Top 11 Tours of Rome

Rome is an open-air museum. Every corner has a statue, fountain, or building steeped in history, to which you can add the customs of its inhabitants and the exquisite cuisine. A guided tour is the best way to get to know the city of Rome, and since the wide range of tours on offer can be overwhelming, I'll help you choose the best one.

Leaving Rome without visiting the Sistine Chapel would be (almost literally) a mortal sin. The frescoes in the Chapel are undoubtedly the biggest attraction for the millions of tourists who make the pilgrimage here every year, but you also don't want to miss St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Square, and the enormous amount of art you'll find in the Vatican Museums.

Getting to know all this in detail could take you days, or you could make the mistake of visiting on your own and touring without taking into account its context, symbolism, or the Vatican's best-kept secrets. Touring with an expert guide will be essential to enjoying this area of Rome to the fullest. Plus, you'll skip the lines (very important considering the hours-long waits at the ticket offices).

There are several options to choose from: from the most economical to the most premium, accessing the Vatican first thing in the morning before it opens to the general public so you can enjoy the art in silence, in peace and quiet, and avoiding crowds. Always book your tickets in advance and online to avoid paying too much and, above all, to get tickets for the day and time you want.

It's probably at the top of your wish list of places to visit in Rome. And no wonder. What was once the scene of the most legendary gladiatorial battles in Ancient Rome has gone down in history as the emblem not only of Rome but of the whole of Italy. If the outside fascinates you, don't miss the inside.

It is now possible to visit the Colosseum inside and walk around its stands, even accessing the arena, just as the gladiators themselves did, and enjoy the feeling of taking a real trip back in time. In addition, next to the Colosseum are the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, which are well worth a visit.

You can visit the monument on your own, but you'll get much more out of it if a local guide explains what you're seeing, how it was built, and what the battles held in the Colosseum were like. Completing the visit with a guided tour of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill will put the finishing touch on your tour of Ancient Rome.

Whichever tour you choose, you'll be able to skip the long lines that form every day at the ticket office. Here are the best ones:

The Catacombs of Rome are another of its best-kept secrets. A little way from the center, following the ancient Via Apia, you will reach the Catacombs, incredibly well-preserved underground crypts where you can visit sarcophagi and tombs of popes and artistic remains dating back more than 1,500 years.

Although there are more than 19 kilometers of catacomb tunnels, the visit takes less than two hours, but you can only access them with a guide, so I recommend booking a guided tour of the Catacombs of San Calixto if you want to immerse yourself in this journey full of legends and mysteries.

Although Rome is a city best explored on foot, this is not always possible for everyone. If this is the case for you, you have the option of taking this tourist bus tour without sacrificing the company of a specialized guide. The area covered by the bus is larger than that of the walking tours, so I also recommend this option if you have limited time during your visit.

Although it may seem like an excursion that detracts from the charm of visiting the city, the tourist bus is a great idea for people with reduced mobility, those with little time in the city, or simply for visitors who arrive in the city in the middle of summer and are looking for a practical way to get around while escaping the heat.

Also, keep in mind that since it has free stops and covers the main points of interest in the city, you can use it as public transportation to get from one place to another. Check prices, availability, and routes here:

Exploring Rome by bike is one of the most enjoyable tours you can do during your vacation in the Eternal City.

This activity allows you to see many interesting sites in Rome in a short time, such as Ancient Rome, Villa Borghese, the city center, the Colosseum and Trastevere areas, among many other places.

Bike tours of Rome usually last around 3 or 4 hours, but the advantage is that they are suitable for all types of travelers, regardless of their physical condition, as there are both classic and electric bikes available. In addition, you will be accompanied at all times by a local guide who will take you to the most accessible places, and you can stop whenever you want along the route to take photos.

When you think of Italy, you also think of its delicious cuisine. A cuisine that has crossed borders and conquered hearts all over the world.

In addition to enjoying its wonderful dishes in Rome's restaurants, during your trip to Rome you will have the opportunity to take a food tour to discover the best local products in a tour of markets such as Campo de' Fiori and gourmet spots in neighborhoods such as Trastevere or the Jewish Quarter.

And best of all: there will be tastings! Pizza, pasta, ice cream, fried artichokes, and many other typical dishes of the city.

The best thing about these types of tours is that they don't just focus on food, but also take time to visit Rome's iconic landmarks (the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, Campo de Fiori, etc.) and give you the best recommendations for eating like a local during your visit to Rome.

If you choose the option, you can even take a tour of Rome that includes a cooking class with a professional chef to make an authentic Roman pizza.

The Trastevere neighborhood is one of the most charming in Rome. Compared to other areas of the city that are more crowded with tourists, this one has a relaxed and bohemian air that you will fall in love with.

That's why a tour of Trastevere is a must during your vacation in Rome. If you have the opportunity, I recommend choosing a private tour so you can enjoy its wonders at your own pace and tailor the route to the places you are most interested in seeing.

What's more, private tours of Trastevere create a very friendly and relaxed atmosphere with the guide, making the excursion a very entertaining experience. In fact, you can even ask for personalized restaurant recommendations, which will come in handy during your visit if you feel like staying for dinner in Trastevere.

Do you dream of emulating Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in the movie "Roman Holiday" and discovering the Eternal City on a Vespa? It's one of the most fun tours of Rome!

The Vespa is one of the most famous symbols of Italian culture due to its numerous appearances in films, and exploring the country's capital on one is an unforgettable experience.

If you don't know how to ride a motorcycle, don't worry, because on this tour you will travel as a passenger and during the itinerary you will be accompanied by a private driver who will show you the main monuments and some amazing secret places. And there will be stops along the way so you can take all the photos you want.

Another great plan for an unforgettable day in Rome is to hop on a golf cart and let yourself be carried away through the streets of Imperial Rome while the driver-guide tells you the history of its monuments.

On a three-hour tour, you'll enjoy the best views of the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Circus Maximus while the guide details the battles of the great Roman emperors.

As you pass the Trevi Fountain, you can throw in your coin and take the typical photo, because this tour allows you to stop at the most emblematic places so you can explore every corner and contemplate the beauty of Rome's monuments in complete tranquility.

I am sure that a night tour of Rome will be one of the experiences you will enjoy most during your stay and one that will leave you with very special memories.

This is a must on your list of things to do in Rome! The city is enveloped in a romantic and enigmatic atmosphere, and strolling through the monumental streets of Rome while admiring its shining churches, palaces, and squares is a truly exciting experience.

In addition, one of the advantages of taking a night tour of Rome compared to daytime tours is that there are usually fewer crowds on the streets at night, making for a much more peaceful stroll. I recommend doing this especially on summer nights. Simply magical!

If you want to know more about this type of activity, don't miss the post Best Night Tours in Rome, where you'll find lots of suggestions.

Rome is clearly the Eternal City, and its name is no misnomer: its streets, monuments, and museums would allow us to walk around and discover new things every day for years. But your time in the city is probably not exactly eternal, and if you want to take advantage of your trip to also explore the surroundings of Rome and learn a little more about Italian culture, you're in luck.

There are many excursions and guided tours you can sign up for if you want to disconnect from the chaos of the city and discover other incredible places such as Pompeii, Florence, Naples, or even the archaeological remains of Ostia or the Villa del Este and the Villa of Hadrian.

You'll find options for all tastes and budgets, so dive into this list to choose the one that best suits your trip:

Broadly speaking, the city of Rome can be divided into four tourist areas: Ancient Rome with the Colosseum and the Roman Forum as the main points of interest; the Vatican City State with St. Peter's Square as a landmark; the Trastevere neighborhood and the center of Rome with the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona as must-see attractions. Unless the tour you are going to book covers a specific neighborhood or area, it is normal for all tours to include the following stops:

The Triton Fountain

This is usually the meeting point for the tour. It is located in Piazza Barberini and is a Baroque fountain designed by Bernini. In addition to telling you the myth of Triton, the guide will surely take advantage of this stop to tell you about the journalist Margaret Fuller, as there is a plaque dedicated to her in the square.

Piazza Navona

Rome's largest square with its Baroque fountains is one of the areas that most enchants visitors to the Eternal City. There are many legends surrounding these statues, which represent the great rivers of the period in which they were built (mid-17th century); the guide will explain several of them and tell you which ones are the most reliable.

The Trevi Fountain

Without a doubt the most representative fountain in Rome, as well as the largest. Bring some loose change because, as you may have heard, the tradition is to throw coins in with your back turned: one to return to Rome and two to find love.

The Pantheon

The guide will probably use this stop to talk about the reunification of Rome, since it is in the Pantheon that the mortal remains of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of reunified Italy, rest. Try not to lose track of the explanations while contemplating this marvel of Roman architecture; I warn you that it is not easy. Admission is free.

The Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Built in the Baroque style between the 17th and 18th centuries, this church houses a model of a temple dedicated to the religions of the world and a very special optical illusion that your Rome tour guide will be able to reveal to you. Admission is free.

The Temple of Hadrian

This 1st-century Corinthian-style temple is the best place to learn about the history of the ancient emperors of Rome. Your guide will certainly not miss this opportunity.

How to get to the meeting point

The meeting points for walking tours of Rome are usually in central locations. Fontana del Tritone, Piazza Trilussa in Trastevere, Piazza del Popolo, Piazza di Campo de' Fiori, Via Labicana... I recommend taking the metro to a central stop and then walking to the meeting point (you can ask your guide for a landmark to help you find it when you book the tour).

Timetables

You can usually choose from several available times when booking your tour of Rome. As for the days of the week, there are usually tours every day, but please note that most museums in Rome are closed on Mondays, so visitors may take advantage of this to do some sightseeing in the city center. As in any large city, tourist areas tend to be more crowded on weekends and holidays.

Tour duration

Tours usually last between two and three hours, depending on the option you choose. Walking tours of central Rome are long enough to soak up the history of the most iconic sites and then return to them at your leisure, but if you take the walking tour of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, bear in mind that the time you will spend inside the monuments may be too short if you want to see them in depth.

Meals

Bring water and something to snack on. Longer tours usually have a 15-minute break halfway through. Depending on where you finish the tour, your guide will probably recommend places to have lunch or dinner away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Tours with children

If it's not a very long tour, children can easily cope as they are outdoors and can run and play (unlike in a museum where they have to sit still) while the guide shows them the sights. The distances covered on most tours (especially those in the city center) are quite manageable, but keep in mind that there will be no place to sit at most stops.

Ana's Traveler Tip

If you can choose a date for your guided tour, avoid weekends and holidays, as this is when there are usually the most tourists in the center of Rome.

Finding the meeting point, choosing the times, and packing your backpack are important, but there are other details you'll want to know before taking a tour of Rome. Here are my top tips:

If you're someone who enjoys the stories, details, and anecdotes behind the main monuments, you can't leave Rome without taking the two most important guided tours: the Colosseum and the Vatican. Both places are wonderful to walk around and take a thousand photos, but you won't fully understand them until you take a guided tour. Here are the guides I've written about Vatican Guided Tours and Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Guided Tours in case you are interested in organizing your own guided tour.

If you also want to stray a little from the classic circuit, I suggest you visit the incredible Borghese Gallery (which is also located in one of the most beautiful parks I have ever seen). Here is the article I wrote about it, Borghese Gallery in Rome: Tickets and Tours, which you can read to organize your visit.