If you have been following recent posts, our family trip to Italy began and ended in Rome, with one day on the front end and 2.5 days on the back end. This left us just 3.5 total days to to experience one of the most historic and delicious cities in the world. Knowing our audience, we prioritized the Rome’s tourist highlights and eating the best food possible.

Rome at sunset.

Now, is that enough time in Rome? Absolutely not. But if you’re planning a 1–2 week Italy itinerary and hopping around Italy, this is realistically the amount of time many travelers dedicate to Rome. The good news? With the right plan, 3.5 days is enough to see Rome’s iconic highlights, wander its charming streets, soak in centuries of history, and — perhaps most importantly — eat some absolutely unforgettable food.

Centro Storcio, Roma.

This article breaks down exactly how we spent our time in Rome, what’s worth prioritizing, and how to experience the city without feeling completely overwhelmed.

The Colosseum.

DAY 1: LANDING IN ROME, ROOFTOP DINING, TREVI FOUNTAIN, A FOOD TOUR THROUGH TRASTEVERE, AND SANT’IGNAZIO CHURCH

We excitedly arrived in Rome on a Saturday morning. Immigration was delightfully quick and all our luggage arrived. A pre-booked car had us at our hotel by noon. This trip, unlike other Rome trips, we spent our first night in the Piazza Barberini area, at Hotel Rome Mate Collection Filippo and the Aleph Rome. Both hotels were excellent and highly recommended. We selected these hotels knowing they would be great for a restful first night (i.e., strong air conditioning and American mattresses, IYKYK).

The very beautiful Hotel Room Mate Collection.

After dropping our luggage, most of the group walked to Rinascente, which is an upscale Roman department store (kind of like Printemps or Galleries Lafayette in Paris). We [sadly] did not shop and instead made our way to the rooftop restaurant for lunch and Roman views. The weather was perfect. We started the trip strong with a delicious focaccia pizza topped with prosciutto and figs.

Fig & Prosciutto Foccacia at Rinascente.

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