There’s something electric about wandering through Rome, where echoes of the past rise from every stone and shadow. For history lovers, this isn’t just a city, it’s a living, breathing museum where emperors once ruled, gladiators fought for glory, and everyday Romans carved out their lives beneath soaring arches and marble columns.
If you’ve ever felt your heart skip a beat at the sight of ancient ruins or dreamed of tracing the footsteps of Caesar and Cicero, our guide to Rome’s ancient sites is your invitation to time travel.
Be it the catacombs beneath the city surface or the 43-mile-long aqueducts of Aqua Claudia, each of these ancient Roman ruins is worth adding to your Rome itinerary. This guide will showcase some of the Eternal City’s ancient sites, sharing exactly what you can expect to see and how to visit them.
Discover the Ancient Ruins of Rome
Rome’s ancient ruins are each a unique experience, filled with centuries of history and a testament to Roman engineering. If you aren’t sure where to start, don’t worry.
Here are some of the top sites you can visit, starting with one of the most famous ruins in Rome – the Colosseum.
1. Colosseum
The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is one of the most enduring symbols of the Roman Empire. It was commissioned by Emperor Vespasian around 70 AD and completed by his son Titus. At the time, it was the largest amphitheater ever built, capable of holding anywhere between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, all while they watched gladiator and dramatic battle reenactments.
From the ground floor to the hidden passages beneath, the Colosseum had a brilliant and complex system of elevators, trapdoors, and even a retractable roof system. Today, visitors can step inside the arena to walk the same paths once taken by gladiators and spectators.
You can explore the first and second levels of the arena, generally, and even the underground hypogeum and upper levels, though these are reserved for more inclusive tours.
How to visit: We already have all you need to know in this guide on buying tickets to the Colosseum.
LISTEN: To our podcast on the best ways to Visit the Colosseum.
2. Baths of Caracalla
Built under Emperor Caracalla between 212 and 216 AD, the Baths of Caracalla stretched over 25 hectares, making it one of the biggest thermal complexes, or public baths, built in Rome. The complex included more than just baths, but also had pools, saunas, gardens, gymnasiums, and libraries. The baths could accommodate up to 1,600 visitors at a time, but it’s believed that there were at least 8,000 different visitors every day.
Walking through the ruins today, you may not see the lavish decorations that were once there, but you can still see the sheer scale and splendor of this ancient social hotspot. You’ll see the towering brick walls, archways, and remnants of mosaic floors. There are even fountains and water features that add to the epic scale of the ruins.
The Baths of Caracalla occasionally host opera concerts and art exhibitions, too. Make sure to take your time and perhaps enjoy some entertainment while you’re visiting.
How to visit: Visiting the Baths of Caracalla is easiest with guided tours, so you can learn more about the location’s history. Try an express small group tour or a combined tour with Circus Maximus. You can also visit during a nighttime opera show for that added wow-factor.
3. Appian Way
You know that saying, “all roads lead to Rome?” Well, the Via Appia Antica is that road. This was one of the earliest and most important Roman roads that began construction in 312 BC by Appius Claudius Caecus. It was a vital trade route connecting Rome to the southern parts of Italy, leading to the port city of Brindisi.
At its longest, the Appian Way ran between 350 and 430 miles, but today, you can only explore the first ten miles, since modern constructions have largely built over it. That said, those ten miles are still well preserved and have plenty of places to see, including the Catacombs of San Sebastiano and Catacombs of San Callisto (but more on those later).
This section of the Via Appia forms part of the archaeological park, Parco Regionale dell’Appia Antica, which holds an open-air museum with remains of imperial villas and aqueducts.
How to visit: Navigating Italy’s public transport to get to the Appian Way can be daunting, so it’s best to try tours that take care of the hard work for you. A semi-private experience and private e-bike tour by LivTours are excellent options – Get 5% off with the code: UntoldItaly.
4. Baths of Diocletian
Next on the list of ancient Roman ruins are the Baths of Diocletian, built between 298 and 306 AD. These were the only baths to beat Caracalla in terms of size, making Diocletian the largest bath complex, capable of holding up to 3,000 people at once. Much like Caracalla, this complex was a grand site, with bathing rooms, gymnasiums, libraries, and gardens, spread over 32 acres.
The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri was constructed within parts of the ruins and overlooks the Piazza della Repubblica. Other parts of the archaeological site you can visit are incorporated into the National Roman Museum. While there, visitors can marvel at the remnants of massive halls, ancient mosaics, and fascinating artifacts that survived centuries of change.
How to visit: Entry tickets are available on the museum’s official website, but these are just general admissions. It’s better to go for more informative tours with guides ready to explain the fascinating history of the location. Try this Baths of Diocletian and Palazzo Massimo combined private tour – Get 5% off with the code: UntoldItaly.
5. Rome’s Ancient Catacombs
As Christianity spread through Rome, early believers needed safe places to bury their dead, often in secret. The catacombs are underground networks of tunnels and tombs built for these burials and for honoring martyrs and significant figures who fell. These weren’t solely for Christians, but also for Jewish people and believers of other pagan Roman religions.
To this day, there are about 40 catacombs that have been discovered, spanning hundreds of miles beneath the city. The main challenge in visiting them is deciding which ones to go to. Some of the most popular ones include San Sebastian and San Callisto (the most extensive catacombs), as we mentioned earlier. Then there’s Sant’Agnese, Praetextatus, Domitilla – the list goes on.
Now, you can explore the deep underground network of narrow corridors lined with loculi (burial niches) and larger crypts. It’s certainly a moving experience that gives insight into the lives and losses of ancient Rome.
How to visit: It can seem like a bit of a hassle to organize entry through each location, so doing it through tour operators is a better option. Try a private catacombs night tour or a semi-private underground experience – Get 5% off with the code: UntoldItaly.
EXPLORE: The Catacombs and other Rome attractions at Night for unique after-dark experiences.
6. The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
If the Colosseum is the pinnacle of Rome’s attractions, then the Roman Forum, or Forum Romanum, is a close second. It dates back to around 500 BC when the Roman Republic was founded, but it was mostly empty. As the years passed, the Forum served as a center of politics, commerce, and social gatherings, making it the very heart of the Roman Empire.
Centuries ago, there were temples, triumphal arches lining the streets, and sites of important gatherings, public events, and religious life, from meetings to religious ceremonies and trials. Walking through the Forum today, you’ll find the ruins of important sites like the Temple of Saturn, the Senate House, the Arch of Titus, or the Sacra Via, which led to the Colosseum.
While the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are technically two separate places, they’re in the same general area and included in one admission.
How to visit: You can get your tickets from the official website or get a combined ticket which includes the Forum, Palatine Hill, and Colosseum. Otherwise, you can opt for a guided tour for a more in-depth understanding of the history of the site during ancient Roman times.
7. Teatro de Marcelo
Next, we have the Teatro de Marcelo, or Theatre of Marcellus. You may have heard it being referred to as a “mini Colosseum,” but it’s way more than that. It was first commissioned by Julius Caesar and completed by Emperor Augustus around 13 BC.
The exact number of people it could hold is contested, but it’s likely somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000, if not more. The guests would enjoy the various plays and musical performances held there, making this a hub for entertainment in ancient Rome.
Teatro de Marcelo also once had two temples – the Temple of Bellona (dating to 296 BC) and the Temple of Apollo (431 BC). What remains are the two lower levels of columns and arches, as well as three large columns to the side, which were once part of the Temple of Apollo but were reconstructed in the 1940s.
How to visit: Visiting this ancient Roman theatre is pretty straightforward since it’s located in a public area and is free to admire from the outside, while in the Jewish quarter. However, you can’t actually enter the ruins. We’d recommend catching a glimpse of it on a Jewish Ghetto walking tour.
DISCOVER: More of Rome’s hidden gems, including the Teatro Marcellus.
8. The Pyramid of Cestius
Not many people come to Rome and expect to see a pyramid, but there’s no doubt that it’s an epic sight. Originally built between 18 and 12 BC following the conquest of Egypt in 31 BC, the Pyramid of Cestius is one of Rome’s most unusual attractions.
Gaius Cestius commissioned this as a tomb, and construction began on the Via Ostiense. The pyramid stands over 118 feet high and is made of Lunense marble slabs, giving it an even more impressive look. The pyramid is just a stone’s throw away from the Protestant Cemetery and Porta San Paolo.
For the most part, you can only admire the exterior. They will, however, occasionally open up the inner burial chamber to the public, where you’ll find faint remnants of frescoes and Roman architecture.
How to visit: You can see the pyramid from the outside and take plenty of amazing photos, but if you want to explore the interior, it’s a bit more complicated. It only opens to the public on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, but this can vary. To be safe, call in or visit CoopCulture to view open days and make a reservation.
9. Ostia Antica
The Ostia Antica is a sizable archaeological site that holds remarkably well-preserved remains of Rome’s once bustling port city, Ostia. It was founded around the 4th century BC and became an important commercial and naval center for tens of thousands of civilians. As far as ruins go, these give some incredible insights into the city’s ancient history.
So, what exactly can you see there today? There are a few standouts, such as the House of Diana, the Bakery of Silvano, the Baths of Porta Marina, or the Temple of Fabri Navales. The theater is likely the most impressive structure in Ostia Antica, though, as it used to hold around 4,000 people in its prime.
How to visit: Visit Ostia Antica by getting a skip-the-line entry ticket or a more immersive guided half-day tour, like this. That said, you can also buy tickets straight from the official website.
LISTEN: To our podcast on lesser-known sites like Ostia Antica in Beyond the Colosseum.
10. Tombs of the Via Latina
The Tombs of the Via Latina date back to the 2nd century AD and are found in the Appia Antica Archaeological Park, mentioned earlier. There are several monuments on the short stretch of Via Latina, once decorated with stunning mosaics, frescoes, and intricate stonework.
The ancient architecture of the tombs is impressive, and each building has something different. The Barberini Tomb, for example, is one of the better preserved structures and boasts tall red-brick walls. The Tomb of Valerii is another great one, with two stories, built with lighter bricks and two stone columns in the front. Then, you’ll find others, like the tombs of Pancratti, Columbarium, or Baccelli, just to name a few.
How to visit: It’s free to enter the park and explore the tombs along the Via Latina on your own. However, if you want to enter the tombs, you’ll have to book tickets through the official park website.
11. Temple of Minerva Medica
Despite its name, the Temple of Minerva Medica wasn’t a temple at all, but a nymphaeum – a fountain dedicated to water nymphs in Greek and Roman mythology. This particular one was built in the 4th century AD on Esquiline Hill and designed with a unique decagonal shape and domed ceiling.
The ancient “temple” was once part of a luxurious imperial garden complex, with lush greenery on the roof and surrounding walls, so you can imagine how gorgeous it was. Though partially collapsed, the surviving structure still makes quite an impression. In fact, most of the outer walls and archways are still intact, and there’s even some greenery growing along the sides.
How to visit: The only catch with the Temple of Minerva Medica is that you can’t access the interior. That said, you can admire the ruins from the outside at any time for no cost, making it a nice and cost-effective attraction.
12. Circus Maximus
The Circus Maximus may look like a large area of empty land, but the site was once home to the largest ever Roman hippodrome.
The hippodrome was a massive stadium meant for chariot races and entertainment during the peak of the Roman Empire, and ran nearly 2,000 feet long and 500 feet wide. It could even host between 150,000 and 250,000 spectators at a time, potentially more.
While exploring the site today, you’ll see a vast green field with the oval shape of the track still visible. You can walk along the track in the place where chariots once raced. However, for amazing views of the area, you can head up to Palatine Hill, which overlooks it. That’s when you’ll really see and appreciate its true scale.
How to visit: Entry to the Circus Maximus grounds is free, but it’s always nice to try a combined group tour that has access to multiple sites, including Circus Maximus. For something a little more unique, you can try a virtual reality experience that showcases what circus games were like during the location’s prime.
13. Aqua Claudia
This next ancient structure is one of the most impressive feats of Roman engineering, designed to carry water across large distances to Rome. The construction of the aqueduct was started by Emperor Caligula in 38 AD, but was only later completed by Emperor Claudius in 52 AD. At the time, it was the eighth aqueduct built (there would eventually be 11), and while it wasn’t the largest, it was one of the most important.
Aqua Claudia was 43 miles long and delivered fresh water into Rome’s city center, providing for various baths, fountains, and private homes. Plus, it provided around a fifth of the city’s total water supply. Unlike another aqueduct called Aqua Virgo, which is still functioning to this day, Aqua Claudia is no longer operational, but a significant portion of it still stands.
You can still see a large portion of those stone arches standing at the Parco degli Acquedotti, and let’s be honest, it’s one of the most photo-worthy spots out there.
How to visit: Entry to the park is completely free, so you can admire the well-preserved aqueducts without trouble. You can do so independently, but you might want to try an e-bike tour combined with the Appian Way for a more well-rounded experience.
14. Domus Aurea
The Domus Aurea was a jaw-dropping and lavish ancient palace commissioned by Emperor Nero after a devastating fire in 64 AD. It was undoubtedly one of the most impressive constructions of its time, with its 300 acres boasting artificial lakes, tree groves, banquet halls, and private bath complexes. There were around 300 rooms, each decorated with gold leaf and jewels, motifs, frescoes, and ornate mosaics.
At one point, there was even a giant bronze statue of the Emperor at the entrance to the complex. It’s no wonder it was called Nero’s “Golden House.” There isn’t much remaining of the palace today, but what is left is mainly on Esquiline Hill.
The best places to see are probably the Octagonal Room, with a domed roof and light coming through the central oculus. The Nymphaeum of Polyphemus, an underground cave-like grotto, is also pretty impressive.
How to visit: Access is only possible through guided tours, which you can get via the Parco Archeologico Del Colosseo official site, or through other tour operators. This Nero’s Golden House guided tour is an excellent option, and even includes a virtual reality experience to see how the house looked in its prime.
15. Temples of the Forum Boarium
To round up the list, we’ve got one of the most pristine temples in central Rome – the Forum Boarium. This site was once a lively commercial center and market by the Tiber River, and the highlight of the area has to be the two intact temples.
The first is the circular Temple of Hercules Victor, built in the 2nd century BC and made entirely of Greek marble. Then, there’s the more traditional Greek-style Temple of Portunus, with a rectangular shape and columns typical of the Roman Republican era. Apart from that, you can also marvel at the mighty Arch of Janus in the eastern part of the Forum Boarium.
Today, the area is surrounded by bright greenery and paved pathways, making it a perfect spot to take a stroll and admire these sites.
How to visit: Entrance into the Piazza Bocca della Verità, where the temples are located, is free, and you can go there whenever you’d like. But as always, tours offer a deeper insight into their history and construction. Try a daytime highlights tour or a nighttime highlights tour, as they combine numerous top sites, including the Temples of the Forum Boarium.
LEARN: The stories of some fascinating Women of ancient Rome and Italy in our podcast.
Final Thoughts on Ancient Ruins in Rome
Whether you’re a history buff or simply taking a family vacation to Rome, there’s no doubt that these awe-inspiring ancient sites are a must-see. So, which one will you visit first?
Will it be the Colosseum, Rome’s largest amphitheatre, or something more unique, like the Pyramid of Cestius? Whichever you choose, you won’t be disappointed.
Before heading off to the Eternal City, here are some helpful guides to keep you company:
Our team of writers and creatives at Untold Italy are experts in keeping you informed and inspired about travel in Italy. Our team collaboration involves writers, photographers and editorial staff dedicated to sharing accurate Italy travel information.
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