Ok, some people will disagree with me saying that to really visit Rome, you would need more than that, but being honest with you guys, 3 days in Rome was more than enough for me. Perhaps you will want to dive deep into the city and culture, then you would need more days, but it is completely possible to see the main tourist attractions, visiting Rome in 3 days.

Rome has a lot of history hidden in all corners of the city, ancient Roman ruins are scattered everywhere in the city, from the city center to the Roma’s outskirts. Many piazzas in Rome too, are standing since ancient times and help to tell the history of Rome.

But for this guide of thing to do in Rome in 3 for beginners, we gonna focus on the area inside the Aurelian Wall, which is considered the central area of the city and where most of the tourist attractions and important places to visit in Rome are located.

If you are planning a vacation in Italy to visit more than just Rome, a good idea is to rent a car to drive across the country and visit as many cities as possible, if that’s your case, take a look at this itinerary of 10 days in Italy.

3 days in Rome for Beginners

Going to Rome, I highly recommend you to buy the Rome City Pass for 3 days or 2 days, in order to save money and time during your trip. Using the pass you have a completely free skip the line ticket to Colosseum or skip the line ticket for the Vatican Museum.

It is also interesting to buy a ticket for the Hop-on Hop-off bus, as it will bring you to all the must-see places in the city.

I know that the city has so many attractions, but if you are a first-timer and can’t spend a week in Rome, don’t worry, with this itinerary of three days in Rome, you will be able to see the most important points of the city. You can always go back there if you wish to see the less touristy areas.

Arriving in Rome

What most people do to get home is to fly directly to the city. Rome has two airports, Leonardo da Vinci Airport, better known as Fiumicino Airport, as it is actually located in the city of Fiumicino, located 28 km away from Rome, it is the main Italian airport and one of the most important airports in Europe. Fiumicino is the biggest airport in Rome and serves most of the international flights to the city.

For those arriving in Rome via Fiumicino, here is a guide to how to go from Fiumicino airport to Rome central.

Rome has another airport closer to the central area, known as Ciampino Airport, it is way smaller than Fiumicino and easier to get to. However, only a few international flights land there, most of them are from low-cost airlines.

If you are coming to Rome via land, you will arrive in the central station known as Rome Termini, it is pretty easy to get around the city from Rome Termini, as you can easily take the metro (check the metro map here) or one of the buses outside the station to other points of the city.

3 Days in Rome Itinerary

Day 1

Well, let’s start the day with one of the best views, shall we? To get to Colosseum is easy, you need to get to the metro station that holds the same name, by the way, inside, close to the entrance of this station there is a small shop that sells the best pizza I ate in Rome, no kidding.

Leaving from there and VOILA, you will be right in front of this icon that is probably on your wishlist for so long!

The size of the building is really impressive when you realize it was built so many centuries ago by people who didn’t have access to the technology we have today.

To get inside you need to buy the ticket, and includes the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill, that we will be visiting next. The ticket costs €16, it can be bought at the entrance of Colosseum or any of the Roman ruins mentioned above.

I regret not taking any guide to visit the ruins, as you feel kind of lost there, you will find yourself in the middle of a bunch of ruins and won’t be able to understand what is what there.

Even inside the Colosseum, you know what was the purpose of the building, but with a guide, you will hear the stories and will be able to understand what was the usage of which are inside the Colosseum.

This price is for the normal ticket, not skip the line ticket. I highly recommend you to buy the ticket online which includes the skip the line to Colosseum, and the other ruins around the Colosseum, otherwise, you will have to get in a line just to buy your ticket, then in another line to actually get inside, it can take up to an hour to get inside if you don’t buy your ticket in advance.

Check this list of things you must see in Rome.

With the guide you will also be able to locate yourself in the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum, it will make things way more interesting since many buildings are not in their best conditions, and you will need help understanding the ruins.

The Roman Forum is a rectangular square surrounded by ruins of important government buildings. This used to be the center of the daily Roman life, it’s where the market used to stand. Besides, that’s the area where public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiator matches used to take place.

Next to the Roman Forum is located the Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome, and considered one of the oldest parts of Rome.

This is where the city of Rome was born and it is believed that the Palatine Hill was the location of the Lupercal cave, where Romulus and Remus were found by the wolf. Many important figures in Roma history have had their houses here, and their ruins can still be visited.

Leaving the ruins areas and following the Via de Fiori, will lead you to Piazza Venezia, it got the name from the Palazzo Venezia, located in the corner of the square, nowadays the building houses the National Museum.

But the cherry on the cake in this square is the Altare della Patria, also known as National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II. Completed in 1925, this is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful monuments in Rome, the size of the monument is really impressive and so it is its statues.

Day 2 – Vatican

Taking the Red line of metro and alighting at Lepanto, you will be really close to the Castel Sant’Angelo, the best view you will have if from the Ponte Sant’Angelo, right in front of it.

To visit inside, you need to buy a ticket, sincerely I don’t think it is worth it, as there is almost nothing inside, the rooms are empty, and there isn’t much to see.

Following the Via della Conciliazione, you will find yourself in the heart of Vatican, in the Piazza San Pietro, in front of the iconic Saint Peter’s Basilica, surrounded by the beautiful columns. Depending on the time you arrive, you will notice a HUGE line, that’s why I suggest you arrive early.

In order to save a lot of money during your visit, you can buy the Vatican City skip the line ticket that includes the Basilica, Museum and Sistine Chapel, otherwise, you can buy them separately below.



To visit the Basilica you don’t need to buy any ticket, it is completely free, you just need to take the line to get inside. Of course, you can also buy the skip the line ticket to the Saint Peter’s Basilica, it includes an audio guide.