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01
45 min
Pantheon
The Pantheon stands on Piazza della Rotonda in the middle of old Rome, and it is two things at once: a Roman temple and a working Catholic church.
- Must see
- Place of worship
City guide · Italy
Rome
Rome is a broad historic city whose central archaeological, papal and baroque districts are close enough to walk but too dense to compress into one route. The C...
Photograph · Bert Kaufmann from Roermond, Netherlands · CC BY-SA 2.0
11,530
Places
- Suggested stay
- 4-5 days
- Getting around
- Walking, metro, tram and bus
Turn this list into a plan
Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Rome is a broad historic city whose central archaeological, papal and baroque districts are close enough to walk but too dense to compress into one route. The Colosseum and forums, the Pantheon-Navona core, Vatican-Prati and Trastevere form separate clusters. Public transport handles longer links, yet much of a visit still happens on foot over uneven surfaces. Plan fewer major interiors per day and keep each route on one side of the Tiber where possible.
Checked 2026-08-26
Practical information
- Language spoken
- Italian
- National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
- Dialling code
- +39
- International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
- Emergency number
- 112
- Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
- Plug type
- Type C, F and L · 230 V
- Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
- Tap water
- Not recorded
- No verified nationwide visitor statement was recorded
Planning a visit
September · September cools Rome to a 26.5°C mean high, though normal rainfall rises to 73.3 mm.
- January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- February: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- March: good time to visit
- April: good time to visit
- May: best time to visit
- June: best time to visit
- July: good time to visit
- August: good time to visit
- September: best time to visit — current month
- October: good time to visit
- November: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- December: viable with meaningful trade-offs
- Best time
- Good time
- Viable with trade-offs
- Difficult conditions
Sources
- worldweather.wmo.int Checked 2026-08-28
Top things to see
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
Filter the list
17 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
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02 30 minBasilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
The Basilica of Saint Mary Major, or Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, is one of Rome’s four major basilicas and the city’s largest Marian church.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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03 30 minArchbasilica of St. John Lateran
Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
The Archbasilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral church of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Pope.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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04 30 minBasilica of Saint Paul outside the Walls
Basilica di San Paolo fuori le mura
The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls is one of Rome’s four major papal basilicas.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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05 30 minSanta Maria in Trastevere
Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere
Santa Maria in Trastevere is a basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the heart of Rome’s Trastevere district.
- Must see
- Place of worship
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06 30 minSan Pietro in Vincoli
Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli
San Pietro in Vincoli is a basilica in Rome, officially named Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli. The church stands on the Oppian Hill near the Colosseum.
- High
- Place of worship
How the city is laid out
The historic centre lies east of the Tiber around the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Campo de' Fiori and the Trevi-Spanish Steps axis. Southeast, the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine, Aventine and Baths of Caracalla form the main archaeological corridor. Across the river, Vatican City and Prati sit north of Trastevere and the Janiculum. Termini, Monti and Esquilino form the transport-facing eastern centre, while the Appian Way, EUR and Ostia Antica are separate outings beyond the core. The official tourism map treats these as distinct visitor zones for good reason.
Checked 2026-08-26
Getting around
Walk within the historic centre and use metro, tram or bus for the longer jumps. Rome's official tourism service notes that the public network connects the principal visitor sites, while the Metrebus system provides the common ticket framework. Metro coverage is useful for Termini, the Colosseum, the Vatican side and selected outer districts, but many central sights sit between stations. Buses fill those gaps and are vulnerable to road traffic. For the Appian Way or Ostia Antica, plan the complete outward and return connection before leaving the centre.
Checked 2026-08-26
More city guides
Common questions
How many days does Rome need?
Four to five days suit a first visit. Three days can cover the ancient core, the baroque centre and the Vatican side, while extra time allows the Appian Way, Ostia Antica or less compressed museum visits.
When is the best time to visit Rome?
April through May and September through October generally offer more comfortable walking weather than midsummer. Rome remains busy in these periods, but lower heat matters because the historic centre is best explored on foot.
Is Rome easy to explore on foot?
The central clusters are walkable, but the whole city is not. Use walking for the Pantheon-Navona area, the forums or Trastevere, then use public transport between those zones rather than linking every district on foot.
Which Rome sights should be grouped together?
Keep the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine together; pair the Pantheon with Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori; and give the Vatican-Prati side its own day. Trastevere works naturally after a central river crossing.
Do visitors need a car in Rome?
No. Walking and the public transport network cover the principal visitor areas, while a car adds parking and restricted-access complications in the historic centre. Outer trips are generally better planned by rail, metro or bus.