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10 Reasons to Visit Rome
Looking for reasons to visit Rome?
If you are wondering if Rome is for you, read these 10 reasons to come to Rome.
Let me convince you!
10 Reasons to Visit Rome - let me convince you!
If you're planning a trip to Italy, chances are good you will fly in or out of Rome.
And if you are wondering whether you should dedicate some time in the Eternal City, here are 10 Reasons to Visit Rome:
1. Nobody does fountains like Rome does
One of the most famous fountains in the world, the Trevi Fountain (above), is in Rome.
But since Rome has access to so much water (you know, those Roman aqueducts?), and since popes in the Renaissance and Baroque periods tried to outdo each other building spectacular fountains all around Rome, we also have these (to name only a few!):
Bernini's Tritone fountain in Piazza Barberini - spectacular!
The Spanish Steps would not be so amazing without La Barcaccia fountain at the bottom. Oh yes, another Bernini (with his dad!)
Fontana delle Tartarughe. The Turtle Fountain is hidden in the Jewish Ghetto in Piazza Mattei, and is a treat to find
The Fontana delle Rana (Frog Fountain) in the beautiful and quirky Coppedè neighborhood is worth seeing all by itself
The Fontanone on the Gianicolo is one of the biggest fountains in Rome, with gorgeous views of Rome to the other sideComplete Guide to the Trevi Fountain eBook
The Trevi Fountain is one of Rome's most iconic landmarks, but do you know why it's so well-known?
With this eBook, find out what makes the Trevi Fountain special, plus extensive information about the Trevi neighborhood (Rione) - where to shop, see unusual things, enjoy beautiful views, and much more!
Topics covered include:
- The history of the Trevi Fountain and surrounding area, which goes right back to ancient Rome!
- Romewise's recommendations on what do around the Trevi Fountain
- Lesser-known facts and tips to make the most of your visit to the Trevi Fountain
What else is included in this e-book?
- 150+ pages of information covering everything related to the Trevi Fountain
- Dozens of stunning and original photos showcasing the Trevi Fountain
- + much more!
🍝 A Pasta Lover’s Dream 🍝
Perfect for pasta lovers!
Dive into Italian culture by learning pasta-making secrets, and enjoying the delicious results with these delightful culinary experiences.
2. The food
Just like you can't really get New York pizza outside of New York, you can't really get Roman pizza outside of Rome.
Classic, simple pizza margherita at Pizzeria Alle Carrette in RomeThere are certain foods that are special in Rome.
Roman artichokes, fried or braised, are a delicacy all by themselves.
At Flavio al Velavevodetto, you can sample some of the most perfect fried artichokes in RomeAnd in case you didn't know, spaghetti alla carbonara was invented in Rome.
This sublime spaghetti alla carbonara at Armando al Pantheon is one of the best you can find in RomeReady to find out more about Rome cuisine?
Ready to plan your trip?
Book your train
Planning to travel between cities in Italy and other parts of Europe?
Use Trainline to see all the different options available across the different rail companies.
Find your hotel
Find your perfect place to stay in Rome.
Use Booking.com to choose between hotels, guesthouses, and self-catering apartments in neighborhoods throughout the Eternal City.
Buy your TurboPass
Purchase the convenient Turbopass and visit all of Rome's top attractions including the Colosseum, Pantheon, and Vatican.
With one handy pass, it's all included.
3. Michelangelo
Michelangelo may be one of the most famous artists of all time.
And many of his most famous works are in Rome.
One of the best reasons to visit Rome is right here inside Saint Peter's Basilica. Michelangelo's pietà has no equal!On your visit to Vatican City alone, you can see Michelangelo's paintings in the Sistine Chapel, and his sculpture of the Pietà.
The Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1508-1512Need I say more?
Then how about his sculpture of Christ The Redeemer in Santa Maria Sopra Minerva?
And his own favorite statue that he made: Moses, in the church Saint Peter in Chains?
Michelangelo's "Christ the Redeemer" in Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
Michelangelo's Moses is one of my favorite reasons to visit RomeNot to mention all his architectural feats, some of which include the dome of Saint Peter's Basilica ...
and ... Capitoline Hill (Campidoglio) as we know it today.
Before Michelangelo designed this piazza Campidoglio on Capitoline Hill (floor and all), this is where the ancient Romans had their temple to Jupiter. Lotta history going on here!Click here to book your Vatican tour and see some of Michelangelo's best and most famous works in Rome!
4. Proximity to other sites, cities and beaches
The extraordinary gardens of Tivoli in the Villa d'Este are just outside of Rome and make for an easy half-day tripIf you decide to use Rome as your base, you can easily visit Florence, Pompeii, Ostia Antica, Tivoli and many wineries, medieval hill towns (Orvieto, Assisi to name two), and beaches, most within 1.5 hours of Rome.
Rome is close to so many other regions like Tuscany. This wonderful town (and spa) in San Casciano dei Bagni is 1.5 hours from Rome.Ready for a day-trip from Rome?
Book a tour of Pompeii, Capri, Tuscany, Tivoli, Ostia and more!
Some of the best ancient Roman ruins you can see are in Ostia Antica, only half hour outside of RomeThe perfect 3-day itinerary in Rome
Trying to figure out how to organize your visit to Rome? I've got the perfect 3-day itinerary for first-time visitors (or those who have not been here in a while.) It works for a 2.5 day visit as well.
In my 3-day itinerary, you'll see all the major must-see Rome attractions like the Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Castel Sant'Angelo, and much more.
And if you have more time, or want suggestions for extra/other things to do, you'll find that there too.
Visit my page with the best 3-day itinerary in Rome for first-timers.
5. History, art, architecture and Roman ruins
The entire city of Rome is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
There may be a higher concentration of art and historical monuments in the center of Rome than in any place else in the world.
We have layers and layers of visible and visitable history going back nearly 3000 years.
The pantheon is one of the greatest architectural feats of all times. And it's still standing there 2000 years later. And it's smack in the center of Rome. And it's free. Go see it.There are amazingly intact ruins from the time of the Roman Empire, like the Colosseum, the Forum and Palatine Hill, and Nero's Domus Aurea.
The Rome Colosseum is one of its most famous landmarks, and one of the best reasons to visit Rome all by itself!We have buildings and piazzas and churches from the Renaissance and Baroque periods and plenty of history and architecture from the 19th and 20th century to boot.
The apse of Santa Maria in Trastevere showcases some of the most magnificent Byzantine mosaic work...and it's only part of the art and architecture of this stunning basilica!And the beautiful thing is, you can just walk around and see a lot of it for free.
Rome itself is a living museum!
Or you can book a Rome tour and visit the sites with an expert guide!
6. It's the perfect size
One of the best reasons to visit Rome is that it's small enough that you can easily walk around and see a lot of things in one day, but big enough that you can always find a park, a cafe, a piazza, and even a monument or museum where there is nobody, including in peak season.
Villa Celimontana park
The Galleria Doria Pamphilj is a stunning museum and hardly ever crowdedThere really is something for everyone here, from turbo-sight-seeing, to a quiet, restful vacation in one of the world's most beautiful cities!
7. Churches. And more churches.
You could spend your entire time in Rome just visiting churches, and you would not run out of awesome art and architecture to gaze upon.
Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri - made from the ruins of the Diocletian baths. Oh and Michelangelo made this ceiling too.We have ancient Roman monuments and building, turned into churches...
The church of Santi Cosma e Damiano holds some beautiful treasures, like this 9th century apse. It is also built on top of a pagan Roman temple, that you can see from the back.We have the only 4 Papal basilicas in the world, all right here...
Saint Paul outside the WallsDid you know you can book a tour visit to all four Major Basilicas, or other church-themed tours in Rome?
Complete Guide to the Trevi Fountain eBook
The Trevi Fountain is one of Rome's most iconic landmarks, but do you know why it's so well-known?
With this eBook, find out what makes the Trevi Fountain special, plus extensive information about the Trevi neighborhood (Rione) - where to shop, see unusual things, enjoy beautiful views, and much more!
Topics covered include:
- The history of the Trevi Fountain and surrounding area, which goes right back to ancient Rome!
- Romewise's recommendations on what do around the Trevi Fountain
- Lesser-known facts and tips to make the most of your visit to the Trevi Fountain
What else is included in this e-book?
- 150+ pages of information covering everything related to the Trevi Fountain
- Dozens of stunning and original photos showcasing the Trevi Fountain
- + much more!
We have churches full of Caravaggio paintings...
And so many more amazing Renaissance and Baroque churches, all filled with history, art and architectural wonders.
Bernini's Sant'Andrea al Quirinale is one of so many masterpieces you can see in churches around RomeNo matter what season you visit Rome, here are 4 essential things we recommend never leaving home without:
8. Rome's mild climate
We are blessed in Rome to enjoy a pretty mild climate.
This is one of the best reasons to visit Rome!
You can come just about any time!
On a bright January day, the Roman Forum looks like thisWe do have a change in seasons, but even in the hottest days of summer, there are lots of ways to sightsee and stay cool.
The Pincio hill in August. Plenty of shade, beautiful views, and quiet space!Just about any time you come to Rome, you will find mild, (mostly) comfortable weather.
When it's sunny in winter, you get beautiful shadows, and views like this one in the Giardino degli Aranci on the Aventine HillAnd in winter, you can enjoy Rome at its least crowded, and it's really not that cold.
This is what the Vatican Museums line looks like in winter, at 1pm. Pretty nice!9. The views
For me, one of the best reasons to visit Rome is how amazing the views are.
Rome was founded on Seven Hills.
From the Palatine Hill, you can see the Roman Forum and the ColosseumAnd from some of them, and even other spots around Rome, you will have some of the most magnificent vistas of a beautiful, ancient city living inside a modern one.
One of the best places to get a panoramic view of Rome is from the top of Castel Sant'AngeloAnd then there are the sunset views...nobody does them like Rome!
The view from the Pincio of St Peters, and the setting sun, just knock my socks off every time!10. Fashion and shopping
Yes you can shop in other cities around Italy.
But Rome is special for shopping.
Why?
If you are a shopper, one of the best reasons to visit Rome is our amazing shopping - beautiful streets and piazzas, Italian fashion, and top-quality leather goods are just some of the many wonderful perks of shopping in Rome!We have some of the best of the best Italian luxury brands, mostly concentrated around the historic Spanish Steps shopping area.
Via Condotti in Rome is the main luxury shopping street, just off the bottom of the Spanish StepsBut in that same area, you will also find inexpensive and medium-priced shops for clothing, shoes, leather belts and bags, scarves, gloves and more.
Dicori - one of many wonderful glove shops near the Spanish Steps in RomeYou'll find plenty of shopping for him, her, the kids, and for your home, not to mention lots of great gifts for those back home...all in an easy, beautiful walkable area.
Italian men love to shop, believe it or not...and they love nice clothes, like at Davide Cenci, a Roma traditionDid I mention Valentino is from Rome and is based here?
Same with Bulgari, Fendi, Laura Biagiotti, and Brioni.
Bulgari is based in Rome, right on the via Condotti"Rome is the world's 4th most important centre for fashion in the world, according to the 2009 Global Language Monitor after Milan, New York and Paris, and beating London"
And in the other great neighborhoods like Monti, Piazza Navona and Prati, to name only a few, you can find fantastic one-off boutique shopping for unique jewellery, fashion, and art...again all in beautiful, easy to walk around local areas.
I love this sweet jewellery shop on via del Boschetto, in the Monti neighborhood of RomeJump start your trip to Rome with a free ebook 😀
Sign-up to our free newsletter and receive our Quick Start Guide to Rome ebook which share's everything you need to know to plan the perfect trip to the Eternal City 🙌
Reasons to visit Rome - Are you convinced?
One reason I think people skip Rome, especially when they fly in or out of it, with other Italian destinations as the goal, is they think Rome is too big, dirty, difficult to manage.
And that there is just the Colosseum here, and that could be skipped so there's more time for the beach, or smaller towns, or wine country.
But Rome has it all, and if you plan it right, you can enjoy all these things right here: We have art, history and culture, but also quiet spots, gardens, and beaches.
I hope I've convinced you there are enough reasons to visit Rome.
Give it a shot, you'll thank me!
Reasons to visit Rome - one bonus reason: Logistics!
One of the top reasons to visit Rome is that it's where your plane lands/takes off from...so why not stop for a few days?
I'm serious.
Rome's Fiumicino international airport is one of the main airports in Italy and in Europe, and many people begin or end a vacation here.
And they don't stay to see Rome.
But you're already here.
So stay.
I think I've given you some great reasons to visit Rome.
Visit the official website of the Rome tourist board for even more!
Romewise's Top Travel Resources
Ready to book your trip to Rome? Take a look at these helpful links to companies we use and trust:
- Keep your travel spending simple with the Wise card, which removes all the worry about exchange rates and high transaction fees all over the world
- Search for and book your perfect accommodation
- Our complete guide to what to pack for Rome
- The number one travel accessory, a multi-point travel adapter and voltage converter
- Browse a huge range of tours in Rome and beyond
- Experience unique tours and special access to Rome's most popular sights
- Protect yourself with comprehensive travel insurance
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