Top 6 Recommended Places to Visit in Rome: The Central Basics

As I have been living for one year in Rome, I will be glad to share with you some basic places to visit while you are around. These places are mainly touristic.

I will be creating other blogs for exploring Rome as a local. All these places are close to each other by walking distance.

1. The Colosseum

The biggest amphitheatre ever built and the ultimate symbol of imperial Rome. It’s the obvious place to see when you set foot in Rome. When you see the Colosseum live for the first time of your life, you feel this majestic sensation coupled with a severe blood rush. It is so gigantic and so liberating to just sit and stare at this ancient spectacle.

You can either enter the Colosseum (fast track available but more expensive) or enjoy its external beauty from the park right next to it: Parco del Colle Oppio. At night, try to hit the cool gay street next to the Colosseum: the vibe there is perfetto and there is a pub actually called “Coming Out”!

• 

• 

Told you!

2.  Piazza Venezia

A 15 minute walk from the Colosseum is the central hub of Rome, Piazza Venezia.  This piazza is beautiful and includes intersect, like Via dei Fori Imperiali and the Via del Corso.

In this piazza you can spot The Victor Emmanuel II National Monument or Vittoriano, improperly called Alter of the Fatherland. This a national monument built in honor of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy, located in Rome, Italy. You can actually go to the top of that monument where you see a panoramic view of the center.

The Altar of the Fatherland                                                                   

 3. Capitoline Hill (Piazza del Campidogli)

Right next to Piazza Venezia you can take a small stroll to Piazza Campidoglio also know as the Capitoline hill which is one of the Seven Hills of Rome. The hill was earlier known as Mons Saturnius, dedicated to the god Saturn. This piazza is beautiful in the morning and even more gorgeous at night. In that piazza, there is also the famous Capitoline museums (Adults: €15, EU citizens (ages 18 – 25): €13) .

In the morning

At night

Goofing off in the museum is ok..But try not to touch anything: you will be yelled at!

4. The Pantheon

The Pantheon is the best preserved monument of Roman antiquity which has been intact for its 2000 years. What makes this building remarkable is that fact that its 43-meter dome hangs without visible supports which are well hidden inside the walls – and its nine-meter central opening is the building’s only light source. Now the pantheon has become a church.  No entrance fees.

Rainy day at the Pantheon

5. Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is one of my favorite piazzas as it is an extremely beautiful open space surrounded by majestic buildings. Taking pictures there is always a great idea especially during noon. 10 minutes away (by foot) from the piazza is the famous Trevi fountain that needs no further introductions.

6. Roman Forum & The Palatine Hill

These two locations make you feel as if time travel  is real. The Roman Forum or the Forum Romanum and the Palatine Hill are located in the same archaeological area and count as one admission where you can walk freely between the two. The Roman Forum was home to some of the oldest and most important buildings in the ancient city. The most ancient monuments at the Roman Forum are from the first kings of Rome, dating back to the sixth century BC.

The Palatine Hill, “the first nucleus of the Roman Empire”, is the centremost of the Seven Hills of Rome and one of the most ancient parts of the city. You can see the Roman forum from one side of the hill and Circus Maximus on the other. You can actually purchase one ticket and have access to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum together.