Itinerary for visiting Rome in more than three days.

If you are in Rome for more than three days of sightseeing, we recommend the route below designed for a three-day visit, to which you can add certain monuments and museums according to your interests.

Day one visiting route

We suggest starting the visit at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, which you can reach by metro by getting off at Termini station.

The basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the four major basilicas of Rome.

On leaving the basilica, cross to the other side of the street to the church of Santa Prassede, which contains wonderful mosaics.

Then make your way to the Basilica of St John Lateran (San Giovanni in Laterano), by going down Via Merulana. St John Lateran is the cathedral of Rome; the Pope is its bishop. Do not forget to visit its cloister.

Take a look around you to see the city walls that still date from the Roman Empire.

Continue the visit along Via dei Santi Quattro Coronati and discover the church of the Four Crowned Saints, renowned for its frescoes and its cloister (you often have to ring to ask to see the frescoes, for a small donation).

Continue along the same street until you reach the Colosseum.

Walk around the Colosseum, the most famous amphitheatre of antiquity, and go and admire the Arch of Constantine. We advise you to buy tickets for the Colosseum visit at the Palatine entrance (beside the Arch of Constantine). It is a combined ticket covering the Colosseum, the Palatine and the Forum. It lets you skip the queue, which is often long at the Colosseum.

Then visit the Colosseum before returning to the Palatine. Stroll through the gardens and enjoy the view overlooking the Forum.

Continue the visit with the Forum and walk up it until you reach the Capitoline. From the Capitoline you will have a very fine view of the Forum. Piazza del Campidoglio was designed by Michelangelo.

Come back down by the great staircase opposite the Forum and pass in front of the monument dedicated to Victor Emmanuel II.

Then make your way to Trajan's Forum and its famous sculpted column, a stone's throw from the monument dedicated to Victor Emmanuel II.

From there climb up to the very fine Piazza del Quirinale (seat of the presidential palace) and admire the view over the city.

You can finish your visit by going to the Trevi Fountain and enjoying an ice cream at San Crispino. If you are facing the fountain, take the street on your right (Via del Lavatore) and take the second on the left, Via del Panneterai; the shop is small but highly regarded.

Day two visiting route

Make your way to the Vatican by getting off at Ottaviano-S. Pietro metro station.

Begin the visit with the Vatican Museums and the famous Sistine Chapel (inside the museum).

Continue the visit with St Peter's Square then the Basilica. You can also go up to the dome (be aware that you need to be in good physical condition to climb to the dome).

Then go down Via della Conciliazione to reach and visit Castel Sant'Angelo, once the tomb of the emperor Hadrian, later turned into a fortress by the Popes.

Cross the Ponte Sant'Angelo, admiring the statues of angels lining it, some of which are by Bernini.

Continue along Corso Vittorio Emanuele II to reach the Campo de' Fiori and Piazza Farnese, which is bordered by one of the finest palaces in the city, Palazzo Farnese, seat of the French embassy.

Then head for the famous Piazza Navona, which still has the shape of the stadium that stood here in Roman times.

On the way to the Pantheon, behind Piazza Navona, stop to visit the church of San Luigi dei Francesi, known for housing fine paintings by Caravaggio.

From there, head for the Pantheon and visit the interior. Take the chance to have a break and enjoy an ice cream, for example at Della Palma, a stone's throw from the Pantheon, which offers a huge choice of flavours! Turn your back on the Pantheon and take the street opposite (Via del Pantheon), continue for 200 metres. On your left the ice-cream parlour is on the corner.

Day three visiting route

Begin the day at Piazza Bocca della Verità. One way to get there is to take the metro to Circo Massimo station then walk up Via del Circo Massimo (which runs alongside the former Circus Maximus) until you reach the square.

There you can discover the famous Bocca della Verità, under the porch of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. Also visit the church, which is very fine.

Beside the church you will find the Forum Boarium and its ancient Roman monuments.

Then take the Ponte Palatino to reach Trastevere, a popular neighbourhood of Rome.

Along Via dei Vascellari you will reach the church of Santa Cecilia, which you will visit.

Then stroll through the streets to discover the life of this popular neighbourhood and make your way to the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere, on a fine square. After visiting the church, climb up to Piazza San Pietro in Montorio to discover the impressive fountain of the Acqua Paola and admire the view over the city.

You can then walk along the Passeggiata del Gianicolo to enjoy the various viewpoints over Rome and over the dome of St Peter's Basilica.

Then return to the heart of the city, for example via the Ponte Sisto, and head for Piazza di Spagna (the Spanish Steps). You can go via Campo de' Fiori then Piazza Navona, Piazza Colonna, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain to arrive at the Spanish Steps and discover its famous Trinità dei Monti staircase

If you still have time, from the top of the steps make your way to the Pincio, which overlooks Piazza del Popolo, and take a stroll in the Pincio park before coming back down to Piazza del Popolo and visiting the church of the same name.

The following days:

Depending on your interests, you can still discover many more of Rome's monuments and museums:

Museums:

Galleria Borghese: an exceptional visit, but booking is compulsory (you can ask your hotel to make the reservation).

Palazzo Altemps: houses part of the collections of the Museo Nazionale Romano, including the Ludovisi collection (Roman sculpture).

Palazzo Massimo alle Terme: it also houses part of the collections of the Museo Nazionale Romano, including ancient jewellery, a numismatic collection, sculptures and ancient frescoes.

Sites outside the historic centre:

Via Appia Antica: this ancient Roman road, partly closed to traffic, was lined with tombs. You will also find the city's best-known catacombs there, such as those of San Callisto.

Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls: one of the four major basilicas of Rome.

Outside the city:

Villa d'Este: at Tivoli, a 45-minute drive from Rome, Villa d'Este is a magnificent Renaissance villa renowned for its gardens and fountains.

Villa Adriana: near Villa d'Este, you can discover the ruins of the emperor Hadrian's former villa.