How many days should we spend in Rome ?

How much additional time do you have?

How many days total you have!! You can easily spend a week in Rome but it all depends on your interests and time you have at your disposal. Before Covid on our trip to Italy we spilt the time between Rome and Florence, 4 nights at each place. while 3-4 nights seems like just about right for Florence but 4 nights Rome just felt like we barely scratched the City. There was so much to do and see in Rome. We can still go back to Rome and spend another week there. Personally I feel like that Rome, London and Paris are multi trips cities. One visit to these places don't do any justice, if you are a fan of these cities. We have been to London twice, still feel like we should go there again. Similarly 6 days in Paris also did not seem like enough time. Again it's all subjective.

Enjoy your trip.

Are you able to see what you want to see in those three days and does that include your arrival day, if so you would have 2 1/2 days maybe less.

I spent six days in Rome, half with a tour and half on my own, and could have used some more. But it depends on your interests and how much energy you can bring. I need more time as I get older and slow down.

Assuming that there's no outer limit on the time you can spend, make a list of things you'd like to see and do there, estimate how much time each will take, consider how long it will take to get from place to place, and add some down time, hopefully each day. If there is an outer limit on time (most likely), prioritize your goals.

Our last 2 trips in Rome were each for an entire week. We still haven’t seen or done everything we’d like in those 2 weeks, but it was still worth that whole time. Each trip was part of a longer trip to Italy, three weeks or more. With less than 3 weeks, I’d still suggest more than 3 days for Rome - at least 5.

Roma, non basta una vita!

The minimum amount of time you want to spend in Rome is four nights and that includes a day in Vatican City. If you add day trips i.e., Naples, Orvieto, Florence and Assisi add an extra night for each place.

I spent 4 nights in Rome in July 2017.

Don't try to see Rome (or any big city) comprehensively. Which guidebooks have you read? Can you post an itinerary, listing which museums and sights you want to see, on which days: for example:

Sunday: arrive by [time]. If time, site A, if time, site B. 1st night in Rome
Monday: site C, if time museum D, site E, follow walking tour on page [ ] of [name of guidebook]. 2nd night in Rome
Tuesday: if not seen yet, museum B... 3rd night in Rome.
And so on.

Remember to buy advance tickets for the Borghese gallery ASAP.

3 whole days could be enough but we'll see if it is enough after you write an itinerary.

Pick which sites look appealing to you. Acquiesce to skipping everything else.

Hi Paula -
Off top of my head, I'd say to add more time but it might depend on what you are interested in seeing in Rome? There's a LOT you could do there but whether most of that appeals is up to the individual.

Also, count your time in nights versus days; it makes a difference. How many NIGHTS do you currently have booked, and is one of your days an arrival day off a long flight? And what season will you be traveling, and what does you total itinerary in Italy look like?

Hi,

The simple answer is "as much time as you can." Just kidding, sort of. . . ..Rome, along with Paris and Venice, is among the three most beautiful and significant cities in Europe, if not the World. If you love culture, history, architecture, art, wine, food, and people then there is SO much to do and see. As others have pointed out, you need to figure out what your interests are. There is enough there to keep you busy for a full seven days, plus day trips. I've visited twice: both times for four days, about 20 years apart, and both times wished I'd had more time. You don't state in your question when you're going so I'd suggest you check out some guide books, determine your interests, and go from there. To provide an ultimate answer, if I had the time, and the money, I'd go for 5-6 days, minimum. But I may have different interests than you ......

Good luck with whatever you choose. Three days in Rome is FAR FAR better than none and you won't regret a second of it. It will leave you wanting more

We spent 5 1/2 days in Rome and it felt comfortable. We were able to see major sites without feeling rushed. I would have loved another couple of days. For a big city, Rome felt so warm and welcoming.

There is no answer to your question other than --- It depends. There is no minimum. We have spent close to a month in Rome over the years and could spend another month. It is a question of what you want to see and do. Three, four days will give a good overview and a chance to see the majority of the "must see" sites. After that you can begin to see the city, the people, and, especially, the culture. For us an afternoon in a sidewalk cafe or small, hole-in-the wall bar, is almost as important as visiting a cathedral. And plan to return.

Depending on what you see on tour, you might need fewer. If the tour does not include sites in Rome, I'd want 4 full non-jetlagged days unless I were doing day trips. I much prefer Florence because it's so compact and except for ancient Rome sites, there is even more to see in Florence because of all the art.

Ditto what Frank says. I've spent 3 days on my first trip abroad, thought it chaotic & unfulfilling but vowed to return when I could savor Rome. That was in 2017 when we spent a week at an apartment...and I didn't want to leave. It took that amount of time to 'get' it, to understand and embrace the vibe of the Eternal City.

We met friends who were spending the winter at their apartment on via Nomentana north of Termini station, and pretty much followed them around doing their daily stuff. Lavanderia, take-away panini lunch, a little sightseeing (Mussolini's wartime estate Villa Torlonia), a cafe for a fizzy pre-dinner aperatif, a leisurely 8PM dinner (complete with Amaro Lucano digestif at the end), then bus back to our apartment, a late gelato. All the while kibitzing with locals & sharing stories.

So that's what I want to do one day--spend a winter in Rome. Maybe mid-to-late January to late March. That timeframe really displays the real Rome--little neighborhoods interconnected--not the tourist-affected version.

As everyone said, it really depends. I’d say a minimum of 4 days, 5 nights. One day for the Vatican, one for forum/colosseum, one for pantheon/navona/historic core, and one for a museum of your choosing, I recommend the Borghese or Capitoline. Then fill in extra time (most of those things don’t take all day unless you want them to) with other sights, wandering, eating, and so forth.

4 or 5 nights in total is good.

If you are staying already 3 nights, then add a couple more if you can.

We spent four nights in Rome and found it adequate for a first trip. We're kinda country girls and that's about what we could take of a big city. Our hotel was centrally located and we walked everywhere. However, the traffic, crowds and noise got to us after a bit. We were ready for smaller, quieter places. I have friends who were raised in big cities and they can only take small, quiet places for a limited time. Know yourself. I'd definitely go back to Rome but stay in a different location.