What to do in Rome in 3 days: The ultimate travel guide
When I first went to Rome, I was only there for about three days. I was with my friends, and they just wanted to see everything within Rome. That inspired me to write this guide on what to do in Rome in 3 days, and you don't have to be friends or family, since I have also included what to do in 3 days in Rome if you are by yourself. This guide is for everyone, so let's start off on day one.
What to do in Rome for 3 days quick links
Day 1: Ancient Rome and iconic landmarks
Morning: Colosseum and Roman Forum exploration
Colosseum
Day one is to go visit the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. This was one of the things on my list when I first went to Rome. You have heard about the Colosseum, your friends have told you about the Colosseum, so I will definitely recommend going early and booking a Colosseum tour. There are a few tours that start around 8.30am, where you can skip the line if you book beforehand.
I know you might be thinking 8.30 is pretty early in the morning. You want to wake up in your hotel in Rome and just have breakfast, but no. If you are looking at what to do in Rome in 3 days, you have to be quick, sacrifice breakfast potentially, or just go to a nearby bar for an espresso and a cornetto or a maritozzo, because you have got to be quick.
This was on my bucket list and also my friends' bucket list to go see the Colosseum, and it was just absolutely incredible. We walked all the way around it first, and I have got a picture above of one of the corners there. Then just going inside and letting the tour guide tell you all about the history, it was just absolutely incredible, to be honest.
A quick tip, you can also do this in the evening if you book in advance. I have a whole blog on Colosseum tours at night if you do not have time in the morning. Anyway, back to the morning version.
Roman Forum
The Colosseum tour usually takes about an hour, and then very close by is the Roman Forum.
These are ancient ruins; they were once the heart of Rome, around politics and religion and daily life, and the tour guide will be able to tell you about all the things that happened at the height of the Roman Empire. There are quite a few buildings that have been knocked down, but also quite a lot still standing, so you will learn all about the history. This will take about two and a half hours for the tour; if you go yourself, you can take a little bit longer, but that is really enough. That brings you to about 11 to 12 o'clock.
Day 1 breakfast spot
Now, in terms of a recommendation for breakfast, about a ten to fifteen-minute walk, and it really depends where you are staying within Rome, but we went to a place called Regoli Pasticceria and we tried the maritozzo. This is just such a delicious breakfast treat that you can have in the morning before you go to the Colosseum. So that is the start of what to do in Rome in 3 days.
Address: Via dello Statuto, 60, 00185 Roma RM, Italy
Afternoon: Palatine Hill & Spanish Steps & Villa Borghese
Now we are going to get on to lunch in the afternoon. Very close to the Colosseum is Palatine Hill, one of the most ancient parts of the city, very close to the Colosseum. In ancient times it was one of the best places to live, and it sits about 40 metres above the Roman Forum, so it is very grassy. You will see a lot of buildings, and it is also pretty quiet as well, so you will be walking around the ruins of palaces, but it is a little bit more relaxed than the Colosseum because the Colosseum does get a little bit busy. Then you get amazing views of the Forum and everywhere else.
They also have a museum you will be able to go to, where you can see a lot of sculptures, frescoes, and gardens that once brought Rome luxury to life.
A tour that incorporates all so far: Rome: Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Guided Tour
Day 1 lunch spot
I went to a place called Osteria Circo, not too far away from the Colosseum but avoiding all the tourist traps. When you go in there you might not think it is all that, but they have some of the most delicious food, and the prices were reasonable.
Something I wanted to try in Rome and show my friends was cacio e pepe, so I would recommend having that if you are looking for traditional Roman food. We are talking between 10 and 15 euros for the dishes, so really well priced, and you are getting some authentic food.
Address: Via dei Cerchi, 77/79, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Spanish Steps
From there you can head over to the Spanish Steps, one of the most photographed landmarks in Italy. It has got this cool baroque design, has 135 steps, and links the piazza below with the Trinità dei Monti church above. Go and get some photos there, and hopefully it will not be too busy, though you can do this early in the morning too.
Actually, the Spanish Steps are known as a gathering spot, so having people in the background is pretty good. In the morning, you get a lot of people setting up their tripods, so they kind of ruin the photo, but having people walking around and getting a photo is great.
To actually get there you are probably going to go past the Trevi Fountain, and you can look at it, but I am going to save that for another day, later in the guide, to be honest. When I was trying to figure out what to do in Rome in 3 days, there are some places you can only go in the morning, and that is why day one is the Colosseum, an amazing experience, and one of those mornings used up.
Villa Borghese
Very close to the Spanish Steps on this day is going to Villa Borghese, a huge garden in Rome, about a ten minute walk away from the Spanish Steps. It houses museums that include some of the most awesome collections of art from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century, so we are talking Bernini, Caravaggio, Canova, Titian. You can try and get in there, but I would probably advise booking a skip the line tour so you do not have to wait. When you are thinking about what to do in Rome in 3 days, I would advise just booking tours every single day, because there is so much to do.
Evening: Trastevere
From here it is probably going to bring you to about four, maybe even five o'clock, so I would probably go back to the hotel and rest for a little bit, maybe take a power nap for an hour, maybe have a shower, especially if you are going in summer. There is quite a lot to do in Rome on the first day.
But once you have done that, I would head out to Trastevere, this bohemian quarter in Rome, on the south side. Here there are all these cool churches, shops and workshops, and really nice piazzas that you will be able to go to. I would probably head off to an aperitivo first, go get yourself a spritz in one of the piazzas, and maybe just relax before dinner if you are with your friends, talk about the day, share pictures. I just love the cobblestone streets of the area, and at about seven-ish you will start to see street performers and local musicians playing, which is quite nice. A lot of shops open late in Italy, I think it is because they take a siesta during lunch.
Day 1 dinner
So now it is just time to relax and head over for dinner. I am a big fan of osterias, so when we went to Trastevere we went to a place called Antica Osteria Rugantino, and honestly it is like being in a movie. You can either sit outside or sit inside, and I would advise sitting outside because you are going to be on a piazza. You will probably see a few Vespas with some of the locals, and they tend to come around eight, nine o'clock because everyone eats late in Italy, so do not be that person that gets there at six or seven because they will just know you are a tourist. But it does not really matter.
Here you are going to find real local food, so many things on the menu, and it is really known for its pastas and meat dishes. Check out the polpette, but there are so many good items to eat here. If you can try and book, do, if not hopefully there is not too much of a line. You can also sit inside and again you get a lot of vibe, it is very busy, but outside in the summer is where you want to be.
Address: Via della Lungaretta, 54, 00153 Roma RM, Italy
Gelato stop
I am a big fan of digesting the food, going for a walk, just enjoying the scenery and the shops and the vibe of Rome, especially if you only have three days there, so you can always get dessert afterwards. I am a big fan of ice cream, and I try to avoid the tourist places as much as I can. About a ten- to fifteen-minute walk is a place called Gelateria La Romana, and they are open till midnight. How good is that?
Address: Piazza di S. Andrea della Valle, zona Piazza Navona, 1, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Tip: So that concludes my day one on what to do in Rome in 3 days. Like I said, you can always swap things around, like going to the Spanish Steps in the morning or Villa Borghese, since it gets a little bit busy in the afternoon, and then consider taking a Colosseum tour at night.
Day 2: Vatican and baroque masterpieces
Morning: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Basilica
Day 2 breakfast spot
Now we are on to day two of what to do in Rome in 3 days. Now, I know you might want to relax and eat breakfast at your hotel in Rome, but you do not have time unless they start really early. Right next to Vatican City is a small cafe called Caffè Delle Commari, and they are open from 6.30 most days, sometimes 7 am. So you go here for the pastries and the espresso in the morning- so much pistachio, so many pistachio dishes. I am a big fan of pistachio croissants, so pop over there.
Address: Via Santamaura, 22, 00192 Roma RM, Italy
The Vatican
One of the first times I went to Rome, this was completely booked out, so make sure you are reading this blog a few months in advance, because you have to go to the Vatican Museums.
The Vatican is its own country in Europe, ruled by the Pope, and when you go into the museums, it is just the most incredible artwork you have ever seen. Think Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci- just look up everywhere you go; just look at the ceilings, there is just so much love and work gone into the Vatican Museums.
You have also got the Sistine Chapel, where you can check out Michelangelo's ceiling, and there is also St Peter's Basilica, which is actually one of Christianity's most important sites. Just look up 360 degrees when you are going into these things, try to take your time as much as you can, and book early in the morning if you can to try and avoid the rush, and also book a tour.
The tour guides do this all day every day, but they will be fresh in the morning, and hopefully it will be a little bit quieter. Now, to get an 8am spot it is pretty difficult, you have got to book well in advance, but so worth it when I went with my friends. This usually takes about three hours, so 8 till 11am, maybe a little bit longer.
Afternoon: Castel Sant'Angelo
Day 2 lunch
Now, to get into the afternoon and lunch, I am going to take you to some castles now, but if you want to go for lunch beforehand, you probably want to have something light. A lot of these panini places I love to go to are massive, but maybe share something. I went to a place called Mordi Sandwichouse, right next to where you are going to go, and here think porchetta, paninis, burrata, caprese, the most delicious meatball sandwiches and Roman pizzas. These sandwiches are pretty big, so depending on how hungry you are, you could probably share this between three, maybe two. Again, it does not look like much, but it is a delicious sandwich place.
Address: Borgo Pio, 181A, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Castel Sant'Angelo
After that, or beforehand, there is Castel Sant'Angelo, one of those places you have to go to. This is like a circular fortress, but throughout the years it was a refuge, was also a prison, and they have a huge museum. I just love the outside of it, to be honest, it really does look like a castle, but you can also imagine it as a fortress or a prison. The museum has a lot of artefacts, a lot of medieval weaponry, and you can even take a tour, they do a three-hour tour in the afternoon if you want to go there. The ceilings inside just had amazing pictures on them.
Castel Sant'Angelo Full Experience.
Evening: Campo de' Fiori and Jewish Quarter
Campo de' Fiori
Going back to more of the centre, towards most of the hotels in Rome, is the Campo de Fiori market square, a famous market, a piazza in the middle of Rome. In the morning, lots of fruits and veg, but in the afternoon, flowers and lots of other street vendors. Here it is a really great aperitivo scene, so a lot of places where you can grab a drink in the afternoon or even in the evening.
Jewish Quarter
Very close by is the Jewish Quarter of Rome, where they have the synagogue you can pop into, and also the ancient Theatre of Marcellus close by, which kind of reminds me of a mini Colosseum from the outside. This theatre is an open air theatre, so pretty cool, and was actually built in the era of Julius Caesar, with a capacity of 20,000 seats. This is free to go to.
So that concludes what to do in Rome in 3 days on the second day, with the exception of dinner.
Day 2 Dinner
If you are looking for dinner, depending what time you finish looking at the Roman theatre and the Jewish quarter, very close by is a place I went to called Il Fantino. What I liked about this, it was on the cobblestones and had that greenery on top, so you are sitting outside in the greenery with these small little tables.
Here you are going to get traditional cooking that is Romanesque. Something I really liked and never had before was the fried artichokes, and you can get both Jewish style and Roman style, so try both if you want. Here they have handmade pasta, and I try and avoid places that do not have handmade pasta, so this is one of the reasons why I went to Il Fantino.
Address: Via di S. Angelo in Pescheria, 13/14, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Dessert
In terms of desserts, very close by is a place called Grezzo Raw Chocolate, so you will be able to get a lot of chocolate treats here, as the name kind of says, but you can also get ice cream as well, think pistachio, raw chocolate, gianduja, which is one of the best ice creams that has ever been made. And that is the end of the day, or you could go out to a bar, entirely up to you.
Address: Piazza Mattei, 14, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Day 3: Fountains and wellness retreat
Morning: Fontana di Trevi and Pantheon
In terms of day three, you might think I have missed it, but like I said, these things you have got to go to early, and that is why you cannot do everything early. So if you are thinking what to do in Rome in 3 days and you thought I forgot about it, I have not, and that is the Fontana di Trevi, the Trevi Fountain.
Trevi Fountain
You probably would have heard about it, probably would have seen it on Instagram or Facebook; this is the famous fountain in Rome. For this one, you are going to hate me here, but you have to get here at like 6 or 7 am, even 5 am if you are an early riser, because this is just absolutely packed from about 9 o'clock. So you want to get there as early as you can. I have got a picture below, but the pictures just do not do it justice; it is just absolutely incredible in real life.
So get there early, get that done, get the pictures. Some of the legends say throwing a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder ensures your return to Rome. Now, whatever you do, do not swim in it, you get a massive fine.
Now, as of 2026 they charge to go during certain times during the day, most days 9 am-10pm, so another reason why to go earlier.
The Pantheon
Very close by, if you did want to go early, is the Spanish Steps. I said that on the other day, but you can get there early if you want to check out if there is anyone there and try to get some pictures with no one there. But as I said earlier, it is better to go when there are people there, because that is what it is known for.
Now very close by is the Pantheon, a temple to all the gods of Rome. I have got a picture, but it was just massive in real life, so it really demonstrates the engineering. It has a massive concrete dome, and what is remarkable is that it has actually survived over 2,000 years and is pretty much intact. So definitely something you have to do if you are thinking what to do in Rome for 3 days.
I have walked past it before during the day, really, really busy, so go there early in the morning after you have seen the Trevi Fountain. Again, try to book a tour. In terms of my picture, you will see I had to take the picture higher up because there are loads of people there with all their heads in the shot.
Day 3 breakfast
In terms of a snack nearby, there is an espresso bar called Gran Caffè La Caffettiera, a really elegant looking cafe, that opens at 8am, so maybe go to the Trevi Fountain first and then head over to this cafe place. After you have been to the Pantheon, you can probably spend about an hour to an hour and a half there, especially taking in all the knowledge, and then you can pop off to lunch.
Address: P.za di Pietra, 65, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Day 3 Lunch
Now, on my list of things to eat while I was in Rome for 3 days, was getting a Roman pizza, and I have got a picture of it. Roman pizza is super flat, and I went to Mariuccia that is a little bit hidden away, but they start from 10 euros, so if you are on a tight budget that is pretty good, but that is how much they really should be, to be honest. I have been to Naples and sometimes they have been 6 euros, but here you are going to get some incredible pizza, not rubbish pizza, because I love food, especially Italian food.
Address: P.za della Cancelleria, 92, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Afternoon: Wellness retreat at QC Roma
So you have finished lunch, and from there you can go check out some other places within Rome. But if you really want to experience something and you are heading off to the airport that afternoon, somewhere I have been multiple times when flying out is a place called QC Roma, a luxury wellness spa right next to Rome airport.
So whenever I am flying out, my flights just so happen to be at like 9, 10 o'clock in the evening- very annoying; you have to check out at 10 am, move all your stuff or leave it there. So I will actually take my stuff and go to this wellness spa.
This is a thermal spa, which is just so good to just relax, especially after those intensive days exploring a city, and you get three and a half hours to enjoy the spa. I have got a picture, and you can see it below; that is just one of them. There must be about 20 or 30 different pools that you can go in, some cold, some hot, some extra hot. This will really help you decompress before your flight.
Day 3 dinner
They also have an amazing aperitivo hour. So good, and hopefully you can sleep on the flight home, depending on where you are going. I have also stayed at the hotel part as well before, and that is how I knew about it, someone recommended it to me when I was in Rome for 3 days.
They said to go there before the flight. The pictures just do not do it justice. Now all my friends are doing it when they are thinking of things to do in Rome in 3 days before they head off. In terms of dinner, if you have time after an aperitivo before the flight, they have their restaurant there too.
Dinner spot: At QC Terme restaurant.
Transportation tips in Rome
I just want to talk about some transportation tips when you are in Rome for 3 days. If you are in the city, I think the main mode of transport is probably going to be the metro. Rome has a really good metro system, you can translate from Italan when you are on the machine, or you can ask the people at the desk, a lot of them do speak a little bit of English. So you can get metro tickets for the day.
There are also buses, but it is a little bit tougher getting on, and off, always looking at your phone, for instance, but they also have trams as well, which is pretty good. And then you have got walking. I did a mixture of mostly metros and then walking.
Food and dining experiences
In terms of food and dining, if you are looking for things to do in Rome for 3 days and want to eat, Roman cuisine is known for its really hearty pasta dishes, vegetables, and wines, because they have the surrounding Lazio region, so really nice wines around there, make sure you have some.
In terms of traditional dishes, think carbonara, cacio e pepe, and suppli, which are like fried rice balls. And then if you are at the markets, you have Campo de Fiori, I talked about that a little bit earlier, and Testaccio Market.
Shopping and souvenir recommendations
If you are thinking about shopping, if you can fit that in, the main shopping district is Via del Corso, for your international brands and luxury boutiques, so like H&M, Fendi, Adidas, Brandy Melville. In terms of some souvenirs that you will find in Rome, you have got the Vatican rosaries, they have a lot of Italian leather there, but try and barter when you are there, and also wines if you can bring that along as well.
Travel tips for what to do in Rome in 3 days
In terms of some tips when you are thinking what to do in Rome 3 days, some travel tips. Like I said, you have got to book online in advance for some places, like three months in advance for the Vatican if you can.
Also water bottles, so, you know, I am always thinking, can you drink the water wherever you are in the world? So in Rome, they actually have public fountains with fresh drinking water, and I have got a picture of it just so you can see. This is what you are looking out for, do not just go to any old fountain; it has to look like this.
Also, because there is a lot of history, the Pope and the Vatican make sure to dress for these religious sites, like for churches, cover your shoulders and knees.
Why choose our recommendations?
Why choose our recommendations for what to do in Rome 3 days? Well, our family actually comes from Rome, so they have taken us through this itinerary before on their days off, probably done it for a whole load of our other family as well.
So we have that inside knowledge, plus we have been to Rome so many times; it is always good, nice going back. So we have been at different times as well, so we have checked it out. If you are looking at what to do in Rome in 3 days from an authentic perspective, you have to read this blog, because that is where our family is from.
Thanks for reading my blog on what to do in Rome in 3 days. If you have been anywhere else or been to Rome and you really enjoyed something and would like to add something, please let us know so we can share it with our readers.
What to do in Rome in 3 days FAQ's
Things to do in Rome in 3 days with kids?
I will definitely see the Colosseum with the kids, you get some absolutely great photos. Also going to Palatine Hill and Villa Borghese. There is the Spanish Steps, but if you are travelling with a buggy, well that is just going to be annoying, to be honest, but you can do it depending how old the kids are.
Taking them out for dinner, dinners are quite late within Rome, so that is entirely up to you, you can find restaurants that are open earlier. You can take them to the Vatican, depending how old they are, but it might be quite a lot because the Vatican does take a few hours.
You may want to skip Castel Sant'Angelo, but it is really nice still against the markets, the Jewish Quarter, the Trevi Fountain, you get some really good photos, and the Pantheon. They do have age limits at the spa I talked about, so you might want to skip that. See our family friendly hotels in Rome guide too.
What is the best way to see Rome?
I think the best way is by walking. I have previously gone on the metro, but I have also walked everywhere as well, it is actually pretty easy to get around by using your map. So I would definitely walk around at least one day instead of taking the metro.
What are the 5 must dos in Rome?
I think the must do experiences in Rome are seeing the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, going to the Vatican, and going to the Spanish Steps.
What is the best month to go to Rome?
I think it has got to be that October time, like early October, because that is when it starts to get into autumn, it is still sunny, so you are still getting around like 25 - 28 degrees. A lot of the tourists start to go home so you can go experience the city and things to do in Rome for 3 days a little bit easier. Don't get me wrong, it is still going to be busy, it is just not as busy as July.
What is Rome's signature dish?
It has got to be the carbonara. I have tried to make carbonaras before, I have had carbonaras all over the world, spaghetti with bacon, cream sauce, pecorino, but in Rome they make carbonara with crispy guanciale, this is like pork cheek, it is a little bit nicer than bacon. But a big no-no in Italy is using cream, so what they actually do is make the saucy part of it with fresh eggs. So make sure to get the carbonara because it is so much better in Rome.
Is Rome a walkable city?
Yes, you can walk in Rome, however after about day two or day three of seeing all the things to do, you start to get sore, and that is even with comfortable shoes, to be honest. So I would advise probably walking day one, and then day two, you start to get used to where everything is, I would probably take the metro.