How Many Days Should You Spend in Rome?

Planning your trip to Italy and wondering how long to stay in Rome? You may be worried about overstaying and find yourself bored. I have good news for you—that’s not possible in Rome, as long as you get the right information from the right people. In this article, we’ll explain how many days you should spend in Rome, depending on your travel interests. Plus, plenty of suggestions for what to do, where to eat, and more. 

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Pro Tip: Planning what to do on your trip to Rome? Bookmark this post in your browser so you can easily find it when you’re in the city. See our comprehensive guide to Rome for more planning resources, our top Rome tours for a memorable trip, and how to see Rome in a day.

How Many Days Should You Spend in Rome?

There are two simple answers to this question: Four or seven days. To add context, if you’re doing a multi-city Italian journey, you should allocate at least four days to Rome if you arrive early on day one and leave late on day four. Otherwise, consider five days if you can. Ideally, you’ll have three full days dedicated to Rome on top of your arrival and departure days.

If you are planning to visit only Rome, you could consider a seven-day itinerary and take some fantastic day trips. The longer you spend in Rome the deeper you can get into the city’s culture and truly understand its rich culture, history, cuisine, and maybe even some hidden gems.

In this article, I’ve outlined how you could spend an entire day. You can pick and choose the ones that interest you and join them together. Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Museum and history days
• Local culture and shopping
• Day trips

Museum and History Days

Put the activities you’re interested in from this section together to plan out how long you need in Rome. We are heavy on tour recommendations in this section, for obvious reasons. That said, tours are great for anyone looking to see the best (and often exclusive areas) of an attraction within a fairly tight schedule. These are our top recommendations for how to spend your time exploring Rome’s museums and history.

Colosseum and Ancient Rome—Half Day

Going to Rome for the first time, I was most excited about visiting the Colosseum. The movie “Gladiator” had just come out and I was amped up. However, I was more surprised by the location of this incredible structure than what it was used for. The Colosseum, or Flavian Amphitheatre, is located smack dab in the center of the city.

If you take the metro B-line and get off at “Colosseo”, you literally can’t miss the structure—it’s right in front of you. I’ve heard a lot of people say, “You don’t need to go inside.”  That is a super touristy thing to say. If you consider yourself a traveler, you won’t cross the globe to visit a city and not take the final step.

There are definitely structures and places I think you can visit without a tour, but this is not one of them. There are different ways to experience this monumental wonder, read about all the Colosseum tours we offer at different price ranges to see what most interests you.

The ticket to the Colosseum also includes admission to the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum. All the sites are incredible and deserve a visit with or without a tour.

Duration and Time of Day: 

You should dedicate at least 4 hours to the area from the moment you walk out of your hotel room to the moment you sit down for lunch. The Colosseum is best explored in the morning during the warmer summer months (May – September).  During other cooler months, I recommend this in the very early afternoon. The structure closes early, so be sure to check the updated Colosseum hours.

Pro Tip: Pack some granola bars or snacks before you leave your home country. Pre-packaged on-the-go food has never really been adopted in Italian culture. So, bring these from home. Food culture in Italy is pretty slow, so you don’t want to show up hungry. Plan 90 minutes for lunch, if you are having wine—wine is mandatory.

Where To Eat: 

Ai Tre Scalini is my personal favorite. It gets busy, so showing up at noon doesn’t hurt. You can try to make a reservation, but they change their reservation policy weekly. Check out our guide on the best restaurants near the Colosseum for more options. 

Address: Ai Tre Scalini

What To Do the Rest of the Day:

Archeological sites can be rigorous on your energy levels. I recommend something more leisurely after like a half-day activity from the shopping and culture section below. You could try some fancy shopping near the Spanish Steps or do a food tour in trendy Trastevere.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out why a Colosseum tour is worth it.

The Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica—Half or Full Day

Of course, next up is the Vatican. Housing art, historical artefacts, and architecture from across the ages, the Vatican’s history has played a major part in the development of Rome.

This is a great chance to gain some perspective on the huge religious influence that you can still feel in the city today. If you’re dedicating an entire day to visiting Vatican City, we recommend exploring our Detailed Itinerary Vatican in a Day Tour.

This will provide you with the insightful discovery of the Vatican Museums that you’re seeking, designed for those who don’t want to miss any detail of the Museums. If the timing doesn’t work out or you feel this tour may be too long for you, check out our other Vatican tours that vary in length and detail.

Duration and Time of Day: 

In the morning if you are doing a “Privileged Entrance” tour.  If not, head over in the afternoon or around lunch. Be careful, as tour guides cannot give explanations at the basilica in the late afternoon.

Pro Tip: Just like the Colosseum, pack a snack!

Where To Eat: 

Dino e Toni is pretty fun.  I also like 200 Gradi, which is a quick-stop sandwich/panino shop. Check out our guide to the best restaurants near the Vatican for more options.

Address: Dino e Toni | 200 Gradi

What To Do the Rest of the day: 

The Vatican has a ton to absorb. You’ll be energized as you walk through and marvel at one masterpiece after another. but after lunch, you’ll be a goner. It’s nothing an espresso can’t fix, but if you have the time in Rome consider a siesta before a food tour in Trastevere or a self-guided stroll about the city.

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our best Vatican tours to take and why.

Rome Catacombs and Crypts

I really like visiting the Roman Catacombs. You get to drive outside the city and see the different towers of the ancient walls of Rome. You’re also near the via Appia Antica, which is a special treat for anyone that can make it out there.

There’s a cluster of great catacombs near Appia Antica. Here, you’ll find the three most famous: San Callisto, Domitilla, and San Sebastiano. They are incredible complexes that used to house hundreds of thousands of corpses. Today, you can go underground and see the tombs as well as incredibly well-preserved frescoes from the second and third centuries.

There are buses that take you out there, but again I recommend a Roman catacombs tour. They are pretty reasonably priced for a small group. It’s quite a hassle getting to the catacombs and back—our tours are designed to simplify this, so you can just relax and be on vacation. Our tour also visits Appia Antica and the Cappuchin Crypts, which are a series of burial chambers decorated with skeletons.

Duration and Time of Day: 

You’ll need 4 hours door to door, either in the morning or afternoon—whichever works best for you. Be careful, the catacombs are churches that are closed for a few hours during lunch.

What To Do the Rest of the Day: 

You could combine this with another tour, but consider having a long lunch and relaxing in the afternoon while it’s hot. You can resurface refreshed and ready at 6 pm for drinks and some light shopping before dinner at 8 pm.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a Rome Catacombs tour is worth it.

The Historical Center

The central part of Rome, which encompasses the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, and the Pantheon, is commonly referred to as the Historical Center.

This term can include a much larger area, however, when referring to touring the historical center these are the must-see sights. You can definitely do a self-guided walk yourself, but getting around can be confusing. 

Consider pre-configuring a map on your phone. You can set the itinerary when you’re on Wi-Fi and then switch to airplane mode and your GPS dot will still move around accurately showing you where you are without using data.

We run an electric bike tour that covers these sites and a ton more of the historical center. There are loads of cool anecdotes that guides will share during this tour, and it’s a fun way to get around.

Popular Rome Tours

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our best Rome tours to take and why.

Local Culture and Shopping

If you value treating yourself on vacation over discovering the main sites, we recommend two days in Rome. This way, you can dedicate an entire day to shopping and another day to do a leisurely tour of the city.

Spanish Steps and Via Condotti Shopping (Get Fancy!)

The obvious place to start is Via del Corso and the side streets leading to Piazza di Spagna. All of these are full of the flagship stores of top Italian names, from Gucci to Dolce & Gabbana.

If you want something more pocket-friendly, there are major European names like & Other Stories, COS, and Massimo Dutti. Once you’re done there, head along Via Margutta for boutique shops, restaurants, and the famous house from the Audrey Hepburn film, “Roman Holiday.” 

My personal favorite street to shop is Via del Babuino with its cool shops and boutiques. I love Fratelli Rossetti for shoes and jackets. Dress the part in this area. There are tons of cool cafés and places to grab a prosecco as you go.

Duration and Time of Day: 

2 hours or more and in the evening from 5 pm onwards. Be sure to mix this activity up with some drinks.

Address: Via del Corso | Via Margutta | Via del Babuino

Castel Romano Designer Outlets

If you want to get European brands for much less expensive than inside the cities and outside of Italy, Castel Romano is definitely a great place to consider.

Suits, Shirts, and Shoes

I’m a guy, so I normally go there to buy suits, dress shirts, and leather shoes. They have a lot of great brands like Ermenegildo Zegna. You can normally get a suit for about €500 and get 10% back tax-free. The same suit in NYC could cost over $2,000.

Valentino used to have menswear but they have recently dropped their men’s line. I recently started buying shirts from Boggi Milano. They are normally reasonably priced (€50 – €90) for high-quality shirts. They also have great sports coats.

Purses and Jackets

Fratelli Rosetti is also a place I love getting shoes, but I normally visit Ferragamo beforehand to see if they have any good deals. My wife goes there to buy purses and jackets from places like Burberry.

I’ve recently had some trips to these outlets where I struck out pretty bad. It is tricky to get to. There are some free buses from Rome, see the outlet website, but I wouldn’t recommend doing the outlets unless you are a frequent traveler to Rome.

Duration and Time of Day: 

They normally open at 10 am, and that’s when I go. It takes 40 minutes each way and as long as you want to shop—4 hours sounds about right.

Address: Via del Ponte di Piscina Cupa, 64

Morning Stroll Through Trastevere

Trastevere is more of the party and eating side of town, which is why I love it in the morning. It’s a bit of a lazy neighborhood in the morning, so you get the streets mostly to yourself even in the summer.

Head over at 8 am – 9 am for a coffee, centrifuga, and cornetto. You can get a taxi to Piazza Trilussa and head towards Piazza S. Maria in Trastevere.

Try the very local Bar del Cinque or the more popular Pimms Good with tons of outdoor seating for your coffee.

Duration and Time of Day: 

Take about 90 minutes and go early in the morning (8 am – 9 am).

Dinner and Drinks in Fregene

This is also something I recommend for frequent travelers to Rome who are looking for cool and local things to do. The beaches surrounding Rome are nothing to write home about. There are far better beaches in Puglia, Sicily, and Sardegna. That said, they are definitely a new experience.

When To Go To Rome Beaches: 

I am not much of a “sun-tan” guy, but I love the beach in the morning and evenings when the sun isn’t strong. The evenings are the best, especially in Fregene, since most of the beaches are private and there are awesome beach bars.

Almost every beach club has a live DJ at night and since they are on the west coast you get to watch the sunset. Amazing! I go to a place called Singita. They have beds and such, which is cool—but I normally get a towel (free) and a bottle of Franciacorta.

Duration and Time of Day: 

Show up at 5 pm for aperitivo. Anytime for the beaches

Pro Tip: Have a few drinks at Singita and get dinner at Fregene (not a full-blown restaurant, but they have good eats) or my favorite place around the corner, Il Pioniere. We normally refer to it as “the blue place.” Another great place is La Scialuppa. They have really great food here and a beach club.  You won’t find a DJ here, so it’s less of a “scene” place.

Top Colosseum Tours

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our best Colosseum tours to take and why.

Day Trips from Rome

If you’re able to spend more than three full days in Rome, you could consider a day trip. Rome is well connected by train and highway to many amazing cities and hidden gems. 

One of my favorite things about living in Rome is the geographical diversity of nearby regions. You can be in a coastal town in 30 minutes and in the mountains in 60 minutes. If you have 2 to 3 hours, you could be in one of Italy’s greatest wine regions or the buried city of Pompeii!

Pompeii and Amalfi Coast

Did you know that Naples was the place to be in the 19th century? Yep! Rome was beautiful, but Naples was happening. Pompeii was discovered in the mid-18th century, which drew more and more attention to the area.

Pompeii was a missing key to so much about ancient Roman society. The site was flash-frozen by ash when Vesuvius erupted and preserved what is arguably one of the best archeological sites on Earth.

Naples is known for crime and petty thievery, which deflects the majority of tourism to neighboring Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast. They are all very close in proximity and well connected by train and air travel.

Amalfi Coast is a bit more remote. There are trains to Sorrento, which is technically not part of the Amalfi Coast as it faces a different direction, but it has the same look and feel.

Visiting the Amalfi Coast is something you want to dedicate a few days to a week exploring.  That said, we have a day trip from Rome to Pompeii including a stop in Sorrento. It’s one of our most popular products, globally.

Admittedly, it is a lot of time to spend in a vehicle in one day. You’ll be in transit for about 6 hours round trip, but the longest leg is about 2 to 2.5 hours. It’s one of those things you simply need to decide if you really want to see it and if you’ll be back anytime soon. The reviews for this tour are 99% five-star reviews.

Duration and Time of Day: 

It’ll take 12 hours. Leave early, get back late.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a Pompeii day trip from Rome is worth it.

Montalcino and Montepulciano

Tuscany is known for its wine. Within Tuscany, there is Chianti, which is world-famous, but in terms of quality, there is one area that rules them all: Montalcino.

Montalcino is basically proof of the existence of a higher power. It is by far the most beautiful and curated rural landscape that I personally have ever seen. My photo does it no justice.

It’s also home to the best wine money can buy. There are tons of vineyards in Montalcino. If you’re a novice wine consumer, stop at any vineyard you see. It’s all great.

If you’re a pro wine consumer, here are some of my absolute favorites (but you probably already know them):

• Poggio di Sotto
• Casanova di Neri
• Altesino
• Ciacci Piccolomini D’Aragona

Near Montalcino is Montepulciano. It’s a very nice town but not nearly as nice as Montalcino. If you want to hit the heart of Tuscany and buy some really great wine, you can take a regional train here from Rome and other destinations. It’s definitely worth the trip if you’re on a budget and want to see some cool stuff.

Duration and Time of Day: 

This is a full-day trip. If you drive from Rome, leave early and get back late.

Pro Tip: If you are traveling with other successful couples that love wine, we do a really cool Brunello di Montalcino helicopter tour from Rome. It’ll get you there a bit quicker and it’s an awesome VIP experience.

Orvieto and Civita di Bagnoregio

These two destinations are really cool. If you want to see an Italian hilltop town, definitely take a train from Rome to Orvieto. It is situated in a region called Umbria, which shares borders with Tuscany and Lazio (Rome’s region).

Orvieto has killer architecture, food, and views—it’s a great little town that doesn’t get enough tourists to be super touristy. You can sit down just about anywhere and eat really well. It is connected by train to Rome, so it is easy to get back and forth.

If you want to expand your day, you can also visit Civita di Bagnoregio. However, you’ll need a vehicle to reach this little town in Umbria. When I say little, I mean little. The current population according to Wikipedia is 11 people! One of the coolest things, though, is how you get to this town. There’s a little bridge that you can walk up or take a bike through. No cars in this tiny village.

You can visit Orvieto on your own, but if you want to get the full experience we have a private day trip that visits Orvieto, Civita di Bagnoregio and a winery. Private tours are a bit pricier, but it’s a cool experience and the price is more attractive for larger groups.

Duration and Time of Day: 

To visit just Orvieto, you’ll need 4 to 5 hours, including the train trip. Go around 10 am, walk around, have a long lunch with wine, and come back to Rome. If you also visit Civita, you’ll be gone all day. It’s a cool trip.

Not ready to book a tour? Check out our best Rome tours to take and why.