Rome on a rainy day

Museums

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  Capitoline Museums & Piazza del Campidoglio · Ancient Rome · Daily 09:30–19:30, last entry 18:30 · €15
  The world’s oldest public museums on Michelangelo’s Campidoglio square, with the Marcus Aurelius statue and a rooftop view.

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  Galleria Borghese · Tridente & Villa Borghese · Tue–Sun 09:00–19:00, last entry 17:45 (timed 2-hour slots, booking required) · €16
  Bernini’s sculptures and Caravaggio paintings in a villa; two-hour timed visits for 180 people.

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  Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel · Vatican & Prati · Mon–Sat 08:00–20:00, last entry 18:00; last Sunday of the month 09:00–14:00 (free, last entry 12:30); closed other Sundays · €20
  Raphael Rooms, galleries and Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel; book a time slot online to skip the queue.

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  National Roman Museum, Palazzo Massimo · Termini & Esquilino · Tue–Sun 09:30–19:00, last entry 18:00 (closed Mon) · €15
  Ancient Rome’s finest frescoes, mosaics and sculpture, near Termini station.

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  Explora Children's Museum · Tridente & Villa Borghese · Tue–Sun in four timed slots, 10:00–18:45 (closed Mon)
  Hands-on museum for children up to 12 in 105-minute timed slots; booking recommended, slots sell out.

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  Casina di Raffaello · Tridente & Villa Borghese · Tue–Fri 10:00–18:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–19:00 (until 31 Oct; closed Mon)
  Small villa in Villa Borghese with play rooms, workshops and a garden for children up to 10; often free to enter.

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  Ara Pacis Museum · Tridente & Villa Borghese · Daily 09:30–19:30 (last entry one hour before closing) · €14
  Richard Meier's glass pavilion shelters Augustus's altar of peace (13 BC), a masterpiece of Roman relief.

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  Trajan's Markets & Imperial Forums Museum · Ancient Rome · Daily 09:30–19:30 (last entry one hour before closing)
  The multi-storey shopping complex of Emperor Trajan (2nd century) with a museum of the Imperial Forums.

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  Galleria Doria Pamphilj · Centro Storico · Mon, Tue, Thu 09:00–19:00 (last entry 18:00); Fri–Sun 10:00–20:00 (last entry 19:00); closed Wed · €16
  Princely palace with a private collection: Caravaggio, Velázquez's Pope Innocent X and rich 18th-century halls.

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  Capuchin Crypt · Tridente & Villa Borghese · Daily 09:30–13:30 and 14:30–18:30 (last entry 12:30 and 17:30) · €10
  Museum and chapels decorated with the bones of about 4,000 Capuchin friars under Santa Maria della Concezione.

Careful on Mondays: 4 of these museums are closed. Which museums are open today? →

Churches

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  Pantheon · Centro Storico · Daily 09:00–19:00, last entry 18:30 · €7
  The best-preserved building of ancient Rome, with its open oculus; still a church, timed ticket.

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  St. Peter’s Basilica & Square · Vatican & Prati · Daily 07:00–20:00 (dome daily 07:30–17:00 from 26 Oct; until 25 Oct 07:00–18:00) · Free
  The world’s largest church, with Michelangelo’s Pietà; the dome climb needs its own ticket. Cover shoulders and knees.

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  Santa Maria in Trastevere · Trastevere · Daily 07:30–21:00 (indicative) · Free
  One of Rome’s oldest churches, with a glittering 12th-century apse mosaic on the piazza.

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  Santa Maria Maggiore · Termini & Esquilino · Daily 07:00–18:45 (indicative) · Free
  One of Rome’s four papal basilicas, with gilded ceilings and 5th-century mosaics.

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  San Giovanni in Laterano · Termini & Esquilino · Daily 07:00–18:30 (indicative) · Free
  Rome’s cathedral and the mother church of the world’s Catholics, with a huge nave and a 13th-century cloister.

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  Basilica of San Clemente · Termini & Esquilino · Mon–Sat 09:00–12:30 and 14:00–18:00, Sun and holidays 12:00–18:00 (last entry 12:00 and 17:30) · €10
  Three layers in one: a medieval church, a 4th-century basilica below and a Roman house with a Mithras temple under that.

Shopping under cover

• Said (San Lorenzo) · Termini & Esquilino · Daily, hours vary (shop and café from about 10:00)
  Historic chocolate factory in San Lorenzo (1923) with a shop, pastry counter and café-restaurant for tasting.

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  Moriondo & Gariglio · Centro Storico · Mon–Sat 09:00–19:00
  Turin-style chocolatier since 1886 in a small historic shop near the Pantheon: pralines, gianduiotti and cocoa creams.

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  Grezzo Raw Chocolate · Ancient Rome · Mon–Thu 12:00–20:00, Fri–Sat 12:00–23:00 (Sunday not shown on the page)
  Small Monti shop making raw, vegan chocolate and desserts at low temperature; tastings and a tiny café.

Food and drink

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  Open Baladin Roma · Centro Storico · Sun–Thu 12:00–01:00, Fri–Sat 12:00–02:00
  Showcase of Italian craft beer by Baladin with dozens of taps and bottles, open from lunchtime near Campo de' Fiori.
• Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà · Trastevere · Daily 11:00–02:00
  Tiny Trastevere beer pub with a long list of Italian and Belgian craft beers on tap, a classic for Rome beer fans.

More to see indoors

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  Castel Sant’Angelo · Vatican & Prati · Tue–Sun 09:00–19:30, last entry 18:30 (closed Mon) · €18
  Hadrian’s mausoleum turned papal fortress, with a terrace overlooking the Tiber and St. Peter’s.

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  Bocca della Verità · Aventine & Testaccio · Daily 09:30–13:00 and 14:00–17:50 (follows the Santa Maria in Cosmedin church) · Free
  The ancient marble mask in the portico of Santa Maria in Cosmedin; "tell a lie and it bites".

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  Mercato di Testaccio · Aventine & Testaccio · Mon–Sat 07:00–15:30 (closed Sun) · Free
  Rome’s local food market: supplì, trapizzino, porchetta and produce stalls.

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  Mercato Centrale Roma · Termini & Esquilino · Daily from about 08:00 until late
  Artisan food hall beside Termini station: pizza, pasta, gelato, bread and street food under one roof.

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  Eataly Roma Ostiense · Aventine & Testaccio · Daily 09:00–24:00
  Huge Italian food emporium by Ostiense station with counters, restaurants, a bakery and a rooftop.
• Mercato Trionfale · Vatican & Prati · Mon–Sat 07:00–14:00 (Tue and Fri until 19:00), closed Sun
  One of the biggest covered food markets in Rome, with produce, cheese, cured meats and lunch counters.

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  Baths of Diocletian · Termini & Esquilino · Tue–Sun 09:00–19:00 (ticket office closes 18:00); closed Mon
  The largest baths of ancient Rome, with a Michelangelo cloister and the epigraphy section of the National Roman Museum.

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  Domus Aurea · Ancient Rome · Fri–Sun, visits every 15 min 09:15–17:15; closed first Sunday of the month
  Underground rooms of Nero's palace on the Colle Oppio with frescoes and a virtual-reality tour; booking required.