Is practical guide of Rome in 3 days It will allow you to explore the main points of interest of one of the most beautiful and most historic cities in the world, which we are sure, will surprise you at every step.
Rome is a city that during the Roman Empire dominated the world for centuries and today there are still many monuments and buildings that appear in all the history books and in which, when you visit them, you will feel part of it.
The city is also full of old churches, beautiful squares, charming neighborhoods, craft shops, parks, large museums and restaurants, so if you want to visit all the most tourist and important places in Rome we recommend you to optimize the daily routes To not miss anything.
Based on the days we spent in the city on our two trips to the Eternal City, Rome in 6 days and Rome on a weekend, we have prepared an itinerary to see Rome in three days and not miss anything.
How to go from the airport to the center of Rome
There are two main airports to reach Rome, the most important being the Rome-Fiumicino airport or Leonardo da Vinci Airport, located 30 kilometers from Rome and where most international and low-cost flight companies land. The second with more traffic is the Ciampino airport, operates Ryanair flights and is at a similar distance from Rome than Fiumicino.
There are several ways to go from the airport to the center of Rome:
- Bus: Terravision buses make the journey from the two airports to Termini station, in about 40 minutes for a price of 5 euros, 9 euros round trip ... Buses tend to be synchronized with flights, so you will not have Than wait a long time. You can book here the bus from Ciampino and here from Fiumicino.
- Train: In Ciampino you must first take a bus that will leave you at Ciampino station and from there a train to Termini, in total you will pay less than 3 euros but you will lose a lot of time. In Rome Fiumicino you have the Leonardo Express service that goes directly to Termini Station, they leave every 30 minutes and the trip is about 30 minutes. The price is 14 euros per person and route.
- Cab: They have a fixed rate to the center, in Fiumicio it is about 50 euros and Ciampino of 30 euros, although it is better to confirm beforehand the price if you want to be left at the hotel.
- Direct transfer to the hotel: This is the most comfortable, fast and at a good price, to go to your hotel in Rome from either of the two airports. They will wait for you at the airport with a sign with your name and you will only have to worry about getting in the car and enjoying the trip. You can book it here.
You can find more detailed information about the transfer in this post on how to go from Fiumicino Airport to Rome and in this post on how to go from Ciampino Airport to Rome.
Recommended accommodation for Rome
The two times we have traveled to Rome we have stayed very close to the Termini station, located just over a kilometer from the Colosseum and the historic center of Rome. We recommend the two hotels and this area above all to save time, since the station communicates directly with the airport and also the price is much cheaper than the hotels in the historic center, also having a perfect location.
On the first trip to Rome in 6 days we stayed at the Hotel Cherubini, a basic hotel according to its economic price. Something that we have to keep in mind is that Rome is a very expensive city in accommodation, so the average usually exceeds the standards, especially if you want to stay in the downtown area.
On the second trip we stayed at the UNA Hotel, more expensive than the previous one, although with a better value, with a great breakfast and very friendly staff. If you want to stay in a neighborhood with more tradition in Rome in 3 days we recommend Residenza San Calisto, located in a historic building a few meters from Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere.
You can expand the accommodation information by reading this post about the best neighborhoods and hotels to stay in Rome.
Other tips for traveling to Rome
Other recommendations for Rome in three days that will help you prepare your trip to the eternal city are:
- Arrive a little before dawn to see the most essential places in the city such as the Trevi Fountain or the Colosseum, without people.
- If you don't want to waste a lot of time queuing and save money, we recommend you book the OMNIA Vatican & Rome Card. This tourist card allows you free and waiting access to the main attractions of Rome, including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Vatican Museums. It also has good discounts on 30 other attractions in the city and unlimited use of public transport.
- Check the prices of the cards and drinks, before sitting at any terrace or restaurant located near a tourist attraction.
- Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
- To learn more about the history and curiosities of the city you can book this free tour of Rome or this free tour of mysteries and legends, both of which are among the best free tours in Rome for free with a guide in Spanish.
For more recommendations you can consult this post of tips to travel to Rome essential.
Guide of Rome in one day
The first day of the Rome route in 3 days Start leaving the hotel in the direction of one of the seven wonders of the world and the most visited monument in the city, the Colosseum. To enter this amphitheater where gladiatorial fights were celebrated among many other leisure events for the people, is to go back 2000 years in time and relive the era of maximum splendor of the Roman Empire. You can visit from 8:30 in the morning, so it is advisable to get there before this time to be able to take a picture with few people and be among the first in line.
The Roman Colosseum has free admission on the first Sunday of each month, although it can take up to 3 hours to enter due to the large number of people that accumulate this day at the entrance, something to take into account especially if you have few days to visit the city. Another alternative that sometimes works is to buy the joint entry in the forum, where there is less queue.
A good option to learn more about history and skip the line is to book this guided tour in Spanish that includes the Forum and Palatine or this offer that includes the Vatican.
More information in this article of the Roman Colosseum, skip-the-line tickets and guided tour.
Coliseum
Next to the Colosseum is one of the most spectacular triumphal arches in Rome, the Arch of Constantine of the year 315. Moving away from the arch and the Colosseum you will reach the entrance of the Palatine and the Forum, another of the places you can not miss in Rome in 3 days. The Palatine Hill is one of the seven hills of Rome and one of the oldest and most historical parts of Rome, something that you can understand by observing the remains that are found there like the Domus Flavia palace, which was the emperor's residence, the Casa Livia, Casa Augusto or the Domitian Racecourse.
Before going down to the Forum we recommend you approach one of the sides of the mountain, where you will enjoy the best views of the Roman Forum with the Colosseum in Rome in the background.
The Roman Forum is much better preserved than the Palatine and you can visit this open-air museum full of ancient Roman temples dedicated to their gods, triumphal arches, basilicas and other places that will transfer you to the time when this place was the epicenter of the social, political and commercial life of the city.
Touring the entire Forum can take a long time and it is advisable to take a guide or a book to learn about the history behind each monument and thus make the visit as complete as possible. More information in this Roman Forum article, skip-the-line tickets and guided tour.
After visiting all its corners, you can go up to the Campidoglio Square that has magnificent views of the forum. In this square are the Capitoline Museums, full of sculptures and paintings, among which the Venus Capitolina or the Capitoline Wolf, the wolf that nursed Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome.
In this area of the city we also recommend visiting the Capitoline Museums if you have more time than in this Rome in 3 days.
Roman Forum
From Campidoglio Square you can go down to Tiberina Island, through the Marcello Theater, a theater built in Ancient Rome, which will remind you of its architecture at the Colosseum.
And although we know that the city is calling you, at this time you will start to be hungry, so we recommend you to make a short stop to eat at one of the best restaurants to eat in Rome, which are located in the Trastevere neighborhood . The last time we were there we ate at La Prosciutteria Trastevere, a table of delicious sausages and pickles, which we recommend you try. Another great option to eat is Grazia & Graziella pasta or Tonnarello pasta.
A good option to try delicious Italian food is to book a gastronomic tour of the Trastevere neighborhood.
After lunch we recommend you to stroll through the places to see in the essential Trastevere, the most charming neighborhood in the city and one of the best things to do in Rome, to which you can not stop spending a couple of hours.
A route through its streets, craft shops and taverns always ends in the beautiful Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, taking something in its square and enjoying something as typical of Rome as "Il dolce far niente".
Trastevere
After visiting the neighborhood you can continue the Rome in 3 days traveling along the bank of the Tiber river to the church of Santa María in Cosmedin to see the Bocca della Veritá, an old marble mask, in which they say that if you put your hand inside Your mouth will bring you luck. Next to the church is the Forum Boarium, an animal market in ancient Rome where the Temple of Hercules and the Temple of Portuno are still preserved in good condition.
Near this church you also have the Circus Maximus, where the chariot races of Ancient Rome were disputed, although if we are objective we have to say that you have to have a lot of imagination to get an idea of what it came to be, since by day Today there is very little left of what it was, although it is still a worthwhile visit.
For dinner you can return to Trastevere, also beautiful at night, and devour Cacio e Pepe de Da Enzo pasta or a pizza from Pizzeria Ai Marmi.
Route of Rome in 1 day
Rome guide in two days
On the second day of the route Rome in three days You will start the morning by visiting the Basilica di San Pietro in Vincole, free of charge, which houses the sculpture of Moses by Michelangelo, one of the masterpieces of this genius.
The route will continue walking through the streets of Rome to the spectacular Trajan's Market, the first covered shopping center in the history of 2,000 years old and that today we can say that practically as before, since it is perfectly preserved .
Near the open-air market, there are the ruins of the Temple of Trajan, the Ulpia Basilica and the Trajan column with incredible reliefs, which commemorate the victories of some of the best emperors in the history of the Roman Empire.
This whole area is very close to the Venezia Square, the next stop of Rome in 3 days, which stands out the huge Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele II Monument, one of the most extravagant buildings in Rome and criticized by its neighbors, which has a large viewpoint at the top that can be accessed by elevator.
Vittorio Emanuele II Monument
Once the visit is over you can walk through the center of Rome, passing through the beautiful Mattei square with its popular Fountain of the Turtles and the Sacred Area where the ruins of the oldest temples in Rome are located and you will see a lot of cats. The route ends when you arrive at the Fiori Field Market, full of fresh produce and considered one of the best markets in Rome. Around this square you have several restaurants to eat a good Italian pasta or pizza, such as the Osteria da Fortunata or the Forno Campo de Fiori.
After lunch you can walk to one of the essential places to visit in Rome, Piazza Navona, our favorite square in the city that stands out for its three baroque fountains, especially the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, which represents the 4 most famous rivers of that time: the Danube, the Nile, the Ganges and the Río de la Plata.
Piazza Navona on a route through Rome in three days
In all this area of the city center there are some buildings and monuments that would be the icons of any other city in the world less than Rome, which has such many wonders that it is very difficult to keep one. This is the case of the Pantheon of Agrippa, a few meters from Piazza Navona, the best preserved building of the Roman Empire, with an impressive dome. In addition we can not forget something important after eating and it is that around the Pantheon square they serve some of the best ice cream in Rome, such as those of Venchi Cioccolato, and the best coffees, such as Tazza D'Oro, something you can take advantage of to try and enjoy unique views.
To finish the route of this second day of the itinerary of Rome in 3 days We will walk to one of the emblems of Rome, La Fontana di Trevi, passing before the Temple of Hadrian of the year 145 and Plaza Colonna with an impressive Column of Marco Aurelio,.
The Trevi Fountain is for us the most beautiful fountain in the world, although we have to keep in mind that it is always overflowing with people, so we recommend that if you want to see it with more tranquility, come here early in the morning. Tomorrow or late at night, the best times to enjoy the place and of course, throw a coin to ensure you return to Rome.
For dinner we recommend a panini or a cheese and sausage board in the nearby Pane e Salame.
Fontana di Trevi
If you have plenty of time you can go up to the Plaza del Quirinale with splendid views of the city and go to dinner at the beautiful Plaza de la República.
To finish the first day of Rome in 3 days, one of the best options is to book this tour with a guide in Spanish that passes through the best-lit buildings and squares in the city, considered one of the best excursions in Rome.
Route map of Rome in 2 days
What to see in Rome in 3 days
To complete the trip to Rome in 3 days, this third day you can take the subway early to the Ottaviano stop, which is very close to the Vatican.
The Vatican City, a sovereign country, has 3 main points of interest: the Vatican Museums, St. Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica, all essential visits in the city.
The Vatican Museums, one of the places to visit in the Vatican, have one of the most important art collections in the world, highlighting among its wonders the Raphael Stays, the Cartographic Map Gallery and one of the most beautiful stairs in the world, the Bramante Staircase.
If with these wonders you do not have enough, within the museums you will find the spectacular Sistine Chapel of Michelangelo, which will leave you speechless and excited before such beauty and that will become one of the places that we are safe, you will not forget the trip. More information in this article of the Vatican Museums, skip-the-line tickets and guided tour.
The third place you can not miss in Rome is the Basilica San Pedro, the most important and largest temple of Catholicism, with a large dome from which you have magnificent views of St. Mark's Square and all of Rome. Inside the basilica there are two masterpieces: Bernini's Baldachin and Michelangelo's Pieta.
Basilica of Saint Peter
To visit the museums and the basilica we recommend arriving early, as long lines are formed or have the OMNIA Vatican and the Rome Card, with them you can skip them and thus save a lot of time in the visits.
Another highly recommended option to learn more about the history of this place and also save you the long waits is to book this guided tour in Spanish or this offer that includes the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine.
In addition to these places there is another tour that we always recommend and that we did during our trip to Rome and in which the Vatican Catacombs are visited, one of the best Roman catacombs. To make this walk through the basement of the Vatican you have to book well in advance, by sending an email to [email protected], as places are very limited.
All these visits can take you all morning, counting that there are not many queues or you have opted for a tour with which you can skip them, so it is advisable to eat in this area something fast like a pizza to the taglio at Pizza Zizza. If you have time we recommend trying the pasta of the Rione XIV bistrot and a delicious ice cream in L'Arena del Gelato.
When you finish eating you can continue the Rome in 3 days passing through Via della Conciliazione until you reach the Sant'Angelo Castle, located on the banks of the Tiber River. This building was built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian and is located next to the beautiful Sant'Angelo Bridge. In addition to having a surprising history, the castle has one of the best views of Rome from its terrace. The entrance to the castle is included in the OMNIA Vatican and Roma Card or you can book this interesting guided tour in Spanish.
When you get off the castle we recommend you cross the bridge to go to the other side of the Tiber River and be able to follow the route along the river to the Umberto I Bridge, with some of the best views of Rome.
Umberto I Bridge
The Umberto I Bridge, is not far from the Via del Corso, the main street of the historic center, full of shops of great brands and Italian that connects the Venice Square with Piazza del Popolo. This square stands out for its two magnificent twin churches: Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto, another of the visits in Rome that you cannot miss. Going up some stairs from Piazza del Popolo you will reach the Mirador de Pincio, perfect for watching the sunset.
The last stop of trip to Rome in 3 days It will be the popular Plaza España, with its famous staircase of 135 steps, which goes up to the church of Trinità dei Monti. To get to the square we recommend walking through the streets between Via del Corso and Via Babuino, full of shops, cafes and pastry shops like Via dei Condotti.
A good way to say goodbye to Rome is to buy some food at one of the stalls and taste it on the steps of Plaza España, with a fantastic atmosphere of locals and tourists. One of the best places to eat or take food is Grano Frutta e Farina and Pompi, which has one of the best tiramisu in Rome.
If you have an extra day you can follow this guide of Rome in 4 days.
Route of Rome in 3 days
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Guide of Rome in one day
The best offers of Flights to Rome here
The best hotels at the best prices in Rome here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book the best tours and excursions in Rome in Spanish here
Book your transfer Airport⇆Roma here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Guide of Rome in one day
