How Many Days In Rome Is Enough in 2024?

Wondering how many days in Rome is enough?

You’ve come to the right article as I’ve written a complete guide on how many days to spend in Rome.

Visiting Rome was one of the best decisions I ever made. It’s hard to describe the sheer size and beauty of Rome without seeing it for yourself.

Before visiting, I wondered how many days in Rome were enough, and this is a question people have all the time too.

Now, after spending 4 days in the Italian capital, I feel confident to give advice on how many days to spend in the incredible city of Rome.

So let’s get into it.

🇮🇹 When planning a trip to Rome, I recommend using:
✈️ Flights: Skyscanner
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💵 Hostels: Hostelworld
🗺 Tours: Walks Tours & Devour Tours
👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Activities: Viator and GetYourGuide
🚗 Car Rental: Discover Cars
🚌 Transport: Flixbus
🏥 Travel Insurance: Safetywing
📱E-SIM: Airalo
💻 VPN: Surfshark

How Many Days In Rome Is Enough?

I spent 4 days in Rome, and although I wouldn’t say that it was too many, I would say that it was more than enough.

Therefore, in my opinion, 3 days is the minimum “right” amount of time to see everything Rome has to offer.

This includes seeing all the main attractions, as well as allowing some time to explore Rome for yourself, there are endless hidden gems.

Now that’s not to say that spending more than 3 days will result in boredom. Rome is a city full of surprises. Around every corner, there is a new fountain or a statue that you have not seen before.

Even without the Colosseum and other main attractions, the city of Rome in itself is still amazing.

But in my opinion, 3 days would be the perfect amount of time to see the main attractions.

Even though there are many things to see and do, it is possible to do them in 3 days. I felt that during my 4 days, I had a lot of spare time, and I even did “extra” things such as visiting the zoo and taking a tour of the Stadio Olimpico.

What To See In Rome

Rome has lots of things to see and the best part is, everything is free to see, so if you are visiting Rome on a budget, seeing Rome’s sights and attractions won’t set you back. Here are 10 things worth seeing in Rome. Use these to decide how many days are enough for you in Rome- everyone is different.

1) The Colosseum: Would it really be a trip to Rome without seeing the Colosseum? Standing outside the Colosseum is one of the most surreal things to do in Rome. Seeing it in pictures, postcards or online is incomparable, it’s so much bigger than I thought it would be. The Colosseum in real life is undeniably outstanding. It’s a must-see when visiting Rome for a reason.

2) The Roman Forum: Seeing the Roman Forum whether by looking in from the outside or by strolling through the forum itself (entry to the Roman Forum is included in Colosseum tickets), seeing the ruins of Ancient Rome is spectacular. As someone who loves history, imagining what life was like back then and visualising how the streets looked compared to what was in front of me was really cool.

3) The Pantheon: The Pantheon is the most beautiful church I have ever set eyes on. The exterior and interior are equally as beautiful. The roof, in particular, it’s extraordinary, especially considering how long ago it was built. You used to be able to go into the Pantheon for free as well, but it now costs €5 to go inside. I’d still say it’s worth it.

4) The Trevi Fountain: The Trevi Fountain is the largest and most popular fountain in Rome. I’ll never forget the first time I saw the Trevi Fountain. I was expecting it to be big, but it completely exceeded my expectations, which were already very high. The attention to detail is mind-blowing. I’d recommend visiting early to beat the crowds.

5) Fountain of the Four Rivers: The Fountain of the Four Rivers in the Piazza Navona is one of my personal favourites. As a full-time traveller, it’s nice to see the world (or so it was thought at the time) represented through one fountain. Each corner of the fountain represents what was the world at the time: Africa, Europe, Asia/India and the Americas.

6) Castel Sant’Angelo: This nearly 2000-year-old castle is definitely worth seeing while in Rome. It’s so different yet so similar to the rest of Rome. What I mean is that it’s a part of history, but when you picture Rome, you don’t exactly think of a castle. But it’s pretty cool. Although it costs to enter, you can view the outside and walk around the surroundings for free.

7) The Sistine Chapel: Included in your ticket to the Vatican Museums is entry to the Sistine Chapel. It’s outstanding. The most beautiful piece of art I have ever seen. You could easily spend hours sitting there and taking in every little detail. Unfortunately, you aren’t allowed to take photos, but it’s a small price to pay to be able to see such a famous piece of work.

8) Fontana dell’Acqua Paola: Visiting this fountain is great. Not only is the fountain nice, but the view is also incredible. This is the main reason to visit this fountain. If you ask me, it’s second only to St. Peter’s Basilica’s dome. The view here overlooks Rome and is particularly beautiful at sunrise and sunset. It’s one of my favourite things I did during my time in Rome.

9) Complesso del Vittoriano: The Complesso del Vittoriano is one of the most impressive buildings in Rome. I visited at Christmas time and the Christmas tree in front of it was spectacular. It’s a truly beautiful building, and like everything in Rome, it’s so much larger than it looks in photos. The building is also really significant as it’s used for visits, such as when Queen Elizabeth visited Rome.

10) Palatine Hill: Another place to find ruins of Ancient Rome is Palatine Hill, included in your Colosseum/Roman Forum ticket. Pictures can only show you so much. As with most of Rome, you need to see it for yourself to truly understand its beauty. Just like with the Roman Forum, it gives you goosebumps imagining what life used to be like in Rome.

Things To Do In Rome

Before visiting Rome you might also be wondering is Rome worth visiting. If you aren’t already convinced, it is without a doubt worth visiting. It’s extraordinary. Here are 10 things to do in Rome to give you an idea of what you can do! Again- use these things to decide for yourself how many days you think are enough in Rome.

1) Sit on the Spanish Steps: The most famous steps in Rome are the Spanish Steps. They are beautiful, and worth spending some time at. Taking in the area with the fountain, church and the steps themself is a nice way to spend some time in Rome. The view from the top of the Spanish Steps is also beautiful- you can see the Vatican in the distance.

2) Take a tour of the Colosseum: Although you can view the Colosseum from the outside for free, it would be a sin to go to Rome and not get inside the Colosseum. You will learn so much about its history, not to mention how incredible the interior’s architecture is. Not to mention how cool it is to be standing in the same place as the gladiators would have been thousands of years ago.

3) Go to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica: For only €8, you can climb the 500+ stairs to the top of the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, or you can pay a little extra to get an elevator halfway up. It’s without a doubt one of my favourite things I did in Rome. The view is undoubtedly the best in Rome. Especially, at sunset, just wow! Take a look…

4) Try some authentic Italian cuisine: Would you really be in Italy without eating lots of Italian food? The pizzas and pasta I had while in Rome were mouth-wateringly tasty. It’s clear to see why the locals love the pizza so much! And the food in Rome isn’t that expensive either, which was a pleasant surprise. I assumed that authentic Italian food would be expensive, thankfully I was wrong.

5) Visit the Zoo: The Bioparco di Roma is Rome’s zoo and it’s worth a visit for sure. Although it’s not Rome’s main attraction, it’s definitely possible to add to an itinerary and I would really recommend it. I loved the few hours I spent here and saw lots of new animals including a snow tiger! And because the zoo isn’t the main attraction in Rome, it’s not very busy either, so you aren’t being pushed out of the way and you can enjoy the animals in peace.

6) Make a wish at the Trevi Fountain: While spending time at the Trevi Fountain, you should make a wish! Stand with your back to the fountain and throw a coin over your left shoulder with your right arm. And make a wish! You’ll see lots of people doing this while you’re at the fountain. In fact, around $1.7 million is thrown into the fountain each year!

7) Take a tour of the Vatican Museums: As you visit Vatican City, I would highly suggest taking a tour of the museums. It is so worth it. Aside from the Sistine Chapel, there are so many amazing pieces of art within the museums. I particularly enjoyed the tapestries, they’re stunning. How people were able to create such impressive pieces of art that long ago blows my mind.

8) Take a tour of the Stadio Olimpico: Again, it’s not the main attraction of Rome but sports fans will know all about the Stadio Olimpico. It is home to Italy’s national football (soccer) team, as well as Roma and Lazio, home to Italy’s national rugby team and lots of other sporting occasions. And by taking a tour, you get to go behind the scenes. My favourite part was the dressing rooms.

9) Enjoy some gelato: Italians are known for enjoying their gelato (ice cream) at any time of the day, at any time of the year. As the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do“, so make sure to enjoy some gelato any time you pass a gelateria and have some room in your stomach. The gelato is so tasty! I wish I could bring some home with me.

10) Visit the Borghese Gallery and Museum: Surrounded by pretty gardens and paths, the Galleria Borghese is one of the best museums of all. It’s home to an incredible array of art, but the gardens of Villa Borghese are worth visiting even without entering the museum. The whole area is stunning. It’s also where the zoo is so you can tick a few things off at once.

How To Spend 3 Days In Rome

As the answer to “How many days in Rome?” is 3 days, you’ll want to know how to spend 3 days in Rome. Without giving you a full itinerary, here is a guideline for each of your 3 days.

As always, I only recommend using this as a guideline. Everyone likes different things and travels in different ways, so take the basis of this itinerary and use it to form your own.

Rome Top Tip: If you need to get from Rome Fiumicino to City Centre, take the bus!

Day 1: Visit the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Stadio Olimpico.

Spending your first day in Rome, you will want to rush immediately to the Colosseum. It’s natural- and also the right thing to do, the Colosseum is Rome’s number one attraction for a reason. I’d recommend you take a tour of the Colosseum and make sure to get plenty of pictures outside before making your way to the Roman Forum.

Did you know you can walk everywhere in Rome? Everything is within walking distance and Rome is a safe city too- so walking is the best option.

After taking in the Colosseum and Roman Forum, head across Rome to the Trevi Fountain. It’s approximately a 20-minute walk.

Make your wish at the Trevi Fountain and then take a 10-minute walk to the Pantheon.

Note: there are lots of things to see and do in this area including the Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps and more.

Lastly, end your day with a tour of the Stadio Olimpico. I would consider this an “extra” thing to do, and not an essential. Although, it only takes about 40 minutes so it is easy to squeeze in at the end of the day.

Day 2: Take a tour of the Vatican Museums, go to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica, visit Castel Sant’Angelo and explore Trastevere.

Heading into day 2 in Rome, you’ll want to head to the west of Rome. Start your day by taking a tour of the Vatican Museums and climbing to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica.

As I said, if you can work your day to be up there at sunrise or sunset, it’s even more magical.

Then visit Castel Sant’Angelo and learn about its great history. Day 2 is a lot more chilled back, allowing time to explore the streets of Rome.

One of the best things to do in Rome is to simply walk about– the city is full of surprises and you will always find a beautiful fountain or statue wherever you look.

End your day with a lovely meal in Trastevere. The best suburb of Rome for authentic but well-priced Italian food. I particularly enjoyed a delicious pizza in Mariuccia in Trastevere, I wish I lived there!

Day 3: Visit the Zoo, walk around the gardens of Villa Borghese and spend the day exploring

Begin your final day by heading to the north of Rome, and spend some time walking around the gardens of Villa Borghese which are home to the Bioparco di Roma and also the Museo Borghese. It’s a lovely little part of Rome!

Once you are finished relaxing in the park, the rest of your day is free. As I said, you can see the main attractions of Rome pretty quickly.

It’s up to you how you spend the rest of your time. Walking around Rome with no plan is always fun and I would recommend it to anyone.

And there you have it, a perfect way to spend 3 days in Rome. If you prefer, it is actually possible to see all the main attractions in one day in Rome.

I took this walking tour and I would recommend it in a heartbeat. It allowed me to see everything in one day, leaving plenty of time for my own exploration.

Day Trips From Rome

If you have more time to spend in Rome, you may be interested in taking a day trip from Rome. But I would only recommend taking a day tour if you have 5 days or more in Rome. If you have any less time, I’d simply do more things in Rome itself. But in terms of day tours, you have 3 great options: Naples/Pompeii , Florence and Tivoli.

Naples

Naples is the home of pizza, and it’s just over an hour away from Rome by train. In Naples, there are lots of things to do but the main attraction is to visit the lost city of Pompeii.

Pompeii was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, and trust me, this historic town is definitely worth visiting. It’s the perfect add-on to Rome because it’s yet another site where you walk the streets and imagine what life used to be like.

Having learnt all about Pompeii in school, it was really amazing for me to be able to be there in person. It’s incredible how well-preserved it is.

There are lots of Pompeii tours from Rome to help you get from A to B.

Florence

Florence is one of the most beautiful parts of Italy. Its colourful streets along with its abundance of art make it worth visiting from Rome.

It’s about 90 minutes on a train! If you enjoyed Michaelangelo’s work in Rome, you will enjoy Florence equally as much- his work is exceptional.

Just like in Rome, simply walking the streets in Florence is one of the best things you can do. It’s such a picturesque city.

Tivoli

The third and final day trip is just under an hour away from Rome by train and it’s the stunning gardens of Tivoli. If you liked Villa Borghese, you will love Tivoli.

Tivoli and the surrounding area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site is made up of luxurious villas with gardens that I can only describe as perfect. It’s so beautiful and peaceful!

It definitely puts my own garden at home to shame! But visiting here is a great break from city life in Rome- it’s so relaxing.

How Many Days In Rome: FAQ

Here are some related questions as to how many days in Rome are enough along with my answers.

How Many Days In Rome: Conclusion

And there you have it, a complete guide to answer the question “How many days in Rome is enough?”

Remember, my answer is at least 3 days as a minimum. You can easily spend more than 3 days in Rome and never run out of things to do.

But 3 days is the minimum to see everything and allow time for exploring Rome for yourself.

Now that you know how many days to spend in Rome, next up on your Rome trip planning is to start booking things. I’d recommend a food tour, the Italian cuisine is second to none!