Top attractions 

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Top things to experience in Rome & Beyond

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Known as the Eternal Capital, Rome’s layers of history are presented to visitors in the form of classical ruins, early places of worship, ancient fountains and Renaissance palazzos. Against this dramatic backdrop, where centuries of different architectural styles vie for the visitor’s attention, you will find a modern, vibrant city with a smorgasbord of activities, eateries and museums.

Must-sees in Rome include the iconic Colosseum, the city’s most classical ruin which, at its peak, seated over 50,000 people, as well as the former Roman temple- turned- church, the Pantheon. Marvel at the 50 meter wide Trevi Fountain, Rome’s largest Baroque fountain, and the beautiful façade and interior of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. Pay a visit to one of the most ancient parts of the city, the Palatine Hill full of dramatic archaeological ruins. The Borghese Gallery contains one of the world’s greatest art collections, with hundreds of statues and other artefacts, while the Doria Pamphilj Gallery is famous not only for its incredible pieces of art but also for its palazzo in where the works are displayed. The Vatican Museums, with their piece de resistance being Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, are also home to classical statues, frescoes and other decorations. A visitor’s biggest challenge in Rome is to decide how to cram in as much as time limitations allow, without doing so much that the true masterpieces in art and architecture are overlooked. Reach a good balance by taking some time out to sit at pavement cafes and people-watch, in order to pick up the slower pace of Rome.

 

 

Rome Food Experience

Go on the hunt for some of the best food in Rome on this culinary walking tour through the areas of Campo de’ Fiori, Trastevere and the Jewish Ghetto. With a guide, spend 3.5 hours learning the local secrets of the Eternal City and sample traditional Italian favorites like gelato and pasta, as well as local specialties like fried artichokes.

Ghost and Mystery Walking Tour with Castel Sant'Angelo

For a twist on the usual sightseeing experience, take an after-dark tour of Rome to admire its illuminated landmarks and monuments while listening to stories about ghosts, myths and legends. You’ll explore the winding alleys and squares in the city’s historical center with a guide, who provides eerie commentary about the supernatural and historical mysteries that have plagued the Eternal City for centuries. See attractions like Campo de’ Fiori, Castel Sant’Angelo and Palazzo Farnese in a whole new light.

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Gladiator's Arena and Colosseum Underground 

Visit a lesser-known part of Rome’s Colosseum on a 4-hour walking tour of ancient Roman sites that includes access to the underground Colosseum. Learn about life in the ancient city as you walk through the below-ground area where gladiators waited for battle, then continue to the arena. Keep exploring Roman history in the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, where you’ll see temples, arches, and landmarks from the Roman Republic and Empire.

 

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Master of Pizza

See Rome’s major sights and learn how to make authentic Italian pizza during this walking tour that combines history and culinary culture. With a guide, check out attractions like the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon and Piazza Navona before a pizza making class at a nearby restaurant.

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Cooking Lesson in Rome

Experience Rome to the fullest by including an Italian cooking class into your sightseeing itinerary. In a private kitchen in central Rome, you'll learn how to make a 4-course meal under the watchful eye of an instructor. Plus, visit Rome’s Central Market to shop for ingredients and chat with local farmers and other vendors. You'll receive personalized attention while you cook in a group limited to eight people. Then sit down to enjoy your meal with wine.

 

Evening Paint 

Our Art experience takes place is the mesmerising baroque city centre of Rome. You will travel back through time with our guide as you, walk through some of the most famous squares in Rome,ending up in one of the city most historical, and artistic churches. You will then be welcomed into our enchanting art studio where you will have access to an unlimited selection of fine Italian wine,traditional Italian food and tutelage whilst creating your masterpiece from one of our handpicked art instructors. Indulge in the history of the delicious food, fantastic wine and incredible art that has inhabited the Eternal City before you, as you enjoy an unforgettable night with us in Rome.

 

 

Ceramic Workshop

Come and learn this ancient art technique and make the most out of your Roman experience! The meeting point of the workshop will be at the art school, at 1 Vicolo dei Marchigiani. There you will start this experience by meeting with your professional art teacher who will expose to various ways of handling clay – both with your own hands and with the pottering wheel. Start step by step: gather a bit of clay in front of you, mold it, shape it, morph into anything you like! You will even have the opportunity to paint and varnish your masterpiece, as final touch! Finally, the only thing that will be left to do, will be to wrap up your creation and take it home. What a perfect memory of the amazing time you had in Rome! Come and have fun with us, on this creative and original course!

 

 

Day trip to Tuscany

 Lunch at an organic farm on our Tuscany Day Trip from Rome

For its food, its wine and its scenery, there really is no place like Tuscany. For those taking a day trip from Rome we’d recommend visiting the hill town of Pienza for shopping, climbing the castle at Montalcino, visiting some of the famous Brunello di Montalcino vineyards and stops at some of the smaller towns such as Montepulciano, tiny little Monticchiello and if you have the time, the hot springs town of Bagno Vignoni. Walks of Italy also offers a day trip from Rome to Tuscany, for those of you short on time.

Tuscany is overflowing with incredible destinations, for more travel ideas read our guide to the10 best towns in Tuscany.

Day trip to Tivoli

 

Villa d’Este, Tivoli

It takes just one hour and costs 3 euros to take the train from Rome to Tivoli, a small town in Lazio with a lot to offer! One major sight here is Hadrian’s Villa at Tivoli; this is where Emperor Hadrian came when he wanted to escape the capital. Much of the sprawling, luxurious ancient villa remains intact today, with columns, marble pavement, and ancient statues, and gives a tantalizing glimpse into the opulence of ancient Rome! Another major sight here is the Villa d’Este, built by the grandson of Pope Alexander VI in the 16th century. One of the most splendid villas in Italy, it’s filled with formal gardens, frescoed rooms, and gorgeous fountains.

If you take the train, just remember that you’ll then have to take one of the city buses from the center of Tivoli to Hadrian’s Villa, which is located outside of the town. You can look up train times at www.trenitalia.com.

Day trip to Naples

 

Castel dell’Ovo

in Naples, an easy (and fascinating!) day trip from Rome

No matter what you’ve heard about Naples, make no mistake: This is one of the most fascinating, and definitely the liveliest, cities in Italy. It also happens to boast one of the world’s best archaeological museums (if you’re wondering where the mosaics, sculptures, and frescoes from the villas in Pompeii wound up, it’s here) and one of Europe’s finest art museums (including pieces by Caravaggio, Raphael, Michelangelo, and more)… plus fantastic food, gorgeous churches, and a fascinating underground. If you’re interested, don’t miss our piece on 9 reasons not to skip Naples!

The fastest train from Rome to Naples takes just 1 hour, 10 minutes and costs 29 euros… meaning there’s little excuse to skip this incredible city! You can look up train times at www.trenitalia.com.

Day trip to Pompei or Herculaneum

 Pompeii

makes for another great day trip from Rome

Yes, you can do Pompeii in a day from Rome. It’s a long day, but a rewarding one!

This world-famous sight is a city “frozen in time” by the volcanic eruption of 79 A.D., and it’s as atmospheric—and spine-tingling—as it is historic. To get to Pompeii from Rome, you’d have to take the train to Naples (see above), then follow signs for the “Circumvesuviana”; you can checkCircumvesuviana train times in advance, but they run every half hour or so. It’s a 35-minute ride from Naples to the Pompeii Scavi. If you take the fast train to Naples, you can get to the scavi in as little as 2 hours.

Pompeii, though, is a huge sight—and not one you want to wander around aimlessly, especially if you’re short on time! (To see the very best of Pompeii, and hear the fascinating stories that bring the site to life, check out our “Best of Pompeii” experience!). If you want to visit a site that’s a little more manageable on your own, check out Herculaneum. The “Ercolano” stop on the Circumvesuviana, it’s closer to Naples, so you save 15 or 20 minutes each way. And the site itself is smaller than Pompeii, although it offers the same going-back-in-time experience.

Another plus: The geological process of the eruption was different here, so carbon survived—meaning while you don’t have the famous plaster body casts at Herculaneum, you do have preserved wood furniture, bed frames, and skeletons! If you want to have a fully guided day trip from Rome to Pompeii by luxury minibus, which includes a stop in Positano on the Amalfi Coast, Walks of Italy offers daily departures.

Day trip to Orvieto

 

The beautiful town of Orvieto, a quick trip from Rome

Umbria, a region with a lot in common with Tuscany, is an easy day trip from Rome… and Orvieto is one of our favorite towns there! On the train, getting to Orvieto from Rome takes an hour and costs less than 10 euros from the station, you have to take the funicular up to the top of the hill, where the town is located. (You can look up train times at www.trenitalia.com).

In Orvieto, make sure you don’t miss the town’s fascinating underground—the tunnels and caverns carved out some 3,000 years ago by the Etruscans—or its Duomo, with frescoes that inspired even Michelangelo.

Day trip to Ostia Antica

 

Ostia Antica

For the price of a metro ticket, and in just a half an hour,  be transported into another world from Rome! Ostia Antica, ancient Rome’s port city, is a remarkably well-preserved, ancient town, complete with forum, bars, restaurants, even a brothel. If getting all the way to Pompeii seems a little too ambitious, Ostia Antica is a fantastic alternative!

To get there, don’t check times on trenitalia.com, as this is a different train from the national system. Instead, take metro line B to the Piramide metro stop and follow signs to the Roma Porta San Paolo train station; take any of the trains, since they all go in the right direction, and get off at Ostia Antica.

Other great experiences include trying an Amalfi Coast day trip from Rome by high-speed train, where you can visit wonderful towns like Amalfi Town, Positano, and even take a boat along the coastline. A new tour option from Walks of Italy is to take a day trip to Cinque Terre from Rome to explore three of these beautiful towns on foot, and see a fourth from the water.