Rome Top Tourist Attractions


Often called the world’s most beautiful and ancient city, Rome should be on everybody’s bucket list if for no other reason than to see the unique sites.  Many find that one trip to Rome is several trips too few.  With so many things to see, here are the Rome tourist attractions not to be missed.  

Ranking number one as the most visited attraction in Rome; plan to spend several hours, if not an entire day, visiting Rome’s Coliseum.  This incredible amphitheater is only made all the more amazing by the simple fact that it was built by hand.  To stand looking at the structure in person is awe- inspiring.  To see such an old structure standing and in such condition is also inspiring.  The Coliseum is located right downtown and is in an extremely convenient location to all manner of shops, food, transportation, and services.  The Coliseum is the largest amphitheater of Roman times and is a true feat of engineering and architecture.

Your next stop should without a doubt be the Pantheon.  This structure, widely recognizably by its structure, was originally built as a temple to the gods.  The Pantheon is a remarkable circular structure with a large portico and massive Corinthian columns.  Nearly 2000 years after being built, the Pantheon remains as the largest reinforced concrete dome in the world.  It’s an incredible sight inside and out- the Pantheon is one of the most well- preserved ancient structures that exists in Rome today.  

Your final mandatory stop on a trip to Rome should be the Sistine Chapel.  It’s hard to think of the Sistine Chapel as a Rome tourist attraction, but its well within the top five most visited sites in the city.  This beautiful chapel was built in only ten years in the late 1400’s.  The building in and of itself is a marvel, although most tourists and locals come to the sanctuary to view the awe- inspiring ceiling.  As you probably know, the famous fresco was painted on the ceiling by classic painter Michelangelo in the early 1500’s.  Photos don’t do the fresco justice both in terms of the beauty of the images and the size and scale of the images.  Even more incredible is the fact that it only took Michelangelo four years to complete.  The painting inspires the full range of emotional reactions, although most commonly seen are people moved to tears and utter and complete silence at the sight of it.

Rome, while a religious and tourist mecca, is an amazing place to visit due to the age and span of so many of the ancient structures.  With the above three places of interest, you can build your itinerary out to see even more incredible, humbling and once in a lifetime sights.