In this post, I will help you to find out How Many Days in Rome is Enough. Rome, the Eternal City, is a beautiful city that highlights Roman architecture, the Catholic Church, and the massive buildings wherever you look.
It has an amazing history, so you’ll be able to find museums, churches, monuments, and castle’s that have been around since the Roman empire was in charge.
There are so many things to do and see in Rome, and you will do a lot of walking, so make sure you don’t forget to bring a good pair of walking shoes.
How Many Days in Rome is Enough?
Four days can be a reasonable amount of time to explore the city and visit some of its main attractions like the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vatican City, the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain. You’ll also have time to explore Trastevere and the Spanish Steps neighborhoods.
Is 3 days enough to see Rome?
Three days may not be enough time to see all of Rome, but if you plan your itinerary carefully, you can have a decent introduction to Rome and see major attractions such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Vatican City.
Is 2 days enough to visit Rome?
While it’s possible to visit Rome in 2 days, it would be quite challenging to fully explore and experience everything this historic city has to offer within such a short timeframe.
If you only have 2 days, it’s essential to plan your itinerary wisely and prioritize the sites that interest you the most. Some must-see attractions in Rome include the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Vatican City, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Piazza Navona.
Keep in mind that there will likely be lines and crowds at popular tourist sites, which could consume a significant portion of your limited time. Consider purchasing skip-the-line tickets or joining guided tours to optimize your visit.
Additionally, take into account the time required for meals, transportation, and getting around the city. Rome is best explored on foot, allowing you to stumble upon hidden gems and charming neighborhoods, so factor in some time for leisurely strolls.
While 2 days in Rome might leave you longing for more, it can still provide a glimpse into the city’s fascinating heritage and offer memorable experiences.
Is 5 nights too long in Rome?
Some people may find five nights to be the perfect length of time to explore Rome and all it has to offer, while others may feel that it is too long. It is up to you to decide if five nights is the right amount of time for your trip.
Where to stay in Rome?
Some of the best areas in Rome to book your accommodations are Centro Storico, Piazza di Spagna, Trastevere, Prati, Monti, and Termini Central Station. You can read more detail of the best neighborhoods in Rome at this article: Best places to stay in Rome first time.
For me, the Centro Storico is the best area for the first visit, whether you are spending 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, or 5 days in Rome. It is the historic heart of the city that offers the greatest selection of tourist attractions, and facilities.
Staying here allows you to be located within walking distance from major attractions such as the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, Colosseum, and Roman Forum. Additionally, it is well-connected to public transportation, making it a great base to explore the Vatican City.
| 💖 Best Area to stay in Rome: | Centro Storico (Historic Center) |
| 💎 Best luxury hotel: | The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel |
| 🏨 Best mid-range hotel: | Little Queen Pantheon |
| 💰 Best budget hotel: | Albergo del Senato |
luxury: The Pantheon Iconic Rome Hotel, Autograph Collection, 5-star hotel centrally located just a few steps from famous Pantheon, Piazza Navona. It has a panoramic terrace with views of city.
mid-range: Little Queen Pantheon, great guesthouse right in the heart of Rome, a short walking distance from Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia, Campo de’ Fiori.
budget: Albergo del Senato, great accommocation that has a rooftop terrace overlooking the Pantheon dome, easy walk from Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain.
🎬 You can watch this video about best areas to stay in Rome:
5 Days in Rome Itinerary
Day 1 Itinerary: Colosseum – Roman Forum – Palatine Hill
Waking up in this ancient city, you will hopefully be feeling refreshed from your travels, because today is your first day of exploring and discovering this charming city. First things first, you will not want to hold yourself back from visiting the city’s most famous sight for too long, so your first activity will be of course to feast your eyes on the magnificent Colosseum as well as Rome’s historic centre.
Start your day at Piazza Venezia, the most beautiful square in Rome, and close to many attractions.
The Colosseum
A top tip is to buy your tickets in advance online because as you can imagine, this place gets busy and this time saver will leave you with no regrets. If you fancy it, why not even take a guided tour, which means you can skip the queue as well as get the inside knowledge of this wonderful place.
Tickets for the Colosseum include the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, but we will get to that in just a moment. It is worth noting that it is free on the first Sunday of every month, so avoid this day if you want to beat the crowds, on the other hand if you want a bargain, you know what to do!
The Colosseum needs no introduction, considering it is one of the most well known images of Ancient Europe, and sees crowds of tourists visit each year. This amphitheater is in fact the world’s largest, and could hold up to 50,000 viewers who were there to witness gladiator fights, animal hunts and even reenactments of famous battles. This experience will transport you back to the Ancient Flavian era, leaving you speechless.
Roman Forum
The Roman Forum or Forum Romanum as it is known in Latin, is of course included in your ticket so you will for sure get up close and personal with this very important open air plaza. While walking around the Forum, remind yourself that this is the very place which was at the centre point of each Roman citizen’s daily life.
Here is where elections were held, criminal trials, public speeches and gladiator matches all happened, and you will see many remains of the most iconic buildings around you including the Temple of Antoninus Pius to name but a few.
Palatine Hill
Known as the first nucleus of the Roman Empire, this is the most central of Rome’s seven hills and is home to the Lapercal Cave which has significant history, making it a symbol of the city. Spend the afternoon discovering this amazing sight, while working up an appetite for some awesome Italian food.
When it comes to food, we encourage you to try a dish this evening which is native to Rome, such as the Pizza Romano, Roman Porchetta or the famous Roman pasta, accompanied by some local wine of course.
Try the fantastic Osteria da Fortunata, an authentic Italian restaurant which the locals just love, and relax after a day of sightseeing. Address Via del Pellegrino, 11/12, 00186 Roma RM, Italy.
On your first day in Rome, you can also manage your time to visit the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II, the Campidoglio hill, and Rome’s Jewish Ghetto.
The Vittoriano monument is the neoclassical monument built in Piazza Venezia in honor of the first King of Italy, Vittorio Emanuele II.
The Campidoglio hill is the most important of Rome’s seven hills. It has Piazza del Campidoglio, which was designed by Michelangelo and located near the Palazzo Senatorio, the Palazzo dei Conservatori and the Palazzo Nuovo.
Rome’s Jewish Ghetto (Roman Ghetto) is a short walk down from Campidoglio hill, and this area offers some of the best food in Rome.
Day 2 Itinerary: Pantheon – Piazza Navona – Trastevere
The Pantheon
Today you will feast your eyes on the most famous Roman temple known as The Pantheon, which is actually derived from two Greek words meaning ‘All Gods’, as it is said to have been built as a temple for Roman Gods.
You will have to agree that this is one of the best preserved monuments in all of Ancient Rome, and really captures the essence of life back in the ancient times. The Pantheon is free and requires no ticket to enter but to avoid
Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona is a lively square that is packed with shops, cafes, fountains, and palaces. Be sure to check out the fountain with an Egyptian obelisk as a masterpiece, Bernini Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi. Fontana del Nettuno and Fontana del Moro are also worth visiting!
Campo de’ fiori
After visiting Piazza Navona, head to Campo de’ fiori via Viale Vittorio Veneto. Campo de’ fiori (field of flowers) is the liveliest plaza in Rome with its famous statue of Giordano Bruno, and its flower, fruit and vegetable market.
Bohemian neighborhood of Trastevere
In the early evening, make your way to the bustling Bohemian neighborhood of Trastevere, a casual thirty minute walk away, which is home to numerous craft beer pubs, artisan shops, trattorias and street entertainment once evening approaches.
Stroll along the Via del Moro and pop in and out of some of the colourful stores, before stopping off at a couple of the local pubs for a beer or two, followed by some local cuisine.
Why not try out Antico Moro, a traditional Italian restaurant that has a beautiful charm about it. Address: Via del Moro, 61, 00153 Roma RM, Italy
Day 3 Itinerary: Vatican City – Castel Sant’Angelo
Vatican City
You cannot visit Rome and not visit Vatican City, so on your third day you will spend the entire morning and afternoon marveling at the smallest country in the world, and home to the Pope of course.
Must sees while in the region are St Peter’s Square and St Peter’s Basilica, both of which are free to enter and roam around, while the Sistine chapel and The Vatican Museum are both must sees, but a ticket is needed to enter them.
Castel Sant’Angelo
This evening, back in Rome we encourage you to take a walk up to the Castel Sant’Angelo to watch the sunset just as the locals do. This is for sure one of the top things to do in Rome in the evening and the atmosphere is undeniable.
Just a few steps away, across the Ponte Sant’Angelo bridge, you will come to 433, a local Italian restaurant tucked away down a cobblestone alleyway, which is where we suggest you have dinner this evening. They specialise in Roman pasta, meat platters and delicious wines, so be sure to enjoy every bit and every sip. Address: Via del Governo Vecchio, 123, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Day 4 Itinerary: Villa Borghese – Spanish Steps – Trevi Fountain
Villa Borghese & Galleria Borghese
Located close to the Spanish Steps, you will find Villa Borghese, and although the gardens are completely free to wander around, we highly recommend continuing on to the Galleria Borghese which houses some world famous art pieces.
Here you will set your eyes on works of art by notable artists such as Caravaggio, Raphael, Titan and Bernini, to name but a few. Art lovers will be blown away, visiting this incredibly inspiring gallery.
Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna
Another of the most famous sights to see in Rome are definitely the Spanish steps, located at the base of Piazza di Spagna and which features the Trinita dei Monti church at the top. This is a fantastic spot to visit but it is also incredible at night when you can gaze over the city lights of Rome.
The Trevi Fountain
This afternoon, take a short walk from The Pantheon to one of the most romantic spots of the city, and some say magical – The Trevi Fountain. Not only is this the largest Baroque fountain in the city, standing at 26.3m tall, it is certainly one of the most iconic fountains on the planet. Be sure not to leave without making a wish and throwing a coin into the fountain.
If you like shopping, you can head to Via Veneto, and Via del Corso. It’s full of shops, boutiques, restaurants, and cafes. You can do a little bit more sightseeing around Piazza Venezia and Piazza del Popolo.
Return to the Spanish Steps this evening for an encounter with Rome and its fantastic city lights as mentioned earlier. Enjoy the fantastic view from here, before enjoying a glass of wine or two with some local food, in your preferred eatery. Be sure to try out a dessert or two at Pompi Tiramisu dessert shop nearby, which is the ultimate Italian experience. Address: Via della Croce, 88, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
If you have time this evening and find you want to get more of what Rome has to offer, then you can opt for a night tour of the Colosseum which is very popular, and is a fantastic way to spend an evening.
Day 5 Itinerary: Day trip to Pompeii/Amalfi/Naples
Today will be your last full day in Rome, and perhaps there is somewhere you have always wanted to see close to Rome, so today will be your chance to tick it off the list. Many visitors to Rome like to explore nearby regions and famous sights such as Pompeii, Amalfi Coast or the place for food lovers Naples, but let us explain more.
Choice 1- Day trips from Rome to Pompeii
There are many ways to get to Pompeii by yourself, but if you want to take the hassle out of changing trains, deciphering schedules and stressing out over the small things, then we highly recommend taking a guided tour from Rome. It will be a long day so make sure to be well rested, and prepared for an early start, lots of driving and an array of sights to absorb.
The drive to Pompeii will take around 3-5 hours but although this sounds long, it is worth noting that you will be driving through the Tuscan countryside, which is spectacular. The city of Pompeii is so enchanting that you can easily spend days discovering the 44 hectares of excavated ruins, but most people stick to the main sights when they have a short time there.
The fact that this is a guided tour means that you will really learn the history of this famous sight throughout the day, making the experience that much more memorable, but you will of course have your own time to explore the ruins and walk in the footsteps of the wealthy merchants.
This will be a seriously memorable day trip from Rome.
Choice 2- Day trip from Rome to Amalfi Coast:
This 50km stretch of coastline is one of the most beautiful landscapes of the country, so if you want to experience dramatic cliffs, blue seas, fantastic seafood and of course locally made limoncello, then this is the day trip for you.
Making your way to this fabulous region from Rome has never been easier. Start off by taking a train from Roma Termini train station to Salerno, and once you reach Salerno you can take a boat from Piazza Concordia to the Amalfi Coast. It is best to leave early from Rome, to make the most of the day, especially if it happens to be a sunny day, which is ideal.
Spend your day enjoying local food, visiting the picturesque town of Sorrento, bathing in the turquoise waters, strolling through the numerous lemon groves, taking a short trip to the island of Capri and much more. The day can be spent as you please, even if that means relaxing on the beautiful beaches with a cocktail in hand.
This is a truly great option for a day trip from Rome, especially if you want a complete change of scenery and to experience the lush Italian coast in all its glory.
See more: Where to stay in Amalfi Coast
Choice 3- Day trip from Rome to Naples:
Napoli, what can we say? This city is an absolute haven for foodies considering this is where most famous Italian foods came from, especially pizza. The city is a very easy option for a day trip from Rome and it takes just over an hour by train to get here.
The city centre which became a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995 is definitely a stop off point including Spaccanapoli Street, which is the most iconic street and the best place to buy your souvenirs. Here you will find traditional seafood restaurants next to basic pizza joints and trattorias serving local pasta dishes, so you will not go hungry in this city.
Make sure to visit the National Archeological Museum, which is one of Italy’s best museums, Castel Ovo, Cappella Sansevero, Castel Nuovo, as well as the iconic Mount Vesuvius which is a fantastic addition if you have the time.
Naples is a city that will keep your senses busy and you will be surprised how different it is from Rome, giving you a completely unique experience. Considering this is an easy option from Rome, it is well worth a visit if you have not made it here before.
From any of these three spots, you will make your way back to Rome quite easily, either by train or by coach and when returning back to the city you can opt for a last local meal and some delicious Italian wine in one of your chosen trattorias.
A top tip is to ask your guide/locals for recommendations on places to eat in Rome, which will certainly give you the real Italian experience. Eating where the locals eat will guarantee you are full and satisfied and most probably at the fraction of the cost of a tourist eatery.
See More:
- 5 Safest areas to stay in Rome for tourists
- Where to Stay in Sardinia
- Where To Stay In Naples
- Where to Stay in Florence
- Where to Stay in Milan
- Where To Stay In Sicily
- Where to Stay in Verona
- Where to Stay in Cinque Terre
Is 5 days enough in Rome?
Five days in Rome is a good amount of time to explore the external city. You will have a chance to visit the best attractions of Rome and also take a day trip to many places around.
How long to stay in Rome is really a personal choice. From 3 to 5 days, a week to a month, Rome always has something for you to explore. Just back your backpack, book your hotel, and travel to Rome!