4 days in Rome

Day by day

1. Day 1: Colosseum and Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

   Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill and Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, then Piazza Navona in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Colosseum

      Allow 1.5 hours (half a day with the Forum) (mid-priced). Book the first slot of the morning or a late-afternoon slot, and visit the Forum and Palatine at a different time of day on the same ticket to spread the walking.

   2. Late morning

      Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

      Above it, the Palatine Hill holds the ruins of imperial palaces and gardens with views over the Circus Maximus.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Spaghetti alla carbonara

      Trattorias across the city, particularly in Testaccio, Monti and around Campo de' Fiori.

   4. Afternoon

      Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel

      Allow 3–4 hours (mid-priced). Book the first entry slot of the day and move briskly to the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel before tour groups catch up.

   5. Evening

      Piazza Navona

      Skip the terrace prices for coffee and come back after dark, when the fountains are lit and the crowds thin.

2. Day 2: St Peter's Basilica and Pantheon

   St Peter's Basilica, Pantheon and Campo de' Fiori, then Trevi Fountain in the evening.

   1. Morning

      St Peter's Basilica

      Entry to the basilica is free; a paid climb of the dome ends on an outdoor walkway above St Peter's Square.

   2. Late morning

      Pantheon

      Allow 30–45 minutes (low cost). Visit during a shower to watch rain fall through the oculus onto the marble floor, which has drainage holes beneath.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Cacio e pepe

      Traditional Roman trattorias; it is on almost every menu in Trastevere and Testaccio.

   4. Afternoon

      Campo de' Fiori

      In the evening it becomes a busy meeting point for drinks, and the lanes towards Palazzo Farnese hide good bakeries and delis.

   5. Evening

      Trevi Fountain

      Come early in the morning or late at night to see it without a wall of people, and keep a hand on your bag in the crowd.

3. Day 3: Spanish Steps and Borghese Gallery

   Spanish Steps, Borghese Gallery and Villa Borghese park, then Trastevere and Santa Maria in Trastevere in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Spanish Steps

      Allow 30 minutes (free). Walk up the steps and continue along to the Pincio terrace above Piazza del Popolo for a sunset view over the domes.

   2. Late morning

      Borghese Gallery

      Visits are limited to timed slots, which keeps the rooms uncrowded.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Bucatini all'amatriciana

      Trattorias citywide, often listed alongside carbonara and gricia as the Roman pasta quartet.

   4. Afternoon

      Villa Borghese park

      Allow 2–3 hours (free). Hire a four-person pedal cart near the Pincio for a family loop of the park, then watch the sunset from the terrace.

   5. Evening

      Trastevere and Santa Maria in Trastevere

      Wander in the late afternoon, climb the Janiculum for sunset, then come back down for dinner.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Ostia Antica

   About 40 minutes by train each way. Getting there: Roma–Lido train from Piramide to Ostia Antica.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Ostia Antica

      About 40 minutes by train (Roma–Lido train from Piramide to Ostia Antica); about 25 km.

   2. Day

      Ostia Antica

      Ancient Rome's port is a sprawling, pine-shaded archaeological site where you can walk into apartment blocks, bakeries, a theatre and public latrines, with mosaics of shipping guilds in the Square of the Corporations. It is much less crowded than Pompeii and needs half a day.

   3. Evening

      Back in Rome

      Dinner: try Supplì.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, Pantheon and Borghese Gallery before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 4 nights, Centro Storico keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Tridente and the Spanish Steps ($$$$) suits luxury, shopping, couples and first-timers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 18–23 hours of visiting over 4 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.1 hours in December to 15.2 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Rome
• 2 days in Rome
• 3 days in Rome
• 5 days in Rome
• 7 days in Rome

Questions travellers ask