Refreshed: September 2026
Art, history, architecture, religion, wonderful food and, of course, gelato — Rome certainly has plenty to offer.
I visited for just three days and managed to see most of the places I had on my list. It was a busy few days, but very enjoyable, and I discovered that Rome was about much more than simply ticking off famous tourist attractions.
Some places completely blew me away. Others left me wondering what all the fuss was about.
Yes, I know I am probably not supposed to say that about Rome, but there you are!
The Vatican
Visiting the Vatican had been a lifelong dream of mine.
Like so many people, I had watched the Pope on television celebrating Mass and blessing the crowds gathered in St Peter’s Square. I had often wondered what it would feel like actually to stand there myself.
And finally, I did.
Sadly, I didn’t see Pope Francis, but simply being there was quite an experience.
I had read about the enormous queues before travelling, so I booked a guided tour which included the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica.
I was very glad I did. Even at around 9am, the queues were already long.
St Peter's Basilica
One of the interesting things about such a vast building is that you completely lose your sense of scale. Statues that appear quite small from a distance turn out to be enormous when you get closer.
The bronze statue of St Peter also caught my attention. Pilgrims have touched his foot for so many years that part of it has worn smooth.
And yes, naturally I had to touch it too.
The magnificent bronze baldachin over the high altar was another feature that stayed with me. At first glance, I thought it was made of wood. It isn’t.
The whole Basilica is filled with extraordinary detail. Eventually you realise that it is impossible to absorb everything during one visit.
This beautiful sculpture caught my attention and I photographed it from all angles. I was not quite sure what it was but it looked beautiful.
Vatican Museums
From St Peter’s Basilica we continued through the Vatican Museums.
There is a huge amount to see here and, quite frankly, without my guide I think I would have wandered around wondering where to look first.
The museums contain room after room of sculptures, paintings and works of art collected over centuries.
One of my favourites was Raphael’s School of Athens.
I found it absolutely fascinating.
And then, of course, came the place everyone was waiting for.
Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel was one of those places I had seen countless times in books and on television, but seeing it for myself was completely different.
Everywhere you look there are paintings.
Walls. Ceiling. Every direction.
It is difficult to know where to focus your eyes.
The chapel was very crowded during my visit and we were constantly being encouraged to keep moving. Photography was not allowed, which was probably just as well because otherwise I would have been looking through my camera again!
I simply stood there, looked up and tried to take it all in.
It was extraordinary.
The Colosseum
Of course I could not visit Rome without seeing the Colosseum.
I have written separately about my visit because, as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, it deserves more than a paragraph here.
It was another guided visit and I was glad to have someone explaining what I was looking at rather than simply wandering around the ruins.
The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are close to the Colosseum, so I visited all three as part of the same tour. I am going to confess something.
Despite having a guide explaining everything, much of the Roman Forum looked to me like a large collection of ruins. There. I’ve said it.
I knew I was standing in an incredibly important historical site, but I sometimes struggled to imagine what the buildings must once have looked like.
Palatine Hill was similar in that respect.
The ruins became older and older as we walked around and, despite our guide’s best efforts, there were moments when I really couldn’t work out what I was supposed to be looking at.
What did catch my attention were the wonderful umbrella-shaped trees dotted around the site.
I thought they looked like giant broccoli. Once that thought entered my head, I couldn’t unsee it!
The Pantheon
The Pantheon was different. I loved it. The building feels enormous from the inside and the famous oculus in the roof immediately draws your attention upwards.
I was fascinated by the dome and by the fact that such an extraordinary structure had been created so long ago.
In fact, I became so absorbed in looking around that I forgot to take photographs.
Me!
Forgetting to take photographs!
That tells you something.
Trevi Fountain
Then came one of Rome’s most famous attractions — the Trevi Fountain.
And this is where I may upset a few Rome lovers.
I was underwhelmed.
Perhaps I had built it up too much beforehand. Perhaps it was because the fountain was not operating when I visited. Or perhaps I had already seen places such as St Peter’s Basilica and the Pantheon and my expectations were now rather high.
Whatever the reason, I found myself looking at it and thinking:
Is that it?
There were enormous crowds squeezed into the relatively small area around the fountain, all trying to get photographs.
Naturally, I joined them.
You should also wear sensible shoes when walking around this part of Rome. Some of the pedestrian areas are uneven and you will probably be doing a great deal of walking.
The Spanish Steps
The Spanish Steps are within walking distance of Trevi Fountain, so it makes sense to visit both together. There are around 135 steps. No, I did not count them. I had better things to do!
The church of Trinità dei Monti sits at the top, with another fountain at the bottom. Yes — another fountain. Rome certainly likes its fountains.
The main challenge during my visit wasn’t climbing the steps. It was negotiating the number of people sitting, standing, photographing and generally people-watching.
The surrounding streets are lined with designer shops including Gucci, Prada and other expensive temptations. I wasn’t tempted. I had come to sightsee, not shop.
Archbasilica of St John Lateran
One of the biggest surprises of my visit wasn’t somewhere I had originally planned to see.
I was looking for a Catholic church where I could attend Mass on Sunday morning and someone at my hotel suggested the Archbasilica of St John Lateran, about fifteen minutes’ walk away.
What a recommendation that turned out to be.
The Basilica was magnificent.
In fact, I thought it rivalled St Peter’s Basilica.
Inside were huge marble statues, beautiful floors, elaborate ceilings and artwork everywhere.
It was one of those buildings where you constantly find yourself looking up.
Then looking down.
Then looking up again.
And taking yet another photograph.
What made the visit particularly special for me was being able to attend Mass there on Sunday morning.
After several days of sightseeing, this felt completely different.
I wasn’t simply visiting another historic building. I was attending a service in a church that had been a place of worship for centuries.
That experience has stayed with me.
The Holy Stairs – Scala Sancta
Just across from St John Lateran I stumbled upon another place I had not planned to visit — the Holy Stairs, or Scala Sancta.
According to tradition, these are believed to be the stairs Jesus climbed during his trial before Pontius Pilate.
Pilgrims climb the 28 steps on their knees, often saying a prayer on each step. I stood watching, but I didn’t climb them.
Even now I cannot completely explain why. Something held me back. Perhaps I simply felt overwhelmed by the significance attached to them.
It was one of the more unexpected and thought-provoking moments of my time in Rome.
Piazza Navona
And finally, Piazza Navona.
Another famous Rome attraction.
Another place that left me somewhat underwhelmed.
Perhaps I had simply been spoilt by then.
After St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, St John Lateran, the Colosseum and the Pantheon, my standards were probably becoming unreasonable!
I walked around the square, looked at Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers and eventually stopped for lunch.
I remember sitting there wondering whether I had somehow missed something.
I hadn’t.
It was simply a pleasant place to sit, eat, watch the street entertainers and see Rome going about its business.
And perhaps that is exactly how Piazza Navona should be enjoyed.
Rome After Dark
One thing I hadn’t expected was how lively Rome became in the evening.
Bars and restaurants filled up, music seemed to be everywhere and one evening I watched people jiving on the pavement outside my hotel. They were having a wonderful time. I watched but sadly, I couldn’t join them because I couldn’t jive.
Another skill for the list!
Three Days in Rome – Was It Enough?
Three days gave me enough time to see a great deal of Rome, although I certainly didn’t see everything.
For some of the major historic sites, I found guided tours very worthwhile. I used guides for the Vatican Museums, Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, and their knowledge added context that I would not have had wandering around alone.
I also travelled around Rome as a solo traveller and felt comfortable exploring by myself.
But what stayed with me most wasn’t really the number of attractions I managed to visit. It was the variety.
One minute I was standing inside an ancient Roman building. The next I was looking at Renaissance art, visiting a church, eating Italian food or simply watching people enjoying themselves in the street.
Some famous attractions impressed me enormously. Others didn’t. And that’s fine. Travel doesn’t require us to love somewhere simply because a guidebook tells us we should.
For me, the highlights were undoubtedly the Vatican, St Peter’s Basilica, the Pantheon and my unexpected visit to St John Lateran and the Holy Stairs.
Those were the experiences that stayed with me long after I left Rome.
The food and gelato weren’t bad either!
Have you visited Rome? Which places impressed you most and was there anywhere famous that left you wondering what all the fuss was about?
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Interesting to read.Thanks for sharing molly
Thank you for your comment. I am glad you enjoyed reading my post on Rome.