The 10 best things to do in Rome for solo female travellers
- Mar 17
- 11 min read
PLUS all our best advice to feel safe and relaxed in the city!
Rome is an absolutely incredible city, packed full of history, culture, sightseeing, and of course, some of the best food and drink in the world! But, for a solo traveller, particularly as a woman, it can feel intimidating. After all, it is a capital city, and is the largest in Europe by population.
I find that when I travel in a small group, it’s easy to just get by with a lot less planning. You and your friends or family can discuss ideas on the go, help each other to decide, and you have several brains to research and make decisions.
But alone, without a solid plan, you can easily feel very lost, and fatigued with constantly deciding where to go and what to do next. Especially in a city that is so packed full of incredible things to do, like Rome is. It’s hard to fit it all in!
This was part of the inspiration for our Travel Toolkits. Having a downloadable guide to Rome where you can easily look at tried and tested restaurants, bars, cafes and sightseeing spots makes a solo trip so much easier. Plus, it has recommendations on how to avoid tourist traps, the local language & culture, and things you need to know before visiting the city.
If you’re taking a solo trip to Rome soon, you’ll want access to our Ultimate Map of Rome. It has all of our tried and tested recommendations pinned to it, so that when you visit, you can look for the nearest spot to your location at any time, getting instant information and directions. You’ll find no sponsored or over-hyped spots, just real, amazing sightseeing or delicious and authentic Roman cuisine.
Either way, we have 10 must-sees and top tips here specifically for solo female travellers to Rome. Whether you’re doing a full solo adventure across Italy or just in Rome for the day, these will support you and give you all the information and advice you need.
Visit the major landmarks:
No matter who is visiting Rome, there are some landmarks that you just really have to see while you’re there. Of course, these are all tourist hotspots, but they’re busy for a reason.
The must-see landmarks in Rome for every traveller are:
Colosseum: A wonder of the world and an absolute must-see, this Roman amphitheatre will blow you away.
Roman Forum: If you've bought tickets to the Colosseum, you can also explore the Roman Forum! Head here to be transported back to Ancient Rome and see countless historical ruins, buildings and artefacts.
Vatican City: We're not promising you'll get to meet the Pope himself, but his home city (technically a country of its own) is pretty incredible! There is a dress code.
St. Peter’s Basilica: Home to Michelangelo's famous Dome and as breathtaking inside as it is outside, this Basilica is an absolute must-visit in the Vatican City. You can get free entry to the main area, but audio guides and tickets to enter certain areas such as the dome come with a cost.
Spanish Steps: The famous staircase of Rome! Built in the 18th century, these ornate steps lead you to the Trinità dei Monti church. Remember that you're not allowed to eat, sit or drag a suitcase up these stairs. Although it's free entry, they are still a famous monument that the city wants to protect.
Pantheon: A basilica with an incredible concrete dome, built between 25 and 27 BC!
Trevi Fountain: An icon of Rome, and completely free to visit. Make sure to head there very early if you want to beat the crowds.
If you’d like access to our map and guide of both the must-sees and hidden gems in Rome, which includes all direct ticket links to avoid getting let down by third party providers, you can download our full digital guide to Rome here.
Grab an espresso (or a cappuccino if it’s morning) and people watch:
This is by far one of the best ways to spend a morning as a solo female traveller in Rome. One of our favourite things to do in any city is to sit and people watch in a busy square or on a street corner. Avoid the main squares with landmark views, unless you want to pay triple the price, and instead wander a few streets back and find a quieter café. Sit down, choose a drink, and watch the world go by for an hour.
Often, when solo travelling, you can be constantly on the move, just sightseeing and not actually stopping for a break. But this is one of the best ways to enjoy a city. If you feel awkward in a café alone, take a book or some earphones to give you something to do, and relax.
You could even grab a drink to take away and enjoy it in one of the city’s many beautiful parks or gardens. These are amazing places to spend the day as a solo female traveller, especially if the weather is good.
Cappuccinos in Rome are amazing - short but strong coffee with a thick foam. Just make sure not to order them too late in the day, touristy cafes may serve them but most local places think cappuccinos are a morning drink only and find it strange if you order one in the evening. If you’re looking for some caffeine later, order an espresso, caffe latte or americano.
Eat as much pasta and pinsa as you can stomach:
Rome is a city for foodies, especially if you love carbs. There is always somewhere selling pasta, pizza or pinsa (Roman pizza) nearby.
You can view our full guide to food and drink in Rome within our Rome Travel Toolkit which gives you tired & tested recommendations, as well as insight and advice around avoiding tourist traps to get the most authentic food.
Of course, there are tonnes of restaurants all around Rome. But with Italy being quite a sociable country, it can feel slightly awkward eating alone in a restaurant. I’ve done it before many times, and had delicious meals, but have had times where I was the only solo traveller in a restaurant, or just wished I had a book or something to look at other than my phone to feel a little less isolated.
If you’re not a fan of eating alone in restaurants, or you just want to save some money by eating quicker bites and in more casual settings, there are so many cafes and even “fast food” style restaurants which offer great quality food.
Now, by fast food, we don’t mean McDonalds. There are lots of bakeries or specific pizza places where you can be served in minutes and take your food away to enjoy in a square or somewhere with a view. Or, there are even many “fast pasta” restaurants.
Quality is not compromised even though the food is often ready in less than ten minutes, you just have a choice of up to 10 pastas and sauces, and enjoy! These are really cheap options too, our favourite chain Pastaciutta has options from 5 euros, even right in the city centre.
Walk until you can walk no more:
Another incredible, and free activity to do in Rome as a solo female traveller is walk and walk and walk. This applies in Rome especially, as while you wander you’ll stumble across unique statues, fountains, backstreets with great local food and drink, and turn a corner and accidentally end up in a bustling main square.
You can simply enjoy the city at your own pace, no pressure, no set itinerary, no fuss. Then take some public transport or walk back to a café or restaurant near your accommodation to refuel and refresh!
Take a guided walking tour:
Despite loving a solo walk through a busy city, guided tours are a great way to really get more local insight into the city, learn about the history, and even meet new people as a solo traveller. A great idea is to take a guided walking tour on one of the first days, then you can plan what you’d like to see afterwards based on the information you take away from the walking tour.
Another great way to immerse yourself in local culture is taking a cooking class. Rome is known for its food and drink, and it’s a great way to have fun, learn a new skill, and again, maybe even meet new people if you’re looking for some company.
Spend a day outside of the city:
If you have a spare day (we know this is HARD to achieve in Rome when there’s so much to see), why not take a short bus or train to a smaller Italian town, outside of the chaos of the capital city.
Our favourite is Castel Gandolfo, which is where the Pope has his summer residence. It’s a beautiful, tiny town set overlooking Lake Albano, with small cobbled streets and stunning landscapes. And it’s only 40 minutes by train from central Rome!
It’s a safe, quaint village, a perfect thing to do for solo female travellers who are looking for some peace and quiet away from the chaos.
Experience the Trastevere neighbourhood:
The complete opposite of peace and quiet, but in the best possible way. Don’t be intimidated by the Trastevere neighbourhood just because it’s a little way out from the main landmarks. It’s one of the best places in Rome to visit for solo female travellers, as it’s always nice and busy, and has a great, friendly atmosphere.
From sipping a spritz outside a bar on a cobbled street to full, high-end dining, or quick suppli or pinsa, you can find anything in Trastevere. You can even take a guided a food tour just centred around the Trastevere area.
You can read our full guide to food and drink in Rome including lots of tried and tested restaurant and bar recommendations in our Rome Travel Toolkit.
Enjoy the riverside area and Tiber Island:
Tiber island is a tiny island in the middle of the River Tiber. And we mean tiny - it only has one restaurant, one ice cream shop, a pharmacy and a hospital. It’s often missed by tourists, but the bridge connecting it to the main city (Ponte Fabricio) is the oldest bridge in Rome! It’s a lovely island and one of the nicest places in the city to chill as a solo female traveller.
For a full list of hidden gems often missed by tourists like these, and 30+ pages of other useful Rome recommendations, check out our downloadable guide to Rome here.
Rome has fewer attractions, bars and cafes right by the river than you would expect, but there are regular markets or music playing on the walkway beside it. Even if there’s nothing on, it’s a lovely place to walk during the day and explore.
Stick to main streets in the evening, and stay aware of your surroundings:
As a solo female traveller in Rome (or anywhere in the world), you do have to be aware of your surroundings. Saying this, I’ve always found it a safe and comfortable city, even in the dark, and never had any major issues.
But it is best to stick to main roads in the evenings, and well-lit areas, as you should in any city. Stay very aware of your belongings, and keep valuables close to you at all times.
There are some areas of Rome which I don’t love at night time. The one most relevant for tourists is Termini station area. It’s not that it’s unsafe, but it’s busy and definitely less well looked after than other areas of Rome. Honestly, we’ve found that in most cities, the area around major train stations is normally one of the roughest neighbourhoods, where you hear the most shouting, see the most litter, and many people are sleeping on the streets. Termini matched that experience exactly.
I have spent evenings around Termini station before and even stayed near there, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a solo female traveller.
Do your research and be prepared:
Speaking about areas to go to and areas to avoid, you need to make sure your accommodation in Rome is somewhere suitable for a solo female traveller.
City centre hostels are great if you want to meet new people and stay somewhere busy and full of life. We’ve included some recommendations for accommodation in our practical information guide below.
The best way to research and plan for a trip as a solo female traveller in Rome is to make yourself a list of all the things you want to do, see, experience, eat, drink and visit in Rome. Then group them by which are geographically logical to visit in the same day, and start booking. This can be time consuming, so if you’d like a ready-made guide with a map included, to save you all those hours of research, you can get our Rome Travel Tookit below:
Or, for something a little more bespoke, we can even plan you a customised itinerary based on the area you’re staying, your preferences and personal travel style.
Whatever you decide the best things to do in Rome are for your trip as a solo female traveller, we hope we’ve given you some useful insight and advice into the city.
Here’s some more practical information to help you on your Rome trip:
How do I get to Rome as a solo female traveller?
Rome is easily accessible by air, as the airport is close to the city centre and there are direct flights from many major cities around the UK. The flight time from the UK varies, but is normally within the region of 2 and a half hours. Then, you can easily get to the city by metro, bus, or taxi.
Where should I stay in Rome as a solo female traveller?
As a solo female traveller, especially in big cities, I always prefer to stay in a hotel with a reception rather than an apartment, smal hotel or airbnb. There are lots of chain hotels in Rome which are always good as a solo female traveller in Rome as you know they will have English speaking staff for recommendations and support, and high-level security, which is great for peace of mind. Some really good options are the DoubleTree Hilton in Monti as the location is very central, and the Mercure by the Colosseum.
However, independent boutique hotels can be more affordable and just as good. Recently, on a solo trip to Rome, I stayed in Bocca de Leone luxury suites, which was just seconds away from the Spanish steps. It was one of my favourite stays in Rome, more affordable than most international chain hotels, and felt like the safest area I’ve stayed in the city for a solo female traveller.
If you don't fancy this one, don't worry, there are plenty of other options for accommodation in Rome. Have a look for something that will suit your group size and budget on booking.com.
Do I need a visa to visit Rome?
Citizens of most countries do not need a visa to visit Italy for a stay of up to 90 days. Read our Schengen Agreement post to find out more details about this rule.
What's the currency in Rome?
The currency of Italy is the Euro. You can change money when you arrive or withdraw from ATMs, but be aware of high conversion fees! Some ATMs may charge you to withdraw money, even if your bank doesn't. It's always best to pay in local currency when you can. We had no issues paying by card in Rome, it's a huge city and major tourist destination so almost everywhere accepts card payments.
What languages are spoken in Rome?
The official language of Italy is Italian, but English is widely spoken in Rome as it is a major tourist destination. It's always polite to learn a few phrases, though!
What's the weather like in Rome?
Rome has a warm climate, and does have quite a bit of rain in spring time. For example, on average there are 12 days of rain in the month of May. It does get pretty cold in Winter, too.
Here's the average high / low temperatures for each season in Rome:
Spring: 17°C / 10°C
Summer: 30°C / 18°C
Autumn: 22°C / 12°C
Winter: 13°C / 4°C
What's the time zone in Rome?
Italy is in the Central European Time Zone. The time is usually the same as most of mainland Europe, but an hour ahead of the UK.
What are the best things to do in Rome as a solo female traveller?
We hope we've given you plenty of inspiration in this article, but if not, you can find a huge list of must-sees and hidden gems as well as recommended experiences in Rome in our full Rome Travel Toolkit.
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If you're looking to fill your itinerary even more, have a look for the best activities, excursions and other things to do in Rome on GetYourGuide here.
