Our Guide to the Best of Rome on Film

Have you just returned from a magical trip to the Eternal City or are you excited about an upcoming vacation?

Now is the best time to explore Rome on film!

Everything you could want to know about Rome on film - Plus our top Rome movie recommendations

Few cities are more cinematic than Rome.

Not only does the Italian capital look good on camera, but it's also an important place in cinema history.

Rome's Cinecittà film studio dates back to 1937, it's still the largest production studio in Europe! 

Homegrown Italian filmmakers and Hollywood producers have flocked to shoot films on set and location here for almost a century.

Epics set in Ancient Rome tell stories about brutal emperors and gladiators.

Modern dramas investigate religious mysteries and follow travelers escaping their humdrum lives.

That's something we can all relate to!

I'm a huge fan of Italian cinema and I've curated a list of all the best movies set in Rome.

In this guide I'll be talking about:

• Classic films set in Rome
• Ancient Rome on film
• Modern films and TV programs set in Rome
• What we think you should watch before traveling to Rome

Rome on Film: Classic Films Set in Rome

In the aftermath of World War II, local filmmakers leaned into Italian Neorealism.

This film movement focused on the plights of the working class, with most movies were filmed on location in Rome with non-professional actors.

This era lasted from around 1943 – 1952.

Hollywood touched down in the capital shortly after.

American films set in Rome during the 1950's and 1960's were starkly different from neorealism!

Their travel-inspiring films featured major stars sightseeing and falling in love.

Here are all the best movies from this classic era...

Roman Holiday 

I can't list the best movies set in Rome without starting with Roman Holiday (1953).

Audrey Hepburn stars as a European princess named Ann.

While staying overnight in Rome, she escapes her handlers and bumps into Joe, an American writer played by Gregory Peck.

He takes her on a tour around the entire city hoping it will lead to an exclusive interview.

Boy, does he show her around Rome!

While Roman Holiday features legendary actors and a critically acclaimed script, the film's true stars are the real-life locations.

Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn eat gelato on the Spanish Steps (a big no-no today) and hop on a Vespa to the Colosseum.

Roman Holiday might be responsible for creating an idealized view tourists have of visiting Rome.

Thankfully, it's such a silver-screen classic that no one cares if it's realistic!

La Dolce Vita 

La Dolce Vita (1960) is as synonymous with Rome as aqueducts and traffic.

Its title translates to "The Sweet Life" and is renowned Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini's most iconic film.

Fellini's Roma is a close second.

La Dolce Vita stars the sensational Marcello Mastroianni as a jaded journalist.

Over seven nights, he flits between celebrity parties and fails to find meaning in these lavish events.

The movie is almost three hours long, but every minute is worth it.

And yes, this is the film that features the famous scene in which Swedish actress Anita Ekberg goes for a dip in the Trevi Fountain.

She's wearing a ball gown and a fresh blow-out, no less.

It was a landmark moment in film history, but don't try it yourself as the carabinieri won't be happy!

Rome, Open City

One of the key films in the Italian neorealist movement is Rome, Open City (1945).

It was directed by Roberto Rossellini and set during the Nazi occupation.

Rosselini tells the story from the perspective of ordinary citizens and freedom fighters.

This was an original take as war films usually focused on soldiers and those in power.

Rome, Open City was filmed 100% on location in post-war Rome, and the destruction visible across the city is poignant.

Three Coins in the Fountain

Are you in the mood to watch something lighthearted but already watched Roman Holiday?

Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) follows three American women who travel to Rome to find love.

You know the myth about throwing three coins in the Trevi Fountain, right?

It guarantees that you will not only return to Rome but that you will find love and marriage!

Ah, if only it were so simple in real life.

Three Coins in the Fountain really did film at the famous Trevi Fountain and Cinecittà Studios.

It was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars but did not win, however it won Best Cinematography and Song, which was sung by Frank Sinatra.

Bicycle Thieves

Director Vittorio de Sica is a notable filmmaker in the Italian Neorealist movement.

While many love his Rome-based movie Il Boom, my favorite is Ladri di biciclette, Bicycle Thieves (1948) in English.

It regularly tops lists of the best movies ever made.

Sight & Sound magazine placed it at number six!

Bicycle Thieves follows the journey of a man searching for his stolen bicycle all over Rome.

He needs the bike for work to support his family, and his son accompanies him on this fruitless quest.

De Sica shot every scene on location in Rome.

Some well-known places like Piazza Vittorio Emanuele feature, but he mostly filmed in residential areas like Trastevere.

This trendy neighborhood looked very different in the 1940's!

Mamma Roma

Pier Paolo Pasolini is yet another renowned Italian filmmaker (there are so many!) who produced masterpieces in the Eternal City.

One of his greatest movies is Mamma Roma (1962).

The title character is a prostitute who wants a better future for her teenage son.

She moves to Rome and works on a market but her former life catches up to her.

Mamma Roma shocked audiences upon its release.

People even filed police reports citing that it was offensive to good morals!

While it wasn't appreciated in the 1960's, today it's a masterpiece.

Pasolini followed neorealist traditions and filmed Mamma Roma entirely on location.

Despite the bleak storyline, he set scenes in beautiful areas like the Park of the Aqueducts.

You can see the contemporary Basilica di San Giovanni Bosco in the background too.

Ancient Rome on film

Filmmakers have shot incredible movies set in Ancient Rome and about the Roman Empire since the dawn of cinema.

Julius Caesar (1914) was a massive Italian production featuring over 20,000 extras.

Many films set in Ancient Rome aren't shot in the city.

It looks a little different today!

Nevertheless, the magic of movies brings the places and stories from this fascinating historical era to life.

Gladiator 

If you've already seen one film about the Roman Empire, it's probably Gladiator (2000).

It won Best Picture at the Academy Awards and many more accolades, cementing the movie as a blockbuster hit.

Russell Crowe stars as a Roman general named Maximus.

When corrupt Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) betrays Maximus, he becomes forced into slavery and the gladiatorial world.

Unsurprisingly, Maximus seeks revenge.

Gladiator features sweeping cinematic shots of some incredible film locations.

Director Ridley Scott shot the movie in locales like Val d’Orcia in Tuscany and the UNESCO-certified village Aït Benhaddou in Morocco.

Fort Ricasoli in Malta and some CGI movie magic stood in for Rome's Colosseum, but Gladiator really brings to life the buzz and brutality of the ancient gladiator fights!

Gladiator 2

The sequel, Gladiator II (2024), is long, long overdue.

History repeats itself as Roman General Marcus Acacius (played by Pedro Pascal) takes Maximus's son Lucius (Paul Mescal) as a prisoner.

Lucius is forced to fight as a gladiator watched over by Denzel Washington's power-hungry Macrinus.

While some of the characters are based on real historical figures, the story itself is fiction.

The film features Connie Nielsen as Lucilla (Lucius's mother) and Derek Jacobi (Senator Gracchus).

They are the only actors who reprised roles from the first film.

Let's not forget that octogenarian Ridley Scott returned to direct!

He chose filming locations in the UK, Morocco, and Malta.

They stood in for Ancient Rome and the Roman-occupied North African province of Numidia.

Gladiator II has been a long time coming, and even if it is only half as good as the first film, this historical epic will be worth watching!

Ben-Hur

"Sword and Sandal" movies have never gone out of style.

Ben-Hur (1959) is still one of the best films about the Roman Empire.

Judah Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston) is a Jewish prince living in Roman-occupied Jerusalem.

When a childhood friend and Roman citizen betrays him, Ben-Hur becomes enslaved in Rome.

Unlike Maximus in Gladiator, he is forced to compete in chariot races.

Over 72 horses were trained for the final chariot race, shot on a special set designed to mimic the ancient Roman tracks like the Circus Maximus.

Surprisingly accurate, the set featured the central spina complete with huge statues, dolphin-shaped lap counters and the actors actually learnt how to ride chariots. 

It was the largest set ever built at that time, and it took three months to film this single scene in Cinecittà Studios out of the movie's nine-month shooting schedule!

Director William Wyler was keen to return to Rome after shooting Roman Holiday a few years prior.

His salary for this film was the highest ever paid to a single director.

He was worth the money because Ben-Hur was a huge critical and box-office success.

This historical epic won an unbelievable 11 Oscars out of 12 nominations.

Rome (HBO series)

Most productions set in Ancient Rome use poetic license.

However, the TV show Rome (2005-2007) was praised for its incredible accuracy.

It's set in 1 BCE; the time period when the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire.

Rome focused on powerful families as well as the peasants.

Many characters were based on real people.

However, the two main soldiers Lucius Vorenus (played by Kevin McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson) are fictional.

Cinecittà Film Studio built a colossal set for Rome. 

It's so high-quality that the set is still used for other productions, plus you can walk around it on a studio tour!

Rome won several awards and was only canceled by HBO after two seasons because of its sky-high production costs.

The series is still available on Max and other streaming platforms, and is one of my favorite examples of ancient history on screen.

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar (1953) is an adaptation of the Shakespeare play about the Roman Republic's infamous general.

This movie follows Caesar's rise and fall, with top actors of the day like Marlon Brando, James Mason and John Gielgud acting their socks off in key roles.

It also follows the key events and the chaos after his assassination. 

While Julius Caesar might have been shot in MGM's California studios, it tells an important story in Roman history.

The original idea was that it would be shot in Rome, but when that didn't happen, a number of sets from a production filmed a couple of years earlier at Cinecittà were flown over to Los Angeles.

It's an incredibly highly-rated classic that I think still holds up over 60 years later!

Rome on Film: Modern movies and TV programs set in Rome

Hollywood and local productions continue to shoot movies in the Eternal City.

Rome might as well be one big film set!

There are so many good films released within the last 25 years or so.

You can watch complex dramas, dreamy rom-coms, and thrilling action movies set and shot in Rome.

These are my favorites that I hope you'll enjoy too.

The Great Beauty

Paolo Sorrentino is one of the most prominent Italian filmmakers working today.

While he's well known for the biographical film Il Divo (2008), The Great Beauty (2013) is his greatest film set in Rome.

Its story bears more than a passing resemblance to La Dolce Vita.

After theater critic Jep Gambardella celebrates his 65th birthday, he begins to reflect on the superficiality of Rome's high society.

The title responds to Jep's longing to discover a deeper meaning in his life.

Like Marcello in La Dolce Vita, Jep searches all over Rome to find a deeper meaning!

He visits the Park of the Aqueducts, the Baths of Caracalla, Piazza Navona, and many more places.

It's a truly beautiful movie.

The Talented Mr. Ripley 

One of my personal favorites with a phenomenal cast!

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) is a psychological thriller that is somehow one of the most wanderlust-inspiring movies ever.

It's based on Patricia Highsmith's best-selling novel and stars Matt Damon in the titular role.

Ripley is a penniless piano player living in NYC who, through a misunderstanding, lands himself on a paid trip to Italy.

He befriends wealthy playboy Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) despite the suspicions of his girlfriend (Gwyneth Paltrow).

When he becomes obsessed with Dickie, things take a turn.

Ripley flees their seaside paradise (filmed on location on the Neapolitan island of Procida) and hides out in Rome.

Ripley dines at a restaurant in Piazza Navona.

He sightsees alone on Capitoline Hill and watches his deceitful plans bear fruit hiding on the Spanish Steps.

The Talented Mr. Ripley is a gripping film with many twists and turns.

Throw in dreamy shots of Rome and you can't go wrong!

Eat Pray Love

While the film adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert's era-defining memoir didn't blow critics away, it's a hit with travel-loving audiences.

Eay Pray Love (2010) is a light movie starring Julia Roberts as Gilbert.

Depressed and lost after her divorce, she decides to seek balance in her life by embarking on a year-long quest.

Gilbert spends four months in Italy, mainly in Rome but also Naples (Eat), four months in India (Pray), and four months in Bali (Love).

In Rome, she dines on piles of pasta and scoops of gelato.

Eat Pray Love will have you salivating at the thought of eating delicious Italian cuisine on your next visit!

Angels and Demons 

Many people don't like Angels and Demons (2009).

They think the pacing feels off and the characters are shallow.

As someone who watched it on repeat - around six times - before my second trip to Rome in 2018, I am not one of those people.

If you also like historical mysteries, religious conspiracies, and Tom Hanks...

You'll love it too!

The Illuminati supposedly kidnaps four cardinals just as they are about to elect a new pope.

Vatican officials call Robert Langdon, your friendly neighborhood symbologist, to crack the case.

Langdon races around Vatican City and Rome looking for clues before time runs out.

He visits the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo, and several churches.

Director Ron Howard used CGI and stand-in locations for St. Peter's Basilica.

Understandably, the church wouldn't allow a movie about religious conspiracies to be shot there!

It's not the first time the beautiful Royal Palace of Caserta near Naples has stood in for the world's largest church on screen.

Suburra (Netflix series)

Based on the 2015 film, Suburra (2017 - 2020) was Netflix's first original Italian-language series.

You can enjoy three seasons of this stylized, neo-noir crime drama plus the spin-off show Suburræterna (2023).

Suburra is based on real-life events and focuses on the power and corruption of politicians and the church.

It's the Italian equivalent of Narcos and critics have rated it very highly.

While Suburra sometimes told stories outside the Italian capital, most of the action is set in Rome.

St. Peter's Basilica often looms in the background, but some of the best locations are those you won't spot in a guidebook.

For example, the seaside town of Ostia takes center stage in Suburra.

Rome's abandoned 'Sports City' stadium gives the city a more rundown, contemporary feel than you might be used to watching on screen.

Spectre

James Bond must be one of the most well-traveled characters in movie history!

With over 25 films in the franchise, it would be strange if he hadn't stopped off in Rome.

Spectre (2015) stars Daniel Craig as MI6 secret agent 007.

He's on the trail of an underground criminal organization which leads him to attend the funeral of an assassin in Rome.

He seduces the widow of the deceased (the magnetic Monica Bellucci) and ends up in a car chase around the city with a henchman named Mr. Jinx.

It's difficult to drive in Rome under any circumstances, let alone at high speed in an Aston Martin, but you can always rely on a Bond film to provide thrills.

The Belly of an Architect

I refuse to believe that movies filmed in the 1980's are classics.

So, I'm classifying The Belly of an Architect (1987) as one of the best modern movies set in Rome.

Stourley Kracklite is an American architect who travels to Rome to curate an architectural exhibition.

However, his worsening stomach pains and failing marriage take his focus.

Kracklite becomes obsessed with morality and the first Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus.

This might have something to do with the fact that Kracklite's apartment overlooks the Mausoleum of Augustus.

Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, and St. Peter's Square are only some of Rome's iconic landmarks that appear in The Belly of an Architect.

It's an off-kilter, arthouse movie that will allow you to appreciate the best of the city's incredible buildings.

To Rome With Love

Many Woody Allen films are a love letter to a city.

To Rome With Love takes this idea literally!

This romantic comedy weaves together four different storylines.

One focuses on an architect (Alec Baldwin) reflecting on his youth.

Another stars Jesse Eisenberg as a young architect struggling with romantic feelings for his girlfriend's best friend.

It would be quicker to list the parts of the city that To Rome With Love doesn't showcase!

Allen shot the movie in dozens of locations across the city from a pond in Villa Borghese to the Colosseum, the Turtle Fountain, and more.

To Rome With Love has the sentimentality of Three Coins in the Fountain wrapped up in a modern, quirky movie.

What you should watch before a trip to Rome

You'll want to watch the most travel-inspiring films if you're visiting Rome soon!

Watching Rome on film in historical movies set here is a good idea too.

They will put you in the right mindset for everything you're about to see and learn.

These are my top three, must-see films to watch before visiting Rome:

• Roman Holiday
• Gladiator
• Angels and Demons

They're all English-language movies.

Your partner/child/friend/in-law/pet has no excuse not to watch them with you!

All should be easy to find on multiple streaming platforms.

I'm sneaking in one more for the cinema fans who don't mind subtitled films.

Let's face it, you can't have visited Rome without watching La Dolce Vita.

It would be a crime on par with cutting spaghetti!