Top 5 places in rome I should visit

our's where the colosseum, the forum/capital hill, the vatican/sistine chapel, san clemete church, the trambus open 110 bus that takes you to 80 different sights in rome with audio, and of course walking the different neighborhoods in rome. i'm sure you will get lot's of different responses that should help you decide what to see. good luck :):):)

I would also add the Pantheon and the Piazza Navrona. There is also a church near there (can't remember the name now) that has some impressive Caravaggio paintings in it. It's mentioned in Rick's Rome book -- I would generally go with his top recommendations, he rates things pretty well.
One thing to not worry about seeing -- the river.

1) Vatican/Sistine

2) Colleseum/Roman Forum (right by each other)

3) Capital Hill Museum

4) Trevvi Fountain

5) Piazza Novana

Borghese Gallery!

I don't think there is universal agreement on what would be the top 5 sites in Rome, any more than there is over the best flavor of ice cream. At the risk of sounding trite, people differ. Read thru a guidebook on Rome and find out what's available (and how much time it takes, another important criteria for most people). You can also watch travel shows such as RS and you can see what many of them look like. Then you'll be able to make an informed choice about what YOU want to do.

Rome at night. MAGIC!

I like to split Roman sights into those to plan for and those to hit as fillers during walks or gaps in your day.

For the "Planned" sights: Vatican Museum, Borghese, Ancient Rome (Colosseum, Forum, Palatine), and Ostica Antica. Nearly all the rest can be hit quickly or liesurely, most even free. The piazzas, Fountains, Pantheon, churches...just fill as you go.

1. Vatican, Sistine Chapel and go up in St.Peters dome, 2. Pantheon, 3. Forum, 4. Coliseum, 5. Every place else that suits your fancy. Rome was just the best!

Here are some recommendations.

1. Colosseum
2. Pantheon
3. St. Peter's - and go to the top. I'm not religious but it is amazing structure.
4. Sistine Chapel - amazing
5. Trastevere area

I agree with Linda: Rome at night is an experience you can't miss. Visit The Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, St. Peters and Piazza Novana at night. I brought home a calendar of the sights in Rome at night so that I could enjoy them all year.

To answer BG's question about the Caravaggio paintings, the chapel with the 3 paintings from the Life of Saint Matthew is in San Luigi dei Francesi, between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.

1) The orange garden on the Aventine Hill--great view of the city!
2)The Protestant cemetery right behind Piramide
3) The ceiling frescos in San Ignazio and the piazza outside the church.
4) The Doria Pamphili museum
5)The Jewish Ghetto