Top 10 Cool Things To Do in Rome

Happy weekend guys! This post is highly overdue however work has been hectic this month and I didn’t have time to sit down and put together my suggestions for the Top 10 cool things to do in Rome. You would have seen on my Instagram that I recently went to Rome and had a great time with one of my childhood best friends.We explored the city together, ate at the most amazing restaurants, made a rather frequent Gelato brakes and drunk delicious Italian Wine. We were in Rome for 4 days and we were super active, so we managed to explore quite a bit. So I wanted to create a post on Top 10 Cool Things to Do in Rome. When you visit one of the most historically important cities in the world you’ll find that you will not run out of things to do in Rome. I tried to keep my recommendations as balanced as possible and with just a right amount of touristy sites so I hope you guys enjoy.

Since we arrived from different locations, we met at the Termini Station as we were staying at the Best Western Hotel Royal Santina. From here we walked to most locations with an occasional hop on the bus.

DIARY FREE GELATO AT PIAZZA DEL POPOLO

One of the first things we did is went to the Piazza del Popolo and started our day of exploring with a dairy free Gelato at the Gelateria Dei Gracchi which was so good. I was actually quite surprised with the amount of gluten and dairy free options available at the majority of places we visited. It was almost like a guilt free carb indulging.

PIAZZA DE SPAGNA AND SPANISH STEPS 

We decided to get touristy landmarks out the way and walked down the Via Del Corso & Via Della Croche toward Piazza de Spagna to see Spanish Steps. Spanish Steps are located right in the middle of Piazza Di Spagna one of the main squares in Rome, offers the coolest location to people watch especially if you climb all of 135 steps. Unfortunately for us, the steps were closed for the reconstruction so we didn’t get a chance to climb them but hopefully, you will be in more luck.

Piazza Di Spagna is also a home to most amazing designer stores including my favorite Chanel, Celine, Prada, and Valentino. I was so excited to treat myself to something nice however, Brexit messed those plans up wit the sterling falling significantly against the Euro.

FONTANA DI TREVI

After browsing through a few stores we decided to walk toward Fontana Di Trevi via Via Fratina and Via Del Corso. There are so many cute restaurants right off the Via Fratina but I really like to avoid eating in the touristy area so we skipped. Restaurants looked so pretty thought and complement orange Roman walls so well offering such a romantic vibe to the City.
Fontana Di Trevi was absolutely breathtaking but extremely busy with people trying to get a good shot of themselves in front of the fountain. If you don’t like crowds, I definitely recommend you either visit early in the morning or late at night.

ALTARE DELLA PATRIA

Another important landmark is Piazza Venezia where you can see The ‘Altar of the Fatherland’ (Altare della Patria) which is the largest national monument in Italy. The area is around 20 minutes walking distance from the Fontan di Trevi and it’s a really cool picturesque location. This was our last site of the day and we decided to head back to the Hotel for a quick shower and prepare for dinner at Primo Al Pigneto. The restaurant is located Pigneto that is known as Rome’s Brooklyn filled with hipsters and creative types. I can assure you that you will love this area if you are on a look out to explore a quirky side of Rome. I have reviewed Primo al Pigneto here, you can see pictures of our feast.

VATICAN CITY 

The next day we decided to visit the Vatican City, the City-state and a residence of Pope. The architecture of the Vatican City was so mesmerizing. We didn’t want to go inside as we didn’t have time for museums however, I definitely recommend you guys do if you gave more time. We walked along the Tiber River visiting Castel Sant’Angelo on our way and continuing along the river pathway toward Trastevere, one of my favorite areas in Rome. The area is located on the west bank of the river and it’s a goof 45 minutes walk from the Vatican City.

LUNCH AT TRASTEVERE

Trastevere is so picturesque with medieval looking buildings all along the river. The area is well known for the delicious food and this is where locals gather to eat and pre-drink before going on a night out. I highly recommend you pay Pasticcio a visiting for some food and rooftop drinking as you definitely won’t be disappointed, you can read a full review HERE.

PANTHEON

Another one of must things to do in Rome is a visit to Pantheon. This is another extremely busy area but a must see due to its significant historical value. Walk the small alley streets toward Piazza Navona to truly take in gorgeous Roman architecture.

VILLA BORGHESE

We started another day at the Piazza de Spagna with a Gelato at Venchi to make our walk to Villa Borghese that much more pleasant on a hot day. Villa Borghese is a gorgeous landscape garden that offers stunning views of the City on your way up from Piazza di Spagna. The gardens offer a perfect location for a relaxing stroll through gorgeous tree lanes taking a break from a busy city center.

CAPITOLINE HILL, ROMAN FORUM AND COLOSSEO

One of my last suggestions for the things to do in Rome is a visit to Capitoline Hill, Roman Forum, and Colosseo. Capitoline Hill is one of the seven hills of Rome. Roman Forum or a piazza is surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings and it used to know in the ancient times the marketplace of Rome. It’s very surreal to see and take pictures off. Also, a walk from here toward to Colosseo is one of the nicest walks and I’m so happy we decided to do this towards the end of our stay.

One the coolest locations for Dinner and Drinks is Palazzo Manfredi especially during the sunset as it offers breathtaking views of Colosseo. They serve delicious cocktails and smaller dishes on the bar terrace if you are not up for a full-blown meal. This is definitely a romantic spot to take your loved one to and treat them to a delicious meal.

LUNCH AT MONTI & DINNER AT SAN LORENZO

On our last day we just decided to eat and drink so during the day we explored Monti an area well know amongst the locals for an awesome aperitivo. Head to Monti for Apritivo to get the feel of what local Romans like to do in early evenings. The bars around Monti are really cool and low key especially on a hot summer’s day.

Pinsa E Buoi Restaurant in San Lorenzo which is a student area and somewhat gritty was or last dinner location. The area definitely differed from the other areas we visited however, after arriving to the restaurant we realized that we just discovered the coolest local cuisine spot. San Lorenzo was quite edgy with graffiti all around the walls and I was so happy to have this place be our last meal.

Have you been to Rome? What do you think of my suggestions for the top 10 cool things to do in Rome?

Tania xxx