3 days in Rome
A 3-day route through Rome built from the stop base: 14 stops, timed with the walk between them. Change the pace or your arrival day and the plan is rebuilt.
Data checked on October 4, 2026
No arrival day set. Times below work on any day each stop is open. Watch the “closed” tags, or pick your arrival day above.
Day 1
Ancient Rome and Capitoline Hill · Trastevere and Janiculum
4 stops · 9 h of visits · 21 min on foot
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9:30 am12:30 pm
Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
The ruins of the old civic centre, with the Palatine Hill above it. It is a large open site with little shade and uneven ground.
Go straight to the Palatine first, then walk down into the Forum, so you finish near the exit.
Usually sold on a combined ticket with the Colosseum. Book the Colosseum slot first and fit the Forum around it.
Open daily from 9:00. Closing is 18:30 until 24 October 2026 and 16:30 from 25 October to the end of February, with last entry one hour before. Closed 25 December and 1 January.
See the guided visitSource: Turismo Roma, checked October 4, 2026
- 8 min walk
- Lunch break
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1:38 pm4:08 pm
Colosseum
The Roman amphitheatre, with a walk through the upper and lower levels and a view over the arena floor. Expect a security check at the entrance.
Take the first slot of the day, when the queue is shortest and the light is soft on the stone.
Entry is by timed ticket. Book online on the official ticket site as soon as your dates open, usually about a month ahead, and earlier in busy months.
Open daily from 8:30. Closing is 18:30 until 24 October 2026 and 16:30 from 25 October to the end of February, with last entry one hour before. Closed 25 December and 1 January.
See the guided visitSource: Turismo Roma, checked October 4, 2026
- Too far to walk in comfort (about 42 min on foot). Take public transport.
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4:28 pm5:28 pm
Janiculum Hill
A hilltop promenade with one of the best views over the historic centre. Monuments to Garibaldi line the way, and a cannon is fired at noon each day.
Go up for sunset. The walk up from Trastevere is steep, so take a bus or taxi if you are tired.
Source: Turismo Roma (Roma Capitale), checked October 4, 2026
- 13 min walk
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5:41 pm8:11 pm
Trastevere
A district across the Tiber with narrow lanes, ivy-covered houses and trattorias. The Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, with its medieval mosaics, is the main sight.
Walk it in the late afternoon and stay for dinner. Evenings are busy, so book a table.
Source: Turismo Roma (Roma Capitale), checked October 4, 2026
- Running late? Drop Janiculum Hill first. Nothing is booked there.
Day 2
Historic centre · Ancient Rome and Capitoline Hill
6 stops · 6 h 45 of visits · 1 h 14 on foot
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9:30 am10:30 am
Campo de' Fiori
A square with a daily food market in the morning and a loud bar scene at night. Good for fruit, spices and a coffee standing at the counter.
Go before 10:00 for the full market, then walk on to Piazza Navona.
The market runs in the morning, Monday to Saturday.
Source: Turismo Roma (Roma Capitale), checked October 4, 2026
- 8 min walk
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10:38 am11:23 am
Pantheon
A Roman temple turned church, with a concrete dome and an open oculus at the top. A short visit, but the queue can take longer than the interior.
Visit at opening time, or late in the day, when the tour groups thin out.
A ticket is compulsory. Buy it online ahead to avoid the queue at the door.
Closed on 1 January, 15 August and 25 December.
See ticketsSource: Pantheon, checked October 4, 2026
- 10 min walk
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11:33 am12:03 pm
Trevi Fountain
The Baroque fountain that fills a small square at the end of narrow streets. You can see it from the piazza at any hour; the basin area closest to the water needs a ticket.
Come early in the morning or after dark, when the square is much less crowded.
Tickets for the basin area are checked from 9:00 to 22:00. The view from the piazza is open at all times.
Source: Turismo Roma (Roma Capitale), checked October 4, 2026
- 14 min walk
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12:17 pm2:17 pm
Capitoline Museums
Ancient sculpture and paintings in two palaces on Michelangelo's square, with a view over the Forum from the upper floor. A good indoor option on a wet day.
Combine it with the Forum, since the hill sits directly above it.
Open every day. Closed on 1 May and 25 December, with shorter hours on 24 and 31 December.
Source: Musei Capitolini, checked October 4, 2026
- 24 min walk
- Lunch break
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3:41 pm4:11 pm
Spanish Steps
A wide 18th-century staircase from Piazza di Spagna up to the church of Trinità dei Monti. The view from the top is the reason to climb.
Go early, before the steps fill up. In mid-April to mid-May the steps are decorated with azaleas.
Source: Turismo Roma (Roma Capitale), checked October 4, 2026
- 18 min walk
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4:29 pm6:29 pm
Borghese Gallery
A small museum of sculpture and paintings in a villa, including Bernini's marble groups. Visits follow a fixed time window, so there is no wandering in and out.
Arrive about 15 minutes before your slot so you are not turned away at the door.
Reservation is compulsory and entry is by timed slot. Book as early as you can, since slots sell out.
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 to 19:00, with last entry at 17:45. Closed on Mondays.
See the guided visitSource: Turismo Roma, checked October 4, 2026
- Running late? Drop Campo de' Fiori first. Nothing is booked there.
Day 3
Vatican and Borgo · Historic centre
4 stops · 8 h 10 of visits · 37 min on foot
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9:30 am1:30 pm
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
A long route of galleries that ends in the Sistine Chapel. Most visitors follow one fixed path, so the pace is set by the crowd.
Arrive at opening time. The Sistine Chapel is calmer in the first hour.
Booking is not compulsory, but walk-up queues can be very long. Reserve a timed ticket on the official site, or a skip-the-line product, a few days ahead and earlier in high season.
Closed on Sundays, except the last Sunday of the month (9:00 to 14:00, free entry, very long queues). Also closed on public holidays such as 1 November and 8 December.
See ticketsSource: Musei Vaticani, checked October 4, 2026
- 8 min walk
- Lunch break
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2:38 pm4:38 pm
St Peter's Basilica
The largest church in Rome, free to enter, with Michelangelo's Pietà near the entrance. Strict dress code: covered shoulders and knees.
Go early in the morning. Check ahead for general audience mornings, when access can be limited.
Entry is free, but the security queue in the square can be long. A paid reserved slot on the official site shortens the wait.
Hours can change for religious celebrations and papal events. The dome has shorter hours in winter and is ticketed separately.
See the guided visitSource: Basilica di San Pietro, checked October 4, 2026
- 17 min walk
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4:55 pm6:25 pm
Castel Sant'Angelo
A round fortress that began as an emperor's tomb, with papal apartments inside and a terrace over the Tiber and St Peter's dome. It pairs well with a Vatican morning.
Go to the terrace in the last hours before closing for the evening light over the river.
Tickets can be bought online. Booking ahead avoids the ticket queue in busy months.
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00 to 19:30, with last entry at 18:30. Closed on Mondays, 25 December and 1 January. Some Mondays have a special afternoon opening.
See ticketsSource: Turismo Roma, checked October 4, 2026
- 12 min walk
- Running late? Drop Piazza Navona first. Nothing is booked there.