The Best 7 Days Rome Itinerary

It is possible, though, to get a gist of Rome in as little as one week.

Let’s see what the best 7 days Rome itinerary would be, so that you can see almost everything that matters.

For the sake of this article, let’s suppose you’ve checked in the night before.

Day 1: Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum, Domus Aurea

This is your first full day in Rome.

If this is your first time visit, you probably want to see the Colosseum.

This is a 2-3 hours experience.

During summer months you’d better plan it early in the morning, in order to avoid the crowds and the heat.

If you visit Rome off-season, you can plan your Colosseum visit later in the day.

The basic Colosseum ticket also gives you access to the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum.

There are several types of Colosseum tickets available. Check them out on their official website, in order to decide which one best suits you.

Many of these tickets are valid for two consecutive days. History buffs may want to spread their visit over two days, in order to enjoy it to the full.

Most people would need at least two hours for the Colosseum, and another two hours for the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill.

Depending on the time you spend inside the Colosseum, you may be able to squeeze in a visit to Domus Aurea, the golden house of Emperor Nero.

That would require about 2 hours.

For the rest of the day you can wander the streets to find many of the Ancient Rome remains such as Mercati di Traiano, Teatro di Marcello, and Largo di Torre Argentina.

Day 2: Palazzo Altemps, Crypta Balbi, Piazza Navona, Baths of Diocletian

Palazzo Altemps and Crypta Balbi belong to the National Roman Museum (Museo Nazionale Romano), together with Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.

All three museums are amazing. However, I’ve chosen only two of them for this itinerary, in order to make room for other activities.

In Palazzo Altemps there are many impressive sculptures, art works and artifacts such as the Ludovisi Battle sarcophagus. Art students come here to draw and to perfect their skills.

Crypta Balbi provides you with a better understanding of the Ancient Roman history and civilization.

Visit this museum to understand how the buildings and the infrastructure of modern Rome lays on the ancient foundations of this city.

The collections in the baths of Diocletian are nothing short of impressive. You’ll see amazingly realistic sculptures, old mosaics, coins, jewelry, and many other ancient artifacts. Museo National Romano did a great job in gathering all these items and bringing them together under one roof.

The colossal animal heads of Michelangelo’s Cloister are also here. The ram, the camel, the horse, the bull and the ox heads were found in 1586 during the reconstruction works of Palazzo Zambeccary, meant to become the residence of Cardinal Michele Bonelli.

Check out my article about the baths of Diocletian to find out how to get there and to see some photos of the gardens.

Piazza Navona

Baths of Diocletian in Rome & Santa Maria Basilica

Day 3: Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Baths of Caracalla & Via Appia Antica

The Trevi Fountain, Piazza di Spagna and the Pantheon are relatively close to each other.

Start by going to the Trevi Fountain as early in the day as possible. The fountain is outdoors. The access is free.

If you come by metro, take line A and get off at Barberini.

It’s best to visit the Pantheon in the morning, just after you’re done with Fontana di Trevi, before the lines become too long.

The Baths of Caracalla are among the best preserved ruins of ancient Roman baths. I visited them in June and I was able to buy my ticket on the spot, without having to wait. I don’t know whether this is true all year round, so make sure you do your homework before showing up by the gates.

Via Appia Antica starts at about 800m from the Roman Baths of Caracalla. This antique road, the Roman Appian Way, was one of the most important roads that provided access into the city.

This ancient paved road is 8km long.

There are e-bike tours of Via Appia Antica, as well as full day bike rentals and guided tours.

For the purpose of this 7-day Rome itinerary, I’d recommend that you book this Appian Way, Catacombs and Aqueducts Park Tour with Top E-Bike.

Baths of Caracalla in Rome, with remains of the ancient walls and with very tall pine trees.

Day 4: Castel Sant’ Angelo, Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican

Start your day by visiting Castel Sant’ Angelo.

Expect to spend at least one hour inside the castle. Read my article about Castel Sant’Angelo to see photos and tips to prepare your visit.

St Peter’s basilica and the Vatican are just across the river.

Expect long lines for both of them.

It’s best to book a tour with skip-the-line, in order to save time.

Day 5: The Jewish Ghetto, Trastevere, Gianicolense, Isola Tiberina

Start your day by walking along the streets of the former Jewish ghetto.

Trastevere is lively and beautiful neighborhood.

You’ll probably end up spending lots of evenings having dinner and wandering the narrow cobbled streets of Trastevere.

The area deserves a dedicated tour.

Check out this Trastevere food tour with dinner and wine.

That’s a 3-hour tour with different starting times, starting from 1pm. Choose it to suit your schedule for the day.

Gianicolense is a beautiful neighborhood that spreads on the Gianicolo Hill. There’s a beautiful park, a road lined by very old trees, and a Rome panorama point.

Check out my article about Gianicolo Hill.  You’ll love the view from the top of the hill.

End the day on Isola Tiberina, the island on the Tiber river where people go to party and relax.

Fun on Tiberina Island in Rome by night

Isola Tiberina in Rome by sunset

Day 6: Day Trip to Ostia Antica & Lido di Ostia

Have an early start. Ostia Antica is very easy to access by public transport from Rome.

Read my article about this day trip from Rome to Ostia to see how to get there and what to expect.

Ostia Antica is as gorgeous as Pompeii, only much closer to Rome. It is an absolute must-see, and therefore I consider it worth one day of your 1-week itinerary in Rome.

During summer months, you may want to check out Lido di Ostia to see this black sand beach near Rome.

Click here to see how to do it. Since Ostia beach is only one train stop away from Ostia Antica, you can check both objectives in one day.

If you’re keen on taking this day trip, you’ll want to know exactly how to go from Rome to Ostia.

Day 7: Galleria Borghese (Borghese Gallery): The Villa & the Gardens

Galleria Borghese is an art museum in Rome that showcases an impressive collection of modern and ancient sculptures, paintings, and furniture.

Located in a beautiful mansion, Villa Borghese, in the middle of an amazing park, this museum hosts works of art by famous artists such as Bernini, Caravaggio, Botticelli, Rubens, and Tiziano.

As the museum controls the number of people inside the villa at any given time, you’ll need to visit it within your 2-hour allotted time window.

That should be enough for you to see everything.

Showing up to the door and hoping to get inside may or may not work. It’s best to book your tickets in advance, even though this limits your choices for the day.

Click here to book a small group tour of Galleria Borghese with skip-the-like admission.

The gardens are simply fabulous. Neighboring Piazza del Popolo and The Spanish Steps, the 200 acre park features a lake, several museums, and a zoo.

You can enter the Villa Borghese gardens by climbing the stairs in Piazza del Popolo or by climbing the hill at the Spanish Steps.

It’s easy to spend several hours in the gardens. Assigning a full day for this will allow you to see everything at your own pace.

Piazza di Popolo stairs to Villa Borghese

The Spanish Steps also lead to Villa Borghese

Feel free to copy this 7 days Rome itinerary exactly or to adjust it to suit your goals and your travel style.

Before you go, check out the best neighborhoods of Rome to stay in.