Things to do & places to visit in Lazio, Italy

Lying at Italy’s geographic and historic heart, Lazio (or Latium) was the seat of the Roman Empire, and as such is teeming with ancient attractions, especially in the Eternal City of Rome itself. To the east, Tivoli has Emperor Hadrian’s exquisite and massive Villa Adriana. Civitavecchia, today a major cruise and ferry port, has been Rome’s main harbor since the second century. Many pre-Roman sites dot Lazio too, like the Etruscan necropolis at Cerveteri, dating from the 9th century BC.

Lazio #1 destination in Italy 2023. The average rating score is 4.51 based on 835.3k traveler reviews, of 214 attractions. Timezone: Europe/Rome, current date and time: Monday, May 06, 2024, 17:20.

Top things to do (27)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 St. Peter's Basilica (41.3k reviews) from $21.97
- Incredible to behold - but book a Tour!
Monday: 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Churches & Cathedrals

Arguably one of the finest Cathedrals in the entire world, St. Peter's is the spiritual center of the Vatican and the product of many of Italy's great Renaissance's architects, among them Bramante, Raphael and Michelangelo. See more..
5.0 Centro Storico (6.103 reviews)
- An Open Air, Free Museum
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Historic Walking Areas

This section of Rome is filled with a tangle of narrow streets, which offers some of the finest examples of Roman classical and Baroque architecture and style. See more..
5.0 TopBike Rental & Tours (5.971 reviews)
- Adventures in History and Nature
Monday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Bike Tours • Gear Rentals

This was a great experience--a chance to see and learn so much Roman history, off the beaten path. Our guide customized or tour to our group's pace and our interests. The route, though it went through some of the city/suburbs, felt safe. We biked over 17 miles, covering many historical sites and beautiful green space, but it all felt achievable with a little electric boost. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants an active, hands-on experience in Rome. See more..
5.0 La Pieta (4.594 reviews)
- Sculptural Masterpiece
Monuments & Statues

The most beautiful work inside St. Peter's Cathedral is Michelangelo's famous La Pietà, considered by many to be the most moving piece of sculpture ever created. See more..
5.0 Cupola di San Pietro (3.381 reviews)
- Amazing experience worth the ticket
Monday: 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings • Religious Sites

The visit costs 8€ per person and is totally worth it. You will have some cardio walking the steps but it is quite rewarding. In some parts I had walk tilted because the angle of the hall was designed like that. You'll end up in a cage on top of the Rome with beautiful views on all surrounding parts of town, the pictures from there are amazing. I recommend visiting this place during part of first day to see what catches your eye. See more..
5.0 Rome Guides (2.084 reviews)
- Private tour of Palatine Hill, Forum and Coliseum with Martina
Walking Tours • Private Tours

Martina was an excellent guide, she had SO much knowledge and excellent story sharing. She kept us extremely engaged for 3 hours and it flew by even in the extreme temperatures in Rome (95 degrees). It was 4 of us, myself, my husband and our 23 & 19 year old. We started in the Palatine Hill, moved through the forum and did the coliseum last. We had done a group tour a few years before but that tour didn’t compare to this. I highly recommend a private tour; it will not be any more expensive and you will get undivided attention and a much better experience. At the end we felt like we were saying goodbye to a family member. Martina hugged us all and even offered suggestions of things to do the next day and restaurants which were wonderful suggestions! My only regret is I wish we had gotten a photo with her. Thanks Martina!!! See more..
4.5 Colosseum (149.2k reviews) from $34.79
- Must See
Monday: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Historic Sites • Ancient Ruins

The ancient Flavian Amphitheater was built by the Flavian emperors in 70 C.E. as a gift to the Roman people. As the largest Roman theater ever built, it was designed to house over 50,000 people, and had played host to gladiator games, plays and even public executions. Purchase skip-the-line tickets online to avoid long lines at the door, or join guided tours which allow for special access to restricted areas. While here, you might want to visit the adjacent Palatine Hill and Roman Forum as well. – Tripadvisor See more..
4.5 Trevi Fountain (103.3k reviews)
- Very crowded, come at sunrise.
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent 1-2 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks • Fountains

Certainly the most famous and photographed fountain in Rome, legend has it that whoever throws a coin into the pond will return to Rome. See more..
4.5 Pantheon (79.5k reviews)
- An amazing survivor
Monday: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Ancient Ruins • Architectural Buildings • Churches & Cathedrals

Dedicated to the seven planetary divinities and featuring an interior of gorgeous marble, the Pantheon is one of the most impressive monuments of Augustan Rome. See more..
4.5 Vatican Museums (40.5k reviews) from $33.84
- Get there early...
Monday: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Religious Sites • Art Museums

With more than five miles of corridors, this vast complex of museums chronicles the history and accomplishments of mankind over the last 2000 years, featuring classic masterpieces such as Rodin's "Thinker" and the Sistine Chapel. See more..
4.5 Piazza Navona (39.8k reviews)
- A Favorite Spot
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Points of Interest & Landmarks • Historic Walking Areas

The most outstanding square of the Baroque period in Rome features Bernini's Fountain of Rivers at its center as it faces Borromini's church, Sant' Agnese in Agone. See more..
4.5 Palatine Hill (25.3k reviews) from $35.22
- Magnificent views in awe of such a historical location
Monday: 9:00 AM - 7:15 PM Spent 2-3 hours Historic Sites • Ancient Ruins

The commercial, political and religious center of ancient Rome, which features the Arch of Septimus Severus, Temple of Saturn, Arch of Titus and the House of the Vestals. See more..
4.5 Roman Forum (25.1k reviews) from $34.79
- A walk through history.
Monday: 9:00 AM - 7:15 PM Spent 2-3 hours Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks

Located at the foot of Palatine Hill, the Forum is surrounded by ruins of Rome's most important government buildings. It's usually visited alongside the famous Colosseum. See more..
4.5 Sistine Chapel (20.2k reviews) from $34.26
- Amazing
Monday: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Historic Sites • Architectural Buildings • Art Museums • Churches & Cathedrals

Probably the most famous chapel in the world because of its incredible artwork, notably "The Last Judgment," Michelangelo's stunning fresco covering 10,000 square feet of the ceiling and wall. See more..
4.5 Galleria Borghese (18.0k reviews) from $32.12
- Quality over quantity
Monday: Spent 2-3 hours Art Museums

The Museum in the beautiful setting of Villa Borghese in Rome preserves sculptures, reliefs and ancient mosaics, and paintings and sculptures from the fifteenth to the eighteenth century. The collection, made up initially by Cardinal Scipione Borghese in the early seventeenth century, preserves masterpieces of Antonello da Messina, Giovanni Bellini, Raffaello, Tiziano, Correggio, Caravaggio and beautiful sculptures of Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Canova. See more..
4.5 Trastevere (17.3k reviews)
- B&B stay and local restaurants away from the tourist areas.
Spent 1-2 hours Neighborhoods

Discover a hidden side of Rome in Trastevere, a non-touristy bohemian neighborhood located across the Tiber River. Get lost along the winding alleys, join a food walking tour, enjoy a panoramic view from Piazzale Garibaldi, or experience the district with a photography tour. The streets are lined with shops, trattorias, and bars; when night falls, Trastevere comes alive with al fresco dining, twinkly fairy lights, and live music. Visit on market days to check out the weekly Porta Portese market, Rome’s largest flea market. – Tripadvisor See more..
4.5 Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (16.5k reviews)
- Incredible
Monday: 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Religious Sites • Churches & Cathedrals

One of seven pilgrimage basilicas in the world, this church was founded in 432 AD and is where the famous architect Bernini is buried. See more..
4.5 Museo Nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo (14.5k reviews) from $19.81
- GREAT OLD CASTLE
Monday: Spent More than 3 hours Observation Decks & Towers • Art Museums

The Museum is divided into four sections, the history of Castel Sant'Angelo is illustrated by vintage prints, scenic views and interesting reconstructions ideals of the monument, as suggested by the imagination of artists and architects of the Renaissance, from its construction until the nineteenth century, in a path that highlights the intense and ongoing. See more..
4.5 Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II (12.3k reviews)
- Amazing!
Monday: 9:30 AM - 7:30 PM Spent 1-2 hours Monuments & Statues

Nicknamed the "Wedding Cake" or "typewriter" for its unusual shape, the majestic Vittoriano monument in Piazza Venezia is dedicated to Italy's first king. See more..
4.5 St. Peter's Square (8.922 reviews) from $21.97
- Christmas spirit
Spent 1-2 hours Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks

This grand and magnificent square has retained its classical beauty and serves as the place from which the masses receive the Pope's weekly blessing. See more..
4.5 Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano (8.066 reviews)
- The Church of the Pope
Monday: 7:00 AM - 6:30 PM Churches & Cathedrals

Known to be the first church in Christendom, this church belongs to the Vatican and has the privileges of extraterritoriality. See more..
4.5 Villa Borghese (7.957 reviews)
- Must see !
Spent 2-3 hours Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Architectural Buildings

These lavish 17th-century gardens on Pincian Hill is one of the largest urban parks in Rome and the perfect place for appreciating Roman art amidst landscaped greenery. Built on a former vineyard, Villa Borghese now houses Galleria Borghese, one of the top art galleries in the world, along with sculptures and fountains littered throughout the park. Don't miss the spectacular views of Rome near the Popolo Piazza entrance too. The gardens are lovely for a stroll, though a bicycle or golf cart tour will let you cover its extensive grounds more quickly. – Tripadvisor See more..
4.5 Vatican City (7.258 reviews)
- Worth standing in a long line if needed
Spent 2-3 hours Historic Walking Areas • Religious Sites

The world's smallest state, center of Catholicism, and home to the Pope. See more..
4.5 Villa d'Este (6.684 reviews)
- Magnificient place! Sights and sounds!
Monday: Historic Sites • Gardens

Started by architect and historian, Pirro Liggori in 1549, for Cardinal Ippolito dEste, this famous villa estate is one of the finest examples of Renaissance residence and garden architecture and design. See more..
4.5 San Pietro in Vincoli (5.495 reviews)
- Peter, Moses and Michelangelo.
Monday: 8:00 AM - 12:20 PM, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Churches & Cathedrals

This 5th-century church features Michelangelo's sculpture of Moses that adorns the incomplete tomb of Pope Julius II. See more..
4.5 Church of St. Louis of the French (5.441 reviews)
- Caravaggio, Caravaggio and Caravaggio
Spent < 1 hour Churches & Cathedrals

Closed on Thursdays! The famous painter Caravaggio (1573-1610) was commissioned to paint for this church, where in one of its chapels is his realistic naturalism in three scenes of the life of St. Matthew. See more..
4.5 Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (5.208 reviews)
- More Appreciated the Second Time
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent < 1 hour Fountains

Pope Innocenzo X commissioned Gianlorenzo Bernini in 1651 to create this monumental fountain, which would adorn the piazza in front of the family palace. See more..
4.5 Basilica of San Clemente (4.373 reviews)
- Unexpected Treasure of Rome
Churches & Cathedrals

Constructed between 1110 and 1130, this church of San Clemente is not one, but three churches built one above the other, with ruins dating from the earliest Christian times. See more..
4.5 Santa Maria in Trastevere (4.149 reviews)
- Stunning 12th and late 13th-century mosaics
Monday: 7:30 AM - 9:00 PM Churches & Cathedrals

Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of the oldest churches in Rome, is famous for its magnificent mosaics. The 12th and late 13th-century mosaics in the apse are especially impressive. The colors are so bright it is hard to believe the age of the mosaics. Too bad I couldn’t spend too much time there because of the funeral (tourists were not allowed to stay inside). See more..
4.5 Civita di Bagnoregio (4.053 reviews)
- Photographic
Monday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent 2-3 hours Historic Walking Areas • Scenic Walking Areas

We drove up to the peak opposite the city. We parked nearby with paid parking (not expensive), however, I would expect issues in peak times. If you like, you can sit and have a drink and get plenty of great photographs of the bridge, the outpost of a city and the valley around. Otherwise, you can walk down, across the bridge and wander around the town. Allow plenty of time to do this - BEWARE! See more..