Top tips for 3 days in Rome

[Wonderfulcheapfalafel]

Hi,
We (me DP and a teenager) Have 3 full days in Rome at the beginning of July. Looking for any tips of interesting places to go, architecture, museusm, nice food, tips for beating queues etc! The only thing we're dead set on is Colosseum/Palatine Hill/Forum - other than that we're just looking to explore. I think we'll miss most of the markets as we'll be there midweek but if anyone knows of any midweek vintage/flea markets that would be great! I have no prior knowledge of Rome at all so pease let me know what you've done there if you've been before! TIA

The catacombs are really interesting and a welcome respite from the heat.

Work out when tickets are released for what you want to see and sit on the websites, otherwise you'll pay 5x more per person for a tout on getyourguide and viatour. Ticket scalping is incredibly common across Italy. The touts sell them on as "skip the line" when they're actually just the regular timed entry tickets that no one else can get a hold of.

I agree with a pp that I wouldn't bother with Pompeii and Vesuvius this time. It's quite a trek from Rome and there's no shade in either place, plus there is plenty to occupy yourself with in Rome.

If you book an official Vatican tour from the website directly it also covers entry to st Peter's although going upstairs is separate. The early morning tours mean you get in before things are completely overrun.

Rome was lovely but the people got a lot. I honestly didn't enjoy the Vatican at all, I felt herded like cattle, I understand its a 'must do' and I'm not sure I'd pass up the opportunity entirely but I just came out feeling wound up and stressed.

My favourite thing (after the coliseum and roman ruins) we did was taking a walk here- it's really easy to get to, just a quick ride on the main train. https://www.romesightseeing.net/aqueduct-park/ it was a beautiful sunny day and the aqueducts were really stunning. Anyway I'd recommend it as a good place to get the people stress off if you need to unclench after the vatican crowds.

Also, important- don't feel that you have to go to the big ticket attractions like the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum if you don't want to. It's perfectly possible to enjoy a stunning trip to Rome visiting "second tier" attractions that are far less stressful and crowded, or even find a lot of amazing free things. PP have made a lot of good suggestions upthread. When we went last Easter we spent a day wandering along the Via Appia Antica, finally reaching the Porta San Sebastiano, then into the centre to visit San Clemente. That first bit was near deserted. I did book San Clemente online about an hour in advance, but I needn't have - you could have walked in, it wasn't crowded. We then walked down the road to have a look at the Colosseum, went "Fuck it's crowded round here", and scarpered.

Definitely book for Vatican Museum, it is possible to spend a whole day and not see it all so research what you want to see - Sistine Chapel etc. It's worth going up into the dome of the Basilica as it gives a really interesting perspective.

I'm not sure what happens if Pope Francis were to die though, is it business as usual during Conclave?

I also liked the Castel Sant'Angelo and Tivoli Gardens, but I was there for a week, so had more time to do day trips.

glass lift and bar?

Tell me more please!

The Sistine Chapel is a must see. The ceiling is literally breathtaking.

The Spanish Steps are also worth a visit.

Sit outside one of the many cafes in the sunshine and watch the world go by. "Dolce Far Niente" ("the sweetness of doing nothing") as the Italian saying goes.

If you have nerves of steel, try driving through Rome. Hint: there are no rules of the road beyond moving forward. That will be an unforgettable experience, I know I've done it!

I've been to Rome several times, it's my favourite city. Enjoy!

Food recs:
Popi Popi in Trastevere
Da Enzo in Trastevere
Macheroni on piazza delle Coppelle in Centro Storico
Antico Forno Roscioli on via di Chiavari for lunch or a snack on the go - the pizza is great, get squares of lots of different varieties - the porchetta sandwich is amazing too. Don't be put off if there's a long queue as we found it moved very fast.

Book your restaurants ahead!! We went in January and many restaurants were booked far in advance - July must be an order of magnitude worse.

Also if it's very hot, don't be afraid to use the buses and the underground! They are easy to figure out with google/Apple Maps and you just pay with contactless.

I like villa Farnesina in Trastevere. Followed by lunch in Trastevere.

Yes to Pier Luigi! We love it.

Go to the Vatican but get a guide! It’s too big and overwhelming otherwise. We had an art historian guide us and it was the most incredible experience.

Rome is one of the best places in the world for a short break. We’ve done it repeatedly and never tire of it.

Another vote for a food tour. Book one for the Trastevere area if you can. Lots of amazing food and drinks spots out of the typical tourist way and lots of hints and tips about what to look for in authentic food (my favourite being how to spot authentic gelato shops because Rome is littered with so many that are just tourist stops). Our tour guide was a sommelier so was really knowledgeable which added to the experience.

@tanstaafl the monument to Victor Emmanuel II has a bar with views over the Forum half way up. You can pay to take a glass lift to the top of the monument.

If you want the pompeii experience, but without the hassle of trekking over to Naples, try Ostia Antica, it’s a half hour train away - an abandoned ancient Roman port town - and also incredible. Take a picnic to have amongst the ruins. https://www.ostia-antica.org/

Oh also, if you get too hot, a day trip for a swim in lake bracciano is also a fab idea. Anguillara and Trevignano are the best villages to visit for a swim and meal and the water is incredibly clean.

Went last August, last minute. Had no problems booking anything other than the underground Colosseum tour - but saw the whole of the rest of the Colosseo. The Colosseum and Forum are in the same ticket so I’d recommend doing the C first then having a decent bite to eat and tackling the Forum, once you’re in you’re in, there’s no return entry once you leave and limited food options inside. The Forum is fantastic though, and huge. It gets boiling in the middle of the day. one option is to do the forum first thing and the Colosseum in the early evening.

the other must see is the Capitoline museum, I don’t think you get everything out of the forum without the context available in the Capitoline.

I would forego the Vatican altogether unless you have a specific connection to the Catholic faith. It’s expensive, and crowded. The Raphaels are good. The rest is duplication. The Sistine chapel is an unpleasant experience - crowded with stressy guards. It’s not worth it for a 3 day trip.

The Castle is very good. We went in on a whim and that was a highlight.

some of the Basilicas are incredible. I really like the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore, and didn’t manage the Basilica San Clemente but regret that.

Nero’s palace is open on some days only and worth a try.

the Borghese gardens are worth a visit with kids, we did the very touristy little row boat thing with the turtles in the pond.

there is so much to do, just soak up the atmosphere. I wore a full on bumbag and had no problem with thieves. You will need passports to enter some places, so that’s a must.

We did lots in 4 days
Day 1 arrived in the afternoon and found a free walking tour so we got to see all the main sites with lots of info and stories.
Day 2 booked directly to see Vatican and Sistine chapel.
Day 3 went inside coliseum and walked around lots
Day 4 took a train to Tivoli and spent a few hours there

If there are spaces the colosseum underground tour is excellent. All you really see otherwise is the floor and the stands.

Nero's palace it gives an idea of how very rich the elite were. The domus aureas mentioned above.

Don't eat too close to the sites. The food will be both poor and expensive.

Some restaurants,we noticed this in Travastere mainly, restaurants don't take bookings and the queues go around the block.

The pantheon isn't that great unless you're into mediaeval religious art. The roman ceiling takes all of a minute to see.

Don't spend ages looking for great gelato, just avoid the really bright ones.

We just came back from Rome. It was great.
Day 1- St Peters, Vatican, dinner in Trastavere. Book Vatican and to climb St Peters dome in advance (only if you're fit and not claustrophobic)
Day 2- Piazza Navona, Palazzo Altemps (amazing Roman sculptures, not busy), Spanish steps (hectic), Keats House (saw room where he died), Trevi fountain (rammed), Pantheon (I know opinions are divided but it's my absolute fave building in Rome)
Day 3- Colosseum, Forum/ Palatine, Jewish quarter
Day 4- bimbling about shops, markets, popped in every church we went past. Palazzo Doria Pamplij for lovely art and a hilariously posh audioguide.
My top tips are-

• book stuff in advance where you can- having said that we didn't book the Pantheon and queued less than 10 mins. Take passports, they do check them.
• don't overstretch if you are going in Summer- it will be boiling especially the Forum
• the queue jumping is off the scale- I don't think we stood in a single queue where someone didn't try to push in- it started with the taxi queue at the airport
• don't order in a cafe near a tourist site without checking the menu closely as we got scammed- charged nine euro for a fanta in a completely normal looking cafe (like twats we only checked the prices of the food)
• Comfy shoes and walk everywhere- we didn't need to catch a bus or the metro
• Eat a maritozzi (cream bun)
• You get a good view of the Trevi fountain from the first floor of the Benetton opposite!

Visit some catacombs too! We also enjoyed a multimedia overview of Rome's history called Welcome to Rome, it was a good brek from walking! Favourite place was the Forums, we were also recommended the Musei Capitolini but didn't get round to entering, and would have also liked to visit Caracalla baths but again had no time. Going up the Vittorio Emanuele monument was also good to get the views from the top floor by the cafe - no need to pay for the lift to very top floor but you can if you want toz we didn't so can't say how much jetter the view was. Enjoy!

If you're spending a couple of days down south don't bother with the colloseum in Rome, there are others (including one in Pompeii). Pickpockets are everywhere. Don't eat anywhere that does pictures of the food on the menu.

We did a Segway tour with a historian booked with Fat Tire Tours - a great way to cover a lot of ground with someone who can explain what it is you are seeing. Unless you are very resilient and exceptionally keen to go I would NOT recommend the Vatican to see the Sistine chapel - it’s a really unpleasant experience. Coliseum well worth yt - if online booking says “full” book via Viator

If you have a minute go to Giolitti's cafe for ice cream, cake & coffee. It's not far from the Parthenon down a side street.

Don't go anywhere to eat near any tourist attraction you will be ripped off.

The water fountains are safe for drinking water so take a bottle to refill. They are in most public spaces like parks and in public squares.

Rome is so hot in July many Romans move out but because of work we could only visit then. A guide in the Forum advised drinking from the city’s fountains - it’s perfectly safe, saves so much money and, by soaking our faces and hair, we managed to cool down. Have a great time.