Wow I love the Campo de Fiori. The name means the field of flowers, because it used to be a field…read moreof flowers and vegetable gardens here before it became this square. Unfortunately from the 16th to 19th century this place became a public execution site. Yikes. The most famous execution was Giordano Bruno in 1600, in which there is now a statue in his honor for freedom of thought. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts. Pass forward to present day. This area is lively with the open air markets where you can find vendors selling produce, flowers, spices, cheese, and artisanal goods. My boyfriend and I came here to explore the live market and also to look for souvenirs to bring home. The vendors here are really aggressive and I would have enjoyed it more if they gave me space to look instead of hound me to buy buy buy. Like chill dude can I look at what I'm buying. Sigh. We were here til closing time and even get to see how the vendors efficiently and quickly packed up their stalls and belongings to wrap up for the day. And of course... a great area to enjoy some gelato.

We're at Campo de' Fiori, Rome's oldest market and possibly the most enthusiastic display of…read moretourist traps per square meter. Once a site for public executions (Bruno's brooding statue still watches over), it now specializes in overpriced pasta and garlic braids. It's more performance art than produce. Vendors heckle, truffle oil flows freely, and yes, someone will try to sell you limoncello in a boot. I walked through as part of a food tour, which felt like the right way to enjoy the chaos, briefly, and with snacks elsewhere. Not the best market in Rome, but definitely the most theatrical.

A lil bit of a wait to use the mirror but well worth. The line goes pretty fast as along as you…read moredon't have millennials taking picture after pictures. Just walk up , have some common courtesy and take your pic so the line can keep moving quickly

To think, I almost avoided visiting this STUNNING 17th-century church - Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio di…read moreLoyola, when visiting Rome, Italy (09/25/2025 - 10/01/2025) because it is Tik-Tok and IG "famous" for being the "mirrored church" to take an iconic selfie... yes, you read that correctly..iconic selfie. I was for sure it was going to be crowded w/ social media influencers and I was correct..it was crowded but don't let that deter you from seeing this historical beauty! Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio di Loyola is known as the "mirrored church" because it has a mirror strategically placed to see the beautiful painted ceiling fresco. (see pics & videos included in this review from my visit on Tuesday 09/30/2025 - at 10:56am) It also has a painted illusion of having a real soaring dome on a flat ceiling - very cool for sure and does make you look twice just to confirm it's indeed an illusion! Here are a few helpful fyi(s) that I wanted to pass along: --- - long line for the mirror right as you enter the church - if there is a line of people waiting for the mirror, you don't have to wait in that line if you don't want to take a selfie w/ the mirror and are only wanting to see the church...as someone else mentioned in a previous review, you can get creative w/ taking a selfie w/ the beautiful ceiling. My hubby & I took our selfie pic while we were sitting in the pew and used a timer on our phone (see pic included). ---- visit early to avoid the crowds & to fully enjoy your experience at this church Avoid the crowds so you can really take in how detailed and beautiful the architecture and paintings are. Trust me, you'll enjoy your experience so much more w/ less people. ---- it's free to visit but do bring some money w/ you to give as an offering --- just a reminder to be respectful when visiting because it is a holy place Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio di Loyola truly is something special and of the MANY Rome basilica's I've explored during my 2 visits to Rome, it is now my FAVORITE basilica thus far. Hope this info helps. :)) Rebecca visiting Rome, Italy from Austin, Texas (USA) 09/25/2025 - 10/01/2025

I absolutely loved coming here. So majestic during the holidays…read more The decor and the ambiance is great. A nice open space with a Merry-Go Round. Tons of vendors selling xmas ornaments and other items. I spent a couple of hours here people watching and shopping and take in the scenery. The fountain in the middle of the piazza is amazing. So stunning It is built on the site of the 1st century AD Stadium of Domitian and follows the form of the open space of the stadium in an elongated oval.[1] The ancient Romans went there to watch the games In the 17th century it became a showcase for Baroque design, with work by Bernini and Borromini among others. The Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi stands in front of the Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone.

Piazza Navona is absolutely stunning and full of life. The fountains are breathtaking, especially…read morethe Fountain of the Four Rivers, and the entire square feels like you're walking through an open-air museum. Everywhere you look there's beauty, history, and energy. I loved the atmosphere here. Street artists, music, people enjoying the moment, and the glow of the lights at night make it feel magical. It's the perfect place to slow down, take it all in, and really feel the soul of Rome. A must-visit spot that captures the charm and elegance of the city.

When we were in Vatican City in the afternoon, we skipped the plaza. We came back in the early…read moreevening and it was much less crowded. The square is directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica. Both are named after Saint Peter, an apostle of Jesus whom Catholics consider the first Pope. There is an obelisk in the center and 284 columns that create the elliptical shape of the square.

This is the area around the Vatican…read more It's gorgeous! I absolutely love the fountains and statues in this area. So much amazing architecture. When you step into this piazza, I feel like you get a sense of the Holy Spirit. I mean, how can you not when you are so close to the Vatican? There's a peaceful atmosphere here.

I went to Rome for the first time last week and spent three nights at a hotel right by the Piazza…read moredel Popolo. I loved Rome even more than I'd imagined, and was tremendously impressed by the giant piazzas, these vibrant public spaces that you could never build into a newer city, designed for people driving cars. The Piazza del Popolo was a particularly grand one, with its twin churches and its ancient Egyptian obelisk, already over a thousand years old when it was stolen and brought to Rome in the year 1 BC. We walked through the piazza several times during our stay, and it was striking both for its legitimate strikingness and for its natural incorporation into the day-to-day life of the city. The square was always lively without being crowded in mid-November, just people hanging out or walking through, enjoying a moment of leisure. The obelisk was set on a foundation with a fountain, of course, and plentiful seating. What a special thing, to sit at the base of something so extraordinary, to check email or eat a sandwich. We didn't notice many street entertainers, but we did watch a man in colorful clothing dipping a long wand in a vat of soapy water and releasing enormous bubbles to the delight of both adults and children passing by. It made me miss my kids, who would have flipped for that display, and who I hope to bring to Piazza del Popolo one day, to see a public square unlike any they'll ever see at home.

Cool Piazza at the Northern City Wall and also a gateway to Villa Borghese. This piazza has an…read moreobelisk, two churches, two fountains and also restaurants. There is a huge shopping area with parallel streets of shops, one that goes to Piazza di Spagna, at the base of the Spanish Steps. Five Stars!

Another great experience while in Rome. I walked up and got in line to pay for my ticket 5 Euros…read more(comes to about 6$ USD) For the people who purchased tickets on line was LONGER than the line for same day purchase tickets. This place is amazing to say the least! Architecture is breathtaking, so much history, and the final resting place for several famous figures such as Renaissance artist Raphael, and the first two kings of a unified Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II and his son Umberto I, along with Umberto's wife, Queen Margherita of Savoy, making it a significant mausoleum for Italian national heroes and celebrated artists Pro Tip the Trevi Fountain is a 5 min walk from this site

The Pantheon is an ancient Roman temple turned Catholic church, first built in the 2nd century…read moreunder Emperor Hadrian, then consecrated in 609 as the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs, the title it holds to present day. It's an incredible building that's been in continuous use for almost 2,000 years. No Roman ruin, the Pantheon, but a marvel of ancient ingenuity pulled forth into the 21st century. Beautifully preserved and, with its layers of history, particularly emblematic of Rome. The exterior is striking, with the one-two of the grand columned portico and the enormous rotunda. There's an significant-looking inscription across the portico, with M·AGRIPPA·L·F·COS·TERTIVM·FECIT written in giant letters. They apparently translate to "Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, made this building when consul for the third time," a hilarious thing to have stamped on a historic landmark in size 1,000,000 font. The Pantheon is in the Piazza della Rotunda, which is also home to the Pantheon obelisk, one of Rome's thirteen ancient Egyptian obelisks. Roaming the piazza and seeing the Pantheon from the outside is free, but it's worth the small expense and hassle to see it from the inside. We visited on our last day in Rome, having already been to the Vatican and the Colosseum on guided tours. The Pantheon was easy enough to navigate on our own, and we were able to walk in without much trouble on a Saturday afternoon in November. The piazza was busy, more crowded than almost anywhere else we went on our trip, but the line to get tickets was manageable. (I will note that there are different lines for cash and credit card and the signage is not that apparent. We lost a few minutes in the wrong line.) We were inside within about twenty minutes. Almost two millennia after it was built, the Pantheon still holds the record for the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. It is a staggering piece of architecture, massive and majestic, an implausible freak of a monument. The coffered ceiling is spectacular, the recesses creating a geometric pattern that looks, from some angles, almost fake and two-dimensional. At the center of the dome is an uncovered oculus. It had been raining when we visited, and there was rainwater on the marble floor, roped off to protect clumsy tourists. The Pantheon felt like it was mostly dome, but the other elements were noteworthy too, plenty of sculpture and multi-colored marble. There are some important tombs, the most famous belonging to Raphael, who requested to be buried at the Pantheon. A pretty primo resting place. Unless you hate history and art and should have booked yourself a different trip, you have to see the Pantheon when in Rome. It's an amazing place, unlike anywhere else in the world.

I loved coming here and walking along the bridge of angels over the Tiber River…read more Another must do when in Rome. Architecture is amazing, standing in the presence of this beauty is breathtaking Castel Sant'Angelo, also known as Mausoleum of Hadrian, is a towering rotunda in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The popes later used the building as a fortress and castle, and it is now a museum.

Castel Sant'Angelo…read more Castel Sant'Angelo is absolutely breathtaking. From the moment you see it, it feels powerful and full of history. Walking through the castle, you can really feel how much this place has witnessed over the centuries. The views from the top are unreal. Seeing Rome and the Vatican from the terrace is one of the most beautiful sights I experienced on my trip. The architecture, the details, and the atmosphere all come together perfectly. This is one of those places that surprises you in the best way and leaves a lasting impression. A must-visit in Rome. Rating: 10/10

So sad the Piazza Venezia and its' surrounding area was under construction during the time of our…read morevisit. This is one of the most iconic and central squares in Rome, and I can even see some of its' elegance peeking out from behind the construction area.

A must stop if you're looking for free things to do. There are options to pay like they have a…read moremuseum and some other stuff otherwise you could totally walk through the piazza completely free. Many picture areas and has bathrooms, though it was crowded.

So much history here. It was hard for me to imagine what once was an empire to be neglected into…read moreruins but that is what happens when empires fall and there is no money for maintenance. People pillaged and plundered these buidings and repurposed the material to build other things elsewhere. This is located right next to the colosseum and you can get a combined admission ticket to see both. FYI that there are metal detectors and scanners at the security checkpoint. I got a lot of steps in that day! Many of the paths here to not connect so need to double-back much of the time. Five stars!

Some countries have ghost towns, dusty abandoned places where you might find an old gas station or…read morea closed mill. Italy has the Roman Forum, an awe-inspiring collection of ruins, the remains of the heart of ancient Rome. Founded in the 8th century BC, the Forum was the center of city life until around the 6th century AD. Temples and government buildings, a thriving marketplace, a compound of vestal virgins. Meetings and speeches, trials and gladiator battles--this place was happening over two thousand years ago. The Forum fell into disrepair, the temples and shrines abandoned by the 8th century. It was ruthlessly dismantled and exploited, especially during the Italian Renaissance, when its materials were extracted for building projects. Like, for example, St. Peter's Basilica. Seems like a mistake to convert downtown ancient Rome into a marble quarry, but hindsight 20/20 and all that. What remains standing in 2025 is absolutely incredible. The ruins are well preserved and quite legible, at least with the help of a guide (we took a Forum and Colosseum tour with Crown Tours, which I'd highly recommend). It was downright surreal walking around those grounds, imagining the life of ancient Rome. I mean Julius Caesar hung out here, among buildings he had erected. If you're visiting Rome for the first time, I'm sure you're planning to hit the Colosseum. Don't miss the Roman Forum while you're there. It's just as amazing, a unique, transporting journey into the rich depths of history.

My son, nephew and I stumbled upon this fantastic building on our last day visiting Rome. We were…read morewandering around after making an attempt to visit The Vatican Museums with no luck, the lines were literally around the block. We were on our way to The Pantheon. This place is awesome, not so much from the outside, yet once you enter..... it's absolutely gorgeous. I googled some information about it, to follow. "Santa Maria in Vallicella, also called Chiesa Nuova, is a church in Rome, Italy, which today faces onto the main thoroughfare of the Corso Vittorio Emanuele. It is the principal church of the Oratorians, a religious congregation of secular priests, founded by St Philip Neri in 1561 at a time in the 16th century when the Counter Reformation saw the emergence of a number of new religious organisations such as the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), the Theatines and the Barnabites. Adjacent to the church is the Casa dei Filippini or the House of the Oratorians. There is a marked contrast between the pale travertine facade of the church and the brick built facade of the Casa. The Casa includes the Oratory designed by the Baroque architect, Francesco Borromini." Reference wikipedia It's located about .5Km from the Pantheon, and easily accessible via bus.