Day one: the ancient city
Spend the morning at the Colosseum, then walk through the Roman Forum and up the Palatine Hill. Lunch in Monti, where narrow streets hide wine bars and trattorias, before climbing the Capitoline Hill for its view across the Forum.
In the late afternoon, walk to the Circus Maximus and on to the Aventine Hill. The garden of oranges there has a terrace with a view toward St Peter's dome, and nearby is the famous keyhole in the gate of the Knights of Malta, which frames the dome perfectly. Dinner in Testaccio, at a traditional trattoria, rounds off the day.
Day two: the Vatican
Book an early timed entry to the Vatican Museums, one of the largest museum complexes in the world. The route leads through galleries of sculpture, maps and tapestries to the Raphael Rooms and, finally, the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo's ceiling and Last Judgment are best enjoyed in silence. Photography is not permitted in the chapel.
Afterwards, visit St Peter's Basilica, the largest church in Christendom, home to Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's great bronze canopy. If you have the energy, climb the dome for a view over the colonnaded square. Spend the evening in Prati or walk across the river via Castel Sant'Angelo and its bridge of angels.
Day three: baroque Rome
Start at the Pantheon early, before the crowds, then wander to Piazza Navona with Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers. Stop in San Luigi dei Francesi to see Caravaggio's paintings and grab a coffee nearby.
Walk via the Trevi Fountain, where tradition says that tossing a coin over your shoulder ensures a return to Rome, to the Spanish Steps. In the afternoon, choose between the Villa Borghese gardens and the Borghese Gallery, which requires a reservation and contains spectacular sculptures by Bernini and paintings by Caravaggio and Titian. Spend your last evening in Trastevere.
Leave space to wander
The best moments in Rome are often unplanned: a fountain in a hidden courtyard, a church glimpsed through an open door or a long aperitivo that turns into dinner. Do not overschedule; three days is enough for the highlights if you accept that you will need to come back.
If you are flying with AeroVista, check in online up to 72 hours before departure, and allow plenty of time for the journey to Fiumicino on your last day.
Good to know
- The Vatican Museums are usually closed on Sundays except for occasional special openings.
- Book the Borghese Gallery well ahead, as entry is limited.
- Dress modestly for the Vatican; covered shoulders and knees are required.