Luxury hotels in Rome

Rome guide

Rome: the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums

Timed entries, early or after-hours visits to the Sistine Chapel, and Rome's piazzas by night.

The Colosseum, with the Roman Forum and the Palatine, and the Vatican Museums, ending in the Sistine Chapel, are the most cited sights in Rome. Both use timed tickets, and an early-entry or after-hours private visit to the Vatican makes a real difference; St. Peter's Basilica is best at opening.

The Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona are lovely early in the morning or late at night, and the Borghese Gallery requires reservations. Trastevere is the place for dinner, and spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons.

The Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain

The Pantheon, a Roman temple of the second century whose concrete dome is still the largest unreinforced dome in the world, is one of Rome's most cited sights; it now has a small entry fee. Piazza Navona, with Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers, is a short walk away.

The Trevi Fountain, Rome's most famous, now has controlled access at busy times. Seeing these places at dawn, before the crowds, or late at night, when they are lit and quiet, transforms the experience. Campo de' Fiori's market is lively in the morning.

The Borghese Gallery and Trastevere

The Borghese Gallery, in a villa in the park of the same name, holds Bernini's greatest sculptures, including Apollo and Daphne, as well as Caravaggio and Raphael, and it is one of the most cited museums in Rome. Entry is strictly by timed reservation for two-hour slots, often sold out weeks ahead.

The Villa Borghese gardens, with the Pincio terrace overlooking Piazza del Popolo, are lovely at sunset. Then cross the Tiber to Trastevere, with cobbled lanes, Santa Maria in Trastevere and some of Rome's best trattorie.