Free Things to Do in Rome: 15 Places Worth Your Time

These 15 free places to visit in Rome are mostly among the must-sees when you visit the Italian capital.

There are plenty of things to do in Rome. Even if you're only in town briefly and have just a weekend to explore Rome, you don't need to spend much to enjoy it. Simply walking the streets of its beautiful, traditional neighborhoods, packed with monuments and history, will leave you spellbound. You'll feel lucky you decided to visit this universal treasure.

There are museums in Rome and other attractions with an entrance fee, and they're certainly worth it, but there are also places to see in Rome that you can enjoy without spending a cent.

1. The Pantheon

The Pantheon is one of Rome's essential sights. Just seeing it from outside, with its granite columns, is impressive. That said, since July 2023 it's no longer free: you need to buy a ticket. Check where to buy Pantheon tickets and how to skip the lines so you can admire that majestic dome.

If you'd like to get to know this monument in more depth, you can also take an interesting guided tour:

2. Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is one of Rome's most famous squares. Full of life and color, it's where tourists and Romans gather to eat, chat, or admire the work of the artists selling their pieces here.

3. The Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna)

There are always people on the famous staircase, one of the city's favorite spots for people watching. The Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna) are one of those places in Rome that never go out of style and that you really shouldn't miss.

4. The Trevi Fountain, one of the best free things to see in Rome

One of the most enjoyable free spots in Rome. The thrill of standing in front of the Trevi Fountain will be one of the things you remember most about your trip to Rome, and it costs nothing, although remember that tradition says if you want to return, you must toss a coin with your back to the fountain.

5. Largo di Torre Argentina

On this corner of central Rome you'll find the remains of four Roman temples and the Theater of Pompey. Inside the complex there's also a cat sanctuary that's very popular with tourists and locals alike, since the cats always come out to say hello and get a scratch behind the ears.

6. Bocca della Verità

Rome's famous Mouth of Truth has a somewhat mysterious history, since nobody knows for certain what it was used for in antiquity.

Legend has it that if you put your hand into the mouth of this face-shaped disc, it will clamp shut on anyone who tells a lie. It appears in the film Roman Holiday, with Audrey Hepburn. You'll find it on the facade of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.

7. Campo dei Fiori

This square just south of Piazza Navona is ringed with bars, cafes and restaurants that make it lively and busy at night. By day, it hosts one of Rome's most popular food and flower markets.

8. Piazza del Popolo

A vast Roman square that hosts major public events in the city. Piazza del Popolo, famous for its Egyptian obelisk, sits close to other important monuments, so chances are you'll pass through it.

9. Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo

This church, with its three Gothic-inspired naves, has exquisite decoration by Raphael, as well as by other artists of the caliber of Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Carlo Fontana. You can go in and admire it without paying a thing. 

10. Villa Borghese, one of Rome's most charming spots

Next to Piazza del Popolo lies the most central and important of Rome's parks. In Villa Borghese you can walk and unwind among the fountains, the lake and countless works of art.

Inside the grounds there are also several museums and buildings, most notably the Borghese Gallery, one of Rome's most prestigious museums. And a few minutes away, the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia is also free on the first Sunday of every month.

11. Teatro di Marcello

Probably the oldest theater to have survived in such good condition. It's reminiscent of the Colosseum, and in summer it becomes the stage for select concerts featuring musicians from academies and conservatories.

12. Circus Maximus

These ruins were once the Circo Massimo, a huge sports venue, where Caesar and thousands of spectators enjoyed chariot races and other, more violent contests.

Today the surviving remains and the green spaces around them are used by Romans working out, and for youth events such as concerts or celebrations of sporting victories.

13. Piazza Venezia

The imposing Piazza Venezia sits right in the heart of Rome and its centerpiece is the monument to Vittorio Emanuele II. It marks one end of the main Via del Corso; the other end is Piazza del Popolo. A must-have photo from your trip to Rome.

14. Ponte Sant'Angelo

This pedestrian bridge crosses the Tiber on five marble-clad arches. It was once used by pilgrims heading to St. Peter's Basilica, though it also had darker uses: it was chosen as the place to hang the bodies of the executed. Ten angel sculptures by various artists, most notably Bernini, decorate this Roman bridge.

15. The Via Appia Antica

This was the first and best known Roman road. The Via Appia linked Rome with Capua and was known among the Romans as the Regina viarum, the queen of roads.

It is one of the most distinctive and interesting spots in Rome, and you can walk it for free. Along the route of the Via Appia you will also find some free sights such as the Villa di Massenzio, plus others that do require a ticket, like the Catacombs of Rome.

The Vatican Museums (the last Sunday of the month)

Yes, on the last Sunday of the month you can get into the Vatican Museums for free. Just be ready for the lines, especially in high season.

Entry is free as long as that Sunday does not fall on Easter, June 29 (Saints Peter and Paul), or December 25 or 26 (Christmas or St. Stephen's Day). You can enter between 9:00 and 12:30. They close at 14:00.

If you would rather do a guided tour of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel in comfort, take a look at the button below:

What can you visit in Rome for free?

According to www.romando.org, the 15 best places to visit in Rome for free include the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps (Piazza di Spagna), St. Peter's Basilica, Piazza Navona, the Roman Forum (from the outside), the Mouth of Truth and the historic churches of the center. All of them are accessible at no cost throughout 2025.