The Best Route For First Timers

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Ahh Rome, the Eternal City. I certainly feel like I will love Rome for eternity, but unfortunately, we only had three days to spend there last summer with our daughters.

I have visited Rome before, and was so excited to take Craig and our girls there to experience the city for the first time and allow them to see why it stole my heart.

Since it’s new to Craig and my daughters, I planned the perfect 3 day itinerary for Rome that ticks off all the bucket list moments, the best attractions, the highlights, and unmissable landmarks.

Craig and the girls came away ever in awe of the city, and me even more so! On my first visit, I was a backpacker who didn’t get much of a chance to dive deep into the culture – especially its delicious food- and cute neighborhoods. This was an experience that took Rome from a loved city in Europe to my favorite!

It would be a shame to keep our perfect itinerary to ourselves, so here’s what we did in 3 days in Rome!

But first…

Are 3 Days Enough To See Rome?

I would say that three days is the minimum amount of time you need to explore Rome to see the main attractions. 

It’s a huge city with a lot of history to uncover, and many of the attractions you can spend several hours in. To see the Colosseum and The Forum, you need at least half a day for both if you opt for a guided tour, which will eat into your time. Visiting The Vatican is also another half day, minimum.

If you only have three days, I have to warn you, it will be a full-on three days with little chance to stop and rest. 

If you have more time at your disposal, I recommend you spend five days in Rome.

There are also many cute neighborhoods to explore and you could also spend a day shopping, as Rome is a huge fashion hub.

Five days allows you to explore more leisurely and have a day or two simply sitting back and enjoying the beat of Rome in a piazza or coffee shop, rather than attraction hopping.

The Best 3 Day Itinerary for Rome

The following itinerary can be completed in any order. We’ve organized it so that you hit the top attractions first, with the first two days being quite full on, and the third day being more chilled.

You can swap these days around to better suit your interests. 

You should also book your attractions in advance and adjust your itinerary…