Please sign in to post.

Help with Rome itinerary

I will have about 2.5 days 3 night in Rome before heading to the Amalfi Coadt for a week, this May. Our plane is scheduled arrive 1:30pm from NYC. It's a nonstop red eye so I'm hoping we will have slept the entire trip!
We are staying at The Beehive hostel right near the main train station.
I'm generally a great itinerary planner but feeling overwhelmed on this trip . Would love suggestions on how to plan out the trip. What to do the first afternoon/ evening? And then 2 full days and nights.
We are interested in everything !
Thank you.

Posted by
7732 posts

The personnel at the hostel should be able to help you plan when you get there also. I would go to the Collisieum the first afternoon eve.

But talk to your travel companion and add or subtract from these general suggestions based on your interests:
https://www.rome.info/itineraries/

Posted by
11247 posts

Having a plan outlined is useful in making the most use of scarce time. However, set your expectations to not being able to see everything. I lived there almost 5 years and didn’t see everything!

Having a plan in advance means you can decide where organized tours are important (Vatican, perhaps? And th Colosseum and Forum are confusing so a small group tour can be helpful) and make arrangements or buy advance tickets before you leave.

Most importantly, you have to decide what your priorities are. This article by Rick Steves may be of help. The days are a bit overloaded for my taste, but it should give you some structure to make your own decisions.

Arrival day, if your plane is on time, you might be at The Beehive by 4 pm. Take a shower and head out for an orientation walk. Daylight will help you stay awake. Don’t try to see an important site, just soak up the atmosphere, have a gelato, coffee, etc. Try to put dinner off until at least 7 pm and then get a good night’s sleep before tack Eli got your 2 full days with the itinerary you created.

Do you have a copy of Rick Steves’ Italy or Rome guidebook for details?

Posted by
847 posts

I agree that the first day you should not plan any 'major' sights, especially since you won't even be checked in and ready to head out till fairly late in the day. Go for an 'intro' walk - Trevi Fountain, Pantheon/Piazza Rotunda, Piazza Navona, Campo dei Fiori, etc. Just soak it all in. Then with the two full days plan on one for 'Ancient' Rome - forum, colosseo, etc. and things in that geographic area and the other across the Tiber - St Peter's, etc. With only two full days and nights I personally would not do anything that requires very long lines. For example, I think walking around the Colosseum is better than standing on line to go inside it. Forum is worth going into and there are a ton of other sights in that area. Same with the Vatican Museum. Get some good guidebooks and plot out 'walks' that group things geographically.

Here's my photos of Rome - they are all labeled if you hover over each image - https://andiamo.zenfolio.com/p632712636

Posted by
1231 posts

Rick Steves has a Heart of Rome walking tour on podcast, you can find it through this site. It is an easy stroll through main areas, Campo di Fiori, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, etc. all fairly close to each other. And free! Stop for dinner, drinks, whatever, relax, then head back to sleep and start your next day refreshed.

https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-tours/italy

Here is a map-
https://d3dqioy2sca31t.cloudfront.net/Projects/cms/production/000/023/487/original/8641aa9526168b2ac4cfc60dd140d7b5/heart-of-rome-walk-map.pdf

Posted by
228 posts

In Rome on the main drag are lots of travel agencies that sell " No-Line " tickets . We bought the ticket for the Vatican . You get a ticket and the place to meet the person who stands on the Vatican Square and who takes you straight into the Vatican Museum and Saint Peter's . It was money well spent .

Posted by
15679 posts

For example, I think walking around the Colosseum is better than
standing on line to go inside it. Forum is worth going into and there
are a ton of other sights in that area. Same with the Vatican Museum

Standing in long ticket lines is unnecessary if you purchase tickets or tours in advance, as Laurel has suggested. You may have to stand in a security-check queue at the Colosseum for a time but you will avoid the longest one for tickets. Your ticket will also provide entrance to the Forum and Palatine as well. I would purchase tickets or a tour for the Vatican Museums in advance too, and you will have to pass through a security check at that one also.

Of course the Vatican Museums can be skipped if museums aren't your thing but they do tend to end up on most first-time-visitors' must-do lists so....

https://www.coopculture.it/en/the-colosseum.cfm

http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html

Posted by
78 posts

I stayed at the Beehive Hostel about a month ago and I very much enjoyed my stay. The owners (Linda and Steve) are American expats and are great hosts. For example, when I checked in, I had already booked the Colosseum for the next morning and Linda drew out on a map a great walking route (with a couple of options, so I did one there and the other the way back) to the Colosseum.

As they are only a couple of blocks from Termini, I'd just take the Leonardo Express, assuming you are flying into Fiucimino, and walk to the hostel.

I'd take the lead of others in this thread and I wouldn't plan anything "big" for the first day. Just walk around, get your bearings, and soak Rome all in.

On some nights of the week (I think Mon, Wed, Friday) they will host a dinner at the hostel. They happened to have one my first night and I attended. Steve cooked--good food, it will be a vegetarian meal (I got a slice of non-vegetarian pizza on my walk before dinner) and costs 10 Euros plus 2 Euros/glass if you have wine. This is a good chance to meet fellow travelers and you might get some good hints based on what they've done on their stay.

They have a smartphone app with some of their hints and advice.

http://beehivepages.strikingly.com/app

Posted by
1075 posts

Have you ever flown a red-eye before? If not, definitely don't plan much that first day until you see how (or if) you are able to sleep on the way over, especially in coach. I have flown coach three times to Europe and I'm three for three on getting ZERO sleep on the way over. (One time I was upgraded to first class and I got a couple hours sleep since it was a lie-flat.) In Rome, doing Rick's "Caesar Shuffle" (especially the part from Trevi Fountain to Pantheon to Piazza Navona) is easily walkable, free, and does not require making appointment times/reservations, which will give you flexibility to stop if you're tired. https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/rome-itinerary Under no circumstances would I do a major site like St. Peter's or Colosseum (interior) the day you land.

Posted by
9 posts

I have flown the red eye several times and I take something to help me sleep , but it's not the same as a regular nights sleep. I know enough not to do too much that first day. Thanks for the tip on the Ceasar Shuffle. That's exactly what I'm looking for.

Posted by
50 posts

Since you're staying so close to Termini station, I'd recommend the Museo Nazionale Romano- Palazzo Massimo alle Terme as an option on that first day. We've always found it to be uncrowded and an enjoyable museum to visit when we didn't want something that required a big effort or reservations. It has roman statues, mosaics, frescos and such. It's always struck me as being under-attended. And strolling through gets you out walking, which you definitely need to do on that first day.

Posted by
1 posts

We did the same thing, about 2.5-3 days in Rome before Venice.

Day 1 - We arrived at our hotel on the Piazza Barberini around 11am. Napped for a bit then headed out on a walk. We weren't sure how much we'd feel like doing, but we got quite a lot in. The Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain. Ate some gelato. Just strolled around and soaked it up. About 2 miles in all over several hours. Lots of resting along the way. A wonderful stroll. We're in our 50's and 70's btw, if that helps lol. One could easily see more like the Piazza Navona and Campo Fiori but with our bad backs we decided not to push it.

Day 2 - We slept in, had a leisurely breakfast, and headed to the Colosseum. It was December so there were no lines, but keep that in mind depending on the time of year.

We used the Big Bus Hop-On, Hop-Off so it took us directly from the Piazza Barberini to the Colosseum, with some lovely sightseeing along the way.

After the Colosseum tour we walked through the Roman Forum to the Vittorio Emmanual II monument, where we picked up the Big Bus for our trip back to the hotel. Again, seeing many sights along the way.

Day 3 - We cabbed to Bonci Pizza (yum!) near the Vatican then walked the 5 blocks or so to the Vatican Museum entrance. Again, no lines so we strolled right in. We visited the pope's car/carriage collection, then headed to the Sistine Chapel. Luckily there are plenty of gorgeous rooms and exhibits on the way to the Sistine Chapel so we felt we didn't short change ourselves too much by not spending the whole day in the museum. Exited through St. Peter's Basilica which is a must-see.

Afterwards walked to the Castel Sant'Angelo (stopping for an espresso), then across the river to pick up the Big Bus back to the hotel.

Left for Venice the next morning.

We loved our itinerary b/c we felt like we saw a lot without stressing out or pushing ourselves.

Posted by
123 posts

The Forum is very worthwhile to see ancient Rome. The Colosseum is impressive inside but if time were too short I might trade that to visit the Palantine Museum. I would opt for the Borghese Gallery over the Vatican Museum (reservations a necessity at either). Be mindful too that some sites are closed on particular days.

I started Heart of Italy Tour last year in Rome. Our guide took us to the Pantheon just before closing. Crowds were low and we got to see in the twilight all lit up, breathtaking. Then it was off for gelato and Trevi Fountain.

If you go by a church and it looks interesting, go inside. They are full of surprises.

I would echo of using Rick's Audio Guide. I used it all over Rome, Tuscany, Florence and Venice. Free!

Posted by
1662 posts

Hi beanie,

Since your stay in Rome is short, perhaps you can browse through this https://www.walksofitaly.com/rome-tours/welcome-rome-walking-tours/

Borrow a few ideas from their tour and customize it to your own liking and pace (or follow the exact path.)

It may be a nice introduction, at a slower pace to see some highlights. And Rome lit up at night? ... Beautiful.

That may help your inner clock to get a decent night's sleep your first night.

If you choose to do this or similar, then perhaps you can have the next full day or so to explore some main attractions.

If you have time, please visit St. Peter's. No tickets needed but you will go through security. No big bags/backpacks, food or water. Although when I was there, guards allowed peeps to keep water but had to put them in bag. There is a "coat check" area on the ground level near one set of restrooms.

I love Rome, been twice so far with plans to return over and over, lol.

Have fun!