Best Rome Walking Tours: Discover Rome’s Hidden Gems [Guide]

Rome is a city with many faces and, at first glance, it feels like a big open-air museum filled with towering churches, monuments, and some of the world’s best architecture!

However, Rome’s true beauty is hidden and tucked away. Inside the city, you’ll find Rome’s treasures. Its secret courtyards, alleyways, and quiet spots are simply as beautiful as its attractions. There's no doubt you'll have a great time exploring all the things to do in Rome and exploring the city's historical treasures.

Walking tours give you the perfect opportunity to appreciate the city’s hidden beauty. Through walking tours, you’ll see the city’s colorful past and exciting present. With great guides that take you to Rome’s most coveted spots, walking tours are the best way to learn more about the city’s history, culture, and daily life. 

Rome is a truly fascinating city that has so much to offer to tourists visiting any time of the year.  So, whether you’re in Rome for the weekend or just for a day, these top-rated walking tours will take you to the heart of the city. It’ll also help you decide what to see and do while in Rome. What are you waiting for? Discover the many faces of Rome with your local guide. Here are some of the best Rome walking tours:

What are the best tours to do in Rome? 

From notable historic sites to thrilling food tours, get ready to see Rome with different eyes in these amazing walking tours. If you’re visiting for the first time, these walking tours will help you explore Rome’s best landmarks and streets. 

Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica Tour 

This 2 hour and 30-minute Vatican tour will take you to the heart of Rome, the independent Vatican City state. This tour will save you hours of waiting by booking the tour online. With this tour, you’ll get to have access to the Vatican museum along with a professional guide. You’ll also visit the St.Peter’s Basilica, and the famous Sistine Chapel. Reviewers say this tour was very inspiring. Seeing the paintings, artifacts, and monuments allowed them to see Rome, Italy up close. 

Colosseum Small-Group Tour

See the world’s largest and most ancient amphitheater up close in this guided Colosseum tour. Only for serious history buffs,  this tour connects you with the colosseum’s rich past and history. 

Once booked you don’t have to wait three hours to enter the Colosseum. You’ll also have a professional guide that will tell you everything you need to know about the 2,000-year-old monument. The tour starts at the Colosseum and ends at Palatine Hill.

Rome Food Tour 

Are you a certified foodie, and food is what you seek when traveling? Well, this exciting food walking tour in Rome is perfect for you. In this small-group tour, you’ll visit and eat the best Roman food in the Prati neighborhood. You’ll experience Roman food from a local’s perspective and eat from the best cafe, Romans pizza houses, and ice cream shops in the area. Because the tour is for a small group, you will get personal attention from your guide every step of the way!

New Rome Free Tour

Explore the most ancient locations of the city in this 2-hour free walking tour. With this tour, you’ll discover the secrets of Rome, the story behind each notable architecture, the culture, food, and people. The company behind this tour offers two daily tours starting at 11 am and 4:50 pm. 

Self-Guided Walking Tours 

Experience Rome like a local by simply walking around these scenic spots! If you want to explore Rome without a tour guide, these walking stops, paths, and routes are our recommendations: 

• The Capitoline Hill
• Spanish Steps to Trevi Fountain
• Castel Sant’Angelo
• The Pantheon to Vatican City via Piazza Navona
• Trevi Fountain to The Pantheon
• Spanish Steps
• Il Vittoriano—Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II
• The Appian Way
• Campo de’ Fiori
• Trastevere
• Largo di Torre Argentina
• Piazza Venezia

Are the walking tours really free? 

Yes, free walking tours are free in Roma Italy. However, if you’re satisfied after the tour, you can always tip your guide. Tipping in free walking Romdde tours has become the standard which is why many don’t call it “free walking tours” anymore. Tips range from $5- $20 per person Unlike other private or guided tours, there’s no price cap and you simply pay based on your experience or as you see fit for the free tours by foot. 

How many days should you spend in Rome?

If you’re planning to explore the city, you should have at least three days in Rome. Although you won’t be able to see everything, you can at least see the highlights of the city. If you want a complete Rome tour experience, we recommend staying at least seven days! 

Can you roam Rome on foot in a day? 

No. Rome is a huge city and one day isn’t enough to walk around. Although walking is the best way to explore the city, you won’t get to visit everything in just one day. In fact, If you look at the Rome map, you can see that it’s a city with lots of alleys and narrow lanes which can’t be reached by public buses. It’s easy to get lost as well as there is little official signage for tourists that will help you get around. Also, Italy Rome has a problem with pretty crimes so watch for your valuables while in public areas. 

Heading to Rome? Plan Your Trip With Pilot

While it’s nice to have an unplanned spontaneous trip sometimes, it’s much better to plan and make the best with the time you have. After all, finding the perfect place to stay in Rome in close proximity to the walking tour you'd like to attend would save you plenty of money and time in commute!

Excited to travel to Rome? Plan your trip on Pilot now!