Exploring Italy can take years to do properly, and for that matter just soaking up the city of Rome can take a fair amount of time as well. In fact, even experienced tour guides will typically recommend two full, busy days at minimum. But if your time in the Eternal City is limited, or if you just want to make sure you catch some true highlights beer you move on to explore other parts of the country, we’d recommend focusing on the following.
Typical Tourist Sites
It may not be particularly original to suggest traditional tourist sites, but you simply can’t go to Rome and skip the iconic landmarks. Be sure to visit St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica to begin with, along with the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Try to work in the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, and the Pantheon as well. These may sound like a lot, all together, but even if it takes a day to see them all, it’s worthwhile. You’ll never forget having seen these places in person – and though intensive restoration and upkeep efforts are constant, you just never know when places like these might deteriorate.
Hiking
Rome has remarkably beautiful hiking trails close by, like the Via Del Casino Algardi, which takes you out of the city and back on a loop about six kilometres long. Part of Italy’s draw is its natural beauty, after all, and if you’re travelling on a budget, you can’t beat the opportunity to experience some of that nature for free – even in (or just outside of) a big city.
Meanwhile, if you like the idea of a bit of time outside and perhaps a little exercise – but you don’t want to spend a moment outside of Rome proper – you can always sign up for a walking tour (with the Rome Fountains Walking Tour and Rome At Night Walking Tour being good options).
Local Football
Italy has about as rich a football tradition as any country in Europe (though you may hear the locals referring to it as calcio). I mean, even Pope Francis is a big fan of football, so much so that he receives football-related gifts on his visits (learn more about it from this article here). It’s safe to say, the spirit of football is strong in Rome. Here, and specifically at Stadio Olimpico, you’ll likely have the chance to see one of their teams: Lazio or AS Roma, both of which play in the top Italian football division (Serie A), or the national team, which plays some of its home matches at this stadium. Any of these options can make for a memorable experience, not only because of the quality of the football but also because of the fan experience.
Some visitors from abroad will enjoy taking advantage of the available online bookmaker platforms, which are based in the UK and help fans all over Europe gain a stake in the action. Others who would rather not bet will simply pick a team to root for, buy a kit, and dive right in like hardcore supporters. Even if you take a more casual route altogether though, neither betting nor becoming a supporter of a given team, the experience itself will be a delight.
Tivoli
Tivoli is a gorgeous town in Lazio, some 30 kilometres from Rome and thus ideally situated for a day trip. The two is perhaps best known for the spectacular natural hot springs at Acqua Albule, though there are other attractions as well, such as Villa Gregoriana (essentially a park) and Villa d’Este (a 16th-centruy manse). If you want to dive back even further into Roman history, meanwhile, you can also visit Hadrian’s Villa, which was a retreat for the emperor of the same name in the 2nd century! We might recommend touring these places first before sampling the hot springs, and then heading back into the city fully relaxed.
It’s not hard, ultimately, to make a trip to Rome memorable. But again, with limited time or an overwhelming selection of possibilities, the suggestions above should help.