After your first few days in Rome, you will know one thing for sure: you will want to come back. Get to know Rome in a short vacation.
After your first few days in Rome, you will know one thing for sure: you will want to come back. Get to know Rome in a short vacation.
Rome is so diverse that a weekend is not enough. But what can you do in just a few days? Don’t overdo it and enjoy La Dolce Vita in the Eternal City.
Arrival Day: The Rome Experience Begins
The quickest and most comfortable way to get to the city is by taxi. Of course, it is even more convenient to have someone waiting for you with a name sign at the airport exit. The second fastest way is to take the Leonardo Express to Termini station and then walk or take public transport. For three people, a taxi costs little more than the train and will take you directly to your destination. And of course, your accommodation should be as close to the center as possible.
As soon as your suitcase is in your accommodation or in the left luggage office, you’re ready to go! Read our article about the center of Rome to find out how to get there and the best routes to connect the sights.
Hop-on, hop-off buses are a convenient way to get around. They take you around the center in two hours, and with an online ticket you can hop on anywhere. If you also want to visit the Vatican Museums, the Omnia Card 24 is the ideal solution. It offers 24-hour hop-on, hop-off buses, admission to the Vatican Museums and much more.
In the evening, enjoy the Roman dolce vita. Take your time to relax. Take a leisurely stroll through the city’s alleyways, sit in a piazza and watch the Romans and tourists pass by. Go to a viewpoint such as the Gianicolo, the Aventine or the Pincio and enjoy the view over the city with an aperitif at a rooftop bar.
What can you do in Rome in 3 days?
With thousands of years of history, the Eternal City is a destination with many options. Whether you are interested in culture, good food, shopping, or just relaxing, Rome has a lot to offer.
Passionate Rome vacationers recommend visiting just one museum a day and otherwise just enjoying the city and getting lost. So how do you organize yourself and what is the best combination?
A day in the Vatican
Although the Vatican is the smallest state in the world, the distances covered during a visit are quite long. For example, the distance between St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican Museums is about one kilometer, and you also cover several kilometers within the museums.
It takes about 5-6 hours to visit St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums. You can save time with the guided tours of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, which take you directly from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter’s Basilica, thus avoiding the annoying security checks at St. Peter’s Basilica.
You can also eat well near the Vatican. The bars and restaurants around the traffic-calmed Borgo Pio are highly recommended.
From the Vatican you can either walk or take the bus. Cross the Ponte St. Angelo to reach the city center and the hop-on, hop-off bus stop. By public transport, take bus number 40 or 64 towards the center and get off at Piazza Navona. You can also get off at Piazza Venezia to go downtown or to the Colosseum. In the evening, take the #23 or #280 bus along the Tiber River to Piazza Trilussa to explore the Trastevere entertainment district.
It takes about 3 hours to visit the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. If you do not make an online reservation, you will have to add 1 to 2 hours waiting time at the ticket office.
Visiting St. Peter’s Basilica is free, but there are long lines at the security checkpoints during the day. Queues are shorter in the early morning and late afternoon.
Castel Sant’Angelo, originally the mausoleum of Hadrian, served as a fortress, prison, refuge and residence of the popes. It offers some very beautiful viewpoints and is therefore a very good alternative to climbing the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. St. Peter’s Basilica and Castel Sant’Angelo can easily be combined, as can the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica. Visiting all three in one day is very exhausting.
A day in ancient Rome
Traces of antiquity can be found throughout Rome, but the heart of ancient Rome lies in the archaeological park of the Colosseum with its temples and forums. Archaeologists are tirelessly researching and restoring the site, constantly making spectacular discoveries that can be visited. The Palatine Hill, which is part of the park, is a green oasis with numerous viewpoints. From here you can also see the Circus Maximus. Only the huge outlines of the ancient Hippodrome are still visible. You should allow two hours for the Forums and the Palatine Hill, and just under an hour for the Colosseum.
But there is much more to see. Nero’s Domus Aurea, the Golden House, is buried in the Oppius Hill. The tour is very exclusive. In the basement of the Basilica of San Clemente you can visit a temple dedicated to Mithras, and on the Cælius Hill you can see fragments of an ancient city map in the Museo della Forma Urbis. On the hill is the ancient round church of Santo Stefano Rotondo, and if you go down the picturesque Clivo di Scauro, you can admire Roman houses under the splendid Marriage Basilica of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. On the other side of the valley are the Baths of Caracalla, one of the most famous thermal baths of ancient Rome, where operas and concerts are held in the summer.
If you have time and energy left, you can take the 118 bus to the Via Appia Antica and the Catacombs.
A day of sightseeing and shopping in the city center
In ancient times, what is now the center of Rome was the entertainment district with theaters, baths and sports facilities.
It stretches from Piazza Venezia to Piazza del Popolo and from the Tiber to the Spanish Steps. The buildings still follow the ancient layout.
Piazza Navona has the shape of the ancient athletic stadium, and around the Pantheon you can see the columns of the Bath of Nero, the giant foot of an ancient goddess, obelisks and the Temple of Hadrian. Baroque monuments, churches and palaces rise above it all. The palaces of the noble families now house courts and administrative offices, embassies and museums.
The usual tourist route goes from Piazza Navona, past the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain to the Spanish Steps. There is a lot to see along the approximately 2 kilometer route. Another route leads from Campo de’ Fiori to the Ghetto.
The shopping area is around Via del Corso in all the side streets up to the Spanish Steps. Via Cola di Rienzo and Via Appia Nuova are often mentioned as other shopping streets, although the car traffic is a bit annoying.
Sunday, Monday and Wednesday in Rome
In Rome, shops and museums are open on Sundays. The Pope gives a speech and prayer at noon, and the Via Appia Antica is open for strolling.
Some shops in the city center open a little later on Mondays. A special feature of Mondays in Rome is that many state and municipal museums are closed.
The following museums in Rome are open on Mondays:
- Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum
- Vatican Museums
- Capitoline Museums
- Trajan’s Markets
- Ara Pacis
- Baths of Caracalla
- Spada Gallery
The public audience with the Pope takes place on Wednesdays. You can reserve free invitation tickets here up to 10 days before the date.
Early morning in Rome
Early morning is a special time of day in Rome, as you have the fountains and squares almost to yourself. It’s worth getting up before sunrise and walking around the city while it’s still asleep. Seeing the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain without the crowds is an unforgettable experience. From 7 a.m. you can also visit some churches and St. Peter’s Basilica.
Evening in Rome
The most important evening activity for Romans is eating. Rome is number 1 in the world in Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice 2023 for good food. Roman gastronomy and cuisine are excellent. So Roman food should be at the top of your to-do list.
End the afternoon with an aperitif in one of the picturesque squares or on a rooftop terrace, where chips or tasty snacks are served with your drink. In the evening, make yourself at home in one of the many great restaurants scattered throughout the city.
Rome by Night
In Rome, life is mostly outdoors, even at night. Locals and tourists stroll through the city and meet in the central squares. Some bars and restaurants are open until late at night. Campo de’ Fiori is a meeting place for Romans, but Trastevere and Monti are also very busy.
Off the beaten track
In Rome, you only have to turn twice and you are almost alone. You can discover important works of art and scenic beauties overlooked by most tourists. Take a few hours to discover these hidden gems.
Sporty in Rome
If you like to run, don’t forget your jogging shoes. Getting out early in the morning to run through the center or through the villas is priceless. You can also make good progress by bike, as long as there aren’t too many tourists around. There are many picturesque routes, such as along the Tiber and in the Appia Antica Park.
Departure Day
It is often said that you should be at the airport two hours before departure. At Fiumicino, the only delays may be at baggage claim and passport control. Otherwise, the airport is known for its good service. The security check, which takes an hour at other airports, takes no more than five minutes. For Schengen flights, it is sufficient to arrive 1 hour before departure. If you take the train or shuttle bus to the airport, allow an extra 20 minutes for the longer walk to the terminal.
Our tip: Reserve priority access to security at Fiumicino free of charge. Book your window of +- 15 minutes here
If you are traveling by train, make sure you have enough time to get to the station. Traffic in Rome is often chaotic and it doesn’t hurt to add at least half an hour. The same is true if you are leaving by car, as it takes much longer to get on the highway during rush hour.
We hope this list gives you some ideas for your short trip. Whether you are staying in Rome for two, three, four days or a week, here you will find everything you need for an unforgettable stay.
Hello, thank you for all the information on your website. We will be coming to Rome for 3 days at the end of September and I would like to ask if you have any insider tips off the beaten track.
Hi Emily,
have a look in our category “Hidden Gems” and in our category “3 days in Rome”.
Hi, I’m planning a trip from the 2nd Dec until the 6th Dec for a surprise trip for my sisters birthday, what are the queues like at this time of year??? Would I get away without purchasing skip the que tickets, thanks in advance Carol.