Rome end of November

Those are really broad questions! Have you got a good guidebook? That is the best starting point for broad questions to help you plan the trip YOU want with the budget you have in mind.

Rick Steves, of course, writes a phenomenal guide to Italy, has a separate book on Rome, or yo7 can start with some ideas here https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/rome-itinerary.

Have you traveled to Europe before? Will you go anywhere besides Rome?

hey hey robbnjess
what does "best" mean to you? look at cancellation policies, mobility issues that may need an elevator (lift) any other wants & needs? not much time for rome. what is your budget and where are you flying in from? if USA, give yourself time for jetlag. you don't want to be exploring in a FOG!!!
remember check in time is usually 3-4pm unless early arrival is approved, where to keep you bags and make sure hotel has baggage hold, check out time is usually 10-11am so that is like one full day and half night of arrival to see things in rome.
what are your plans, make sure you get reservations booked ahead of time, even restaurants can be very crowded and busy.
where are you headed to after rome? nowdays it doesn't seem to have off shoulder season since so many people are traveling, supply and demand for hotels, book your wants early with time and dates wanted at attractions. be prepared for waits, long lines.
walk outside of city center for local family restaurants that aren't that crowded down small alleyways.
getyourguide.com
3rd party that does 3 hour tours of rome that may interest you to see the sites around rome
eatingeurope.com
food tours in rome, taste of testaccio or eternal rome. read what's included
marketsofrome.com
so many "mercatos" in rome, even at the the rome termini station. fun to walk thru the shops/restaurants/stores in rome and see what they offer, love the small goodies i can buy to bring home with me.
sit at an outside cafe/bar with a glass of wine and charcuterie appetizers to people watch and see the views. good luck and enjoy
aloha

Rick's top sightseeing suggestions for most major cities are right on this website:

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/italy/rome << Click on At a Glance.

These sights call for purchasing tickets in advance if you want to see them:

• Colosseum
• Vatican Museums
• Borghese Gallery
• San Clemente
• Domus Aurea

The Colosseum ticket is very tough. There are a bunch of threads on the topic. Just scroll back through the Italy forum.

Online tickets for the Vatican Museums are sold out into November, so those tickets should be purchased very soon if you want to go. The Museums are mobbed during normal visiting hours. A more pleasant experience can be had by paying extra for early entry--cheapest through the Vatican Museum website, but commercial tours are also available. St. Peter's basilica is a separate deal. It's free but has a long security line. Sometimes tour groups from the Museums can take a shortcut into the Basilica, skipping the security line. That situation changes from time to time. If you only want to see the basilica, it's best to go very early when the security line is likely to be shorter. I think opening time is 7 AM.

The Borghese is a very good environment for seeing paintings, sculpture and some decorative arts. Capacity is controlled, so it's never a mosh pit like the Vatican Museums. However, it is popular, so you will not be alone there. You need to show up before your ticketed admission time, so be careful of your scheduling.

San Clemente doesn't sell out really early, but tickets are not sold at the church; you have to buy online before you show up.

The Domus Aurea is an active archaeological sight with a somewhat limited tour schedule. That's another one to book as soon as possible if you want to see it.

Rome has many more museums catering to a variety of interests, plus uncountable beautiful churches. The churches are nearly all free, but sometimes there's a coin-operated light box to illuminate frescoes or mosaics. Those usually take 1-euro coins.

I haven't kept up with the situation at the Pantheon, which a lot of folks like to see. I think you can now get tickets in advance for weekends. Check the Italy forum for recent threads.

Expect crowds around the Trevi Fountain and a line at the Boca della Verita even in November/December.

Trastevere is a fun neighborhood to walk around. It's also a popular dining destination. Santa Maria in Trastevere and Santa Cecilia in Tratevere are two great churches to visit there.

Note: It will get dark early at the time of your visit. A lot of Rome's sidewalks--especially on side streets--aren't in great condition. Do not put yourself in a position of needing to rush after sundown. I fell three times during 3 weeks in the city in February/March. I admit to being a klutz, but still urge caution.

Your visit is short. Rome is large. I suggest picking one key thing you most want to see each day and then filling the rest of the time with other places that sound interesting and are nearby. Otherwise, you could burn a lot of time zigzagging all over the city. It's great to see Rome on foot, which is practical for most people if you take it neighborhood-by-neighborhood.

Hi there, yep this is a very short amount of time so I would suggest doing a deep-dive ahead of your trip to look at what you REALLY want to see and how much time you want to spend on your feet seeing monuments & museums versus a relaxing meal, gelato or taking an evening stroll with the throngs through the historical center! Library to look at scads of guide books? If you have a short list (such as "I MUST see the Sistine Chapel"), then look at the tours recommended here, I would personally go for the earliest possible time before the floodgates open, some run by the Vatican itself. What about a food walking tour to savor (pun intended) areas of interest & get access to some amazing food? Trastevere Sunset tours seem to be a fav of forum posters. See if Hotel Smeraldo in the historical center has rooms available, 3-star with excellent recommendations & easily walkable to the main sites. Lots of cobblestones so wear comfortable walking shoes & have a wonderful trip!

Thank you so much for the suggestions. This is great help.