Although there are so many things to see in do, it is possible to visit Rome in just two or three days. You won’t be able to see absolutely everything but can manage most of the top attractions.
On any trip, you want to make sure that you can see your top destinations without overcrowding your day. When you have a limited time to spend somewhere, it is important to plan out what you would like to do each day and book all your tickets in advance.
This itinerary goes through the 3 days we spent in Rome. This was our first time visiting the city, so we focused on all the main attractions while still carving out some time to just explore the city.
Day 1: First Day in Rome
Rome was the first destination on our trip to Italy. The airport is a good 45-minute drive to Rome, so we decided the easiest way was to grab a taxi from the airport to take us to our hotel.
We stayed at the hotel Hotel Monte Cenci on the outskirts of Trastevere. Monte Cenci is a cozy little hotel with a lovely rooftop terrace that looks over the city streets.
Trastevere is a popular area to stay in Rome because it is close to the top attractions and has wonderful restaurants and nightlife.
After being on a plane for almost ten hours, we were absolutely starving. We quickly dropped our luggage off at the hotel, freshened up, and headed to the city center for a bite to eat before we visited a few sites.
We headed to the Pantheon to find a place to eat. Since it was our first day in Italy, we had not made any reservations for lunch but were able to find a table outside with views of the Pantheon.
Normally, I like to find restaurants in themore local areas, but the food here was very good, and the prices were reasonable. Our meals and aperitifs (when in Rome!) gave us the boost we needed to start exploring.
Visit the Pantheon
We started with the Pantheon since it was right in front of us. The Pantheon is an incredible church that was first built in 125 AD. My favorite part was the large opening in the roof that showers the interior of the church with light.
The Pantheon is free to get into, but like all churches in Rome, you have to adhere to the dress code.
For example, you are not able to go inside with bare shoulders. Not to worry if you forget, there are vendors and shops all around the city selling shawls for you to wear into Rome’s churches.
Explore the Borghese Gallery
They even have a replica of Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. Everywhere you turn you see people biking through the paths, relaxing on a boat in the lake, or picnicking on the lawn.
Get Lost in Trastevere
Day 2: Explore Ancient Rome and Other Sites
For our second day in Rome, we did a lot of sightseeing. When you are planning your trip, it is a good idea to try and plan what attractions you see based on their location in the city.
Ancient Rome has several different places to visit: The Colosseum, Palestine Hill, and the Forum. You can visit each location on your own or as part of a tour group.
Visit Ancient Rome
For our second day in Rome, we had scheduled a walking tour that would take us to the Colosseum, the Forum, and Palatine Hill. Before our tour, we got a coffee and some pastries at a cafe across the street from our hotel.
We met our tour group right outside of the Colosseum to begin our tour. The Colosseum is a huge tourist attraction and was packed with people and tour groups.
Make sure to get there well before your scheduled tour time as it may take a little while to find your group location.
The nice thing about having a guide was skipping the line. We were able to get into the Colosseum very quickly. Our guide had also given us headphones to wear so that we could hear him easily.
The Colosseum was much more breathtaking than I had ever thought. Out of all the attractions in Rome, it was the one I knew the most about.
Seeing it up close was eye-opening on the ingenuity that went into its construction. Our tour guide was also very informed about the history of the Colosseum.
Overall, we spent over an hour wandering around the different levels before moving on to Palatine Hill.
Palatine Hill is where many of the wealthy families lived, and the place where Rome began. It is now mostly ruined, so I was glad to have a tour guide that was knowledgeable about the area.
Our last part of our tour was the Forum. Similar to Palatine Hill, the form is a large area of ruins and archeology sites.
The Forum was the center of Rome with city shops, temples, and temples. It is very surreal seeing the ruins of the 1000-year-old buildings next to new modern ones.
Relax at the Piazza Novana
For lunch, we had made reservations at La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali. The restaurant is owned by a lovely family who were extremely hospitable.
We were glad to have made reservations because it filled up very quickly. Our meal was delicious and our waiter suggested a wonderful bottle of wine to go with it.
We spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring the Piazza Navona and wandering around the city.
The Piazza is a great place to sit down and relax. It is always full of street artists and performers, and normally full of people.
For dinner, we went to Piccolo Arancio. We were really impressed with the hospitality and delicious food at this gem of a restaurant.
You absolutely have to try their orange ravioli while you’re there. It is 100% homemade with a creamy orange sauce. It was like nothing we’ve ever had before and so delicious we ordered seconds.
After dinner, we grabbed some gelato and headed over to see the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain was a lot larger than I had expected, and very beautiful at night.
Of course, I had to throw my coin in the fountain and make a wish. We sat on the steps enjoying the sounds of the running water and eating our gelato before heading to the Spanish Steps.
The area was full of kids running around, playing, and couples enjoying a romantic evening in Rome. Lots of people were sitting around enjoy meals and people watching.
The Spanish Steps are close to some of the best shopping streets in Rome, so we decided to wander around and explore the nearby streets.
Day 3: Visit Vatican City
For our last day, we had scheduled a couple of tours of the Vatican. We were most excited about the Necropolis tour we had booked that morning.
Due to keeping the site as preserved as possible, only a certain number of people are allowed in the Necropolis each year, and you have to email the Excavation Office well in advance to try and make a reservation.
We were thrilled when we got the letter saying our reservation had been accepted!
Once in a Lifetime Necropolis Tour
We took a taxi to St. Peter’s Square, right in front of the Vatican. The entrance to the Necropolis tour was in the Excavations Office located to the left of the Vatican. It was quite a process getting there!
We had to go through multiple checkpoints and metal detectors to get into the area surrounding the Vatican.
From there, two members of the Swiss Guard had us show them our confirmation tickets and took us to the meeting point of our tour. Next, our tour guide took our small group down beneath the Vatican. I felt like I was in a movie.
There were several airtight doors that we had to pass through that only opened with special scanning cards. Once we were in, there were no cameras or phones allowed.
Our tour guide was amazing! She was an archaeology student in Rome that was working at the Vatican.
We were taken down into the different rooms that had been excavated and so well preserved. Our tour ended with a visit to St. Peter’s bones.
At the end of the tour, we were allowed to spend some time exploring the museum under St. Peter’s Basilica. This tour was absolutely fascinating!
Visit the Vatican
After the tour, we had a couple of hours to spare before it was time for our Vatican tour. We found a cute little restaurant to relax in and escape from the heat. We met our Vatican tour guide inside.
The tour took us through St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel. The Vatican that day was extremely busy, so unfortunately we did not get much time to enjoy the different buildings.
I highly recommend booking an after hours tour of the Vatican as it will be much less crowded than ours was. Try to book your tour as well in advance as you can! We waited too late and they were booked up.
Last Night in Rome
For our last night in Rome, we ate at Roma Sparita. This restaurant is in a quiet little square in the Trastevere neighborhood.
Our dinner was delicious! If you are not sure what to get, try their cece e pepe. This simple pasta dish is packed with flavor. We decided to spend our last night enjoying the Trastevere nightlife.
Travel Tips for Visiting Rome
There are a lot of free things to see and do in Rome. Sights like the Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps don’t charge any fee to enjoy.
OPENING HOURS VERY
When planning your trip, pay special attention to opening times. All the attractions, shops, and restaurants have different time frames when they are open. Many will also close down for a few hours in the afternoon. Museums are also closed on either Mondays or Sundays.
DINING IN ITALY
If you sit down for a meal, make sure you have lots of time. Restaurants in Europe are a lot slower-paced than many tourists are used to. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time for lunch and dinner so that you are not rushed. Also, most waiters will not give you the check until you ask! Another tip for eating at a restaurant is that tipping is not expected. I will always leave a few extra euros for excellent service.
WANDER THE STREETS
Carve out some time to get lost in Rome. Some of the best parts of our stay were spent wandering the streets and immersing ourselves in the wonderful culture. We really enjoyed the Trastevere area because it is where many of the locals live and close to one of Rome’s universities.
DRESS CODE
Many churches have a dress code. If you plan on visiting a church, make sure to look up the dress requirements before you go. Many require shorts/skirts that are past the knee and covered shoulders. A lot of people carry around a shawl with them to quickly put over their shoulders.
SAFETY
Be careful with all the street vendors around the touristy sites. You will find a lot of merchants trying to get you to buy their products, and many of them can be very pushy. There were many around the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, and outside of St. Peter’s Square. It is easiest to stay away from them and make sure to keep your purse and wallet close to you.
DRINKING WATER
Rome offers free drinking fountains around the city. Don’t be scared to bring a bottle around to fill up throughout the day. The water is extremely clean!
Conclusion
Spending 3 days in Rome is just the right amount of time to see the main attractions of the city. If you are interested in learning more about Rome, check out my related posts on what to do in Rome and how to budget your trip.
Enjoyed this post? Here are some other Italian destinations!
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Other Italian Destinations
Travel Planning Resources
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BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION
Booking.com is one of the best sites to book hotels and vacation rentals. They offer some of the cheapest rates and different payment options.
SCHEDULE YOUR TOURS
Get Your Guide is one of the top sites for tours, excursions, and activities. Viator is another terrific website for all types of experiences.
GET YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE
World Nomads is one of the top travel insurance companies. It will cover you if you must cancel your trip or if something unexpected happens.
Check out the resource page for additional travel planning resources.
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