Rome Photo Gallery

Unveiled in 1667, the Elephant and Obelisk sculpture was designed by Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini and was the last commission of Pope Alexander VII.

Getting lost in the House of the Vestrals at the Roman Forum.

Designed in 1651, this ‘Fountain of the Four Rivers’ in Piazza Navona is stunning by day or by night. The basin supports four river gods represent major rivers of the four continents with papal authority: Nile (Africa), Danube (Europe), Ganges (Asia) and Rio de la Plata (the Americas). An obelisk rises between them.

Enjoying the view after finally finding the panoramic glass elevator to the Terrazze delle Quadrighe.

Snap! Pradeep capturing the magnificent interiors of the Pantheon.

Escaping the rain after our Vatican tour, awed at how many chairs were set up for Mass the next day.

Pradeep providing perspective at the immense Baths of Caracalla.

Tara: "How many animals were killed in the Colosseum?"

Pradeep: "Many."

Attempting to speak the language goes a long way in every country. In Rome, greet people with 'Buongiorno' in the mornings, 'Buonasera' in the evenings, and 'Grazie' at the end of your conversations. For more essential phrases, print out this handy pocket guide (double-sided) from Living Language to fold and keep with you throughout your Roman holiday.

Plan ahead and choose two adjacent days to see The Forum/Palatine Hill and Colosseum, including access to the arena floor. We highly recommend purchasing the priority 2-day passes in advance through the Tiqets service, which you can show on your smartphone.

Context Travel also offers an outstanding 4-hour small group tour guided by an expert historian for about $175pp. Learn more here: Roma Antica: Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Tour with Skip-the-Line Tickets.

Each site truly deserves several hours on its own, and while they can both be visited in one day, the less exhausting option is to split it between two days.

Unfortunately, it's difficult to avoid crowds at the Colosseum, Rome's most popular tourist attraction. Purchasing tickets in advance through Tiqets allows you to access a priority line, but keep in mind that only 3,000 people are allowed entry at one time, so you may need to wait, even with a ticket in hand. And with only a handful of metal detectors, security checks can also be lengthy. A morning visit is typically advantageous, as we outline in our itinerary Roman Daily Life.