How to Spend 3 Days in Rome

Rome is definitely one of the most memorable cities I have ever visited! We visited Rome in July 2018 and spent 3 days there. If you can spend more than 3 days in Rome, by all means, do it! There is so much to see in this amazing city filled with rich history. However, if you are on a time constraint like I did, here is an itinerary to help you visit Rome as much as you can within 3 full days.

Day 1 : Walk Around Rome Central Area

There are so many iconic architectures to see in central Rome, and many are within walking distance between each sight. You can pretty much explore the central area by walking. We started our day by taking the metro to Barberini station, which is the closest station to our first stop: the Trevi Fountain (around 7 minute walk).

1^st stop – Trevi Fountain (Trevi de Fontana)

The Trevi fountain is located between small streets but it is hard to miss. We were blown away by the size of the Fountain and the details of this sculpture. It is one of the most famous fountains in the world, built in 1762. You will see the fountain light up during the night. Click here to read about the history.

This public fountain is constantly crowded by tourists every hour of the day. There are also many restaurants, shops and gelato places nearby. If you want to avoid the crowds, you will have to either go super early in the morning or in the middle of the night.

2nd Stop: Pantheon

The Pantheon – a former Roman temple built in 126 AD. It is known for having largest concrete dome in the world. Since the 7^th century, it has been used as a church. It is a 7 minute walk to the Pantheon from the Trevi Fountain.

When you walk in, you will notice a beam of light shining down from the central oculus of the dome. There are paintings on the ceilings and on the side of the walls. The design of the dome is truly magnificent. For me, 30 minutes was sufficient for visiting the Pantheon. Click here to read more about the Pantheon.

The admission to the Pantheon is free. However, when we went in July, we had to line up to get into the temple. Luckily, the line was moving very fast and we got inside in no time.

Note: No Short skirts, short pants and bare shoulders inside the temple.

3^rd stop – Piazza Navona and Sant’Agnese in Agone (Catholic Church)

Piazza Navona is a public square, with many restaurants and little shops around it. It takes just 4 minutes to walk to Piazza Navona from the Pantheon. You will see the Fiumi Fountain (the Fountain of the Four Rivers). The ancient Romans used to come here to watch games.

Facing the square, you will see the Catholic Church – Sant’ Agnese in Agone,opened in 1949. The paintings on the ceiling blew me away as with all the churches in Rome. Admission is free. However, photography is not allowed inside.

Note: No Short skirts, short pants and bare shoulders inside the church.

Hours: open from 9am to 7pm on weekdays and 9am to 8pm on the weekends. It closes from 1 to 3pm every day.  

4^th stop – Spanish steps and Piazza di Spagna

We walked to the Spanish Steps from Piazza Navona. It takes around 15 minutes to walk to the famous steps, but along the way, you will walk pass the shopping district.

The Spanish Steps was for linking the Spanish Square below and the Trinità dei Monti Church above. If you love shopping, this is the place to go. It is a shopping district and there are many designer stores around this area. The stores will open at around 9 to 10am and closes at around 7:30pm. The restaurants in this area will be a bit more expensive.

If you are not that into shopping, it’s also a nice place to relax. Just sit on the stairs, enjoy a gelato, watch the people there and breathe in the atmosphere. It is a nice place to end your day with a dinner and some desserts.

You can also walk over to Piazza del Popolo, which translates to People’s Square. It is only a few minutes away from the Spanish steps. It was once the main entrance to the city during the Roman Empire.

We visited these 4 main places on our first day in Rome. We visited them on the same day as they are all relatively close to city center. Go with your own pace and explore the small streets!

Day 2 – Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

We went to the Colosseum bright and early so we had time to see the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on the same day in the afternoon. However, the ticket is valid for two days, so you can come back the next day.

It is approximately a 10 minute walk from Colosseum to Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. You can purchase the ticket of these 3 sights together as a package. It is important to purchase tickets in advance. It costs 2 euro extra to reserve a ticket online, but when you see the line up on the day at the Colosseum, oh god, you will feel that it is worth it. If you get the ordinary package, it costs 14 euro per person buying a ticket online. You will have a scheduled entrance time for the Colosseum. Click here for the official info and ticket packages.

I highly recommend you to walk back to the Colosseum at night when it lights up. It is beautiful and gives out a different vibe at night.

Tip: There is a very nice spot to take photos along the staircase across the Piazza del Colosseo street from the Colosseum. You can take photos of the entire Colosseum from this spot. There’s a ledge along the stairs for you to stand or sit on to take photos with the whole Colosseum in the background. 

Roman Forum

I would actually recommend a guided tour because it is so big and there are many interesting historic facts of the place. You will see the ruins of many important ancient government buildings. Click here for more info on the Roman Forum.

We spent 2 hours inside the forum, which was longer than we originally planned to. If you are going in the summer, be sure to bring water, a hat, and sunglasses and apply sunscreen as there aren’t many places with shade in the forum.

Last but not least, walk up to the Palatine Hill to see the gorgeous and iconic view of the whole Roman Forum.

After Palatine Hill, we walked around the area between Colosseum and Piazza Venezia. We came across the ruins of Forum of Caesar and Forum of Augustus, a very magical and beautiful place at night. They have a light show every night called “Viaggio nei Fori”. It talks about the history of the Romans and shows how the forum looked like in the past when everything was still intact. Click here for more info on the light shows.

Across from Piazza Venezia, You will also see the grand marble monument, “Altar of the Fatherland”. It is a classical temple honoring Italy’s first king and the soldiers in the First World War. This is a very nice area to walk around and enjoy the rest of your evening.

Day 3 – Vatican City (Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, St Peter Basilica) and Castel Sant’Angelo

Vatican City

We joined a 3 hour guided tour for the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica. There are many options to go about. I would recommend joining a guided tour because there’s so much history and stories behind the paintings and sculptures. You will learn a lot by the end of the tour.

One down side of joining a tour is you have to follow where the guide takes you. Since the Vatican museum is so big, one day is not enough to see everything, and you might miss some of the things you planned to see.

It is important to buy tickets in advance to skip the line. It costs 4 euro extra to reserve online, but again, it will be worth it. The Vatican Museum is usually closed on Sundays but it is free for admission on the last Sunday of every month. However, you can imagine the crowd on that day. Click here for more info and official tickets.

Sistine Chapel was truly unforgettable for me. It was surreal seeing Michelangelo’s original work on the ceiling of Sistine Chapel. He painted the nine scenes from the Book of Genesis, including the most well–known scene – The Creation of Adam. Click here to read more about the Sistine Chapel.

St Peter’s Basilica was one of the grandest and most magnificent basilicas I have ever visited. you can visit the basilica for free , but if you wish to climb up the Dome (highly recommended as the view is amazing), you need to purchase a ticket. Click here for more info.

Note: No short skirts, short pants and bare shoulders inside the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica. No photography inside the Sistine Chapel.

Castel Sant’Angelo

This used to be a castle used by the pope and he had a secret tunnel connected to Vatican City. Since this museum is close by Vatican City (around 12 minutes walking), it is convenient to visit on the same day. Inside, you will get to explore the history of this castle. Not to mention, when you get to the top, you will see a gorgeous view of Rome. You will probably spend around an hour inside, depending on how interested you are with the history. There is a wet bar and café inside as well if you want to take a little break. Depending on what time of the day and year you are going, you might be able to watch the sunset up there too.

Hours: 9am to 7:30pm

I recommend buying tickets on site. It is not necessary to reserve ticket in advance.

Admission: 5 euros for adults between 9am to 11am. 14 euros for adults after 11am and free for children (under 18). If you are an EU citizen between the ages of 18 to 25, you can get half price.*Free admission on the first Sunday of every month.

That concludes our 3 day itinerary for Rome! I hope this itinerary helps you narrow down your Rome travel plans! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. Enjoy this amazing city and eat lots of gelato! See my notes in page 2 for some extra info. Happy planning!