The eternal city has so many iconic landmarks – the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, the list goes on. All that sightseeing (and all that pizza…) can leave your bank account looking a little sad. Not to worry, though. Many of Rome’s top attractions come at no cost.
Here’s a guide to 12 of the best things to do for free in Rome – including seven hidden gems you probably haven’t heard of.
What’s in this blog:
- St Peter’s Basilica
- Speaking of churches…
- Free spots to see Roman ruins
- The Spanish Steps
- The Trevi Fountain
- Via Margutta
- Villa Borghese and the water clock
- Via Appia Antica
- The Mouth of Truth
- The Museum of the Liberation of Rome
- Island of Tiber
- Jewish Ghetto and Museum of the Shoah
St Peter’s Basilica
I’ll be honest, I was torn about whether to include St Peter’s Basilica on this list. It’s probably already on your itinerary, and if it’s not, it should be.
The church goes back to the 16th century, though it’s on the site of a much older church (itself on the site of where St Peter is said to be buried). Crowned by Michelangelo’s architectural magnum opus, its show stopping dome, St Peter’s Basilica is one of the city’s – and world’s – great buildings. It’s definitely one of the top things to do for free in Rome.
You can find it in the Vatican City. But be warned, it’s very popular, and queues can be very long.
The area around Vatican City is also an excellent area to stay in Rome. You can find the best hotels near St Peter’s Basilica in this blog.
Speaking of churches…
If you’re looking for something cultural to do in Rome while saving some pennies, you can’t do much better than a bit of church hopping. Across the city are plenty of historic, important and stunning churches, most of which are free to enter.
A personal favourite from my visit which I’d definitely recommend is the Basilica of Santa Maria, in the Trastevere neighbourhood. It’s one of the oldest churches in Rome, with much of the current structure going back to the 12th century.
On its impressive façade you’ll find Byzantine mosaics by Pietro Cavallini, which are almost 1,000 years old. They take on an especially magical hue at night, when you can sit at one of the square’s popular bars and admire – or grab a takeaway drink and sit in the square itself!
Free spots to see Roman ruins
Likely, you’re already planning to visit some of Rome’s main ancient sights – such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. But across the city are plenty of places where you can see ancient ruins for free. A few spots that I’d recommend are…
- Circus Maximus – Where the Romans once held chariot races, in front of crowds of up to 250,000 people. Little remains now, but it’s a highly evocative sight.
- Via dei Fori Imperiali – If you’re not planning to explore the Roman Forum or don’t want to splash out on an entrance ticket, from here there’s a public viewing platform where you can get a great view of one of the Forum’s main sights – Trajan’s Column, a triumphal column with intricate reliefs commemorating the Roman victory in the Dacian Wars
- Via Appia Antica – an Ancient Roman road stretching out of the city and lined with several historic sights. See below.
- Largo di Torre Argentina – Thought to be where Julius Caesar was murdered. Now, awesomely, it’s a cat sanctuary, with cats prowling the ruins and lounging in the sun. You have to pay to enter, but from the square you have a great view in to the ruins (and to stand and watch the cats!)
Looking for a full guide of the top things to do in Rome? Read this three day itinerary.
The Spanish Steps
Another of Rome’s most famous landmarks which you can visit for free. The Spanish Steps have been attracting tourists ever since they were built 300 years ago.
They start from Piazza di Spagna – which was, for hundreds of years, home to the Spanish Embassy, hence the nickname. It’s thought that the nickname was coined by either Keats or Shelley, who lived nearby and would have faced towards the steps. Either way, the Steps are utterly gorgeous and a great free activity to do in Rome.
The Trevi Fountain
Finally, before I get onto the sights you might not already have heard of: the Trevi Fountain. A mind-blowingly over-the-top, rococo style fountain, with water cascading down rocks and depictions of mythical figures.
It utterly dominates the small square it’s found in, and at most times of the day is swarmed with tourists. Visit early (or late) to avoid having to barge through crowds to get a view.
Some of Rome’s most elegant and stylish hotels can also be found near the Trevi Fountain.
And 7 free hidden gems you might not have heard of…
Via Margutta
Parallel to the busy, designer-shop lined Via del Babuino, Via Margutta is an oasis of calm, and one of Rome’s prettiest streets. Ivy drapes down the walls of art galleries and wonderfully old-timey Italian buildings.
Via Margutta also has a rich artistic heritage. Picasso used to work from Gallery No.54, and the street was immortalised in Audrey Hepburn’s Roman Holiday (1953). (For more films set in Rome, visit here.)
Villa Borghese and the water clock
Rome’s most popular park makes for a great couple hours exploring. It was originally the estate of Cardinal Borghese, covering 80 hectares of wonderfully landscaped greenery. My two highlights were:
- Pinicio Hill – a lovely terrace with some of the best views we found in Rome. You can reach the terrace from stares at the top of Piazza del Popolo, itself a great square to explore.
- The Water Clock – A clock powered by a fountain below it, meaning it never needs winding. It can be found on a small islet in a pond in the gardens. The clock won awards at the Paris Universal Exposition
Villa Borghese is also home to a couple of noteworthy art galleries. I’d especially recommend the National Gallery of Modern Art, which is remarkably underappreciated considering the number of big hitters you’ll find in the gallery – Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, to name a few.
Via Appia Antica
One of the Roman Empire’s earliest and most strategic roads was Via Appia Antica – the Appian Way in English. It connected Rome to Brindisi in Southern Italy, and dates back as long ago as 312 B.C..
Much of it is remarkably well preserved. On many sections, you can still walk on the ancient Roman cobblestones. This is another real hidden gem in Rome and, in my opinion, one of the city’s most interesting ancient sights.
It was along here that the thousands of slaves that Spartacus led in revolt were crucified – though Spartacus’ body was never found. On top of this, along the Appian Way you’ll find many ancient buildings and ruins, including some spectacular ruined villas.
Part of the road is open to traffic – so I’d recommend starting your visit from the Basilica di San Sebastiano. From this point, only residents’ cars are allowed, and it’s a much more pleasant and peaceful experience. That being said, it’s also worth stopping off at the Appia Antica Visitor Centre – at the northern edge of the road, closest to central Rome – for a refreshment, maps, and possibly to rent a bike.
The Appian Way is easy to reach from central Rome by bus.
The Mouth of Truth
One of Ancient Rome’s more unusual sights, and completely free, is the Mouth of Truth. You’ll find it close to Circus Maximus. It’s an ancient marble mask with gaping holes for eyes, nostrils and its mouth.
The mask likely depicts the sea god Oceanus – and we don’t know exactly what it was used for. But in Medieval times, it became the centre of a popular myth. It’s said that the mask will bite the hand off of any liar who places their hand in its open mouth, or who utters a lie while their hand is in the mouth.
Nowadays, tourists line up to get that photo of your hand in its mouth. Just make sure you’ve been being truthful before trying it out! Be prepared for a bit of a queue.
The Mouth of Truth can be found outside the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin, a church which in itself is a bit of a hidden gem, featuring an 8th century crypt.
The Museum of the Liberation of Rome
The Museum of the Liberation of Rome is, in my opinion, one of Rome’s best unknown sights. It’s completely free (though they do ask for donations), telling the story of the German occupation of Rome (Sept 1943-June 1944) during World War Two, and the subsequent Italian resistance and ultimate liberation.
On top of this, the museum is in an important building – the former Italian headquarters of the SS, which was once used to torture members of the Italian resistance. Many of the rooms where you’ll find exhibits were once cells.
It’s an eye-opening visit, and a rare opportunity in Rome to learn about the city’s more recent history. The museum is much bigger than we had initially expected and we wished we were able to spend more time there. So, although the exhibits were a little tired, and the audioguide (also free!) sometimes got a bit muddled, which made the visit a little confusing, I really couldn’t recommend this small museum enough. It’s one of the best free hidden gems in Rome.
Island of Tiber
It’s not as famous as Paris’ Ile de la Cite, but Rome has its own river island – the Island of Tiber. There’s not loads to do here, and it’s pretty small. But the Island of Tiber is a peaceful place for a stroll, and it’s historic too.
The bridge connecting it to the south side is Rome’s oldest standing bridge, Ponte Fabricio, dating back to 62 B.C. For millennia, the island has been associated with healing – and was once the site of a temple to the Roman god of medicine.
Jewish Ghetto and Museum of the Shoah
Rome’s Jewish Ghetto dates back more than 2,000 years, to the 2nd century BC, making it one of Europe’s oldest Jewish quarters. It’s an atmospheric area to walk around, and also a great place to eat – you’ll find many kosher bakeries.
Brass cobblestones on the pavement commemorate Rome’s Holocaust victims – they’re placed outside the victims’ homes. Elsewhere in the neighbourhood, you’ll find the very small museum of Fondazione Museo della Shoah, which is free to visit, and tells the story of the Holocaust through the eyes of Rome’s Jewish community.
Nearby is Rome’s Great Synagogue, which has a museum telling the story of the Ghetto.
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