Suggestions for Things to do During Free Time in Rome?

I took this tour Christmas week many years ago and loved it. I found this list from GetYourGuide of their 10 best recommendations: https://www.getyourguide.com/explorer/rome-ttd33/best-museums-in-rome?campaign_id=23381352371&adgroup_id=&target_id=&loc_physical_ms=9019570&match_type=&ad_id=&keyword=&ad_position=&feed_item_id=&placement=&device=c&assetgroup_id=6657400053&synthetic_keyword=museo+nazionale+rome&partner_id=CD951&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23448577675&gbraid=0AAAAADmzJCNg5JUmHp9c92Q0HHWiW4RFJ&gclid=CjwKCAjwqazPBhALEiwAOuXqdAt6tzEhFe7UlJO2L1DrpXl3gybsjvL3oPyHpJmORDkqxQWsc6f9BhoCDzsQAvD_BwE?utm_source=getyourguide&utm_medium=sharing&utm_campaign=explorer-articles

Some of these are already on your tour, but if you like history I would really recommend the National Roman Museum (Palazzo Massimo alle Terme). I really loved this one.
Rome is exciting, but a BIG city and people moving fast everywhere. Be sure to be careful walking across the streets, even with the light. Some Italians consider traffic laws to just be suggestions.

On seeing Pompeii before the tour, were you thinking of this as a day trip or maybe staying in Naples before you head to Rome so you can get to Pompeii? Also, be sure to research what you will see in Ostia Antica on the tour. I found that excursion to be of such interest and felt it showed me something similar to Pompeii (how people actually lived almost 2000 years ago and how ancient Roman cities were laid out.) It is fascinating.

Domus aurea tour
borghese gallery
catacombs and Appian way
Piazza Navona underground and Domitian Stadium tour
Rome Vespa Sidecar tour with gelato
castel sant angelo (on your free afternoon after the Vatican and st Peters basilica)
evening food tour of the trastavere neighborhood (we did this with Devour Tours)
trevi Fountain (now has an entry fee)
Largo Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary

Our favorite thing was the Rome vespa sidecar tour. It took us to an overlook of the city and Trevi Fountain and Pantheon and Spanish Steps and an overlook of the Colisseum.

How could I have forgotten the cat sanctuary at Torre Argentina. I go there whenever I am in Rome. Seeing all the cats wandering around the ancient ruins and knowing they are being cared for makes me so happy.

I took the tour years ago and in my spare time I visited the Capitoline Museum, Victor Emmanuel Monument, went to several churches (there are many!!) to have a look around, explored back streets and popped in a few shops and a bakery or two. Honestly, I found the Rome tour fairly active and on-the-go. Just walking and getting place to place takes time. I don't recall working too hard to fill the free time.

derek…the Piazza Navona underground and Domitian Stadium tour is currently closed as it is undergoing renovation.. no date given for reopening

Here are some suggestions:

Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia https://www.museoetru.it/

National Roman Museum - Palazzo Massimo alle Terme https://museonazionaleromano.it/palazzo-massimo/

Museo Nazionale Romano - Palazzo Altemps https://museonazionaleromano.it/en/palazzo-altemps/

Basilica di San Clemente https://www.basilicasanclemente.com/eng/

Museo di Scultura Antica Giovanni Barracco https://www.museobarracco.it/en

Palazzo della Cancelleria https://www.turismoroma.it/en/places/palazzo-della-cancelleria

Palazzo Farnese https://visite-palazzofarnese.it/palazzo-farnese/?lang=en

Thank you all! I will look into these.
I had been thinking of a same day Rome to Pompeii tour.

Hi there! What month are you considering this tour? Easter is early next year, March 28th. Plan on schools being out from Maundy Thursday through the following Friday after Easter, so I would avoid that time period. Maybe plan the following week in early April, which will be (slightly) less crowded than later.

Several people mentioned Palazzo Massimo, agreed, it might be my favorite smaller museum in Italy. Combo ticket with Palazzo Altemps, both are totally worthwhile and rarely visited. The most unusual ancient site we visited was Vicus Caprarius, the underground aqueduct museum close to Trevi fountain, an unusual gem where you see the water flowing below you. (Details about booking Vicus Caprarius in my TR. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/rome-was-jammed-over-ny-but-still-fun

While it's possible to do a day trip to Pompeii, I wouldn't do it given your interest in Ancient Rome - you will arrive in Pompeii later in the day when the crowds are at their max. And Pompeii simply isn't a a half day visit. Could you fly into Naples & out of Rome? That way you could spend the night across the street from the smaller entrance to the Pompeii Scavi at the excellent Hotel Forum (restaurant open all day with amazing pasta, BTW) & be there when they open. (We loved our half day tour with Askos, a local tour operator.) Spend a long day there, & take the train to Rome that evening. Just an idea....