See Rome without tours without missing out on top sites with our tips! I am from Rome and this is my expert, tried and tested 3 day Rome itinerary to see Rome in three days (or more!) without guided tours, perfect for travelers on a budget or spontaneous explorers.
Rome is fantastic city with plenty to see and having an itinerary is a great way to make sure you see the sites you most dearly want to see in the most efficient and pleasant way.
However if you search for Rome itineraries, you will notice that many are full of tours and activities, that may leave you the idea that Rome has little to offer, unless you fill your time with ‘things to do’.
But nothing if further from the truth!
Rome is a fantastic place for spontaneous explorations and while I myself do recommend tours and activities, I only do so for the people who want them, not because I believe there is any need for them to enjoy the city.
If you love to keep plans loose (or visiting Rome on a budget), you’ll find Rome to be the perfect place for it!
So today, I want to share a itinerary that includes no structured activities, yet still ensures you see Rome top sites and make the most of your time, without running around.
I hope you enjoy it!
Getting skip the line tickets to main attractions in Rome without tours
Getting skip the tickets to Rome top attractions without opting for a tour is easy and budget friendly.
All Rome top attractions now have timed entry tickets and this means all ticket holders go straight to the entrance, skipping the line at the ticket office.
Skip the line is very much a misnomer: the line is at the ticket office if you are buying on the day only. Skip the line is only an outdated way to say that you buy tickets ahead of your visit and therefore you do not need to queue up. It does not mean you skip the security line or are given priority at security checks: everyone queues the same at security, not matter what ticket you have. All online timed tickets are effectively ‘skip the line’, you do not need a tour to ‘skip the line’!
No matter how spontaneous you want to be, there are some places in Rome that need reservation. These are:
Colosseum – There is a very limited number of tickets available on the day at the ticket office but they sell out fast and usually the line to get them is very long.
It is best to book online from the official site https://ticketing.colosseo.it You can read here >>> how to get tickets for the Colosseum from the official site. Should they be sold out, find here >>> How to get tickets to the Colosseum
Vatican Museums – The Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel have endless lines so it is paramount to secure tickets in advance or you’ll spend the day queuing!
The official site is https://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html Should they be sold out, find here >>> How to get tickets to the Vatican Museums
Borghese Gallery – The Borghese Gallery operates on online bookings only. You can book tickets from the official site here >>> https://galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it/en/ Should they be sold out, find here >>> How to get tickets to the Borghese Gallery
Resources to learn about Rome without a tour
There are many free and inexpensive resources to learn about Rome without joining tours. I recommend you check out:
Attractions audioguides and app provided by the attractions themselves. These are usually the most comprehensive and up to dates source of information and allow for a self paced, informative visit
Rick Steve’s Audio Tours: not necessarily always up to date but nonetheless a good source of information for those parts of the visit that are evergreen
My own guides of course, which you find for free on this website (links below, beside each attraction I cover!)
My recommended Itinerary to see Rome without tours
This itinerary for Rome without tours wants to give an idea of how to see the top sites even without resorting to organized activities.
As much as possible, I have given ideas to suit different interest and and I have done it over the course of 3 days, as this is a common amount of time in Rome I am asked itineraries for and is a length of time you may need an itinerary for if you want to see the most famous sites.
Day 1 – Trevi Fountain, Colosseum, Monti
I like to start all trips to Rome with a visit to Trevi, the Colosseum and surrounding area. On this day, I recommend you see:
Trevi Fountain (click to read my guide to it!) – I recommend this at the very start of the day, if you are an early riser, as early morning is the quietest time at this busy fountain
The Colosseum – any time is good, I wouldn’t stress about finding a ‘best time’ as the experience won’t genuinely change much, no matter where you go!
The Forum and Palatine Hill (click to read my guide to it!) – especially if you love history but really, also if you do not, since the views of the Forum and from the Palatine terrace are stunning even with no historical context
Monti (click to read my guide to it!) – this is a lovely, charming and historic part of Rome, with cobbled streets, cute shops and restaurants, a fantastic way for spontaneous strolling and dinner (find here my Monti restaurants recommendations)
Day 2 – Pantheon, Centro Storico, Navona area
The area of Pantheon and Navona is the heart of Rome city center and you may spend days here without running out of things to do so, especially if you love art.
For a first visit, I recommend you visit:
The Pantheon – possibly inside, but at least from the outside.
The Pantheon is an ancient Roman temple turned church, and a perfectly preserved examples of an ancient Roman building.
It has a unique architecture and a peculiar hole on its roof that has captured the imaginations of visitors for centuries (and sparked the wildest legends!)
Piazza Navona (click to read my guide to it!) – one of the most famous squares in Rome if not the most famous of all.
Originally an ancient Roman stadium, the piazza is now a masterpiece of baroque architecture, and it is graced by the beautiful fountains by Bernini and the beautiful facade of Santa Agnese in Agone, by Borromini.
Campo de’ Fiori (click to read my guide to it!) – a buzzy, vibrant square with a (touristy) produce market in the morning and many cafes and outdoor eateries.
While now very busy, Campo de’ Fiori is a historic, beautiful square to experience: worth also paying attention to the statue of Giordano Bruno in its centre, in memory of the philosopher who lost his life at the stake in this very spot.
Cobbled streets – The historic centre of Rome is where you find Rome’s famous cobbled streets, which are a delight for spontaneous explorers.
You do not need an itinerary here and I would actually strongly recommend to stroll with your nose up in the air to soak them in, but for you to be sure you’ll find them (you will anyway…) I recommend you go towards Piazza del Fico, Via della Pace, Via dei Coronari, Largo Febo, PIazza di Pietra and all that area.
Churches – Rome city center has stunning churches.
If you love art, you will love to learn that many have masterpieces by Michelangelo and Caravaggio (among others) you can visit for free just by popping into each church. Some I love visiting are San Luigi dei Francesi, Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, Sant’Agostino (for Caravaggio!), Sant’Ignazio
Good to know: Rome city center is very much an open air museum so while the list of things to see may seem limited, even just each of the places above has many layers to it! For instance, Piazza Navona has an incredible history as a piazza itself, it has one of the most famous fountains in Rome, the Fountain of the Four Rivers (the type of thing in most other places people would queue up for an buy tickets to see), an impressive church and it also has underground ruins of the ancient Roman stadium. I recommend you click on the links above with the guides to each area to see how much there is to see, it is truly endless!
For dinner, you can stay in the area.
Find here my favourite restaurants in Piazza Navona area, or you can walk across the river to Trastevere, which is also a fun and vibrant neighborhood and has plenty of restaurants to choose from.
Day 3: Vatican, Pincio Terrace, Spanish Steps
The Vatican is one of the marvels of Rome and there are many ways to go about it, depending on your interest.
If you wanted to see all the main Vatican sites, it is safe to plan a whole day in the area or anyway a large part of it.
If you only one to see one things, for instance the square and basilica, then half a day is sufficient.
Things to see a the Vatican include:
The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, which are wonderful for art lovers or if you are Catholic, due to the significance of the Chapel.
Without a tour, I recommend you get the museum audioguide for some insight on what you are seeing.
St Peter’s Basilica (click to read my guide to it!), on architectural and art accounts (as well as religious ones, if relevant). The basilica has a main part and the option to climb to the top of the dome.
St Peter’s Square (click to read my guide to it!), an architectural marvel by Bernini
Borgo (click to read my guide to it!), the lovely neighborhood around Vatican city, with pretty cobbled streets and cute restaurants
Castel Sant’Angelo – Castel Sant’Angelo is an ancient Roman Mausoleum turned Papal Fortress and it’s an incredible site to see.
It is close to the Vatican, just beside the River Tiber, and it is lovely to see for its significance and also for the wonderful views from its top. Good info panel make a visit without a guide easy and informative.
After the Vatican, I like to suggest going to the Pincio Terrace in the Borghese Gardens.
The Gardens are a beautiful public park and they have a stunning panoramic terrace offering stunning views over the city.
From here, you are also a short and beautiful walk away from the Spanish Steps: by going from here, you reach the steps from the top (saves your legs too!)
For dinner, you can stay in the area or get a taxi to Testaccio for a last Roman meal in a traditional restaurant such as Felice, which has the best cacio e pepe in the city.
Tips for this 3 day Rome itinerary
Where to stay: If budget allows, the best area to stay in Rome for a short stay is the city center (Pantheon / Navona), or Monti.
These areas are central, beautiful and well served: they also put you in a great location to reach most places on foot, adding to your day spontaneous, beautiful strolls!
Read here >>> my guide to the best areas to stay in Rome
If budget does not allow a central location, I suggest you look along the metro line instead, for instance areas at metro stops Bologna, Annibaliano, Libia, Conca d’Oro, Re di Roma, which are nice, local and well connected.
Restaurants: you do not need to book restaurants unless you have your heart set on a specific one.
Getting around: Rome is best discovered on foot but you may need to use public transport occasionally.
The app TicketAppy is a handy one to get tickets on the go (you may need to chance location settings on your phone to make it work) or if you have a card you can also use the tap and go system. Need to know: one card per person, as you can only tag once. Read here >>> how to use public transport in Rome.
Clothing: dress for the season and for churches! Rome is very seasonal so I recommend you use our monthly guides to know what to expect from the weather and pack accordingly. Find here >>> packing for Rome
Churches and especially the Vatican operate a dress code and it is important to abide to it both out of respect, no matter your religious beliefs, and practicality (they CAN turn you aways if not matching the rule, no matter how many people you may here who ‘got away’ with it. It is not worth the risk!)
Comfortable walking shoes are a must as you’ll find yourself walking a lot!
Traveling with kids as spontaneous explorers
I am a mom of two and I know the idea of being spontaneous with kids is at the same time appealing and terrifying!
The good news is that in Rome it is very easy to be spontaneous with kids as there are many things you can decide to do on the spot: parks and playgrounds of course, but also attractions such as Explore children museums, Ikono and Museum of Illusions can be booked last minute.
I have here >>> my list of parks close to Rome attractions, for random moments of play while sightseeing
And here >> my list of top attractions for children in Rome
In terms of tops visits, they are also possible without a tour! You can get tickets following the info above (kids go free in many cases) and if you want some easy entertainment, you can also use treasure hunts and ‘bucket lists’ to keep them going.
I made some for my kids to help them enjoy the main attractions and to have something to so while strolling (I call them ‘walking prompts!) and it made a huge difference in their willingness to walk and also in how much they got out of the city. You can find them all here >>> My Rome Scavenger Hunts for Kids
I hope you enjoy this quick guide and it helped you plan your spontaneous three days in Rome. Safe travels!
Three days in Rome itinerary with no tours, for spontaneous travelers – Pin this!
