Rome in 5 Days: An Itinerary with Tivoli and the Appian Way

How to organise five days in Rome

The most important thing is to book ahead the most popular sites: the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and the Borghese Gallery. Our guide to tickets to book in Rome lists everything that requires a time slot. Group the sites by district and keep a whole day for Tivoli. For getting around, see transport in Rome; for where to sleep, where to stay in Rome.

Day 1: ancient Rome

Start with the Colosseum, then the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill, often combined on one ticket. In the afternoon, climb the Capitoline: the Capitoline Museums show the Capitoline Wolf and a view over the Forum. Finish with a stroll in Trastevere: see our guide to Trastevere.

Day 2: the Vatican

The morning belongs to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel: book the first slot of the morning. Then go down to St Peter's Basilica, and in the afternoon to Castel Sant'Angelo. The Vatican Museums are closed on Sunday (except the last Sunday of the month, free but very crowded).

Day 3: the Baroque centre

This day is done on foot: the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, then the Palazzo Altemps, one of the finest museums of antiquities in the city and often quieter than the big names. In the afternoon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and, if you have booked, the Borghese Gallery in its park. It is closed on Monday.

Day 4: Tivoli, Villa d'Este and Hadrian's Villa

Tivoli is about an hour from Rome. Start with the Villa d'Este and its fountain gardens, closed on Monday, then Hadrian's Villa, a huge imperial residence. Bring walking shoes and, in summer, water. Our guide to day trips from Rome compares the other possible outings.

Day 5: the Appian Way, then south Rome

Morning: the Appian Way and the catacombs

The Appian Way is the most famous Roman road. Rent a bike or walk on the old paving stones, and visit the catacombs, which can only be visited with a guide and close one day a week depending on the site.

Afternoon: Ostiense and EUR

Head back towards Ostiense on metro line B. The Centrale Montemartini, a former power station turned museum, displays ancient statues among industrial machinery. Continue to the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, one of the four major basilicas. At the end of the day, if you still have energy, the EUR district and the Museum of Civilisations are a few metro stops further on the same line B; the museum closes at 7pm and on Mondays.

Summary

Going further

If you have one more day, see our itinerary for Rome in 4 days. To estimate the cost of the stay, see the budget for a trip to Rome, and for the season, the best time to visit Rome.