Italo’s mini guide to the Eternal City: what to see in Rome in three days, the city’s must-see venues and many tips for your stay.

If you are thinking of spending three days in Rome, plan your trip and leave with Italo to discover the places you absolutely must see in Italy’s capital, as well as many historical and artistic curiosities. If you decide to spend Easter in Rome, here’s what to do and what to see. For your holiday or business trip to Rome, here’s a perfect itinerary to help you discover the Caput Mundi! Ready to visit the eternal city with this three-day mini-guide?

Itinerary: What to See in Rome in three Days

  1. Colosseum and Arch of Constantine
  2. Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
  3. The Campidoglio (Capitol Hill) and the Capitoline Museums
  4. Piazza Venezia and the Vittoriano
  5. The Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità) and the Circus Maximus
  1. Vatican City: St. Peter’s Basilica and Dome
  2. The Vatican Museums
  3. The Sistine Chapel
  4. Castel Sant’Angelo
  5. Piazza Navona
  1. Piazza del Popolo and Villa Borghese
  2. Piazza di Spagna and Shopping in Via Condotti
  3. Font The Trevi Fountain
  4. The Pantheon
  5. Campo de’ Fiori

 

1st DAY IN ROME

The first destination of this tour in the capital is the remains of Ancient Rome! From the Colosseum , proceed to take a look at the Arch of Constantine, visit the Roman Forum and then take Via Dei Fori Imperiali to arrive in Piazza Venezia, where you can admire the Vittoriano Monument. The next stop is Piazza del Campidoglio, with a visit to the Capitoline Museums, end with the Circus Maximus and your hand in the Mouth of Truth.

  1. Colosseum and Arch of Constantine

We start this first part with a visit to the Colosseum, Rome’s iconic symbol par excellence and the city’s most emblematic monument. When you arrived in Rome’s main rail terminal, be sure to consult our guide on what to see in the vicinity of the Termini Station. For this first destination, start from Termini Station, take Metro B1 Line towards Laurentina and get off at the Colosseum Stop, it’s only a ten-minute ride!

Built by Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasian between 70/71 AD and 81 AD, with its two thousand years of history and a capacity of over 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was the largest amphitheater in the Roman world. In the Colosseum were staged battles between gladiators, animal fights, Roman games, theatrical performances and re-enactments of battles. You may not know that in addition to the Colosseum in the heart of Rome, there is also another one in the city, the so-called Square Colosseum in Rome Eur; you can consult our guide to visit it.

Online or phone reservations are required to visit only parts of Italy’s most prominent Flavian Amphitheater, including the first and second floors, the arena, and the underground level. For all information, contact the number +39 06 399 67 700 or visit the website parcocolosseo.it.

After your visit, exit the Colosseum and walk a short distance to reach and admire the Arch of Constantine. You can visit this monument for free, like many other wonders of Rome, including its museums and curious oddities. Did you know that it is the most famous of the Roman triumphal arches and one of the last monuments of Ancient Rome? The Arch was dedicated by the Roman senate to commemorate the victory of Constantine I against Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312. It was completed in the year 315.

  1. Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Take some photos at Rome’s most famous Arch, and continue your walk along Via Dei Fori Imperiali until you reach the Roman Forum. The archaeological site encompasses all the forums built by various emperors between 42 and 112 B.C. and, in antiquity, was the nerve center of the city. Visit the main monuments such as the Arch of Titus at the Temple of Venus and Rome, the colossal Basilica of Maxentius, the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, and get as far as Forum Square. Enjoy a unique experience and enter the heart of Roman history. If you are keen on antiquities and have a chance to return to Rome, you may like to visit the remains of Ostia Antica; don’t miss our suggestions for three day trips to take from Rome.

Remaining on foot, in the vicinity of the forums, climb the Palatine Hill and when you get to the top, you have a magnificent view of the city and its monuments. According to legend, the city of Rome was founded on this very hill by Romulus and Remus, two abandoned twins raised by a she-wolf in a cave. On the summit, you can visit the residence of Augustus (Domus of Augustus), the first Roman Emperor, and the Domus of Livia.

The cost of a ticket to visit the Colosseum Park, which includes the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and the Palatine is €16 for EU citizens between the ages of 18 and 24 and €2; admission is free for those visitors under 17 and over 65. Adission is free on the first Sunday of the month Opening hours are from 9.00 am to 7:15 pm from 27 March to 31 August, from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm from 1 September to 30 September, from 9.00 am to 6.30 pm from 1 to 30 October, and from 9.00 am to 4.30 pm from 31 October to 31 December.

It’s time for a lunch break! Head to the Rione Monti with Rome’s coolest restaurants and nightlife spots. From the Imperial Forum, take Via Cavour and then Via dei Serpenti, and you arrive in this quarter that rises and falls on hilly ground and is full of trattorias, trendy establishments, and bistros.

 

  1. The Campidoglio (Capitol Hill) and the Capitoline Museums

After this lunch break, return from the Prati District to the Colosseum Park. From the Roman Forum, a 15-minute walk takes you to the Capitoline, the smallest and most famous of Rome’s hills, a sacred place for ancient Romans, dominated by the colossal Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. When you arrived in the Piazza del Campidoglio, designed in 1500 by Michelangelo, admire the various monuments such as the perfect copy of the equestrian monument to Marco Aurelio, the Palazzo dei Senatori, the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo. These three stately buildings are part of the Capitoline Museums that you must visit because they are the world’s oldest public museum. When you enter, admire the paintings of great artists such as Caravaggio and Tintoretto, as well as numerous sculptures and statues. If you love art and would like some original ideas for visiting the capital and enjoying its charm away from mainstream tourist destinations, discover the unseen side of Rome with our five ideas for some off-beat itineraries.

Admission to the Capitoline Museums is €15 for EU citizens between 18 and 24 years of age and €13 for children under 17. Access is free for visitors over-65. Adission is free on the first Sunday of the month The museums are open every day from 9.00 am to 7.30 pm. Opening hours are until 2.00 pm on 24 and 31 December and from 2.00 pm to 8.00 pm on 31 January.

 

  1. Piazza Venezia and the Vittoriano

After your visit to the Capitoline Museums, head for Piazza Venezia, Rome’s most central square; it’s only a five-minute walk. Here you can admire the majestic Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, the Vittoriano, built in 1885 to commemorate the Unification of Italy; today, it is dedicated to the Unknown Soldier. You can reach the top of the Vittoriano either via the stairs or the panoramic elevator (for the latter, you must purchase a ticket); the view from the terrace at the top is breathtaking. Remember that it is forbidden to sit on the steps and this is strictly enforced. The Vittoriano is open every day from 9.30 am to 7.30 pm and the last entrance is at 6.45 pm. Changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier takes place every hour.

Descend the stairs, and in the vicinity of the Vittoriano, on your right, admire the Trajan Column with its engravings depicting the military victories of the Emperor Trajan.

I remind you that several streets, such as Via Del Corso, start from the square, allowing you to reach the city’s main tourist attractions. Still, it’s getting close to dinner time, and if you want to take another little break before your last destination, here’s our guide to the best brunches in and around central Rome.

  1. The Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità) and the Circus Maximus

To finish your tour of Ancient Rome, head for the last stop on this first day: the Circus Maximus! If you use public transport, take tram no. 628 or 160 from Piazza Venezia, and in less than 10 minutes, you will reach your destination. If you want to take the subway instead, go back to the Colosseum metro station and get off at the Circo Massimo stop. You can reach it on foot in less than 20 minutes, and I recommend it because you can admire other monuments of Imperial Rome.

Ready? Walk from Piazza Venezia via Del Teatro Marcello, and on your right, you will find Teatro Marcello. Then take via Luigi Petroselli and, always on your right, you will find the Temple of Portuno and the Temple of Hercules Vincitore and, when you arrive in Piazza Della Bocca della Verità, take via Della Greca. Here you can have a truly unique experience: insert your hand into the Mouth of Truth, an ancient marble mask built into the wall of the portico of the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. Legend has it that it could bite the hand of anyone who puts it in its mouth. After this experience, continue on Via Della Greca, and you finally arrive at the Circus Maximus.

Remember that for other similar experiences also outside the capital, you can check our guide and discover where to go and what to see around Rome.

The Circus Maximus is the largest spectator structure of antiquity and one of the largest of all time. It has a length of 600 meters and a width of 140 meters, and legend links it to the very origins of the city: this is where the mythical episode of the Rape of the Sabine Women took place during the games convened by Romulus in honor of the god Consus. Today it is home to numerous events and concerts. The end of this first day has come and, to close the evening, I recommend nearby a visit to the Jewish Ghetto of Rome where you can take a walk and stop for dinner.

 

2ND DAY IN ROME

If you have recovered some of the energy expended in the first 24 hours, you should be aware that, on this second day of the tour, you will need even more! It is a busy day, and some very interesting cultural and historical highlights await you. We shall visit the Vatican City and see the majestic St. Peter’s Basilica and the Square, all the way up to the Dome, followed by a visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, then on to Castel Sant’Angelo and ending the evening in Piazza Navona.

  1. Vatican City: St. Peter’s Basilica and the Cupolone – the Great Dome

If you leave from Rome’s Termini Station also for this second day, take the Metro Line A towards Battistini and get off at the Ottaviano-San Pietro stop; it will take just over 15 minutes. Exit the metro and take Via Ottaviano, walk to Via Di Porta Angelica, and arrive at St. Peter’s Square in ten minutes. Stroll through Bernini’s 17th-century Baroque colonnade: 284 Doric columns, each 16 meters high, and before you stands the world’s largest Church and one of the biggest public spaces in the world. Stop in St. Peter’s Square for the customary photos and then enter the Basilica. You will immediately be overwhelmed by the vastness of the building and the magnificence of the decorations but be sure to focus on the main works such as Michelangelo’s Pieta, the famous statue of St. Peter, the bronze canopy designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the mosaics decorating the walls, and the many tombs of the Popes. The Cupola awaits you!

The Basilica is open with no charge to all groups from 7.00 am to 6.30 pm.

Remain in the Basilica and follow the signs for the Dome and access to the steps or elevators. Here begins the first climb that takes you to an intermediate terrace and from there admire the panoramic view of the city. Then enter the Basilica and view it from above in all its beauty. Climb 320 more steps and reach the top of St. Peter’s Dome. Admire one of the most beautiful panoramic views of Rome that you will not easily forget.

The hours for visiting the Dome of St. Peter are from 7.30 am to 5.00 pm. The ticket cost for ascent by elevator to the terrace level and then 320 steps is €10. If you climb all the 551 steps, the ticket is €8.

To discover other wonders like the Cupolone but outside the capital, don’t miss our tips on what to see near Rome.

  1. The Vatican Museums

Descending from the Dome, continue your tour and head to the Vatican Museums; from the Basilica, it is about a 12-minute walk; then take Via Di Porta Angelica to Viale Vaticano. Enter and visit the Pinacoteca (Art Gallery), the Pio-Clementino Museum, the Gallery of Maps, the Raphael Rooms, and finish your visit in the unmissable Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo’s priceless frescoes. I also recommend our guide on Vatican City: what to see besides the Vatican Museums.

  1. The Sistine Chapel

Finish your tour of the Vatican Museums with a visit to the Sistine Chapel, which was built in the 15th century and is really worth seeing. It is famous worldwide for its spectacular frescoes painted by Italy’s greatest artists-Michelangelo, Botticelli and Perugino. There are numerous scenes from the Bible, including the Creation of Adam and the Last Judgment. Remember that you must keep it as quiet as possible, and you cannot take photographs and videos inside. The Sistine Chapel conveys an evocative feeling of magnificence.

The cost of the full combined ticket for the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel is €17; reduced admission for eligible categories is €8. I recommend booking and buying online.

This second day is about to end, and if you are already thinking about what to do in Rome for the evening, here are our four ideas to wind up the day.

 

  1. Castel Sant’Angelo 

When you have finished visiting the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, return to St. Peter’s Square and take Via Della Conciliazione, and with a 10-minute walk, you will arrive at Castel Sant’Angelo. It is a papal fortress built in the Middle Ages on the remains of Emperor Hadrian’s mausoleum from the 2nd century AD. Visit the fortress and go up to the Terrace of the Angel, from where you have a spectacular view of the city. Surprise your sweetheart and let them discover the beauty of the capital, don’t miss the opportunity for an affordable and romantic weekend in Rome soon.

Castel Sant’Angelo is open from Monday to Sunday from 9.00 am to 7.30 pm and is closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. The cost of the full ticket is €15; reduced admission for eligible categories is €2. I recommend booking and buying online.

  1. Piazza Navona

To wrap up this second day’s itinerary, from Castel Sant’Angelo, take Sant’Angelo Bridge, stroll through the downtown alleys, and in less than ten minutes, you will reach Piazza Navona. In 30 minutes, you can also visit the Trastevere district by walking along the right bank of the Tiber. When you arrive at Piazza Navona, admire the wonderful Baroque palaces and fountains in the center of the square, among which stands out Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers created in 1651. The square was built in monumental style by the Pamphili family at the behest of Pope Innocent X, its shape inspired by the ancient Roman stadium of Domitian. This square is a bustle of portrait painters and street performers at all hours of the day and night, and since it’s dinner time, here are our tips on street food in Rome: what to eat and where from breakfast to after dinner.

3RD DAY IN ROME

For the third and final day of this three-day Roman tour, we focus on the capital city’s historic center. Start at Piazza del Popolo and then a stroll to Villa Borghese before arriving at Piazza Di Spagna – the Spanish Steps – with some shopping in Via Condotti and the ritual selfie and a coin toss in the Trevi Fountain before moving on to visit the Pantheon, finally ending your visit in the evening amid the quintessential Roman nightlife at Campo dei Fiori.

  1. Piazza del Popolo and Villa Borghese

Start this third day and from Rome termini station, take Metro Line A direction Battistini and get off at Flaminio stop; it will take less than 15 minutes. When you exit the metro, you will be in one of Rome’s most beautiful and famous squares: Piazza del Popolo. It is a monumental square in Rome’s historic center where three of the city’s major streets meet: Via del Babuino, Via di Ripetta and Via del Corso. Admire the Fountain of Lions and the large Flaminian Obelisk in the center of the square.

Visit the twin 17th-century churches, Santa Maria in Montesanto, also known as the Church of the Artists, and Santa Maria dei Miracoli. Stop by the beautiful Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, dating back to the 15th century and built on the burial site of Emperor Nero. Here you will find extraordinary masterpieces by Caravaggio and Pinturicchio.

A square formerly frequented by the likes of Trilussa, Guttuso and Pasolini, today the beating heart of the capital and the scene of numerous events and concerts. From Piazza del Popolo, you reach the famous panoramic terrace known as the Pincio, which is part of one of Rome’s largest green villas, Villa Borghese.

Climb to Pincio Hill for a breathtaking view of the Eternal City, with its rooftops, church domes, and the Cuplone of St. Peter’s: from here, you reach the beautiful Villa Borghese. In Villa Borghese park, stroll through the greenery and admire the buildings, sculptures, monuments, and fountains, the work of distinguished Baroque and Neoclassical artists. Visit the Lake Garden and rent the little boat to see the Temple dedicated to Aesculapius, the Sundial, and the Fountain of the Satyr Family. Finally, visit the Secret Gardens, Piazza di Siena and the Galleria Borghese.

Entrance to the park is free. The cost of the full ticket for the Galleria Borghese is €13; reduced admission for eligible categories is €2. The Gallery is always open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9.00 am to 7.00 pm and is closed on 25 December 25 and 1 January.

If art fascinates you, don’t miss a stroll among the Art Nouveau and Baroque-influenced architecture in the quintessential Roman neighborhood, and less than a 15-minute walk from Villa Borghese, discover the Coppedè Quarter, with works in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles.

  1. Piazza di Spagna and Shopping in Via Condotti

Continue your tour and head towards the Spanish Steps. From Piazza Del Popolo, you can take the subway back to the Flaminio stop and get off at the Spagna stop, but a walk down Via Del Corso or Via Del Babuino takes only ten minutes. Arriving at Piazza di Spagna, you immediately notice the famous Spanish Steps, at the base of which stands the famous Barcaccia Fountain. Please do not sit on the famous steps, you risk a hefty fine! Admire the buildings surrounding the square and take some photos.

Then head to Via Condotti, the street facing the square dedicated to luxury shopping, where you will find boutiques of famous designers such as Gucci and Prada. Admire the beautiful storefronts and recharge your batteries for this long walk with a delicious coffee in the Antico Caffè Greco, a historic Rome café frequented by artists and literati for decades. If you are in the capital for work, don’t miss our guide to coworking spaces in Rome.

  1. The Trevi Fountain

From Via Condotti, you arrive in Via Del Corso and from there reach the spectacular Trevi Fountain, the largest and most famous of Rome’s fountains. The fountain is fed by the Virgin Aqueduct and was built by Pope Clement XII and designed by architect Nicola Salvi in 1732. It was immortalized by Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in Fellini’s film La Dolce Vita and in the film Totò truffa ’62 as well as in many other movie scenes that have made it famous all over the world. Here too, the rituals must be observed: a selfie and toss a coin in the fountain. You should know that all the coins collected go to charity. If you would like to know which films have been set in Rome, from Cinecittà to the Oscars: here is our guide on movie tourism!

  1. The Phanteon

After visiting the Trevi Fountain, cross Via del Corso and head to the Pantheon; the walk takes about 15 minutes. Together with the Colosseum, the Pantheon is one of the great symbols of Rome and the city’s best preserved ancient monument. It was built as a temple dedicated to all mythological deities and founded in 27 BC by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, son-in-law of Augustus. It then became a Christian church in the 7th century. Here you can visit the tombs of Victor Emmanuel II and the famous Italian artist Raphael and admire its enormous dome and oculus (the opening in the dome), which gives the building a unique atmosphere.

Visiting the Pantheon is free.

  1. Campo de’ Fiori

The third day of your Roman tour draws to a close; after visiting the Pantheon, cross Corso Vittorio Emanuele and follow Via dei Ballauri to Campo de’ Fiori, the walk will take about ten minutes. The square was built in 1456 by order of Pope Calistus III on the site where a field of flowers had previously stood. Campo de’ Fiori is one of Rome’s most typical areas, with its famous statue of Giordano Bruno, a heretical monk condemned to the stake during the Counter-Reformation period.

The square is one of the focal points of Roman life; you will always find a lively atmosphere there, both during the day, for its markets, and at night, for its restaurants and clubs. It is ideal to end this trip and, for the evening, here are the best trattorias in Rome for a perfect dinner. After dinner, stroll through the neighborhood streets, have a drink, and enjoy soaking up the Roman nightlife.

 

How to get to Rome and move around the city

Reach the Eternal City with Italo’s high-speed trains and arrive at Roma Termini and Roma Tiburtina stations, which are connected to the subway system and other urban transport services. Discover train schedules and fares for Rome and buy your modifiable Low-Cost ticket. Italo offers you many connections to Rome from every city in Italy. Did you know that there are many Milan-Rome trains every day that take you to the capital in less than three hours? Organize your stay in Italy’s capital city and discover all the convenience of Italo Treno, and during the trip you can consult all our tips.

The principal means of transport – and the most convenient – by which to get around in Rome is the subway system; it consists of only three lines: Red Line A, Blue Line B, and Line C. In addition, you can also use the Tramlines, Buses and Urban Railway that connects many of the city’s outer boroughs.

The cost of a ticket, valid for 100 minutes, to board the metro subway, bus and tram is €1.5. With the BIT, Integrated Time Ticket, you can travel as many rides as you wish for 1 hour and 40 minutes, as long as you don’t exit the subway turnstiles.

The cost of the daily ticket is €7 for limitless trips on bus and metro and lasts 24 hours from the first stamp.

The cost of the 48-hour ticket is €12.5, and it lasts 48 hours from the first stamp.

The cost of the 72-hour ticket is €18, and it lasts 72 hours from the first stamp.