The secret of a weekend in Rome is not to chase everything. The historic centre can be crossed on foot in a morning, ancient Rome needs a full half-day, and the rest is time at the table. This is the itinerary we recommend to those arriving on Friday evening and leaving on Sunday.
Saturday · The historic centre on foot
Start early at the Trevi Fountain: at eight there is still room to see it, an hour later there is not. From there, in a few minutes, you reach the Pantheon. Today you need a ticket to go in: the dome with the opening at its centre remains one of the most beautiful things you can see in the city.
Behind the Pantheon, the narrow streets lead to Piazza Navona, with Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers, and then to Campo de’ Fiori, which in the morning is still a market. For lunch a supplì or a slice of pizza al taglio is enough: dinner will be long.
In the afternoon, head up towards Piazza di Spagna and Trinità dei Monti, then down towards the river. For the evening, cross over to Trastevere: the square of Santa Maria in Trastevere, with the mosaics of the façade lit up, and around it the trattorias where you order cacio e pepe, gricia or carbonara.
The experience we recommend
Sunday · Ancient Rome and the Appian Way
Sunday starts at the Colosseum. The ticket also covers the Roman Forum and the Palatine, and must be booked with an entry time. With a guide you understand what you are looking at, which in the Forum, on your own, is not a given.
The experience we recommend
For lunch, head up to Monti, the district behind Via Cavour: small, full of places to eat, five minutes from the Colosseum. The afternoon is for the Appian Way. On Sundays the first stretch is closed to cars and you can walk or cycle it among Roman paving stones, pines and tombs, with the catacombs of San Callisto and San Sebastiano along the way.
The experience we recommend
Where to stay
For a weekend like this it is best to stay in a well-connected area, away from the bustle of the centre. La Maison du Charme is on the Circonvallazione Appia, a short walk from the start of the Appian Way: you can book one room or both.
Our homes in Rome
If you have one more day
Monday is for the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, with a booked ticket: they are long, and with a guide you see the best without getting lost.