Colosseum & Roman Forum
Buy the combined ticket online and start early — the Forum at opening is empty and golden.
Two thousand years stacked on top of each other, and dinner is still the highlight.
When to go: April–May & October — mild, walkable; August is hot and half-shut.
Best places to visit
Must-see
Pantheon
A 2,000-year-old dome that still works, free to enter; go when it rains to watch the oculus.
Trastevere
Cobbled, ivy-draped and full of trattorias — the place for cacio e pepe and a late-night stroll.
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Vast — pick the Friday-night slot in summer for thinner crowds and cooler galleries.
Gianicolo Terrace
The rooftop panorama locals actually use; the noon cannon still fires.
Testaccio Market
Where Romans eat — supplì, fresh pasta stalls, none of the centre's tourist markup.
Plan your trip to Rome
WTFly finds the cheapest dates to fly there across a whole flexible window — then activities and a car to round out the trip.