A new data study by Vatican Tours & Tickets reveals Rome’s best and worst-rated monuments.
Travel experts have compiled a study by taking all 40 existing monuments across Rome and ranking each location against nine determining factors to receive a score out of 100.
Rankings are based on nine factors, including the percentage of Tripadvisor reviews with a five-star rating, the percentage of Tripadvisor reviews with a one-star rating, the total number of Tripadvisor reviews, the rating on Google, the total number of Google reviews, TikTok video count, TikTok view count, Instagram media count, and average monthly search volume.
The top ten rated Rome monuments
| Rank | Monument | Index – overall score out of 100 |
| 1 | Pantheon | 87.46 |
| 2 | Colosseum | 80.41 |
| 3 | Trevi Fountain | 77.58 |
| 4 | Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore | 77.18 |
| 5 | Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano | 73.32 |
| 6 | Roman Forum | 71.95 |
| 7 | Basilica Papale San Paolo Fuori le Mura | 70.71 |
| 8 | Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi | 67.75 |
| 9 | Chiesa di SantIgnazio di Loyola | 66.09 |
| 10 | Church of St. Louis of the French | 65.34 |
Best rated
The Pantheon is ranked the best Rome monument, scoring 87.46 out of 100 in the index. The monument has an average monthly search volume of 1.2 million globally.
The Pantheon is a former Roman temple and is famous for being the most preserved monument of ancient Rome.
Out of its 79,911 Tripadvisor reviews, 72.74 per cent of Tripadvisor reviews are rated five stars, and only 0.19 per cent are one-star. The Pantheon has an average of 403 million TikTok views.
The Colosseum is the second best-rated Rome monument, scoring 80.41 out of 100 in the index.
The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of Rome. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built and, despite its age, is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world.
The Colosseum has 1.15 million Instagram hashtags and 79,911 Tripadvisor reviews, 72.36 percent of which are five-star rated.
The Colosseum has the most Instagram hashtags, averaging just over 2 million and a 1.2 million average monthly search volume globally.
Trevi Fountain ranks third, scoring 77.58 out of 100 on the index. Trevi Fountain has 385 million TikTok views and an average of 26,643 per video. With 103,774 Tripadvsior reviews, 63.75 are five stars, and 1.91 per cent are 1 star.
The Trevi Fountain is an 18th-century fountain in the Trevi district in Rome designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762 and several others.
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is the fourth best-rated Rome monument, scoring 77.18 out of 100.
The Basilica of Saint Mary Major, or church of Santa Maria Maggiore, is a Major papal basilica and one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome.
Located in Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore, it has a 4.8 Google rating and just under 95,000 average monthly searches worldwide. Of its 16,565 Tripadvisor reviews, only 0.08 are one star.
Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano is the fifth best-rated Rome monument, scoring 73.32 out of 100 in the index.
It is a Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Rome in Rome, with an average of 89,428 views on TikTok and 24,727 Google reviews. 77.8 per cent of its Tripadvisor reviews are five-star rated.
The top ten best-rated monuments are the Roman Forum, Basilica Papale San Paolo Fuori le Mura, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, Chiesa di SantIgnazio di Loyola, and Church of St. Louis of the French.
Worst rated
Bocca della Verita is the worst-rated monument, scoring 32,60 out of 100. Of the 1,896 Tripadvisor reviews, 2.22 per cent are one-star, and 26.69 are five-star.
Also referred to as ‘The Mouth of Truth’, a sculpture by Lucas van Leyden, it is located in Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
The second worst-rated Rome monument is Palazzo Barberini, scoring 36.61 out of 100. Also referred to as the National Gallery of Ancient Art in Barberini Palace, it is the principal national collection of older paintings in Rome, mostly from before 1800.
It has 54.16 per cent of its Tripadvisor ratings at 5 stars and an average monthly search volume of 35,100 globally,
The third worst-rated Rome monument is Mercati di Traiano—Museo dei Fori Imperiali, a large ruins complex on the Via dei Fori Imperiali.
Scoring 36.87 out of 100, it has a total of 1,217 Tripadvisor reviews and an average of 75 views per TikTok video.
The fourth worst-rated is Area Sacra di Largo Argentina, scoring 37.32 out of 100. It has a Google rating of 4.5 and an average of 1,222 Google reviews.
Forum of Augustus is ranked fifth worst-rated, scoring 41.41 out of 100.
The Forum of Augustus is one of the Imperial fora of Rome. Augustus built it and includes the Temple of Mars Ultor.
Its TikTok view count is 525, with an average of one view per video.
Rounding out the bottom ten are Terme di Caracalla, Domus Aurea, Campo de Fiori, Circus Maximus, Quirinale Palace (Palazzo del Quirinale), and Chiesa di Santa Maria del Popolo.
Magdalena Petrusic, Travel Expert from Vatican Tours & Tickets has commented on the study findings: “Rome has a unique blend of history, art, culture, cuisine, and beauty that continues to captivate tourists from around the world.
“As one of Rome’s most famous landmarks, the Pantheon attracts millions of tourists each year. Located in central Rome, it is surrounded by lively piazzas, making it an easily accessible and attractive tourist attraction.
“Whilst Rome is famous for being historic, it is embracing social media in several ways. Its scenic beauty makes the city extremely Instagrammable, boasting picturesque streets, charming piazzas, and stunning panoramic views.
“With the rise of virtual tourism, Rome has adapted by offering virtual tours, live streams, and immersive experiences that allow people to explore the city from the comfort of their homes, attracting virtual travellers from around the globe.”
