A Weekend in Rome: Our Top Tips

Rome rewards a slow pace: big sights in the morning, long lunches and evening walks through lit-up piazzas. Here are our tips for a weekend in the Eternal City.

Book the big three in advance

The Colosseum (with the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill) and the Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel use timed tickets that often sell out. Book online before you travel and arrive early. St Peter's Basilica is free to enter, but expect a security queue.

A simple two-day plan

Day 1: Colosseum and Forum in the morning, lunch in Monti, then the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain as the light fades.

Day 2: Vatican Museums early, St Peter's, then cross the river to Trastevere for dinner.

Good to know

• Churches, including St Peter's, ask for covered shoulders and knees – a light scarf in your day bag solves it.
• Refill your bottle at the city's public drinking fountains.
• Coffee at the bar is cheaper than at a table.
• Watch your bag on crowded buses and at busy sights – a zipped crossbody bag is safest.
• Rome's cobbles are hard work: pack your most comfortable shoes.

What to pack

• A cabin bag or under-seat backpack
• A crossbody bag or anti-theft day bag
• A reusable water bottle
• A UK to EU plug adapter (Italy uses type C, F and L sockets)
• A power bank – maps and photos drain your battery fast

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