Spend three days in Rome and have the best 3 days of your life. Rome was my favorite stop on our epic ten day trip to Italy. The architecture, history, and food of this amazing city are truly one of a kind. If you’ve never visited Rome, I highly recommend adding it to your bucket list.

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Arch of Titus near the Roman Forum, Rome, Italy

Is Rome Worth Visiting?

Rome is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the world. I found myself in constant awe of the beauty of the architecture there. The food in Rome is some of the best in the world too. Give me some homemade pasta, a glass of locally grown wine, some gelato and I’m a happy gal. If you are planning a trip to this great city, read on for tips on where to stay, what to do, and where to eat.

How To Get Around in Rome

The train system in Italy is very efficient and runs through many of the towns you might want to visit. We used the metro within Rome and booked train tickets on ItaliaRail for our longer day trips to other cities during our 10 days in Italy. We only used a taxi once because it is more expensive (and dangerous) than taking public transport in Italy.

How Many Days to Spend in Rome

You could honestly stay in Rome for months and not see everything so a 3 day Rome itinerary is pretty packed. If I was to just visit Rome for the first time I would stay at least a week to see most of the hightlights. We only had 10 days in Italy so we spent 3 full days in Rome and slept there every night (which I highly recommend).

Where to Stay in Rome For 3 Days

If you stay in the right area, all of the major attractions in Rome are within walking distance. That’s another thing I love about this city. Back in the day before they had cars, people needed cities to be more compact and Rome is no exception. I highly recommend staying in the Monti neighborhood of Rome, between the Roman Forum and the main train station (Roma Termini) because it’s the most central. They also have some of the best restaurants and shops in this area.

Best Hotels in Rome

There are so many gorgeous hotels in Rome. The most important factor when picking a hotel to stay in Rome for 3 days is location. If you find a centrally located hotel you will be able to walk to all the sights in this 3 day Rome itinerary. We also wanted to stay close to the main train station in Rome so we could do day trips to other places in Italy during our 10 day Italy itinerary.

Here are some great hotel options in the Monti neighborhood in Rome:

Salotto Monti - a retro classic Italian style hotel
The Inn at the Roman Forum - this is where I will stay if I return to Rome someday. Luxury hotel at a decent price with a view of the Roman Forum.
Monti Palace Hotel - this modern hotel won a 2024 Travelers Choice Award on Tripadvisor.

Best Restaurants in Rome

We had so much great food while in Italy that it’s hard to pick favorites but I’ll tell you a couple places that I still think about to this day. The first restaurant is Ristorante Alessio. This classic Italian restaurant is in an unassuming building just a couple blocks from Roma Termini train station. Walk down a few stairs into the dining room and have one of the best meals of your life. I still remember the fresh pasta, my husband’s delicious steak, and the house red wine that we couldn’t get enough of.

The Best Gelato in Rome

When we were in Italy we had gelato pretty much every day. It’s the creamier, richer, and fresher cousin of our ice cream here in the states. Needless to say, I’m a fan. One of our favorite gelato shoppes in Rome was La Gelateria Frigidarium, near Piazza Navona. L'Arena del Gelato was another favorite located just outside the grounds of Castel Sant'Angelo. I’m a dark chocolate fan myself but my husband always tried one of the fruit flavors and loved those as well.

What To Do in Rome For 3 Days

We saw as much as we could during our Intro to Italy trip and several days were spent in Rome. Three days is not a lot for this city because you could spend months in Rome and still have more to learn, eat, and see. There are a lot of churches on this list but the basilicas of Rome are unlike anywhere else in the world and they have some of the richest history, art, and architecture around. Here are some key attractions you don’t want to miss during your three days in Rome:

3 Days in Rome Itinerary

Day 1 in Rome:

The Pantheon

The Pantheon of Rome is one of my favorite places. This former Roman temple is one of the best preserved buildings from ancient Rome and has the most unique architecture.

CHURCH OF ST. IGNATIUS

Even if you aren’t religious I highly recommend walking through some of the gorgeous churches in Rome. They are some of the most impressive buildings I’ve ever seen. The amount of detail in the architecture is simply remarkable. This 17th century Roman Catholic Church is one of the best and is located right next to the Pantheon.

Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain in Rome is one of the most iconic fountains in the world. Unfortunately it was under construction while we were visiting. They spent 2.4 million on the restoration and it’s now more beautiful than ever.

The Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps were a little underwhelming if I’m being honest but if you’re passing by on your way to another attraction it’s a good photo op. If you want to get your steps in during your first day in Rome then head up for a quick photo op on the Spanish Steps.

Day 2 in Rome

Vatican City

The Vatican City (which is technically its own country) encompasses the Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica and of course the Sistine Chapel. Not only is it the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church but it is arguable one of the most historic areas near Rome.

St. Peter's Basilica Rome Italy — St. Peter’s Basilica
We booked a special tour at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. Visits to the Tomb of Saint Peter and the Necropolis under the Vatican Basilica are only available with special permission from the Vatican and only done in small groups to preserve the archaeological site. Highly recommend this unique tour underneath the largest religious building in the world. Book a similar tour here which also includes a dome climb in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Vatican Museum Rome, Italy — The Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums are beautiful but often crowded, as you can see in this photo. We went through as quickly as possible. I recommend you book tickets to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel well in advance due to the fact that they sell out really early. If you book an early morning tour you can potentially avoid the crowds we faced.

Castel Sant'Angelo Rome, Italy — Castel Sant’Angelo
Castel Sant'Angelo was so much fun. I love castles and this one has such a rich history. It was originally built as a mausoleum for ancient Roman Emperors then later converted into a fortress to protect the Pope. Theres even a protected tunnel connecting it to the Vatican. The other great thing about the Castel is the view from the top. You can see all of Rome!

View from the top of Castel Sant’Angelo.

Day 3 in Rome

Arches of Rome

There are a few historic archways in Rome. The Arch of Titus (pictured below) is located right by the Roman Forum and the Colosseum so I recommend checking it out on your way to your Colosseum and Roman Forum Tour on day 3 of your Rome itinerary.

The Colosseum Rome Italy — The Colosseum
The Colosseum in Rome needs no introduction. Definitely one of the things I was most looking forward to seeing. The inside was not what I was expecting but it was still awe-inspiring and amazing how long it’s been standing. I recommend booking a guided tour of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum so that the ancient ruins can be explained- otherwise it’s hard to tell what you’re looking at sometimes.

Inside the Colosseum Rome — Interior of the Colosseum
Inside the Colosseum they had old remakes of drawings. I was also shocked and disappointed that there were a lot of (mostly American) names scratched into the ancient stones of the Colosseum along the tour route.

The Roman Forum Rome Italy — The Roman Forum
I highly recommend booking a guided tour to visit The Roman Forum because it’s hard to tell what many of the ruins used to be. Much of the Roman Forum is just small portions of ruins so it definitely needed to be explained to me. We booked a two part tour that included the Colosseum and Roman Forum in the morning, and a winery tour in the afternoon.

The Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano Rome Italy — Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano
The Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano aka The Basilica of St. John Lateran was one of my favorites. This gorgeous 4th century building is the oldest and highest of the four papal basilicas in Rome. It’s located just south east of the Colosseum.

Interior of the Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano Rome Italy — Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano interior - the basilica has been remodeled and restored several times over the past thousand years. Many political and religious leaders have added to the splendor of this grand church and it shows. Definitely one of the most magnificent buildings I’ve ever been in.

If you have More than 3 Days in Rome:

Palazzo Doria Pamphilj
Diocletian Bath and the Octagonal Hall
Mercato di Campo de Fiori
Piazza del Campidoglio
Capitoline Museums

Best Guided Tours of Rome:

San Pietro in Vincoli Rome Italy — San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains)

More of The Best Churches in Rome:

Chiesa del Gesu
Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi
Santa Maria d’Aracoeli
Chiesa di Santa Maria del Popolo (Piazza del Popolo)
Basilica di San Clemente al Laterano
Basilica Di Santa Prassede
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
Basilica S. Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri