This may seem counterintuitive because most of us are taught
"the early bird catches the worm" and believe that the earlier we go somewhere, the better our odds are of avoiding crowds.

However, this is not the case in Rome. So many people think the same thing, and many tour companies go hard on advertising their morning tours.

In my experience, food tours tend to be less popular between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. If you're planning to tour the Vatican Museums or Colosseum, consider a 2 p.m. tour or one closer to the evening.

However, there's an exception to the rule: It's often best to visit Rome's gorgeous fountains and piazzas early in the morning. The Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Piazza Navona are stunning and often virtually empty before 9 a.m.

Many tour companies and ticket resellers advertise that you can "skip the line" when you buy a tour or pass through their website.

For the most part, this means these companies can purchase time slots for entrances, which means you skip the main line.

However, at places like The Colosseum and Vatican Museums, you still have to go through security and wait in a separate line with other people who purchased their tickets in advance.

Please go easy on your guide if the line seems long. It could even be a good opportunity for them to share relevant information about the history of the place so you'll feel more oriented by the time you enter.

In the first few years of being a guide, I saw many travelers booking a diverse swath of tours and visiting more under-the-radar spots. These days, I see many people only hitting the most popular attractions.

I don't want to come across as a finger-wagging oldie shouting, "Back in my day, tourism was better!" — but it has changed.

In my opinion, the way many search engines have shifted their priorities, combined with the rise of paid travel influencers and travel reseller sites, has made it trickier for tourists to find underrated things to do and hidden gems in Rome.

So, instead of searching for something simple or popular, like "things to do in Rome," where you may find mostly sponsored or mainstream guides, take time to hunt for recommendations from locals or smaller travel blogs.

I've had luck by searching more specific queries, like "best places to eat in Rome from local" or "Best carbonara in Rome foodie guide."

This way, you may avoid some crowds and find under-the-radar gems.

Oftentimes, the more qualified, best guides are booked up weeks and months in advance. So, reserve your tours early.

I suggest looking for smaller group tours to make the most of your time in busy spots and choosing local companies for the best experience.

It's also a good idea to look into interest-specific tours led by experts, like historians, archeologists, or sommeliers.

Personally, I take food tours in every city I visit. They orient me to the culture and flavors of the place, and food guides often have the best recommendations.

In Rome, Casa Mia offers some incredible food and wine tours.

Many tourists feel underwhelmed or disappointed by the popular experience of visiting the Vatican Museums to admire Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.

During high season, upward of 20,000 people can pour through the Sistine Chapel in a single day. Pushing through crowds of hot bodies while guards shout at you to move along and stop taking photos isn't very relaxing — and you may have few options to actually admire the art.

Fortunately, there are other ways you can appreciate the works of Michelangelo without the hoards of people crossing one more thing off their bucket list

Two easy-to-find Michelangelo masterpieces are The Tomb of Pope Julius II at San Pietro in Vincoli and The Risen Christ at the Basilica of Saint Mary of Minerva.

When possible, visit the Vatican Museums and Colosseum in the middle of the week.

In my experience, Saturday and Monday are the busiest days at the Vatican Museums, which are typically closed on Sundays. Sunday tends to be the most crowded day at the Colosseum.

If you're in Rome on a weekend, I suggest prioritizing visits to less popular museums and attractions. Fortunately, there are many other cultural sites in Rome that are worth your time.

I promise many travel influencers have been looking at the same few websites for the best spots in Rome for an Instagram photo or places to eat.

Plus, most aren't privy to local gems and may be paid (or given free meals) in exchange for promoting certain places. They might not be sharing their actual favorite picks — and, if they have a big following, their recommendations can get popular and difficult to get reservations to.

Instead, follow and subscribe to locals for up-to-date information and more thorough suggestions. Some of my favorite resources include The New Roman Times by local Laura Itzkowitz and Understanding Rome by Rome guide Agnes Crawford.

I also like the Romewise Instagram account, which is run by a woman who's lived here for decades.

Located at the park's entrance, just outside the city walls, the necropolis shows how Romans used to celebrate the dead.

Elaborate tombs honor the dead, and mosaics depict the underworld.

There are also tombs with banquet tables where the living would celebrate the life of the deceased.

The main square, known as the forum, was the center of the city's political and social life. The remains of the Capitolium and the Temple of Rome and Augustus can be seen nearby.

From the forum, you can also observe how Roman cities were essentially built in a grid.

The thermopolium, essentially an ancient fast-food restaurant, served hot food and drinks to locals and travelers.

The remains of the service counter and frescoes depicting the menu are still visible.

The House of Diana is a well-preserved residence that belonged to a wealthy merchant in Ostia Antica.

It was decorated with fine mosaics and frescoes, and the house takes its name from a mosaic depicting the goddess Diana.

The Roman Empire was known for its public bathhouses, which were equipped with hot and cold pools, saunas, and massage rooms.

Public bathing was an art form in ancient Rome. Baths served as a place for socialization, relaxation, and personal hygiene for all classes of society.

There are several public and private baths in Ostia Antica.

The public Baths of Neptune featured an open-air palaestra (where patrons once participated in different kinds of exercise) and shallow pools that would've been warmed to different temperatures.

In contrast, the private Baths of the Seven Sages are much smaller and would've been used by residents of nearby buildings. Its circular frigidarium (room for the cold bath) is paved with an incredible mosaic depicting hunting scenes and plants.

The various public latrines (toilets) are where ancient Roma comes to life.

Romans would come in with a stick, and the attendant would give them a clean sponge to attach to the end of it so they could wipe.

It was common for people to sit on the latrines while chatting and gossiping — using the toilets was a social activity.

The theater at Ostia Antica is one of the best-preserved in Italy and seats up to 3,000 people.

In ancient times, it was primarily used for plays, music performances, and gladiatorial games.

Today, it still hosts summer performances of contemporary and classical music, ballet, and more. That means the theater has been in use for about 2,000 years.

The Ostia Antica Museum displays artifacts found during excavations of the ancient port city, including statues, pottery, and jewelry.

These smaller, site-specific museums are often full of little-known treasures. It's definitely worth a visit.

This story was originally published in February 2024 and most recently updated on February 4, 2025.

Cesanese del Piglio is the first DOCG of Lazio, the region where Rome is located. This means it's been rated one of the highest-quality Italian wines.

The beautiful wine grape grows in the foothills of the Apennines Mountains.

Cesanese has aromas of cherry, sweet spices, roses, and often black pepper. The tannins are pretty light, too, so bottles don't have to age long to be enjoyed.

It pairs best with fresh pasta dishes, heavy meat sauces, and seasonal porcini mushrooms.

When most people think of zinfandel, they picture the pink-hued boxes of white zinfandel from the '80s and '90s.

This hasn't given it the best reputation among wine drinkers and professionals.

However, winemakers in California have started to reimagine zinfendel. They're making gorgeous, robust reds from the old white-zin vines.

These are well-constructed, spicy wines with lots of dark berry aromas. They're often labeled "jammy," so if you like a fruit-forward bottle, this is for you.

I go to the Dolomites in the Italian Alps every summer to eat and drink the region's best food and wine.

Nothing tops a well-made glass of teroldego for me. When I open a bottle back at home near Rome, I'm immediately transported to those alpine summers. Think wild berries, pine needles, freshly turned earth, cut grass, mountain streams, and medicinal herbs.

The flavor is complex and bright, and it's perfect to pair with the region's heavier cuisine, such as polenta with chanterelle mushrooms, knödel, and fondue.

I always have a case in my cellar.

Sparkling reds aren't as well known as their white counterparts, but they are the perfect pizza wine. I like to keep some on hand for more casual dinners and gatherings.

One of the most famous sparkling reds is Lambrusco from Emilia Romagna. However, winemakers worldwide are producing delicious, naturally sparkling reds in the pet-nat style.

The best ones are made from high-acidity red-wine grapes. Look for sparkling shiraz, dry Lambrusco, Gamay-based vin du bugey, and my personal favorite, barbera frizzante. It's made from the barbera grape and is known for its high acidity and food friendliness.

Saperavi, originating in the country of Georgia, is one of the oldest known domesticated red grapes in the world. Today, you can find bottles from Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Australia, and even the Finger Lakes in New York.

These wines look almost black because they contain high levels of anthocyanins (water-soluble pigments).

The wine is often complex, with aromas of cassis, blackberries, spice, earthiness, cherries, leather, and licorice. A bold glass of saperavi is great on its own, but it also pairs well with lamb or game dishes and cheese-based sauces.

Today's rosé wines go beyond the blush-pink bottles of yesteryear. I love that they can give you the flavors of beloved red-wine grapes without the heaviness.

I lean toward deep-hued rosés made from grapes like grenache, Sangiovese, teroldego, and even cabernet sauvignon. Italians also have a long history of producing darker rosato wines such as Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo and Cerasuolo di Vittoria.

If you can't decide between red and white next time you're hosting, this is a great compromise.

Assyrtiko, sometimes spelled Asyrtiko, is a white-wine grape that originated on the Greek island of Santorini. However, it has since spread to South Africa, California, and even North Carolina.

I love Assyrtiko because it's high in acid, incredibly fresh, and food-friendly. It can be pretty citrusy on the palate, with notes of guava and minerals.

With its high acidity, it's a great wine to pair with a cheese plate or charcuterie board at a holiday party.

I recently visited Armenia for a wine-tourism conference and fell in love with its white wines. The Asian country, like Georgia, is one of the oldest wine regions in the world, with thousands of years of winemaking history under its belt.

I was impressed by the variety and high quality of wines I tried there.

Armenia is better known for its brandy, but if you find any white wine, grab it.

These wines pair perfectly with the highly aromatic cuisines of Armenia and Iran, and they'll also go well with Thai and Vietnamese food.

Most white wines are made by fermenting the juice, resulting in the pale hue we all recognize. Amber wines, also known as orange wines, are different because they achieve color through skin contact or maceration, like red wines.

Although they're made with white grapes, the result is various hues of amber with unique textures, tannins, and flavors.

This style of wine originated in Georgia, but it is now produced in winemaking regions around the world.

Amber wines are delicious, fun, and sometimes ethereal, so I always look for them on a wine menu at a restaurant or bar. It makes me think the curator there knows what's up.

I always call Chenin Blanc the greatest wine grape on earth — it never fails me. It grows worldwide, but its home is the Loire Valley in France, and there's a high concentration of vineyards in South Africa.

The grape is actually used to make various wines, from refreshing sparkling bottles to dry, sweet, and golden-hued varieties. I love them all, especially a dry, tart Vouvray.

Expect flavors of apples and pear, honey, light tea, and persimmon. These wines are perfect with goat cheese, fattier fish like sardines and tuna, and pasta.

If Chenin Blanc is the world's greatest wine grape, garganega is Italy's best white grape.

The Italian white wine is wonderful and young. As it ages, it evolves from stone fruit, melon, and citrus aromas to more citrus peel and nutty aromas.

The fresh wine has a medium body and is a great alternative to pinot grigio. Try garganega with shellfish and richer dishes seasoned with fresh herbs or butter.

I live near Rome and like to drink locally, so I often reach for wines from my Lazio region of Italy.

Roman cuisine is heavy, so I want a wine that can stand up to the sharp and salty flavors of pecorino Romano cheese. The most popular blends are made from malvasia and trebbiano grapes.

These wines are aromatic, with notes of citrus, tropical fruit, and white flowers, but they're also very acidic and thirst-quenching. I like to pair them with a plate of carbonara.

On my wine tours, I meet many different people with varying tastes — including those who are what we call "ABC" (anything but chardonnay) drinkers.

Many people don't like it, but I think it's a real shame. I love chardonnay so much that I named my dog after it.

The grapes grow worldwide, but their reputation can't seem to shake the overly oaked, buttery California chardonnays of the '80s and '90s.

Those styles still exist, but that's not all there is to the wine. When made well, it can be complex, with notes of lemon, apples, tropical fruits, stone fruits, cherry blossom, orange zest, flint, jasmine, and nuts. There's something for everyone.

Because chardonnay isn't particularly acidic, it can be enjoyed on its own without the need to be tamed by food. However, it also pairs well with soft cheeses, vegetarian cuisine, mushrooms, and fresh herbs.