. Make sure you choose a good flavor, because they’re all pretty unique, and I couldn’t resist trying a couple of them.

If you’re still in the dessert mood, right next door is another pastry shop called Two Sizes, and it has some of the best Tiramisu that you’ll ever eat. You have a bunch of flavor options, and they have cannolis and other pastries available as well. I got peanut butter, original, and coffee tiramisu as well as a nutella cannoli.

Rome on a Sunday is a good place to be, and one of the reasons for that is the Farmer’s Market. A great place to get a sandwich or other incredible Italian specialties is the Campagna Amica Market. That’s where I grabbed this heavenly masterpiece, and some other little snacks. Or if it isn’t a Sunday, then consider Fratelli Santi Mauro & Zeno.

Now let’s talk bakeries. I tried Antico Forno Roscioli (pictured here) and it was pretty decent, but I wouldn’t say it’s the best spot. Their coffeeshop was quite good though, so I’d recommend that. I would also like to mention II Fornaio which was even better.

If you’re looking for a good cappuccino, avoid Warm Bar Tavola Calda, it’s okay for coffee, but it didn’t blow me away. Now, if you’re looking to be blown away, then you need to try D’Angelo Caffè & Gastronomia. It’s pretty lowkey, and I had this delicious coffee and croissant (pictured) as well as a baguette sandwich that was quite good.

Aperitivo Ideas

I spent most of my time trying to find good aperitif deals while I was in Italy, and while I can’t recommend any that I personally enjoyed in Rome, you’ll see some great finds in my other Italian posts that I was able to taste test myself.

I didn’t have the chance to check out Pimm’S Good, but it’s right around the corner in Trastevere and it’s supposed to have an incredible aperitivo that I planned to go to. Head there at happy hour to get a good drink before dinner. I’d recommend avoiding Al Vino, Al Vino for aperitivo, it wasn’t very good, so personally I wouldn’t go back.

I wasn’t able to make it to as many as I would have hoped, but I had plenty of plans, so I want to mention the ones I wanted to visit. First up, Chulo’s Bar Aperitif & Drink. Then you can consider Bar Rossana, Aristocampo Trastevere, Momart, La Zanzara, and one of the coolest is Freni e Frizioni.

Where Did I Stay?

Some advice that you should heed when booking hotels is that if you stay anywhere outside of downtown Rome, it’s going to cost considerably more to get a taxi than it is to take the train to downtown. I ended up overspending almost $100 for a 15 minute drive (and Freenow starts charging when they arrive, not when you find them).

I really enjoyed my hostel, which was in downtown, so I would recommend it to anyone who asked. I stayed in an 8 bed room, but they have smaller rooms and private options available. They have a rooftop bar, a downstairs bar and a decent kitchen available. Alessandro Palace & Bar is the hostel you need to head to, especially if you want to make some new friends.

If you want to stay outside of Rome, particularly if you have a car, then I’d recommend Hotel Boomerang. I really enjoyed this spot, it was just difficult to get to/from with public transport, but it was a great midpoint between the city and the sea. They had a gorgeous pool and LOOK at this breakfast setup.

Let’s Talk What to Do, Unrelated to Food

Let me mention the obvious first. Trevi Fountain, Vatican City, and the Colosseum. Here’s an insider’s secret, the Trevi Fountain is almost completely empty if you go early in the morning or late at night. Keep in mind that they drain it on some week days, so make sure you check that it’s filled when you go see it. If you’re looking for affordability, make sure you get up bright and early on the first Sunday of the month to get in line for the museums since that’s the free day.

I would recommend the Colosseum if you’re looking to save some money, but that line is definitely going to be the longest. It’s hard to get tickets if you don’t get them within the week, so make getting tickets a priority if you want to avoid the lines. It’s a great place to see, but even if you miss getting inside, the outside is quite spectacular and it’s right in downtown.

A lot of the things I wanted to do as well as public transport were included in the Roma Pass, so I’d highly recommend getting your hands on one of them. Just make sure you book your attractions in advance so that they don’t sell out, I ran into that issue with the Colosseum.

You have to go to the Vatican while you are in Rome, it’s a nonnegotiable. Vatican City, while small, is incredibly beautiful and you need to plan at least a full day worth of time to explore it. I was there several hours and it was nowhere near enough.

There is also a whole exhibit about past popes that includes all the pope-mobiles throughout the years. Make sure you buy tickets in advance so you can go inside and see the Sistine Chapel too. The walk to that chapel took my breathe away (some of it pictured). St. Peter’s Basilica should be included as well, I was blown away by the ceilings there. Your jaw is going to be constantly dropping at the beauty. While I would have preferred a guided tour, since one wasn’t available, just going inside was worth it.

Make sure to check out the piazza out front while you’re out of it. It’s called Piazza San Pietro, and it’s a gorgeous area to walk around, with some fountains too. Of course there is another plaza that you might want to see, and that’s Piazza Navona.

Want to see underneath the Trevi Fountain? Perhaps a secret underground archaeological site of an ancient Roman apartment complex? Check out Vicus Caprarius when you go see the Trevi Fountain, it’s quite the unique spot, and it’s really affordable. Reservations are required, so call ahead!

I visited Rome in June 2023, which was conveniently one of the last month’s that the Pantheon was free to enter. That is no longer the case. The newly instated ticket prices include an audioguide, so that helps you understand what you’re seeing. Make sure you get there early, because the only reason I got this picture is because it was before the tourists jam packed this square a few hours later.

I can’t neglect to mention the Spanish Steps, which everyone loves to visit. I would like to add that you have to be careful to treat these with respect. You aren’t supposed to eat or drink anything while there, so keep that in mind! You aren’t technically supposed to sit either, but there were definitely people sitting when I was there.

One of the spots on the pass that I enjoyed perusing was Museo Nazionale del Palazzo di Venezia. Since it’s not one of the big ticket attractions, it wasn’t very busy during busy season so I could make my rounds with minimal interruptions, and it was great for photo-ops. It’s right in the middle of Rome, so it’s easy to get to and easy to keep going to the other attractions while you’re at it.

While you’re around here, you won’t be able to miss Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II, and if you’re here, you might be able to catch the changing of the guards which is a really cool to see. The ruins of Rome are nearby, so you’ll see those too while you’re around there.

Now onto Museo Nazionale Castel Sant’Angelo, which I visited on free museum day. I definitely would’ve paid for this spot, it was so cool and quite historical. There are some more beautiful ceilings, and even better views inside this gorgeous castle. This spot was a bit busier, but the line moved pretty fast. Luckily there were bathrooms and fresh water right at the start, so I was well-accommodated during my visit.

Make sure you visit Galeria Borghese for some stunning art and history, it even has it’s own park right next door. If you want to skip out on museums, then you’ll definitely see some beauty and kill some time in this gorgeous 17th century garden that used to be a vineyard, now known as Villa Borghese. Palazzo Barberini is another artistic spot that you can’t miss while you’re wandering Rome. I really enjoyed the Botanical Garden of Rome too, it’s a cheap ticket and has quite some beauty to explore.

There were quite a few gorgeous churches, which I’m sure you know. To mention some of the ones I loved to see, Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli and Basilica of Santa Maria della Vittoria. If I’m being honest, you could just wander down the street, and I’m sure any museum you enter is going to wow you, that’s what I did to find a few.

I really wanted to visit Ostia Antica, an archaeological site a little ways from the city and accessible by public transport. If you have the chance to see it, you need to take it! It’s on the Rome Pass as well, so why not go visit!

While I was only able to make a dent in my list of Rome attractions, I want to mention the free ones that I found in my research. Some museums to consider are Museum of Casal de ‘Pazzi, Museo Delle Mura, Museo Pietra Canonica, MAXXI – Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI Secolo, Capitoline Museums, Museo Nazionale Romano – Palazzo Altemps, Museo di Roma, Galleria Spada.

After spending barely 5 days there, I can conclude that I am a huge fan of Rome and certainly plan on returning to finish all the tourist bits I missed out on.

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