Rome 3 Days: All The Best Attractions You Can’t Miss!
Last Updated on May 28, 2024 by Audrey
Got an upcoming trip to Rome? A city filled with history, beautiful works of art, and gladiators! Although I can’t say Rome is my favorite city in Italy (Guess which city holds my heart?), it is definitely a stop that you cannot miss the first time you visit Italy. The immense amount of landmarks and culture that lie in the city is unparalleled. If you’re not sure if you want to visit yet, check out my article to see if Rome is worth visiting for you!
Three days isn’t a lot of time, but you can at least see the highlights. I traveled with my family, including my mom, and we underestimated how much walking we would be doing every day. Be prepared to get your steps in, especially if you book tours.
It’s probably better to schedule only one tour a day to give yourself time to explore the city on your own.
I scheduled two tours in one day and personally thought it was too much walking, especially if you are traveling with family members who may get tired easily, such as children or seniors. I also don’t like to cram my itineraries with attractions down to the minute, as I believe that a portion of your travels should be dedicated to exploring the city outside of the tourist spots!
Where to stay in Rome
If this is your first time visiting Rome, I would personally recommend staying in the Pantheon/Piazza Navona/Campo de Fiori area. This is the town square, and there are various attractions located very close to each other, making it easy for you to walk to them.
Rome is definitely a walking city, and being close to most of the attractions will make it easy for you to head home and rest once your day is over.
If you’d like to wake up every day to one of Rome’s greatest treasures, you could consider staying near the Trevi Fountain as well. Some hotels are directly across from the fountain, which would be a magical sight to see every morning before the crowds gather. However, take note that the Trevi Fountain is not exactly next to most of Rome’s other main attractions, such as the Colosseum or the Vatican.
I’ve included my recommendations below, all located in the central Pantheon/Piazza Navona/Campo de Fiori area for easy access to all the main attractions! Take a look and let me know what you think.
📍Best Budget Hotel: Hotel Labelle ⭐
Hotel Labelle is the best budget hotel that I found, located right in the city center and just a few minutes walk from Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, and the Pantheon! The rooms are reasonably spacious, with air conditioning and an elevator to ease comfort.
👉🏻 Click here to book Hotel Labelle!
📍Best Mid-Ranged Hotel: Hiberia Hotel Rome ⭐⭐
Hiberia Hotel Rome provides stunning city views and free breakfast in addition to being in a superb location, just a 5-minute walk from the Colosseum.
👉🏻 Click here to book Hiberia Hotel Rome!
📍Best Luxury Hotel: Palazzo Galla ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Are you celebrating a special occasion and want something really luxurious? In that case, you need to stay at Palazzo Galla!
In addition to beautifully decorated rooms, this four-star hotel has a rooftop terrace with a view of the city that will take your breath away. With a bar and private parking right in the heart of Rome, this hotel will provide you with everything you could possibly need.
👉🏻 Click here to book Palazzo Galla!
Getting Around in Rome
Rome is definitely a walking city, and you will be hitting upwards of 10k steps a day while you are out and about. If you want to look into other transportation options to travel out of the city or to attractions that you can’t reach by walking, check out my article here! Using my personal experience, I compare what the best transportation option is getting to and around Rome.
Main attractions in Rome
The most popular attractions in Rome are the following (all of which are included):
- Pantheon
- Trevi Fountain
- Piazza Navona
- Colosseum (including Roman Forum, Palatine Hill)
- Vatican (including St. Peter’s Basilica)
- Spanish Steps
- Trastevere
- Santa Maria Maggiore
- Victor Emmanuel II Monument
Other Attractions (not included in this itinerary)
- Catacombs
- Borghese Gallery
- Castel Sant’Angelo
3 Days in Rome Itinerary: Day 1
Vittoriano, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps
Regardless of when you are arriving, I would recommend taking a stroll through the streets to get familiar with the city. There are so many attractions that you can see simply by walking. I scheduled a city tour two hours after I landed. Although it was a great way to learn about some of Rome’s great attractions, there were a couple of variables that made me regret scheduling a non-refundable tour.
First, my entire party had lost our luggage! If you aren’t aware, almost all shops in Rome close at 8 pm, and the entire city breaks out to enjoy dinner! For that reason, just in case you run into a problem after landing in the city, I would opt out of a tour on day one. Just in case you need to buy anything, or there is an emergency.
The guide we had, although very kind, had a strong Italian accent. It was a little difficult to understand what he was trying to tell us at times, though I’m sure it was informative. You can learn so much about the city on your own in just 2-3 hours. However, if you are interested, here is the guide that we used.
Vittoriano
First, take some time walking around the town square, Piazza Venezia. There are several attractions around this area alone.
You can start at the Vittoriano, the monument built to honor Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of Unified Italy. It is unmissable, and absolutely splendid to look at. You can hike up the steps to the top of the monument, and take in a grand view of the city.
Pantheon
It is a short 13-minute walk to the Pantheon, another of Rome’s main attractions. It is a temple dedicated to all the Gods, built back in 120 AD!
Take a tour inside, and notice how the ceiling forms a sphere with the only open light source being the top of the dome.
It is formally a church and hosts the bodies of important Italian figures, such as Vittorio Emanuele II, whose monument you just passed by.
Trevi Fountain
From there, head on over to Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) and immerse yourself in the beauty of this masterpiece.
It is typically crowded at all times of the day. You may get lucky if you arrive extremely early in the morning (7 am), or late at night (10 pm). Regardless, it is a must-see. I saw it every day I was in Rome, and I never got sick of looking at it.
There is a small drinking fountain to the right of the Trevi, called the Fountain of Love, or Fontanella degli Innamorati. According to an ancient legend, couples who drink from this fountain will be together forever!
Before you leave, don’t forget to toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain. Legend has it that if you do so, you will come back to Rome again one day. You could also wish to find love in Rome instead or to get married there.
Whatever your wish may be, it is tradition to toss the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder. When in Rome… 🙂
Spanish Steps
Once you’ve gotten your fill, if you still have energy, you can walk up north to visit the Spanish Steps. The bottom of the steps starts at Piazza di Spagna, a plaza filled with luxury stores. It contains the Fontana della Barcaccia, which literally means Fountain of the Ugly Boat.
I happened to stumble upon the steps by chance at nighttime after a full day of shopping. I didn’t even realize they were a popular attraction until I was almost at the top of the stairs and realized how scenic it was! If you go in late April-May, there are beautiful azalea flowers laid upon the steps to celebrate Rome’s anniversary.
Once you get to the top, there is an Egyptian obelisk. You’ll find quite a few Egyptian obelisks throughout Rome, 13 to be exact! The Romans were enamored by Egypt and looted the obelisks to boast about Rome’s power and greatness.
Piazza Navona
However, if you don’t feel like walking up some more stairs or prefer not to go out of your way to visit the Spanish Steps, head west instead and stop by the Piazza Navona, another of Rome’s beautiful sculptures.
3 Days in Rome Itinerary: Day 2
Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Baths of Caracalla
Colosseum
Today, we will start off by visiting the iconic Colosseum, the largest amphitheater ever built.
This theater was the center of gruesome gladiator battles all for the sake of entertainment. A trip to Rome would be amiss if you did not include this in your trip.
A skip-the-line guided tour that includes all three locations (Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill) is recommended to get the full experience and to skip the general ticket lines. I used the Get-Your-Guide tour here, they provided audio headsets and it was relatively easy to understand and follow the tour guide.
👉 Looking for a tour that includes all the main attractions of the Colosseum? I thought this skip-the-line tour was super informative!
You can also pay extra if you’d like access to the arena platform where the gladiators fought, as well as the underground ruins where they prepared themselves for battle.
When you get inside, you’ll see the vast amount of seating areas–but actually, it used to be of a much larger scale.
Two-thirds of the original Colosseum was destroyed over time by natural disasters, but there have been restorations going on since the 1990s to restore it to its former glory. When it was its original size, it could host 60,000 spectators!
Going with a Guided Tour?
⭐ Tip: If you’re visiting in spring/summer, try to go early in the morning or late at night. We took the 10 am tour, by 10 am the heat was already building and by 11 am we were all sweating under the sun!
Most of the tour does not have any shade from the sun, so bring a hat and some sun protection.
If you go with a guided tour, you can access the arena platform and/or underground for an additional fee. If you include the arena platform, you’ll get to walk on the reconstructed platform and look up at the vast arena. Imagine the indescribable emotions the gladiators must have felt commanding the eyes of every spectator!
In the underground, you’ll explore the trap doors that hosted the animals, as well as the elevators that connected fighters to the platform! I did not include the Underground portion when I went due to time constraints, but I wish I did. I feel like it would have brought the battle scene to life. If you are interested in seeing the weapons or tunnel networks that were used, it is a must-see.
Tickets that include the Underground do sell out quickly, so book 1-2 months in advance to see the behind-the-scenes dungeons and chambers.
Roman Forum/Palatine Hill
If you choose to include them in your Colosseum tour, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill will be accessible with the same ticket and will take less time than the Colosseum.
The Roman Forum was the center of activity of ancient Rome, where daily activities and public life took place.
Many of the temple structures will need a bit of your imagination to picture how it must have looked in its glory, but not the Arch of Titus. You will pass through it going as you enter the entrance and security check (the same entrance for both sites), a large triumphal arch built to celebrate Rome’s victory over Jerusalem.
Palatine Hill was the center and birthplace of ancient Rome, and home to the ancient Roman upper class. It is a calm, serene place to enjoy a walk through, with many different fruit trees and birds. It is a short uphill walk that I think most who can traverse on foot will be able to access.
Overall, you will spend about 2.5 hours with the guide. Afterward, you can navigate the area at your leisure.
I only spent about 45 minutes at the last two sites because we booked a second tour the same day, so I recommend that you leave a couple hours free to enjoy the other two sites of the tour.
Baths of Caracalla
Located just a few minutes from the Roman Forum are the Baths of Caracalla, a huge ancient Roman bathing house.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday, you can walk on the old mosaic floors and in between the ruins. In ancient Rome, citizens practiced hygiene and partook in social activity in this building, and it was just a short walk to the temples or gardens. Afterward, grab a quick bite for lunch and head to Travestere next.
Travestere
Travestere is a historically working-class neighborhood full of restaurants, cafes, and bars. It carries a lively atmosphere ideal for strolling around. It is best to reach this district via walking or bus, as it is not accessible by metro.
Start at Piazza di Santa Maria, the center of the district. Travestere is the perfect place to get lost in. Wander the small alleyways and soak up the traditional aesthetics of the neighborhoods. It is a great way to embrace Italian culture!
If you like, consider visiting the Basilica di Santa Maria or the Basilica di Santa Cecelia, which are two prominent churches in this neighborhood.
Take your time with dinner and enjoy aperitivo at a local restaurant! Aperitivo is the act of enjoying a late afternoon or evening drink, making it a focus to pause and relax.
You’ll find that Travestere is best known for its buzzing nightlife post-dinner. Storekeepers draw up the shutters when the sun sets to reveal the many bars and clubs. It is a great way to end your second day in Rome.
3 Days in Rome Itinerary: Day 3
Vatican/Sistine Chapel/St. Peter’s Basilica
Trevi Fountain
If you wake up early on your last day, try to make time to visit the Trevi Fountain at its emptiest. It is absolutely breathtaking, and it gives a different impression when you can appreciate it in solitude. It is usually still empty at 7 am, so definitely stop by if you wake up early or you’d like pictures.
Vatican
Today, we start off with an early tour of the Vatican! You can either choose to purchase an entry ticket from the Vatican Museum for about $30, or you can choose a guided tour which will vary depending on if you plan to include access to the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. I chose a tour that included all three for around $80 here. I do recommend doing a guided tour if you can help it, there was a tremendously long line at the general queue and we were able to skip the line pretty seamlessly.
👉 Book this skip-the-line tour of the Vatican, which includes the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica all in one!
We started at 2:15 pm and it was still super packed inside, which minimally dampened the experience. If you aren’t a fan of crowds, either go early in the morning before the crowds arrive or choose an evening tour.
The Vatican is its own country, separate from Rome. It is the home of the Pope and houses an immense collection of art and artifacts from the Renaissance, Egypt, and more. Find works from famous artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo Di Vinci, and Raphael, the list is endless.
Regardless of your faith, the Vatican Museum is an absolute must-see when you are in Rome. They have designed it to be a place of “beauty and welcome”, open to people of all cultures and religions. You will be able to stroll through over 20,000 pieces of their collection, including Laocoon and His Sons, the Vatican’s first acquisition purchased back in the 16th century.
Sistine Chapel/St. Peter’s Basilica
The museum’s highlight is the Sistine Chapel, featuring Michelangelo’s paintings spanning the entire ceiling. It is simply an absolute masterpiece–when I saw it, it took my breath away. If you plan on visiting, do not miss this exhibit!
Afterward, you head to St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest and most decorated church in Italy. It’s seriously massive; every inch of the church appears to be adorned with marble and gold. Even walking through it will take around 15 minutes to get from the entrance to the exit.
Even if you take a guided tour, three hours is not enough time to visit everything in the Vatican. There is still the Raphael Rooms, a group of rooms painted by the famous Raphael, the Egyptian Gregorian Etruscan museum, and countless other artworks.
You can definitely spend the whole day here and not finish the entire museum. For me personally, the museum is simply too massive so I would only spend half the day here at most.
When you’ve finished soaking up as much of the museum as you can, grab a bite to eat and freely enjoy the rest of your last day in Rome.
tips to consider
👉 Book one main attraction a day
Although you can visit two big attractions (like the Colosseum and Vatican) in one day if you are very ambitious, I do not recommend it.
I personally felt rushed visiting both attractions on the same day and became extremely tired. It also made it extremely difficult to make time to buy clothes because we lost our luggage coming into the country.
In the case that a problem arises, and for the sake of your own enjoyment, I would only do one timed tour a day unless you think you have the energy.
👉 Multiple transportation options are available
Because I was traveling in a large group of 5, we frequently used Uber as our main mode of transportation in the city. However, you also have the train, metro, bus, and taxis as possible options, so it’s good to know what will best suit you during your trip. I cover all your available transportation options in my article Is Uber in Rome?
👉 It’s a touristy city
Rome attracts millions of visitors annually, so there will be some obvious tourist traps in the city. You should be aware that there will be long lines for the popular attractions.
Although there is an abundance of culture and activities to do in the city, it may not be for everyone. In another post, I break down the pros and cons of why Rome is worth visiting. I encourage you to check that out to see if Rome will suit your tastes.
Other Things You Can Do in Rome
- Rome Rinascente shopping center
- Catacombs
- Biking Tours
- Borghese Gallery
- Castel Sant’Angelo
Restaurant recommendations
Achille al Pantheon di Habana
If you start to get hungry, you will want to check out Achille Al Pantheon di Habana. It was a restaurant recommended by our tour guide, and it provides delicious authentic Italian dishes at a remarkably reasonable price.
We ordered several different kinds of pasta and veal to share. All the pasta was amazing, and the veal was particularly soft and flavorful! The customer service was great, and the waiters were very accommodating to our limited Italian-speaking skills.
The restaurant is conveniently located in a central location and is only a four-minute walk from the Pantheon. I was able to come by after my tour and get seated straight away, with no wait for a group of five. If you happen to be near the Pantheon, I highly recommend visiting here!
Osteria da Fortuna
This restaurant has been a long-time staple for both Roman citizens and tourists alike. Located in Campo de’ Fiori, Osteria da Fortuna features handmade pasta, and you can even watch one of the workers fold and roll the pasta by hand next to the restaurant window!
The pasta was absolutely delicious, and the customer service was excellent. The waiters were extremely welcoming and friendly and made us feel right at home. Our waiter took the time to recommend wines that would pair best with our meat dishes.
The environment was casual and down-to-earth. The dishware was handmade, with adorable sheep! The wonderful food, paired with a vibrant environment made for an outstanding dinner experience. When I come back to Rome, rest assured that I will be coming back to this restaurant as soon as I can!
Tartufi & Friends
If you love truffle, then make sure to stop at Tartufi&Friends for dinner! Located in Via Borgognona, this upscale restaurant is the perfect way to end after some luxury shopping. The main ingredient featured on their menu is truffle, which they incorporate into several traditional Italian dishes.
I thought the food was wonderful, and the service was great. There was a slight hiccup where the servers missed one of our dishes, and we waited a very long time for it. However, there was a miscommunication where they did not know we were waiting for a dish and we felt like we were overstaying our welcome. Despite that, I still recommend this restaurant as the food is excellent and the staff was kind overall.
Rome 3 Days Itinerary
I hope that my itinerary gives you some ideas for your next trip to the Eternal City! Rome features numerous iconic attractions, and there is so much history and culture wrapped around everything. I loved my time there and learned so much at the same time. I can’t wait to come back in a few years!
If you are wondering what else to check out while you are in Rome, why not head over to Venice? I have a 2 day Venice Itinerary for you here!
Here are some other Rome-related articles you might find helpful while planning your vacation as well!
10 Things To Know About The Best Colosseum Tours In 2024
Venice In 2 Days: First Timers Will Fall In Love!
Is There Uber In Rome? (How To Get Around In 2024)
I hope you found this itinerary helpful, and happy travels!
