Rome rewards unhurried travelers. Over 2,700 years, emperors, popes, artists, and chefs turned this city into an open-air museum—and a world capital of food, fashion, and la dolce vita. In one week you can savor the Colosseum and Roman Forum, the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, and still have time for quiet courtyards, neighborhood trattorie, and golden-hour rooftops.

Expect contrasts: grand Baroque fountains beside espresso counters, Renaissance masterpieces steps from contemporary galleries in Ostiense, and ancient roads like the Appian Way where you can cycle past tombs and pines. Rome is cinematic, but it’s also disarmingly intimate—best discovered through slow walks, long lunches, and spontaneous detours.

Practical notes: Book timed tickets for the Colosseum, Borghese Gallery, and Vatican Museums well ahead. Churches require covered shoulders and knees. Use contactless cards on buses/metro or grab a 72-hour or weekly pass. Watch for pickpockets in crowded areas and around major sights. Finally, arrive hungry—Rome’s cucina romana is a delicious history lesson served on a plate.

Rome

Rome dazzles with headline sights—Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona—and equally with neighborhoods like Monti, Trastevere, Testaccio, Jewish Ghetto, and Prati. It’s a city of layers: pagan temples repurposed as churches, power painted on palace ceilings, and rail depots reborn as foodie halls.

• Top must-sees: Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine, Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, Borghese Gallery, Capitoline Museums, Castel Sant’Angelo.
• Local life: Campo de’ Fiori market mornings; late-night piazza buzz in Trastevere; Testaccio’s market lunches; sunset from the Janiculum.
• Fun fact: The Pantheon’s concrete dome (126 CE) is still the world’s largest unreinforced one, and its oculus doubles as a celestial spotlight.

Where to stay (best areas): Centro Storico (walk to major sights), Monti (boutique vibe near the Forum), Trastevere (nightlife and cobbles), Prati (quiet base near the Vatican), Testaccio/Ostiense (food and art). Browse stays: Search Rome vacation rentals on VRBO or Compare Rome hotels on Hotels.com.

Getting there and around: Fly into FCO or CIA. Compare flights to Europe and within Europe on Omio (flights). From FCO, the Leonardo Express to Termini takes ~32 minutes (about €14); taxis to the center are a fixed ~€50. For trains within Italy (Florence, Naples, Tivoli), search Omio (trains in Europe).

Day 1: Arrival, Centro Storico Stroll, and a Roman Welcome

Morning: Fly or train into Rome. Drop bags at your hotel/apartment near the Centro Storico or Monti to maximize walkability. Grab a restorative espresso at Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè (classic wood-roasted beans) or Faro – Luminari del Caffè (third-wave profiles) and a cornetto.

Afternoon: Begin with an easy loop: the Pantheon’s monumental dome, Piazza Navona’s Bernini fountains, and the baroque theatrics of Trevi Fountain (toss a coin over the left shoulder). For a quick bite, Forno Campo de’ Fiori serves superb pizza al taglio—try the rossa or potato-and-rosemary slices.

Evening: Watch twilight from the Spanish Steps, then dine near the Pantheon. Book Armando al Pantheon (classic carbonara, abbacchio) or Retrobottega (modern Roman tasting menus with an open kitchen). Finish with gelato at Gelateria del Teatro (sage-lime white chocolate and bright fruit sorbets) and a passeggiata through softly lit streets.

Day 2: Colosseum, Roman Forum, Capitoline Art, and Monti Night

Morning: Timed entry to the Colosseum right after opening avoids crowds. Consider the “Full Experience” ticket (about €24) for arena floor or underground access. Continue through the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill—the birthplace of Rome—with sweeping views over ancient rooftops.

Afternoon: Refuel in Monti: La Prezzemolina for porchetta sandwiches or Trattoria Monti for Le Marche specials (if you want a sit-down lunch, book). Explore the Capitoline Museums (Michelangelo’s piazza, the She-Wolf, bronze Marcus Aurelius) and enjoy the terrace view over the Forum.

Evening: Aperitivo at Monti’s BlackMarket Hall or wine at Enoteca Cavour 313. Dinner at Urbana 47 (market-driven Italian) or Osteria del Sostegno (cozy Roman). Nightcap at Drink Kong, one of Europe’s most acclaimed cocktail bars, where Japanese minimalism meets inventive mixology.

Day 3: Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Dome, and Trastevere Flavors

Morning: Early timed entry to the Vatican Museums (about €22–€25 online) to admire the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. Dress code enforced. Walk into St. Peter’s Basilica and, if you’ve got the stamina, climb the dome (elevator + stairs; about €10) for a bird’s-eye view of Rome.

Afternoon: Lunch near the Vatican at Pizzarium Bonci—famed for creative pizza al taglio toppings and superb dough—or at Pastasciutta for quick, fresh pasta. Cross the Tiber via Ponte Sant’Angelo and tour Castel Sant’Angelo’s ramparts for river panoramas.

Evening: Wander Trastevere’s lanes. Book Da Enzo al 29 (cacio e pepe, artichokes alla giudia) or Taverna Trilussa (pasta tossed in pecorino or guanciale pans). Sip natural wines at Il Goccetto near Campo de’ Fiori or agave-forward cocktails at La Punta Expendio de Agave. Gelato at Otaleg! caps the night.

Day 4: Baroque Rome, Caravaggio’s Masterpieces, and the Borghese Gallery

Morning: Espresso at Tazza d’Oro, then step into the Pantheon’s cool interior and admire the oculus beam. Visit San Luigi dei Francesi to see Caravaggio’s St. Matthew cycle, then stroll to Piazza Navona’s Fountain of the Four Rivers.

Afternoon: Lunch at Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina (iconic carbonara, excellent cured meats) or Roscioli Caffè for supplì and pastries. Head to Villa Borghese for your timed Borghese Gallery visit (about €15 plus booking)—Bernini’s David and Apollo & Daphne are kinetic marble miracles. Enjoy a park bike ride or rowboat afterward.

Evening: Aperitivo at Salotto 42 with a view of the Temple of Hadrian. Dinner at Osteria delle Coppelle (Roman hits in a lively square) or the contemporary Retrobottega if you didn’t go earlier. Toast with amaro or a spritz at Terrazza del Pincio overlooking sunset skies.

Day 5: Appian Way Cycling, Catacombs, and the Baths of Caracalla

Morning: Rent bikes near Porta San Sebastiano and roll onto the Via Appia Antica, the “Regina Viarum.” Ancient basalt stones, umbrella pines, and mausoleums line this storied road. Tour one catacomb—San Callisto or Domitilla (about €10–€13; guided only)—for a fascinating early-Christian history lesson.

Afternoon: Picnic with focaccia and cheese from a neighborhood forno, or pause at Appia Antica Caffè. Cycle back toward the city and explore the Baths of Caracalla (about €8–€10), a monumental 3rd-century spa complex where mosaics and soaring brickwork evoke imperial leisure.

Evening: Head to the Aventine for the famous keyhole view of St. Peter’s, then dine in Testaccio. Book Felice a Testaccio (tonnarelli cacio e pepe tossed tableside) or Flavio al Velavevodetto (amatriciana under Monte dei Cocci’s amphorae). Grab craft beer at Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà in nearby Trastevere.

Day 6: Markets, Industrial-Chic Art, and Ostiense Street Food

Morning: Breakfast at Marigold Roma in Ostiense (sourdough, cinnamon buns, seasonal plates). Graze your way through Mercato Testaccio: Mordi & Vai’s legendary panino with slow-cooked beef, CasaManco’s inventive pizza, and fresh fruit cups. Peek at the Pyramid of Cestius and the serene Protestant Cemetery (Keats and Shelley).

Afternoon: Explore Centrale Montemartini, where classical statues live among vintage turbines—a striking dialogue between antiquity and industry. Coffee break at Doppiozeroo (great bakery) or Pergamino if you loop back toward the Vatican. If you love contemporary art, add a stop at the nearby street murals of Via del Porto Fluviale.

Evening: Book Seu Pizza Illuminati for modern pies (try the Margherita with aged provola or seasonal specials) or head to Trastevere’s Cesare al Casaletto for Roman comfort dishes and an excellent wine list. Late cocktails at Jerry Thomas Speakeasy (reservation required) or Negroni variations at Caffè Propaganda by the Colosseum.

Day 7: Jewish Ghetto, Last Sips, and Departure

Morning: Cappuccino and maritozzo at Roscioli Caffè or Pasticceria Regoli. Stroll the Jewish Ghetto: Portico d’Ottavia ruins, turtle fountain in Piazza Mattei, and kosher-Roman bakeries perfuming the lanes. Visit Largo di Torre Argentina, now a protected cat sanctuary amid Julius Caesar–era remains.

Afternoon: Early lunch before you go: Nonna Betta (artichokes alla giudia, fried cod) or Ba’Ghetto (homestyle Roman-Jewish plates). Pick up edible souvenirs—pecorino, guanciale, biscotti—then depart for the airport or station. For transport, compare options on Omio (flights) and Omio (trains in Europe); buses to airports are also listed on Omio (buses in Europe).

Practical Tips and Bookings

• Tickets to book ahead: Colosseum (choose early time), Vatican Museums (early entry or late afternoon), Borghese Gallery (required reservations).
• Transit: Contactless tap-in on metro/bus/tram works; 72-hour and weekly passes are good value if you ride daily.
• Seasonal notes: Summer is hot—plan indoor museums midday and evening walks. Winter is quieter; pack layers and enjoy shorter lines.
• Where to stay: Browse options on VRBO (Rome) and Hotels.com (Rome) by neighborhood and budget.

This 7-day Rome itinerary blends headline monuments with local rituals—morning coffee bars, market lunches, slow evenings in piazzas. You’ll leave with a camera full of marble and a palate tuned to pecorino, pepper, and perfect espresso—and the comforting feeling that you’ve truly met the Eternal City.