Uncovering the Eternal City: 9 Things You Must Do Your First Time in Rome
Visiting Rome for the first time? Continue reading to discover the top things you must do on your first trip to Rome!
If there is a destination I’ve been most excited to write about, it would have to be Rome. While I always say I can never choose a favorite travel destination, Rome somehow always seems to come up in my conversations about travel. As I’d hoped, Italy ended up being such a beautiful country full of the friendliest people. English was spoken by mostly everybody in Rome, which definitely made me feel a bit more at home in this foreign city.
Rome made me feel as if I was starring in a movie. Some of my favorite memories include passing by accordion players, admiring the charming architecture and plethora of Vespas, eating delicious Italian food, buying gelato twice a day, and watching the locals dance the night away. Check out my tips for first-time visitors below so you can experience the best of Rome and fall in love with it just like I did.
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9 Things You Absolutely Must Do Your First Time in Rome
Piazza Navona
If you’re like me, you will want to wander the streets of Rome as soon as you arrive. Piazza Navona is a great place to begin your journey on your first trip to Rome. This is a stunning plaza full of statues, fountains, and restaurants. Many people come here for apertivo hour, the equivalent of America’s happy hour. It is a great place to relax and do some people-watching. From here, we walked to the Trevi Fountain. A lot of the monuments in Rome are within good walking distance of each other. This gave us plenty of time to wander the streets and be serenaded by street performers, such as these two friendly musicians.
Trevi Fountain
I’ve seen the Trevi Fountain in many travel bloggers’ content and in Hollywood movies. Having grown up revisiting this image, I knew I would have to visit this spot on my first trip to Rome. I had been warned about how crowded it gets, but nothing prepared me for how truly overcrowded it was. We ended up going to the Trevi Fountain twice. We had more luck the first time since it was the evening. However, it was still a bit busy at this time. But the second time we visited happened to be in the middle of the day. It was so crowded you could hardly move. You had to wait patiently for a seat right in front of the fountain, where you would then be sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers. Thankfully, I was still able to grab some photos and do the touristy action of throwing coins into the fountain.
Why Do People Throw Coins in the Trevi Fountain?: Rumor has it that if you throw one coin into the fountain, you will return to Rome. If you throw two coins in, you will return to Rome and find a new romance. Tossing in three coins means you’ll return to Rome, find romance, and marry! While this legend rarely rings true for most tourists, you should know that your coins go towards a good cause regardless. All these coins are collected and given to a Catholic charity that helps the poor and homeless.
Even though the fountain gets crowded, it is definitely worth visiting. In my opinion, this is not a tourist trap but rather a must-visit spot. The Trevi Fountain is a beautiful piece of architecture located in a city full of immense history. The fountain itself was so much more enormous and more stunning than I thought it would be. I was not disappointed! The Trevi Fountain is a must-see for any first-time traveler in Rome, no matter how crowded it will continue to be.
Campo de’ Fiori Market
If you want to feel the slightest bit like a local, I recommend hitting up the Camp de’ Fiori market. This is an open-air market set up in a plaza. While we did not pick up any fresh produce, we did find some pasta noodles to take with us. The bag I picked had pasta noodles in the shapes of famous monuments, such as the Colosseum! I was so excited to cook these noodles when I returned home. At the time of writing this, the market is open daily from 7 am-2 pm.
The Pantheon
Adding to the list of historical monuments to visit, the Pantheon is a former Roman temple worth seeing. There is a lot of history to this building, and I definitely recommend educating yourself on it if you are interested in history. Entrance to the Pantheon is completely free, so why not spend some time admiring the building?
Explore Trastevere
Trastevere is an enchanting district in Rome located on the opposite side of the Tiber River. I actually stayed in an Airbnb in this district during my first trip to Rome. I am so glad this is where we chose to stay because it wasn’t too close to any of the crowded tourist spots, but it was still within good walking distance of around 30 minutes or less. This district is full of cute neighborhoods, adorable cafes lining the streets, and a walking path by the river full of restaurants and pop-up shops.
I was so glad we had chosen an Airbnb in this district. One evening, we stumbled upon the most charismatic street corner. A jazz-like band was playing music, while the singers were switching on and off. They played the most delightful, fun music! I felt like I was transported back in time. The most delightful part of it all? The locals were dancing right next to the band the entire time! I grabbed some gelato and stood there watching for an hour, taking in the enchanting scene. We talked with the locals afterward, who informed us that this is a weekly occurrence for them. After learning this, I began dreaming of moving to Rome and dancing to street performances every week, just like these locals. We went on a Friday night, so I imagine this is when it happens each week. The bottom line is – visit the Trastevere district! While it is enjoyable during the day, it really comes alive at night. If you feel comfortable being out past dark, I highly recommend exploring. You never know what you may stumble upon.
Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica
If you’re into history, you should visit Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica. It is absolutely free to do this unless you decide to enter the Vatican Museum. Vatican City is a small independent country within Rome. It is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. If you wish to enter St. Peter’s Basilica, you must make sure you are wearing appropriate clothing. I’ve heard stories of people who have waited in line to enter but were turned away since their shoulders were not covered or because they were wearing shorts that exposed their upper thighs. While I did not personally see anyone turned away because of their attire, I do recommend dressing appropriately just to be on the safe side. The interior of the cathedral is beautiful. I was mesmerized by the ceiling and surrounding architecture.
Watch the Sunset from Giardino Degli Aranci
If you’re looking for a great place to view the sunset, this is the place to go! It was not overly crowded but offered great views of the city and the Tiber River. We walked up a steep hill to get here, but I believe there are alternate ways to reach the lookout point.
Colosseum and Roman Forum
When in Rome, you must check out the iconic Colosseum! It was a bit surreal being inside the Colosseum. It felt weird knowing the gruesome history and the many deaths that took place inside this stadium. It was still interesting being in such a historic place, even though I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it. If you get tickets to the Colosseum, you should get a ticket that includes entrance to the Roman Forum.
How to Get Tickets to the Colosseum: I actually recommend waiting in line for tickets to the Roman Forum first since wait times to the Colosseum can get quite long. Once you get your ticket for the Roman Forum, you pick a time slot to enter the Colosseum later. Make sure you give yourself enough time to explore the Roman Forum, though, as the grounds are quite massive.
Alternatively, book your Colosseum tour here.
View the City from the Rooftop of Martis Palace Hotel
If you’re looking for a secret lookout spot, head up to the rooftop of the Martis Palace Hotel. We first asked the workers at the front desk if it was okay to go up to the rooftop. After gaining permission, we took the elevator to the top floor and took a staircase out. Prior to the trip, I read that drinks were served there, but there was not a bar set up while we went in June, which I thought would be peak season. There was furniture to lounge on, though. We had the entire rooftop to ourselves, which was so nice. We spent some time up there, relaxing from all of our walking around. It was the perfect lookout spot!
Hopefully, you’ve been able to pick up on how in love with Rome I am. I was so sad when it was time to leave, but I know I will definitely be returning to Italy. Save this post to help you plan out all the things you must do on your first trip to Rome!