In this 5 day travel guide to Rome travel guide, you do as the Romans do. There’s a good reason for that saying (or that variation 🙂 ). If you have not yet traveled to Rome, don’t sleep on this stunning city! The Romans do it right from the gelato, to the wine, to their friendly service. I cannot express how much joy and endless pasta this city brought my husband and I.
Just know, we didn’t come across one restaurant that we considered “bad.” Everything was amazing in our opinion. I hope you enjoy your time in the beautiful city if you choose to go the route we did and for the skimmers, take a look at the top things to do in Italy’s capital. There is so much to do and see in Rome, it’s impossible to fit it all in with just 5 days. That’s why this travel guide to Rome is jam packed. If you have any questions, please send me a note and I’d love to help you on your next adventure there!
DAY 1
On my first day in any city, I like to get my bearings. If you choose to stay outside the heart of it, you’ll need to understand the metro system. This can be stress-inducing, but it doesn’t have to be! With 5 days to spend in Rome, you’ll want to get a good understanding of how the city is laid out and how you’ll get around so be sure to check out my Rome travel tips.
+ SPANISH STEPS
To get a good grasp on the city, head straight to the Spanish Steps. If you get there early enough, you can beat the crowds and get an absolutely beautiful picture on the steps.
+ PIAZZA DI SPAGNA
Right below the Spanish Steps is Piazza di Spagna. You may recognize the Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna because you paid attention in history class, but if you’re like me, it’s because you’ve seen the Lizzie McGuire movie. So it’s obvious this travel guide to Rome had to include it on the first day. Through the narrow streets, you’ll find the infamous shopping center of Rome — Via con Dotti.
+ ALLA RAMPA
After shopping your heart out, take a break by grabbing lunch at Alla Rampa. For all the amazing food we ate in Rome, I wouldn’t say this is a must eat at restaurant since it’s a bit on the pricey side compared to all other Roman restaurants, but the food and service were great.
+ TREVI FOUNTAIN
Trevi Fountain is a bit of walk from the steps and it is always packed. Be prepared for a big crowd and tons of people tying to sell you every trinket under the sun. Sometimes it’s even under renovation or construction so you may want to take this into account when you’re traveling.
+ MELOGRANO
Right next to the Trevi Fountain should be your first gelato of the trip! I like to think I’m a gelato connoisseur. We ate gelato all 5 days in Rome and sometimes after every meal. So if you following this travel guide to Rome, you will have plenty of gelato options. Melograno was just one of favorite places for gelato in Rome.
+ PANTHEON
The Pantheon is next on your first tour of the city and it’s about a 10 minute walk from the Trevi Fountain. The Pantheon was one of my favorite spots so I had to include it on my travel guide to Rome. It was originally built for Roman gods and the construction of it is incredible for how old it is. It’s free to enter, so step inside and take a look at the beauty .
+ PIAZZA DI NAVONA
After the Pantheon, you can head over to Piazza di Novana for some more culture in your travel guide to Rome. This is the lesser known of the piazza’s (plaza). This plaza has beautiful fountains and churches circling it that will catch your eye. This is also my first warning of tourist traps. The restaurants lined along this piazza and most monuments will have tourist traps enticing you in.
+ LA TAVERNATTA 48
For our first dinner in the city, we headed to La Tavernetta 48. If there is one place I would recommend eating at in this travel guide to Rome, La Tavernetta 48 is it! This place is such a hidden gem. So much so, it’s literally hidden on it’s own little path! If you are looking for a restaurant where the locals eat, taste amazing food, and drink like a Roman for cheap then this is your place. The restaurant is so good that we were tempted to go back the next day. To this day, B says it’s still the best meal he’s ever had. We had a quart of the house white and red to top off the meal and both were delicious.
+ CIAMPINI
Holy moly. This was by far my favorite place for gelato in Rome. It is absolutely delicious so we obviously revisited three other times!
DAY 2
Whether you have a month or just 5 days in Rome, I encourage you to go full out tourist and do all the things Rome is known for. Book a tour in advance to see the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
+ COLOSSEUM
Here is the Colosseum and Roman Forum tour we booked. I loved this tour because you get access to the Underground part of the Colosseum. When you book a visit to the Colosseum through them, you also skip the times and their guide will fill you in on all the tidbits you would’ve missed without a travel guide to the Rome Colosseum. I will note, though, that once you are in the Colosseum, they have their own tour guides that you must use. However, your tour guide is there as a resource as well.
On the tour, we were able to see the underground of the Colosseum where the gladiators would wait until battle. Plus, with the tour we purchased, you’ll have access to the top tier level for an epic view of the Roman Forum. Depending on what tour you purchase, it will take you to different parts of the venue. On my first visit to Rome, I didn’t do the underground and upper level so it was amazing to see more parts of the venue.
+ ROMAN FORUM
The Roman Forum is so massive and unless you have a guide, I don’t think you’ll truly understand the beauty you’re looking at. To book a stand alone Roman Forum guide, you can find different ones here. To the unknowing eye, it looks like a bunch of ruins. There is so much to see that you could easily spend a half a day here as well. I think it’s amazing to think this is where Julius Caesar walked all those years ago.
+ CAPITAL HILL
After the Roman forum, walk up to Capital Hill for a stunning look at the city. Some even go to this spot for sunset.
+ ARCH OF CONSTANTINE
Before heading to lunch, stop by the Arch of Constantine. This is right outside the Roman Forum and if you visit the top level of the Colosseum, you will get a great view of it. Be sure to get a few pictures up close, too.
+ LI RIONI
For lunch, you’ll want somewhere that isn’t touristy so keep walking a bit past the Colosseum on Via de Saint Quatro road. We wanted to make the most of our trip by finding places we wouldn’t regularly find back home. Li Rioni was the perfect little place for a post-walking tour. The atmosphere was sweet and the food was great.
+ FLAVIO AL VALVADITO
Another remarkable restaurant is Flavio Al Valvadito. You won’t regret stepping into this Roman establishment. It’s a bit out of the city center and you won’t find many tourists here. While most restaurants in Rome have a half English/Italian menu to satisfy American tourists, this one doesn’t. You have to actually ask to see a menu in English. They offer a seasonal menu so things on the menu may not be available depending on when and what time you go. Get a bottle of the Le Puche if you like white wine. B had the Tonnarelli Cache e Pepe and I opted for the Rigatoni al Gricia. Both were delicious.
Side note, after a day full of tours, we typically went back to our hotel for our own Roman siesta before dinner. For more information what that means, check out my tips to Rome.
+ FANTAMORGANA
Another place so nice, we visited twice. Safe to say we love our gelato. This little shop had a wide variety of flavors and it’s set up among the coolest streets.
DAY 3
+ CAFE SCIASCIA
ake up early on your third day and start it off right at Cafe Sciascia. I cannot rave about this little café enough. I did not find a better cappuccino in Rome than at Cafe Sciascia. Also, I don’t regularly drink capp’s, but there’s something about the Roman culture that made me addicted to them! The croissants were great, too! For reference, you order at the bar first (all the way in the back) and on your way out, pay at the cashier by the door. Just let them know what you had!
+ TIBER RIVER & AUGUSTUS MAUSOLEUM
Take a cappuccino to go and spend the morning walking the Tiber River. After your walk, head on back in to the city center for some more shopping at Via Con Dotti. I bought three purses here (oops!) and they were all significantly cheap.
We also checked out Augustus Mausoleum and Piazza Barberini. They are both within walking distance.
+ GUSTO
After walking all day, grab lunch at Gusto. Order a glass of wine and sit outside. Two of my favorite things at this place: lot’s of pasta and lots of people watching.
+ D.O.M. HOTEL
For some pre-dinner drinks, head to the top of the D.O.M hotel. We showed up around 7, which was right before sunset. Their rooftop bar was great. Not very scenic, but I loved their wine list!
+ CUL-DE-SAC
Dining at Cul-de-Sac is a culinary experience. It’s a restaurant you cannot miss and another gem on this travel guide to Rome. Located near the Trevi Fountain, choose to dine outside. The food is incredible and the wine was even better. We even bought a bottle of the wine we had at dinner at the general store nearby. We spent nearly three hours here just eating and drinking. The thing I love about their culture, unlike America, is the fact that dinner is like an event for them. You aren’t rushed whatsoever. Dining is such a huge part of their culture that they allow and really expect you to take your time. I would recommend getting a reservation here in advance for a seat outside.
+ EXPLORE ROME AT NIGHT
Be sure to stop by the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain at night time for a view you won’t get during the day.
Exploring Rome at night is a whole other affair. It’s like a different city after dark. While the streets are full of life during the day, at dusk the atmosphere shifts. The street vendors selling Gucci and Louis Vuitton knock-offs come out, the city lights up, and the street performers begin to entertain.
Be sure to stop by the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain at night time for a view you won’t get during the day.
DAY 4
With 5 days to spend in Rome, I recommend using one of the days to take a day trip to Tuscany. This was another tour we did and we absolute loved it! I couldn’t recommend it enough. The trip leaves early so grab something for breakfast the night before. You won’t find anything open in Rome before 8 AM.
Our tour guide, Laura, was lovely and she enlightened us about the cities we would be visiting on our way there and throughout the whole trip. It was a day filled of roaming through each little village, some wine tasting and an incredible lunch experience inside the infamous Brunello di Montalcino. If you are looking for other day trips from Rome, there are plenty of options to choose from. We also looked at the Capri day trip for reference!
On this trip, we visited multiple cities including Montelpuciano, Montalcino, Pienza and Val d’Orcia.
+ MONTELPUCIANO
Our first stop was Montelpuciano. Ever since our visit here, I notice so many stores back home are stocked with wines from this little town. It makes my heart happy to see it every time.
+ MONTALCINO & BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO
Lunch and wine tasting at Brunello di Montalcino. Wow is all I can say. The wine was what wine-o dreams are made of. Leave with a few bottles of their famous Poggo Il Castellare. It is so cheap to buy directly from them rather than back in the United States. Because of the distributers and middle-men, stores are able to up-charge the bottles an insane amount.
+ PIENZA
Our our way back to Rome, we stopped in Pienza. This place is known for their sheep’s milk cheese. We were able to taste some at a local store there and ohhh my goshhh. If visiting, be sure to stop at this picturesque town!
DAY 5
With 5 days in Rome, there is no excuse not to visit the Vatican. You should book a tour in advance — I’ve linked the tour we did here. There are many Vatican tours to choose from, but I chose this one because it gives you access to the Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. Similar to Rome, the Vatican is a place that can seem overwhelming with so much to see! It’s actually considered its own country so be prepared to show your passport upon entering. Plus, you may get a pope sighting if you are there for mass.
+ VATICAN MUSEUM
Inside the Vatican is the famous Vatican museum. It houses some of the most highly-honored pieces of art that the Catholic church owns like Michelango’s works of art. It’s nearly impossible to see it all in one day, let alone a couple of hours so this is where a tour guide comes in handy. They are able to point out the main and notably famous attractions while filling you in on items that you may have just passed by unknowingly.
+ ST. PETER’S BASILICA
St. Peter’s Basillica is known around the world as the largest church in the world. Not only is it a huge part of Catholicism, but is a piece of art as well. Designed by Michelango and other artists, it is a landmark heavily associated with the Renaissance style.
+ SISTINE CHAPEL
St. Peter’s Basillica is known around the world as the largest church in the world. Not only is it a huge part of Catholicism, but is a piece of art as well. Designed by Michelango and other artists, it is a landmark heavily associated with the Renaissance style.
The Sistine Chapel is located inside the Apostolic Palace, which is where the pop resides. It is another work of art that is absolutely breathtaking and mesmerizing. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was painted by the infamous Michelangelo. Unfortunately, there are no cameras allowed inside the Sistine Chapel. You just have to visit yourself to marvel at the beauty of it.
+ TRAPPIZINO & GALLERIA DEI GRACCI
After the tour, grab lunch at Trappizino. The food offered here is considered Italian street food and is so delicious! It’s right outside the city gates and very similar to a pizza cone in the States. It’s good for a quick and delicious bite. After, grab some more gelato at Galleria dei Gracci.
+ VATICAN GARDENS
If you some time to spare while in the area, check out the Vatican Gardens. Spread out over their 57 acres are medieval monuments dating back to the 9th century surrounded by lush greenery.
+ HOTEL EL CAPO
After a full day of walking and exploring, grab a sunset view for dinner at Hotel Capo. Make sure you reserve ahead of time and request a table with a view. Hotel guests get the first seats based on a first come, first serve basis so this is another place you will want to plan ahead. If you’re lucky, they will have music playing after dark — the perfect way to end your time in Rome.
+ COLOSSEUM AT NIGHT
After your last dinner, head over to see the Colosseum one last time. At night time, it’s lit up and offers such a different view than during the day time. It’s a sight to see.
I hope my travels give you just enough insight into what you can and should do in 5 days when visiting Rome for the first time. There really is no place like it. When in Rome.
HAPPY TRAVELS, LIZ STANFORD
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