Three days is enough to see the essentials of Rome without rushing, as long as you book the big sights ahead and group them by area. This plan gives one day to ancient Rome, one to the Vatican and one to the Baroque centre and Trastevere, with time to eat well along the way.
Before you go
Book three things as soon as your dates are fixed. Colosseum tickets go on sale 30 days ahead on the official site and carry a timed slot and your name, so bring matching ID. Vatican Museums tickets cost €25 online including the booking fee, and the Borghese Gallery, if you want it, needs a reservation for every visitor. The Pantheon now has a €7 timed ticket, and the Trevi Fountain charges €2 to step down to the basin between 9am and 10pm. Remember that the Vatican Museums close on Sundays, except the last Sunday of the month, and that the Borghese Gallery closes on Mondays.
Day 1: Ancient Rome
Start at the Colosseum with the first slot of the morning, when the light is soft and the crowds thin. The standard €18 ticket gives you 75 minutes inside and one entry to the Forum and Palatine, so walk straight on to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Climb the Palatine first for the view from the Farnese Gardens, then walk down through the Forum past the Arch of Titus and the Temple of Vesta.
Have lunch in Monti, the old neighbourhood just north of the Forum, where small trattorias and wine bars line Via del Boschetto and Via Urbana. In the afternoon, climb Michelangelo’s ramp to Piazza del Campidoglio and the Capitoline Museums, home of the bronze she-wolf and the original statue of Marcus Aurelius. End the day with dinner back in Monti or around Piazza Venezia.
Day 2: The Vatican
Take the first entry slot at the Vatican Museums, which open at 8am Monday to Saturday. Allow three to four hours for the Pio Clementino sculptures, the Gallery of Maps, the Raphael Rooms and, finally, the Sistine Chapel. Cover shoulders and knees.
After lunch in Prati, the elegant district east of the Vatican, walk round to St Peter’s Basilica. Entry is free, though there is a security queue. See Michelangelo’s Pietà and Bernini’s bronze canopy, and if your legs allow it, climb the dome for the best view in the city. Walk down Via della Conciliazione to Castel Sant’Angelo, Hadrian’s tomb turned papal fortress, and time your visit so you reach the rooftop terrace near sunset. Cross Ponte Sant’Angelo, lined with Bernini’s angels, for dinner near Piazza Navona.
Day 3: The Baroque centre and Trastevere
Begin early at the Trevi Fountain, before the crowds and the ticket hours start at 9am, then walk ten minutes to the Spanish Steps. You cannot sit on them, but the view from the top is free. Walk back through the shopping streets to the Pantheon, which opens at 9am, and stand beneath its great dome. Then continue to Piazza Navona for Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers, and stop at San Luigi dei Francesi on the way to see three paintings by Caravaggio for free.
After lunch near Campo de’ Fiori, cross the footbridge at Ponte Sisto into Trastevere. Wander the lanes, see the golden mosaics of Santa Maria in Trastevere and, if you have the energy, climb the Gianicolo for a sunset view over the domes. Stay in Trastevere for a final dinner: book ahead at weekends.
Getting around
Most of this plan is walkable. Metro line A links the Vatican (Ottaviano) with the Spanish Steps (Spagna) and Barberini, near the Trevi Fountain, while line B serves the Colosseum. A single ticket costs €1.50 for 100 minutes, and a 72-hour ticket costs €22, though you can also tap a contactless bank card. Tram 8 runs from Largo di Torre Argentina to Trastevere.
If you have more time
With a fourth day, book the Borghese Gallery for Bernini’s sculptures and Caravaggio’s paintings, then walk through Villa Borghese to the Pincio terrace. Alternatively, head out along the Appian Way to the catacombs and the Baths of Caracalla, or take a day trip to Tivoli for Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa.