Is It Worth It? Rome Edition

In Italy’s capital city, there are so many things to see and do. Here is my breakdown of five of the must-see attractions, and whether they’re actually worth visiting. 

When you’re visiting major touristy cities throughout the world, there is always a list of places to go to that are the ‘must-see’ sites. Some of these attractions live up to the hype, but others often fall short. 

In Rome, there are endless things to do, from walking around one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, to visiting the smallest country. But some of its top tourist attractions really aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, and if you only have a limited amount of time in the city, might be worth skipping all together. 

When I was in Rome with my cousin, it was at the tail end of the pandemic, so Italy had just opened up but there were very few tourists and lots of restrictions on the amount of people allowed into places at a time. This actually made it really nice to see the city, because I have since seen crazy lines and crowds within the capital on social media that were nowhere close to being there during my visit. This obviously gives my opinion on places a slightly different perspective, as we weren’t overwhelmed by other tourists at any of these sites. 

Below you’ll find five of the top places to visit in Rome, with my thoughts and reasons on why you should definitely make time or maybe give it a miss instead. 

The Colosseum

Is it worth it? - Yes

The Colosseum is the most famous landmark in all of Rome, and is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. We got the combined ticket to the Colosseum for €18 that also grants access to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill for 24 hours. This was such an easy way to see three of the major spots with timed slots.

As restrictions were lifting because of the pandemic, this was such a great way to see the Colosseum without all of the tourists. We picked the first time slot of the day and were walking around by ourselves for the majority of the time which was fantastic. 

When walking around the Colosseum, you have the option of using one of their audio guides for an extra €6. We didn’t want to pay even more on top of the ticket price, so we used the free Rick Steves audio tour. He has a number of different Rome tours, which are very interesting and give you a real insight to the different sites and what life was like back in Ancient Rome. I would highly recommend this over paying extra for an audio guide! 

The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Is it worth it? - Maybe

I thought it was really interesting walking around the Roman Forum, seeing where the Romans went about their day-to-day lives, and Palatine Hill, which is considered to be the birthplace of Rome.

We went straight over from the Colosseum (it’s about a five minute walk) and were given access right away. We were there for almost two hours, walking around in the sunshine and taking in the history.  

The only reason I put this as a maybe is that these might be places that are more for archaeology and history buffs. Families might find it unexciting for small children, as there’s really just ancient ruins to see. But I felt like you really became immersed when you visited, and it was super interesting to walk the same paths that the Romans did thousands of years ago. I probably wouldn’t go visit again the next time I’m in Rome, purely because we saw everything when we were there, and I feel like I would want to try new things.

The Spanish Steps

Is it worth it? - No

This was probably the most disappointing place I went to in Rome. I’d wanted to visit the Spanish Steps since watching the Lizzie McGuire movie as a kid, and thought they’d be a great place to go and have a sit down with an ice cream in the sun.

When I was there, police were all over the place, stopping anyone from sitting on the steps and yelling at everyone walking past. After some research (which admittedly I guess I should have done beforehand, but didn’t even consider it was required), it seems the city has put a ban on sitting on the Spanish Steps to protect the marble. Apparently if you get caught, you can get a fine ranging from €250 to €400. Police were yelling at the tourists walking by, so we didn’t even bother trying to walk up the steps, seeing as we didn’t want to incur the wrath of the Polizia di Stato.

In future, I would not bother going out of my way just to walk by a random staircase. We trekked over there from where we had previously been in the city and thought it wasn’t worth it in the slightest. 

The Vatican

The Gallery of Maps

Is it worth it? - Yes

This was without a doubt my favorite thing I did in Rome. Although I am not religious, it was so interesting to walk around the Vatican, as the architecture and artwork there were stunning. It was also super cool to say we’d been to a new country just by visiting there!

We got there for the first time slot of the day (which I highly recommend) and went through the typical security checks before picking up our audio guides. We spent about three hours there, taking our time to go through each individual room and look at all of the artwork. My favorite place within the Vatican was one of the long galleries, the Gallery of Maps. Lined with frescoes painted by 16th century priest and polymath, Ignazio Danti, this room was full of color, and I audibly gasped when I stepped inside. The golden-yellow hues of the ceiling perfectly complemented the reds and greens, and made it seem like it was glowing. And of course I enjoyed the Sistine Chapel where we got to see Michelangelo's famous fresco, the Creation of Adam, which was beautiful in person.

Whether you have religious affiliations or not, the Vatican is full of artwork and history that would stun anyone that walks through its doors. I would go back in a heartbeat and could sit for hours inside. 

The Trevi Fountain

Is it worth it? - Maybe

The Trevi Fountain is one that I’ve gone back and forth on. On one hand, it is one of the most famous fountains in the world, with beautiful statues carved out of the white stone, and of course, it is fun to make a wish and throw your coin into the pool at its base. But on the flip side, it is one of the busiest spots you can go to in Rome, making it miserable to even try and get a glimpse of it as you knock shoulders with all of the other tourists. 

If you do plan to visit the Trevi Fountain, go early in the morning before the crowds descend and keep a firm hand on your bags, as pickpockets thrive in spaces like this. It is also important to note that they clean it regularly on Mondays and Fridays to collect all of the coins and drain out the water. If you want to see it in its full glory, make sure you plan ahead. 

Although I did go and check it out, it is not one that I would ever go back to. And I feel the only reason that actually drew me in to seeing it in the first place is that it’s a landmark of Rome that is often talked about.