I've been a tour guide in Rome for 16 years. Here are 5 tourist attractions that are worth it and 5 you can skip.

Business Insider via AOL ^ | May 28, 2024 | Sarah May Grunwald

[SunkenCiv]

I always recommend visiting the Park of the Aqueducts and the Ostia Antica archeological site.

But I think the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Mouth of Truth attractions are overcrowded...

I would never say certain attractions have no merit. But after years of interacting with travelers, I understand that people want alternatives.

Luckily, Rome has priceless art and artifacts around every corner.

Here are five popular attractions that are worth visiting...

1. The Capitoline Museums
2. Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
3. The Park of the Aqueducts
4. Basilica of Sant'Agostino
5. Ostia Antica

...and five you might want to skip..

1. Vatican Museums are overcrowded
2. You can get a good view of the Colosseum without going inside
3. Walking the Appian Way might be a letdown (see #3 above)
4. Trevi Fountain
5. Mouth of Truth

[SunkenCiv]

San Giovanni in Laterano is the oldest papal basilica in Rome.

Takashi Images/Shutterstock

[Remole]

I lived in Rome for 6 years in the 80’s.

Add to the list of Essential Must See: The Church of San Clemente, including the visit to the underground levels. In one place, 20 centuries of Roman history.

[V_TWIN]

You sure you linked to the right story?

[Made In The USA]

Thanks for posting, I’ll be in Rome later this year.

[moovova]

The new downtown home décor store in Rome is the 6th attraction to be sure to see.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks for the link! I boiled it down to two simple lists, but by all means, view the photos at the original, or, click the links below.

• cover shot [Paolo Gallo/Shutterstock]
• Capitoline Museums [Sarah May Grunwald]
• Park of the Aqueducts [Sarah May Grunwald]
• Basilica di Sant'Agostino [Karl Allen Lugmayer/Shutterstock]
• Ostia Antica [Sarah May Grunwald]
• Vatican Museums [byggarn.se/Shutterstock]
• Colosseum [Viacheslav Lopatin/Shutterstock]
• Appian Way [ValerioMei/Shutterstock]
• Trevi Fountain [Sarah May Grunwald]
• Mouth of Truth [vrsasi/Shutterstock]

[KC Burke]

As a history buff, I envy your experience.

[Cronos]

I think one should also visit San Andrea del Quirinale

[SunkenCiv]

Crap, how’d I manage that?

https://www.aol.com/news/ive-tour-guide-rome-16-174605451.html

[SunkenCiv]

my pleasure, note the link change if needed:

https://www.aol.com/news/ive-tour-guide-rome-16-174605451.html

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!

[V_TWIN]

I think SunkenCiv has beenhittin’ the sauce a little early today. Lol! 🍷🍺🍹🍻🥂🥃

[V_TWIN]

It ain’t nothing I’ve never done. 😏

[SunkenCiv]

Well, that was fun, here's the corrected link for this one:

• Ostia Antica [Sarah May Grunwald]

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

My wife and I went there last March, and while I agree that those sites are overcrowded, for a first time visitor, they really need to be seen.

We stayed in an apartment in the Monti neighborhood, close to the ancient sites. The city was very accessible from there, with a Metro station (Cavour) just blocks away. I'd also recommend spending time at Villa Borghese.

The main reason we were there, though, was to run the Rome Marathon, which gave us an extraordinary tour of the city through the streets, which were blocked for the runners.

We spent a week there, but are planning on returning, and skipping the big attractions. Staying in Monti gave us a fantastic view of the Colosseum many times a day, and it never disappointed. It was an odd sensation of how familiar it became as we went about the city.

[SunkenCiv]

It boggles to consider how much is *left* and visible, considering the amount that was rendered into lime mortar during the Middle Ages, demolished even during imperial times, and reused or left buried over the centuries. :^)

[CIB-173RDABN]

I am old, I don’t travel much anymore and I certainly will not be making any trips to Europe any time soon.

In a way I have found a substitute. YouTube.

I can enter the name of a town or city and I will most likely find many videos some as simple as a person with a camera strap to them and walking the city streets, to many attractions with video and commentary on what to see and what to do.

I won’t say it is the same as being there but it is a chance to see thing I would not be able to see otherwise.

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

I was also amazed to see how much of the ancient structures were simply part of the city, without fanfare or markings.

[SunkenCiv]

Same here. Boy, did that happen quickly.

I like to throw on a YouTube walking tour of this or that place, provided there is no narration.

[SunkenCiv]

Yeah, there’s a Roman-era pyramid tomb that got incorporated into the Aurelian Wall, and is open to tourists. I guess if you grow up there it doesn’t seem like that big a deal. :^)