Find a place to stay in a central location. It may cost a little more, but being centrally located is worth the investment. Pockets of Rome are extremely walkable. For those places you want to see that are a bit further away, public transportation can get you where you want to go and save you a lot of time. Taxis are also readily available. You will not want to have to deal with having a car. Traffic, parking and ZTL (Limited Traffic Zones) will make your time in Rome more stressful, which is definitely not what you want! So ditch the car and enjoy the city for all its worth, starting with lodging near the center.
Plan ahead for your Rome Itinerary
It’s nice to visit Rome in the off season if you can. This city can be really hot in the summer, and full of tourists. If you do go there in the summer, remember that not all accommodations have air-conditioning so you may want to consider that in making your reservations. Also, some places close in August so the owners can go on vacation themselves.
You will want to plan ahead in order to see some of the best sites. Reserving your entry time at key attractions can save you loads of time. You will see those who didn’t make reservations standing in line in the hot sun and you will whisk past them at your pre-reserved time slot. If you don’t make reservations, you may even miss out on your opportunity to see an important site. So planning ahead is very helpful.
If you have enough time before you visit, it’s even fun to read a few great books before you travel to Rome. I love both Angels and Demons by Dan Brown and The Agony and The Ecstasy by Irving Stone. If you read these before your travels, some of the images will come alive for you and it will further enhance your time in this magical city. The movies are great, too, if you would prefer!
What to Include in a 3 or 4 Day Itinerary for Rome
The following sites are the ones that I would include in a 3 or 4-day itinerary for Rome. Putting the elements of your own personal schedule together depends on when you arrive, how many people you are traveling with, and their ages and energy levels, the interests of the group, the timing of your visit, etc, but if your time is planned well, you can look forward to visiting the following main sites.
Vatican City
The Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Basilica are high on our list of must-see’s in Rome. It’s high on a lot of lists – during the summer, approximately 20,000 people crane their necks to see the wonders of the Sistine Chapel each day! You won’t be alone! There are lots of different ways to visit and your strategy really depends on your time, budget, stamina and level of interest.
We recommend purchasing a ticket beforehand so that you can skip the line. Also, if you can, go early in the day. One way you can buy your ticket early is to purchase it directly from the Vatican. Even better, if you want to splurge on one place in Rome to hire a guide, this is the place. Having a fantastic guide who can answer all your questions and lead you to those special places and pieces that interest you most can make this vast site come alive for you and your travel companions!
