Where to actually go in Rome

Pizzarium Bonci

Restaurant · Prati (near the Vatican)

Pizza al taglio, sold by weight, with inventive toppings. A tiny standing shop, perfect after the Vatican.

Best for: a cheap lunch near the Vatican

Best time: lunch

Trapizzino

Restaurant · Testaccio (and Trastevere)

Triangular pockets of pizza bread stuffed with Roman stews like chicken cacciatore, plus supplì.

Best for: a cheap, very Roman snack

Best time: lunch or late snack

Antico Forno Roscioli

Cafe · Campo de' Fiori

A bakery famous for pizza bianca and pizza rossa sold by the slice.

Best for: a cheap bakery lunch

Best time: morning or lunch

Da Enzo al 29

Restaurant · Trastevere

A tiny trattoria known for carbonara, cacio e pepe and Roman artichokes.

Best for: proper Roman pasta

Booking: No bookings for small groups; queue early.

Best time: lunch or dinner

Tonnarello

Restaurant · Trastevere

A busy trattoria with big portions of Roman pasta, served in the pan.

Best for: a cheap pasta dinner

Best time: dinner

Supplizio

Restaurant · Centro Storico (Via dei Banchi Vecchi)

A tiny shop dedicated to supplì, Rome's fried rice balls.

Best for: a cheap snack

Best time: lunch or snack

Giolitti

Dessert · near the Pantheon

A historic gelato parlour open since 1900.

Best for: gelato after the Pantheon

Best time: afternoon

Mercato di Testaccio

Market · Testaccio

A covered neighbourhood market with cheap street-food stalls.

Best for: a local lunch

Best time: lunch (closed Sunday)

Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine

Sight · Monti / Celio

One ticket covers the arena and the ruins of the Forum and Palatine Hill next door. Give it half a day.

Best for: the essential ancient Rome visit

Price: $ — roughly $23 including the online booking fee

Booking: Official tickets release 30 days ahead at 9 AM on the Coopculture site and sell out; book then.

Best time: morning

Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

Museum · Vatican / Prati

Miles of galleries that end in the Sistine Chapel. Long, crowded and worth it.

Best for: the Sistine Chapel, art

Price: $$ — roughly $29 booked online

Booking: Book online on the official Vatican site; the door queue can be hours.

Best time: first entry or late afternoon

Heads up: Shoulders and knees must be covered.

Pantheon

Sight · Centro Storico

The best-preserved Roman temple, with the open dome. A short, unforgettable stop.

Best for: a quick wow between other stops

Price: $ — roughly $8; ages 18–25 roughly $2

Best time: midday, when the light comes through the oculus

Trevi Fountain to the Spanish Steps

Walk · Centro Storico

A free walk linking the fountain, the Spanish Steps and the shopping streets in between. Crowded at midday.

Best for: free sights, photos

Best time: early morning or late night

Giardino degli Aranci

Viewpoint · Aventine Hill

An orange-tree garden with a free terrace view over Rome; the Aventine keyhole is next door.

Best for: a free sunset

Best time: sunset

Galleria Borghese

Museum · Villa Borghese

Bernini sculptures and Caravaggio paintings in a villa in the park.

Best for: the best small museum in Rome

Booking: Entry only with a pre-booked timed ticket.

Best time: booked slot

Freni e Frizioni

Cocktail bar · Trastevere

A former garage turned cocktail bar whose aperitivo crowd spills onto the square above the river.

Best for: aperitivo, the start of a Trastevere night

Best time: aperitivo, from about 7 PM

Bar San Calisto

Bar · Trastevere

A plain, very cheap old bar where students and locals drink on the piazza until late.

Best for: the cheapest drinks in Trastevere, a student crowd

Price: $ — beers roughly $2

Best time: late evening

Jerry Thomas Project

Cocktail bar · Centro Storico

A speakeasy cocktail bar, one of the best-known in Italy.

Best for: a special cocktail night

Booking: Reservation required; book online.

Best time: late evening

Campo de' Fiori

Area · Campo de' Fiori

Morning market square that turns into a busy student drinking spot at night.

Best for: a cheap bar night

Best time: market by day, bars by night

Bar del Fico

Bar · near Piazza Navona

A buzzing aperitivo bar on a small piazza by Navona.

Best for: aperitivo in the centre

Best time: aperitivo

Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà

Pub · Trastevere

A tiny pub pouring craft beers from Italy and beyond.

Best for: craft beer

Best time: evening

Open Baladin

Pub · Campo de' Fiori

A craft-beer pub with dozens of Italian microbrewery taps.

Best for: a relaxed beer night

Best time: evening

Sharivari

Club · Piazza Navona

A bar-bistro with a nightclub of two dance floors near Navona.

Best for: a central club night

Best time: after midnight

Monte Testaccio clubs

Area · Testaccio

A ring of clubs and bars around Monte Testaccio; cover usually includes a first drink.

Best for: a club crawl

Price: $ — cover roughly $23 with a drink

Best time: after 1 AM