3 Day Rome Itinerary - Your perfect first visit to Italy's capital

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In the new year I spent around 5 days in Rome which were great but still not enough to see everything that the city has to offer. There is so much to see and do in Italy’s capital. Nevertheless, I feel like at least I have gotten some idea of it but of course there is much more.

So here is a little 3 day Rome itinerary that I put together if you have a little less time than I did. Alternatively, if you only have two days then also have a look at how to spend 2 perfect days in Rome.

However, if you have more time in Italy and make it to Sicily then you should definitely check out all the awesome things you can do in Catania.

Rome Itinerary: Day 1

I always like to do the most important activity at the beginning, which is definitely the Colosseum.

I’d suggest going to the Colosseum first thing in the morning and also have you ticket pre-booked as it will save you a lot of waiting time. There will still be some waiting involved even with the reserved ticket but it ain’t that bad.

Your colosseum ticket will already have your entry for the Forum Romanum included. But you will have to visit both within 24 hours. Therefore, it is wise to just go to the ancient temples and ruins right after visiting the colosseum.

Also, since it is located right next to it. You will also have to be prepared for a little bit of queuing, but once you are inside the crowds are not as bad as it distributes quite well on the massive grounds.

Trastevere neighbourhood is a lovely area with a bunch of restaurants and bars. While still busy it is a nice change from downtown. While you are walking throughout the area, you can also crab some lunch/dinner.

One massive square to visit in Rome is Piazza Navona. While you won’t be spending the whole day there you should still check it out if you are in the area. Just about 300 metres away from the piazza you can find one of Rome’s most famous attractions: The Pantheon. Now, after just another 7 walk you will be able to reach the Trevi fountain.

You might have heard of this fountain as it is one of the most famous fountains in the world. While you are there you will probably see some people throwing coins in the fountain. Apparently if you throw a coin over your left shoulder with your right hand it means that you will come back to Rome at some point.

If you have some more time in Rome also make sure to check out these unusual day trips from Rome.

Rome Itinerary: Day 2

Start off your day with one of the best and free views of Rome by heading to the Janiculum Hill, which is located in Gianicolo neighbourhood. This does not take up much time and is definitely worth the visit.

From Janiculum Hill it is just a couple of minute bus ride or a bit of walking down the hill until you reach Vatican City. You can not visit Rome without also paying a visit to the smallest country in the world. The long queue that you can spot on the Peter’s square is for entering the St Peter’s Basilica.

While that will be a long wait it is definitely worth it. Before entering the actual church you can first go on the viewing platform from where you can have stunning views of Vatican City.

You can pay for getting up either by stairs or elevator. However, there are still a bunch of stairs involved even if you go by elevator so keep that in mind.

Afterwards, head to Re Bio for lunch which is located just a short walk away from the Vatican museums. They have a nice selection of sandwiches or bowls that all sound pretty healthy and cater vegetarian and vegan food options.

Once you have eaten and regained some energy, head to another famous attraction that is actually quite close by. Castle Sant’Angelo is located on the same side of the river as Vatican City. In the castle you can find a museum and a viewing platform on the top with great views of Rome once again.

And finally one of my favourite things to do is to walk along the street that connects the colosseum and the Victor Emmanuel II Monument.

There is a long street that kind of connects the two from where you can see the Roman Forum as well as spot some other ancient ruins. There is always a lot going on, sometimes there are street artists or performances and it is nice to see the colosseum at night time as well

Rome Itinerary: Day 3

Firstly, plan a visit to the Capitoline museum in the morning. This museum is considered one of the first museums in the world and it contains a massive collection of art work, sculptures and paintings. There you can also find the famous Capitoline wolf bronze statue.

Located right next to the capitoline museum you can find the Victor Emmanuel II Monument, which is the huge white building that you can not miss. During its opening hours you can walk up the stairs for a bit and enjoy the view.

If you want to go all the way up, there is also a glass elevator which will cost you around 5€ to reach the top viewing platform.

Cat Sanctuary: Opposite of the monument you can find Largo di Torre Argentine. This is not only a collection of ancient ruins but also home to a group of cats. There are all being cared for by the volunteers that work at the cat sanctuary and can be adopted.

The Spanish Stairs are located at Piazza di Spagna, which can easily reached by metro. The stairs are full of tourists so you will probably not spend too much time there. On top of the stairs is one of probably hundreds of Rome’s churches, which you can enter as well.

After looking at the stairs, it is just a couple of minutes walk to another square, called Piazza Popolo. I actually preferred this square over Piazza di Spagna. It is a huge place that feels a lot less crowded.

From there, you can visit the Villa Borghese gardens, which is lovely place to go for a work and enjoy a bit of nature in the busy city. There are museums and other attractions located within the park.