The Pantheon has been voted the best monument to visit in the Italian capital, Rome, ahead of the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain, a new study has found.
The study, by Vatican Tours & Tickets, assessed 40 iconic monuments in Rome based on nine key factors, each contributing to a score out of 100. These factors encompassed metrics such as the proportion of Tripadvisor reviews rated five stars, the proportion rated one star, the total number of Tripadvisor reviews, Google rating, total number of Google reviews, TikTok video count, TikTok view count, Instagram media count, and average monthly search volume.
The Pantheon
The Pantheon scored 87.46 out of 100 in the index, with the former Roman temple seeing an average monthly search volume of 1.2 million globally. In addition, out of its 79,911 Tripadvisor reviews, 72.74% are rated five stars.
In second, the iconic Colosseum scores 80.41 out of 100 in the index, and boasts the most Instagram hashtags of all monuments in the study, averaging just over 2 million.
The Trevi Fountain ranks third, scoring 77.58 out of 100 on the index, boasting the most TikTok views, at 385 million.
Other monuments to score highly include Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome, which scores 77.18 out of 100, and Arcibasilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, which scores 73.32 out of 100.
Also featured in the top ten 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.
Accessible and attractive
“As one of Rome’s most famous landmarks, the Pantheon attracts millions of tourists each year,” commented Magdalena Petrusic, Travel Expert from Vatican Tours & Tickets. “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.”
The top ten rated Rome monuments
| Rank | Monument | Index (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 |
