From the classic Piazza del Popolo and Ara Pacis Museum, to lesser-known spots worth adding to your trip.
1Step into Piazza del Popolo, Rome's grand northern gateway. Take in the twin churches, the ancient Egyptian obelisk at the center, and the open, uncluttered space perfect for a relaxed café pause before walking on to the Spanish Steps.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
20 min
Best time
morning, afternoon or early evening
Walking intensity
Easy pace
2★ 4.5 · 10,477 reviews
Step inside Richard Meier's glass-and-travertine pavilion beside the Tiber to see Augustus's Altar of Peace up close. Study the intricately carved marble reliefs of the 2,000-year-old monument, then browse rotating exhibitions on painting and design.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h15
Best time
morning, lunchtime, afternoon, early evening or evening
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
3★ 4.6 · 111,240 reviews
Discover the Spanish Steps, Rome's grand 18th-century stairway between Piazza di Spagna and Trinità dei Monti. Climb the terraced staircase for classic photo views, then linger by the Barcaccia fountain below where visitors gather since sitting on the steps is banned.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
20 min
Best time
early morning, early evening or evening
Walking intensity
Easy pace
4★ 4.6 · 3,880 reviews
Discover Poldo e Gianna Osteria, a beloved spot near Piazza del Popolo. Share generous plates with welcoming staff, ordering extra dishes as you go for a relaxed, authentically Roman meal.
Typical visit
1h15
Best time
lunchtime, afternoon, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
5★ 4.6 · 453 reviews
Discover Imàgo, the Michelin-starred rooftop above the Spanish Steps. Savor a tasting menu over Rome's rooftops, with evening slots timed to catch the city's best light for your special occasion.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
2h30
Best time
evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
6★ 4.7 · 762 reviews
Discover Via dei Condotti, Rome's grand catwalk of luxury shopping stretching out from the Spanish Steps. Wander past flagship boutiques of Italy's top fashion houses, window shop the elegant facades, and finish with a coffee in true Roman style.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
45 min
Best time
morning, lunchtime or afternoon
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
7★ 4.4 · 5,007 reviews
Discover Zuma Rome, the glamorous Japanese-influenced dining room near Piazza del Popolo. Sip through a lively rosé brunch of shareable dishes while soaking in the fashionable, design-forward scene and international crowd.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
2h
Best time
lunchtime, afternoon, early evening, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
8★ 4.6 · 7,185 reviews
Explore ancient Pompeii's ruins before winding along the Amalfi Coast to Positano. Wander the cliffside village's stacked pastel houses and small beach, the coast's most photogenic stop.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
10h
Best time
early morning
Walking intensity
Active — lots of walking
9★ 4.3 · 2,849 reviews
Discover Il Margutta, a longstanding vegetarian and vegan restaurant on Rome's artsy Via Margutta. Sit down to a large, varied plant-based menu that wins over lifelong vegetarians and skeptical meat-eaters alike.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h15
Best time
lunchtime, afternoon, early evening, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
10★ 4.6 · 10,067 reviews
Discover three of Italy's icons in a single sweeping day trip from Rome. Wander Pompeii's excavated streets and plaster-cast victims, then ride the Amalfi Coast's cliffside road through citrus groves to Sorrento.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
10h
Best time
early morning
Walking intensity
Active — lots of walking
11★ 4.5 · 710 reviews
Discover AcquaRoof Terrazza Molinari, a seafood rooftop bistro near Piazza del Popolo. Savor the daily carpaccio and other seafood starters while taking in sweeping city views from a stylish, view-driven setting.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h40
Best time
lunchtime, afternoon, early evening, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
12★ 3.9 · 4,136 reviews
Step into Antico Caffè Greco, Rome's oldest café just off the Spanish Steps. Sip a coffee in the same rooms once frequented by Nietzsche, treating it as a storied splurge rather than a bargain brew.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
30 min
Best time
early morning, morning or afternoon
Walking intensity
Easy pace
13★ 4.3 · 3,373 reviews
Discover Matricianella, a beloved trattoria tucked just off Piazza Navona. Settle into the relaxed dining room for classic Roman dishes like fried artichokes and cacio e pepe, savoring a proper multi-course lunch or dinner.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h15
Best time
lunchtime, afternoon, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
14★ 4.6 · 5,736 reviews
Explore Pompeii on a day trip that goes beyond the ruins. Wander the ancient streets, then head up to Mount Vesuvius's crater for the view that explains it all, with lunch available along the way.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
10h
Best time
early morning
Walking intensity
Active — lots of walking
15★ 4.4 · 1,256 reviews
Discover Pompeii's ash-preserved streets and plaster-cast victims on a day trip from Rome that includes entry, no extra ticket needed. Round out the ten-hour journey with a stop in Naples' historic centre, swapping the ruins' silence for the city's lively street life.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
10h
Best time
early morning
Walking intensity
Active — lots of walking
16★ 4.1 · 1,384 reviews
Step into Babington's tea room, a century-old institution beside the Spanish Steps. Sip a unique tea blend and try the famously light cheesecake, savoring a premium experience best booked ahead for a special occasion.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
45 min
Best time
morning, lunchtime, afternoon, early evening, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
17★ 4.5 · 393 reviews
Discover Acquolina, a seafood-focused fine-dining spot tucked inside a Rome hotel. Enjoy polished, attentive service and an elegant dining room suited equally to a family celebration or an intimate dinner for two.
Typical visit
2h30
Best time
evening
Walking intensity
Easy pace
18★ 4.5 · 3,841 reviews
Spend a full day soaking in the Amalfi Coast without the rush of extra stops. Wind along the cliffside road to Positano, then, if you choose the optional boat cruise, see the coastline unfold from the water.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
10h
Best time
early morning
Walking intensity
Active — lots of walking
19★ 4.5 · 1,172 reviews
Discover Le Jardin, the leafy courtyard restaurant tucked inside Hotel de Russie near the Spanish Steps. Settle in among the greenery for breakfast or a coffee break, and if you're staying for a meal, try the burrata or truffle dishes locals rave about.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
45 min
Best time
early morning, morning, lunchtime, afternoon, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
20★ 4.2 · 7,136 reviews
Discover Ginger, a health-focused café steps from the Spanish Steps. Enjoy fresh, flavourful breakfast, lunch, or dinner options in a beautiful setting, a welcome break from Rome's heavier classics.
Typical visit
45 min
Best time
morning, lunchtime, afternoon, early evening, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
21★ 4.7 · 2,852 reviews
Step inside this plain-faced church just off Piazza del Popolo. See two Caravaggio masterpieces, the Crucifixion of Saint Peter and Conversion of Saint Paul, plus Raphael's Chigi Chapel, all in natural light, for free.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
30 min
Best time
early morning, morning, afternoon or early evening
Walking intensity
Easy pace
22★ 4.6 · 196 reviews
Stroll Via del Babuino, the polished link between Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps. Browse designer boutiques and art galleries, window-shop the luxury storefronts, and soak up the elegant, gallery-district atmosphere as you walk.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
45 min
Best time
morning, lunchtime or afternoon
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
23★ 4.7 · 284 reviews
Head up to Adèle Mixology Lounge on the eighth floor of the Hotel Splendide Royal. Sip expertly crafted cocktails as the sun sets over Rome's rooftops, with St Peter's Basilica and the city's parks stretching out before you.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h15
Best time
early evening, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace
24★ 4.7 · 356 reviews
Discover Bar Locarno, the elegant hotel bar Rome regulars keep coming back to. Settle into the indoor or outdoor seating for classic cocktails and notably good fried artichokes, whether it's evening drinks or a relaxed breakfast.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h15
Walking intensity
Easy pace
25★ 4.2 · 2,573 reviews
Step inside the newly reopened Mausoleum of Augustus, the first Roman emperor's monumental round tomb. Walk through the restored ruins and pair your visit with the nearby Ara Pacis museum to grasp the site's original grandeur.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
20 min
Best time
morning, afternoon or early evening
Walking intensity
Easy pace
26★ 4.5 · 952 reviews
Discover Rome's nightlife on a guided pub crawl built for meeting fellow travelers. Hop between a lineup of bars with the group before heading to a club for the late-night finish, no planning required.
Typical visit
3h
Best time
evening or late night
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
27★ 4.6 · 321 reviews
Step into the small apartment beside the Spanish Steps where John Keats spent his final days. Wander through the memorial library housing letters, manuscripts, and death masks of Keats, Shelley, Byron, and their circle.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
30 min
Best time
morning, lunchtime, afternoon or early evening
Walking intensity
Easy pace
28★ 4.7 · 150 reviews
Stroll Via Frattina, Rome's laid-back cousin to Via dei Condotti. Wander this pedestrian-only street near the Spanish Steps, browsing luxury and upper-mid-range boutiques at an easy, traffic-free pace.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
30 min
Best time
morning, lunchtime or afternoon
Walking intensity
Moderate walking
29★ 4.7 · 1,412 reviews
Escape Rome for a day to Civita di Bagnoregio, the crumbling hilltop town reachable only by footbridge. Wander its near-abandoned streets, then continue to Orvieto for its Gothic cathedral, local wines, and a included lunch.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
10h
Best time
early morning
Walking intensity
Active — lots of walking
30★ 4.6 · 631 reviews
Head up to Cielo Rooftop near the Spanish Steps for a sundowner with a view. Sip a drink on the terrace while Rome's rooftops stretch out before you in every direction.
Reasons to go
Typical visit
1h
Best time
afternoon, early evening, evening or late night
Walking intensity
Easy pace