Locations / Italy
Rome
What we’ve learned from returning to Rome, including what we’d repeat, what we’d plan differently, and how we’d spend our time on another visit.
This is our ongoing Rome Location Guide, not a generic checklist. It brings together what has stayed useful across our visits. The specific dates, reservations, tours, and memories from October 2025 are recorded in the Rome Visit.
Our current take
Rome keeps getting better for me. On our first trip we concentrated on the famous sights, but returning gave us a chance to repeat our favorites and see more of the city beyond the standard historic-center route. The Pantheon, Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Vatican still make an impression even when you’ve already been there.
What surprised me most on the return visit was how much I enjoyed the places between the big attractions. We stayed across from the ancient Aurelian Walls, ran through nearly empty streets before sunrise, and spent a morning along the Appian Way. None of those things felt like a lesser version of a Rome trip.
What I’d prioritize in Rome
- Colosseum Underground, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. We’ve done this experience twice and would happily do it again. A good guide is especially valuable in the Forum.
- St. Peter’s Basilica. We finally made it inside during our 2025 return trip, including seeing Michelangelo’s Pietà. Give the dome extra time if you want to climb it.
- The Pantheon. The engineering, the dome, and the way this ancient building sits in the middle of the modern city make it a favorite of mine.
- Piazza Navona in the evening. I like the atmosphere around the fountains, restaurants, and streets after dark.
- A morning on the Appian Way. We particularly enjoyed the ancient road, the Catacombs of San Sebastiano, and the Villa of Maxentius.
What I’d plan differently
I would be careful about stacking two big timed reservations back to back. In 2025 our St. Peter’s visit ran long, and we had to skip the dome climb to make our Colosseum booking. I’d also avoid assuming a first-time visit should follow the same pace as our return trip. We packed a lot into about 54 hours because we already knew which sights we wanted to repeat and which we could leave for another time.
Around the Colosseum, I wouldn’t give anyone handing out bracelets or flowers an opening. We’ve encountered enough of that kind of tourist hassle there to know it’s easiest to keep moving. As for food, I wouldn’t build every meal around chasing a famous restaurant. Some of our best stops have come from simply asking a local guide where they’d go.
Where we’ve stayed
On our October 2025 visit, we stayed at The Tribune, JdV by Hyatt, close to Villa Borghese. We liked the boutique feel, the rooftop restaurant, and being able to run in the park nearby. There’s also an enormous section of the Aurelian Walls right across the street. We booked our rooms with Hyatt points, with a standard king room one night and a junior suite with a balcony the next.
The Rome experience I didn’t know I’d love: early-morning running
I’d seen someone running through Rome on Instagram before our 2025 trip and decided I wanted to do the same thing. I trained up to nine miles before leaving home, then Kalie and I ran about 5.9 miles through the city at around 5 AM. Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps felt completely different without the usual crowds, and that run helped spark my interest in running through other cities when we travel.
You don’t have to be a runner to enjoy that version of Rome. If your schedule allows it, an early walk through a few major squares is worth trying.
The Appian Way deserves more than a quick stop
Our return-trip golf-cart tour was a good introduction to the Appian Way, but it also showed us how much more there is to explore. We walked on surviving Roman paving, visited the catacombs, stepped into the Basilica of San Sebastiano, and saw the Villa of Maxentius. I would absolutely give that whole area more time on another trip.
How long I’d stay
For a first visit, I’d lean toward at least three or four full days if the Vatican Museums, ancient Rome, and some slower exploring are all priorities. Our second visit was only about 54 hours and worked well for us, but I wouldn’t recommend treating that as the amount of time everyone needs. There is more than enough in Rome to fill several visits.
Tours we took in Rome
These are the specific experiences we booked on our October 2025 trip. The dated Visit record explains how they fit into the itinerary.
- Our private golf-cart orientation tour
- Our Colosseum Underground and ancient Rome tour
- Our Appian Way and catacombs golf-cart tour
- Our Fiumicino airport transfer
Affiliate disclosure: these are experiences we actually booked. Atlas Road Travel may earn a commission if you use these links.
What is still on our list
I’d like to go back for the dome at St. Peter’s, spend more time on the Appian Way, and get to places we missed again, including Circus Maximus and Santa Maria in Aracoeli. Rome has been one of the few cities where every visit has left me with a longer list for the next one.
Our Rome visits and full story
3 Days in Rome: What We Actually Did in 54 HoursThe full first-person story, photos, and decisions behind that itinerary.
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