In Photos
By Alyssa Fell | Photoreporter
A trip to the Trevi Fountain, followed by lunch at Trastevere’s Tonnarello, then grab tiramisù from Two Sizes to enjoy before a cool down with authentic Italian gelato at Giolitti: a perfect TikTok Rome itinerary.
According to TikTok users who made these locations go viral with videos amassing hundreds to millions of views, these are some must see spots in Rome. The city, home to ancient architecture and priceless art, welcomed 4.9 million visitors in tourist accommodations in 2022, according to Statista. In the same year, the United States was the country with the highest number of inbound travel to Rome based on arrivals.
Of over one thousand U.S. TikTok users surveyed by MGH, an advertising and marketing agency based in Maryland, 60% expressed interest in visiting a new destination due to a video seen on the app.
“It’s nice, it’s nice because from TikTok you are learning new places, and it’s really good because you are exploring,” said Ga L. who is originally from Greece, but moved to Rome five months ago. “Every day you can do another stuff, not only the main spots.”
L. visited Lucciano’s, a gelateria near the Pantheon in October to try the colosseum-shaped ice cream featured on TikTok. She aims to visit a new TikTok recommended destination weekly.
The TikTok craze, encouraged by many, is also looked down upon by some. While multiple passersby scoff at the crowds as they walk by popular viral locations like the sandwich shop All’antico Vinaio, others take advantage of the app’s recommendations.
ROME: November 8, 2023 – A woman holds a sandwich from All’antico Vinaio, a sandwich shop located near the Pantheon in Rome that has gone viral on TikTok. There are soon to be 14 locations spanning Italy and North America (Alyssa Fell for The Matthew). 
ROME: October 23, 2023 – Ga L., originally from Greece, now residing in Rome, holds her Colosseum shaped ice cream from Lucciano’s, a gelateria near the Trevi Fountain, for a posed photo, along with her dining partner. The Colosseum shaped ice cream has gone viral on TikTok with a video reaching over 70 thousand likes (Alyssa Fell for The Matthew). 
ROME: September 27, 2023 – Two women synchronously take photos of their gelato in front of Giolitti, a popular Gelateria on TikTok that has been in Rome since 1900 (Alyssa Fell for The Matthew). 
ROME: October 22, 2023 – An “I Heart Rome” t-shirt is sold at the Porta Portese Market, a flea market with second hand clothes and nick-nacks, as well as new items, open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays in the Trastevere neighborhood. It has been noted as a destination to visit on TikTok (Alyssa Fell for The Matthew). 
ROME: October 23, 2023 – Three individuals look at the Pantheon. In 2017, The Independent reported seven million people visit the historic site annually (Alyssa Fell for The Matthew). 
ROME: October 4, 2023 – The line at Tonnarello, an Italian restaurant featured in TikTok videos amassing thousands of views. Zach Rosenberg, of Florida, is standing with hands on his hips waiting for a taste of the food during late lunch hours (Alyssa Fell for The Matthew). 
ROME: October 22, 2023 – A waiter clears plates at Tonnarello, a restaurant in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome, known on TikTok for its carbonara, among other offerings (Alyssa Fell for The Matthew). 
ROME: September 23, 2023 – A group of girls hold their tiramisú from Two Sizes, a tiramisú shop in central Rome self-advertised as the “The Best Tiramisú in Town,” for a photo in front of the shop’s entrance on Saturday evening (Alyssa Fell for The Matthew). 
ROME: November 15, 2023 – A group of women walk outside of the four floor Zara located at Via del Corso on Wednesday afternoon. This Zara has received hype on TikTok, with videos surrounding it receiving thousands to about two million likes (Alyssa Fell for The Matthew). 
ROME: November 15, 2023 – Zarine Madam, 65, of Canada, takes a selfie with the Spanish Steps, a destination listed in day in the life itinerary videos on TikTok, on Wednesday afternoon (Alyssa Fell for The Matthew).
Liana Le, a third-year university student from California studying abroad in Florence this semester, visited Porta Portese Market in Rome last month. She said she leaves trip planning up to the app and word of mouth.
“I just asked friends for recommendations,” said Le. “And I think TikTok, is also a really easy way to find out places to go when you’re traveling, and then just the major landmarks like the Colosseum, Pantheon, stuff like that.”
Other visitors who stumbled upon the bustling locations, unaware of the online presence, were excited to be part of the action. Though, their reactions to the information did not come without a smile.
Despite that, tourists continue to flock to Rome, creating crowds, while bolstering the economy. TikTok seemingly takes the role of “travel agent.”
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