10 Top Tourist Attractions in Rome

Rome has been the teeming heart of the country that gave birth to one of the most earliest, sophisticated and remarkable civilization in the world for more than 2 thousand years. The city is filled with historic, architectural and cultural heritages. Charming palaces, thousand year old basilicas and churches, fascinating monuments, baroque statues and peaceful fountains, Rome has it all. Often dubbed as the Eternal city, Rome is a lovely treat for all sorts of tourists. Here I present 10 top tourist attractions in Rome:

10. Spanish Steps

One of the most crowded and fascinating tourist attractions in Rome, the Spanish Steps is a lovely place to hang around for a while. A staircase with 135 steps, It may just be the widest staircase in Europe. The staircase makes a bridge between the charming fountain of Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinitàdei Monti of the Trinitàdei Monti church at the top. It has been portrayed in many films like “Roman Holiday” and made famous worldwide. The steps are usually crowed during the day by the tourists and locals alike who allsit quietly for a peaceful time and watch the fast city go by.

09. Castel Sant’ Angelo

Castel Sant’ Angelo, also known as the Mausoleum of Hadrian, is a cylindrical shaped building in Rome near the famous “Parco Adriano” park. It was built by the order of Roman Emperor Hadrian between 135 and 139 AD to be the graveyard him and his family. But in the beginning of 4th century, it was converted into a fortress and a thousand years later the popes turned it into a castle. It is a historic landmark and one of the must-visit tourist attractions in Rome.

08. Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain in the Trevi district of Rome is an amazing blend of art, architecture and myth. Designed by the Italian architect Nicola Salvi, the fountain features Neptune, the god of the sea and two Tritons, messengers of the sea.  It is located at the junction of three roads at the end point of Aqua Virgo, the famous aqueducts that once supplied water to ancient Rome. After being portrayed in the movie “Three Coins in the Fountain”, the Trevi Fountain has become a popular stop for throwing coins. According to legends, the one who throws coins at the fountain shall one day return to Rome. It is indeed a one of the most remarkable tourist attractions in Rome.

07.  Galleria Borghese

Galleria Borghese is an art gallery and a spectacular building from both inside and outside. It is housed in the former Villa of “Borghese Pinciana” which tremendously decorated with many neatly kept gardens. It has a fine collection of artworks by the Borghese family including many sculptures, paintings and other antiquities. Masterpieces of famous artists like Correggio, Raphael, Rubens and Caravaggio can be found here. The museum allows only 360 visitors every two hours. But yet an arranged visit never fails to impress the tourist. Over the years, it has become one of the most charming tourist attractions in Rome.

06. Piazza Navona

Among the many charming squares in the city of Rome, Piazza Navona is certainly the most spectacular one. It was built well over 2000 years ago and has the shape of a stadium because once it used to be the famous Domitian’s stadium. People of ancient Rome gathered here to watch the games of the gladiators and other competitions. Today, it has become quite the gathering place for the people of Rome. The Piazza has great architectural significance as it is surrounded by many fascinating sculptures, statues and 3 remarkable fountains. The most famous of these fountains is the Fountain of the Four Rivers. It is undoubtedly one of the top notch tourist attractions in Rome.

05. Roman Forum

The Roman Forum or “Forum Romanum” is a plaza which was once the center of Roman Public life. It exists only in archeological ruins today in a small valley between Palatine and Capitoline Hills. Almost all the main civic activities used to take place here including triumphal processions, elections, public speeches, criminal trials and all kind of important commercial activities. During the ancient times, most important structures of the city used to be in the surrounding area. Attracting over 4.5 million annual visitors, the Roman Forum is one of the most historically important tourist attractions in Rome.

04. Pantheon

The Pantheon is one of the finest preserved ancient buildings not only in Rome but in the entire world. The circular shaped building was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa in the 1st century. It was originally built to be a temple for all the roman gods. And since the 7th century, it has served as a Roman Catholic Church. The most fascinating feature of the building is the large circular portico with three ranks of huge granite columns. The building’s exterior, Interior and square in front named Piazza della Rotonda are all part of a fascinating tourist attraction in Rome.

03. Vatican Museums

Displaying some of the most intriguing renaissance artworks of the world, Vatican Museums of the Vatican City are among the most popular tourist attractions in Rome. These museums have an extraordinary collection built over centuries by the Popes themselves. The most fascinating feature of the Museum is the Sistine Chapel decorated and painted by Michelangelo which never fails to amuse the visitors. The museum was founded in the late 16th century and today is visited by over 5.5 million people each year.

02. St. Peter’s Basilica

One of the first things that come to mind when thinking of Rome is the absolute wonder of St. Peter’s Basilica. This renaissance church is often considered the center of the catholic world. With Michelangelo as one of the lead designers, St. Peter’s Basilica is the most fascinating renaissance architecture and one of the two largest Churches in the world. It is named in the honor of Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ who is considered the first Pope ever and was crucified on this location. Built in 1615, this Holy sanctuary is one of the finest tourist attractions Rome has to offer.

01. Colosseum

Colosseum is perhaps one of the most iconic and historic landmark in all of Italy and perhaps entire Europe. It is an enormous amphitheater which once used to be the heart of ancient Rome. It was built in the 80th century AD and was designed to hold 50 to 80 thousand spectators. This colossal stadium used to house gladiator battles and many public spectacles like hunting games. After being depicted in the move “Gladiator”, it has gained quite the international popularity. One of the greatest specimens of architectural and engineering brilliance and part of new Seven Wonders of the World, Colosseum remains easily the greatest tourist attraction in Rome and takes its place on the top of our list.