Rome rewards two bookings and a lot of aimless walking between them.
Before you go#
Book the Colosseum and Forum for the first slot of a morning, and the Vatican Museums for the earliest slot on another. If you want the Borghese Gallery, book it too; it is reservation-only. Everything else is a walk.
Day 1: ancient Rome and Monti#
Colosseum at opening with your ticket, then the Forum and the Palatine while the light is still soft. Lunch in Monti, the neighbourhood behind the Forum where Romans actually eat. Afternoon: the Capitoline Museums for the view over the Forum, or a nap. Evening across the river to Trastevere for dinner on a side street, not on the main piazza.
Day 2: the Vatican and the centre#
Vatican Museums at opening, booked: the Sistine Chapel, then out the side into St Peter's if the shortcut is open. Lunch in Prati, the grid of streets behind the Vatican, where lunch is for office workers. Afternoon walk: Castel Sant'Angelo, over the bridge to Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, a coffee standing up at the bar, Campo de' Fiori, the Jewish Ghetto for dinner.
Day 3: the Rome you did not expect#
Testaccio market for breakfast and a walk through the neighbourhood that fed the city. Up the Aventine hill for the keyhole view and the orange garden. Then the Baths of Caracalla, or your Borghese slot across town, or the Appia Antica on a Sunday when it closes to cars. A last dinner in Testaccio or back in Trastevere. Where locals eat in Rome is the list for all three dinners.
Where to stay#
Monti, Trastevere, the centro storico or Prati. Things to do in Rome if you have a fourth day.
The clock#
Cappuccino before eleven only. Lunch from one, dinner from eight, and most places do not fill until nine. Tap water from the fountains is good; the bottled water in a piazza restaurant is not worth what they charge.
Plan it with someone who lives here#
Romans know which trattoria has the real carbonara and which one has a photographer outside. Post your dates on Roavi Community; Roavi has almost no Local Friends in Rome yet, so browse who is on Roavi and post early. Italian readers: rent a friend in Italia.
3 days in Rome? Spend one with a Roman.
Meet a Local FriendFrequently Asked Questions
Is 3 days enough for Rome?
Enough for the ancient city, the Vatican, the baroque centre and one real neighbourhood. Rome has layers for weeks, but three days covers what you would regret missing.What do I need to book in advance for Rome?
The Colosseum and Forum (timed entry, sells out well ahead), the Vatican Museums (to avoid a queue of hours) and the Borghese Gallery, which is reservation-only. St Peter's Basilica is free; the dome has a queue. The Pantheon has a small ticket you can buy on the spot.Where should I stay in Rome for 3 days?
Monti for being central and lived-in, Trastevere for evenings, the centro storico near the Pantheon for the postcard, Prati for the Vatican and quieter nights. Avoid the streets around Termini station for anything other than a cheap bed.How do I avoid tourist-trap restaurants in Rome?
No photos on the menu, no one outside asking you in, no menu in five languages, and ideally not on a piazza. Eat one or two streets back. Pizza al taglio and supplì make a fine lunch for a few euros.