Things to do in Rome

Things to do in Rome come down to a handful of famous sites, each with its own entry system. That system is the real itinerary.

The centre on foot

The Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps are a short walk apart. The Colosseum is a longer walk.

• The Pantheon. A Roman temple turned church. Entry is seven euros, or free on the first Sunday of each month, with a queue for a ticket at the door.
• Trevi Fountain. Since February 2026 the inner perimeter costs two euros. Residents of Rome and the metropolitan area go free.
• Trastevere and Monti. Evening districts, across the Tiber and beside the Forum.

The big sites, and how to get in

• Colosseum slots open 30 days ahead. The standard ticket is 18 euros, in your name, with ID checked at the gate. It gives one Colosseum entry at a fixed time, 75 minutes inside, and one Forum and Palatine entry within 24 hours either side.
• Arrive 15 minutes early. You cannot enter at any time but the booked one. The Colosseum opens at 8:30, the Forum at 9:00. The Forum can be another day, so split them in the heat.
• Vatican Museums. Open Monday to Saturday, 8:00 to 20:00, last entry 18:00. Visitors must leave the halls 30 minutes before closing, and the route ends in the Sistine Chapel. Tickets are 20 euros, or 25 with a reserved time.
• St Peter's opens at 7:00. Entry is free, an hour before the museums.
• Free Sundays. The Colosseum park is free on the first Sunday of a month, the Vatican Museums on the last, 9:00 to 14:00.

Coffee, tables and the bill

Standing at the bar is the cheap way. A survey by Crc and Assoutenti put the average espresso in the province of Rome under 1.20 euros. A table can add a service charge.

• Coperto or servizio. Lazio law bans a separate cover charge but allows a service line, if the menu shows it before you order.
• Al taglio. Pizza by the slice is sold by weight. An etto is 100 grams, so ask for two.
• Nights. The metro runs to 23:30, and to 1:30 on Friday and Saturday. Night buses take over after.

Wheels, and days out of town

• Vespas and golf carts. Self-drive Vespa hire asks for riding experience, ID and a deposit. Golf carts seat up to seven and cover the Appian Way park.
• Under the street. San Clemente is a 12th-century church above Roman houses and a Mithraic temple.
• Days out. Orvieto and Assisi, Pompeii with Sorrento, and Siena with San Gimignano each take eleven to thirteen hours.

Practical

• Weather. July and August highs average about 32C and can pass 40C. April and October run 20 to 23C, January about 13C. November is the wettest month at about 108 mm.
• Water. Almost 2,500 nasoni, the street fountains, run drinking water. Over 200 stand in the old centre.
• Dress. St Peter's wants shoulders covered, long trousers for men, and a skirt below the knee or trousers for women.
• Metro. Lines A, B and C. Line C got to the Colosseum on 16 December 2025. Neither the Pantheon nor Trastevere has a station.
• Airport taxis. Fixed fares inside the Aurelian Walls: 55 euros from Fiumicino, 40 from Ciampino.