This plan is for first-time visitors from the US, UK and Australia who want three full days in Rome in December. Book the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums first, and pay the new €2 Trevi Fountain fee at the gate. Fares and hours checked on 26 Oct 2026.
Trip at a Glance
- 🗓 Best for
- First visit, walkers, history lovers
- 🌡 Weather
- Cool and often wet in December. Bring a rain jacket and comfortable shoes
- 💱 Currency & cards
- Euro (€). Cards work almost everywhere. The Trevi Fountain gate takes cards only
- 🛂 Entry (US/UK/AU)
- No visa for short stays. See the checklist below
- ✈️ From the airport
- Leonardo Express train, Fiumicino to Termini, €14 (secondary source, check before you go)
- 💸 Daily budget
- About €40 to €58 (budget) or €80 to €103 (mid-range) per person, hotel not included
What’s New in 2026
- Trevi Fountain now has a fee. Since 2 Feb 2026, you need a €2 ticket to go down to the basin, the area closest to the fountain. Hours are 9:00 to 22:00 daily. Pay online or at the gate (card only). Rome residents, children under 5 and people with disabilities enter free. (Turismo Roma, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- EES is live. The EU Entry/Exit System has run at all Schengen borders since 10 April 2026. On your first entry you may give fingerprints and a photo at a booth. It is free. Plan for a longer queue.
- ETIAS is not here yet. The EU says it will start in the last quarter of 2026 and will announce the exact date later. Do not pay a site that sells “ETIAS” before the official launch. Use travel-europe.europa.eu only.
- Colosseum winter hours. From 25 Oct 2026 to 28 Feb 2027 it opens 8:30 to 16:30, with last entry at 15:30. Be inside well before the early dark.
Booking Order
Book in this order. The first one sells out the fastest.
| Order | What | Official price (Checked 26 Oct 2026) | When to book | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine (24 h ticket, timed entry) | €18 | Sales open 30 days before the date | colosseo.it |
| 2 | Vatican Museums | €20 at the door, €25 with online skip-the-line | As soon as you fix the date | museivaticani.va |
| 3 | Trevi Fountain basin | €2 | Online, or at the gate by card | turismoroma.it |
Two warnings. The Vatican Museums are closed on 8 Dec and on 25 and 26 Dec. They are also closed on Sundays, except the last Sunday of the month (free, 9:00 to 14:00, very crowded). The Colosseum is also closed on 25 Dec 2026 and 1 Jan 2027 (colosseo.it).
Itinerary Overview
| Day | Area | Highlights | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Ancient Rome | Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Capitoline Hill view | Busy, lots of walking |
| Day 2 | Vatican | Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica | Early start, long queues |
| Day 3 | Old centre | Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps | Easy walking day |
Day 1 · Ancient Rome (Colosseo 콜로세움)
| Time | Stop | Time there | Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:15 | Metro Line B to Colosseo station | – | 15 min from Termini |
| 8:30 | Colosseum | 1.5 h | Walk 5 min |
| 10:15 | Roman Forum (Foro Romano) | 1.5 h | Walk up the hill |
| 12:00 | Palatine Hill (Palatino) | 1 h | Walk 15 min |
| 13:15 | Lunch near Monti | 1 h | Walk 10 min |
| 15:00 | Capitoline Hill viewpoint (Campidoglio) | 45 min | Bus or walk |
| 17:00 | Rest, then dinner | – | – |
Morning
- 📍 Address/Nearest station
- Piazza del Colosseo. Metro B, Colosseo
- 🕘 Hours
- 8:30 to 16:30, last entry 15:30 (25 Oct 2026 to 28 Feb 2027)
- 🎟 Admission (checked)
- €18 for Colosseum + Forum + Palatine. €24 for Full Experience (arena and underground)
- 🚌 Getting there
- Metro B to Colosseo, exit straight to the gate
- ⏱ Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- ✅ Must / Nice / Skip
- Must. Pick the first morning slot
The ticket is for a fixed time. You cannot enter at another time. Open in Google Maps
The Colosseum looks huge in the soft morning light. In December the crowds are smaller than in summer, but the slots still sell out.
- 📍 Address/Nearest station
- Via della Salaria Vecchia / Via di San Gregorio. Colosseo station
- 🕘 Hours
- Same as the Colosseum. Last entry 15:30
- 🎟 Admission (checked)
- Included in the €18 ticket
- 🚌 Getting there
- 5 minutes on foot from the Colosseum
- ⏱ Time needed
- 2.5 hours for both
- ✅ Must / Nice / Skip
- Must the Forum, Nice the Palatine
The Forum is open ground with little shade. The ruins make more sense if you read a short guide first. The paths are uneven, so wear shoes with grip.
Afternoon
Walk or take a short bus to the Capitoline Hill (Campidoglio). The terrace behind the square looks over the Forum, and it is free. Then rest. Day 2 starts early.
- Style
- Small trattorias, pasta and pizza al taglio
- Price
- About €12 to €20 per person
Day 2 · Vatican (Città del Vaticano 바티칸)
| Time | Stop | Time there | Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:45 | Metro A to Ottaviano | – | 25 min from Termini |
| 8:30 | Vatican Museums (skip-the-line slot) | 3 h | Walk inside |
| 11:45 | Sistine Chapel (inside the route) | 30 min | Exit route |
| 12:30 | Lunch near Borgo | 1 h | Walk 10 min |
| 14:00 | St. Peter’s Basilica | 1 h | Walk 5 min |
| 15:30 | Walk along the Tiber to Castel Sant’Angelo | 1 h | Walk |
Morning
- 📍 Address/Nearest station
- Viale Vaticano. Metro A, Ottaviano or Cipro
- 🕘 Hours
- Mon to Sat 8:00 to 20:00, last entry 18:00. Closed Sundays (free last Sunday 9:00 to 14:00). Closed 8, 25, 26 Dec
- 🎟 Admission (checked)
- €20 at the door. €25 with online skip-the-line
- 🚌 Getting there
- Metro A to Ottaviano, then 10 minutes on foot
- ⏱ Time needed
- 3 hours
- ✅ Must / Nice / Skip
- Must. Book on tickets.museivaticani.va only
Use only the official site. Look-alike sites sell the same ticket for much more. The museums are large, so take the shortest route through the Sistine Chapel and do not try to see every room.
Afternoon
St. Peter’s Basilica is next to the museums but has its own security line. Dress rules apply: covered shoulders and knees. Check opening hours on vatican.va on the day, as they change for church events. I did not verify the basilica hours.
Open St. Peter’s Basilica in Google Maps
Day 3 · The Old Centre (Centro Storico 구시가)
| Time | Stop | Time there | Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) | 30 min | Walk 10 min |
| 10:00 | Pantheon | 45 min | Walk 5 min |
| 11:15 | Piazza Navona | 30 min | Walk |
| 12:30 | Lunch in the centre | 1 h | Walk 15 min |
| 14:30 | Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti) | 30 min | Walk |
| 16:00 | Free time, shops, dinner | – | – |
Morning
- 📍 Address/Nearest station
- Piazza di Trevi. Metro A, Barberini (10 min walk)
- 🕘 Hours
- Basin area 9:00 to 22:00 daily (Turismo Roma)
- 🎟 Admission (checked)
- €2 for the basin. Free for Rome residents, children under 5, and people with disabilities
- 🚌 Getting there
- Walk from Barberini or from Piazza Venezia
- ⏱ Time needed
- 30 minutes
- ✅ Must / Nice / Skip
- Must. Go early or after dark
The fee only covers the basin. Pay by card at the gate or buy a ticket online first. The fountain looks even better lit at night.
The Pantheon is a short walk away. It needs a ticket now, but I did not verify the price, so check the official page before you go. Piazza Navona is free, and the Spanish Steps are open all day.
- Dishes
- Cacio e pepe, carbonara, supplì (fried rice balls)
- Price
- Pasta about €12 to €16, supplì about €2 to €3
- Tip
- Avoid restaurants with picture menus right next to the big sights
If You Have One More Day
- Option A
- Borghese Gallery (timed ticket needed, book ahead) and Villa Borghese park
- Option B
- Appian Way (Via Appia Antica) by bike
- Option C
- Day trip to Ostia Antica by regional train
I did not verify prices or hours for these three. Check each official site.
Getting There & Around
- Fiumicino (FCO)
- Leonardo Express to Termini, about 32 min, €14 (secondary source, check Trenitalia)
- Metro and bus
- Single ticket (BIT) €1.50, valid 100 minutes (secondary source, check ATAC)
- Tip
- Airport train fares are separate. A metro ticket or day pass does not cover them
The centre is compact. Most of Day 3 is on foot. Use metro lines A and B on Day 1 and Day 2.
Where to Stay
- Termini
- Easy for the airport train and the metro. Busy at night
- Monti
- Quiet, central, near the Colosseum
- Trastevere
- Lively evenings, farther from the metro
Rome charges a city tax per person per night, paid at the hotel and based on the hotel star rating. I could not confirm the current amounts on an official page, so ask your hotel before you book.
Budget
Rate used: €1 is about US$1.15 (the ECB rate on 15 Sep 2026 was 1.1539, rounded). Entry fees checked 26 Oct 2026.
| Item | Budget | Mid-range |
|---|---|---|
| Colosseum + Forum + Palatine | €18 (~$21) | €24 Full Experience (~$28) |
| Vatican Museums | €20 (~$23) | €25 skip-the-line (~$29) |
| Trevi Fountain basin | €2 (~$2.30) | €2 (~$2.30) |
| Airport train (one way) | €14 (~$16) | €14 (~$16) |
| Food per day | €35 (~$40) | €70 (~$80) |
| Local transport per day | €3 (~$3.50) | €8 (~$9) |
| Day | Budget | Mid-range |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 (Colosseum, food, transport) | €56 (~$64) | €102 (~$117) |
| Day 2 (Vatican, food, transport) | €58 (~$67) | €103 (~$118) |
| Day 3 (Trevi, food, transport) | €40 (~$46) | €80 (~$92) |
Hotel, city tax and the airport train are not included in the day totals. Food and transport numbers are planning estimates, not official fares.
Entry & Money Checklist
- US, UK and Australian passport holders can visit for up to 90 days in any 180 days without a visa. Check your own government page below before you fly.
- UK passports: issued less than 10 years before arrival, and valid at least 3 months after you leave.
- EES: free fingerprints and photo on first entry.
- ETIAS: not required yet. Follow official news only on travel-europe.europa.eu.
- Cards: carry a card with no foreign fee, and some cash for small cafes.
- Government pages: travel.state.gov · GOV.UK · Smartraveller
FAQ
Can I buy Colosseum tickets on the day? Entry is by timed slot, and sales open 30 days before. Plan to book early.
Are the Vatican Museums open on Sundays in December? Only on the last Sunday (27 Dec 2026): free, 9:00 to 14:00, and very crowded. They are closed on 8, 25 and 26 Dec.
Is the Trevi Fountain free? You can see it from the square. The €2 ticket is for the basin area.
How long should I allow for the Vatican? At least 3 hours, plus the basilica.
Sources: Turismo Roma, Trevi Fountain · Colosseum opening times and tickets · Vatican Museums prices · Vatican Museums hours · GOV.UK Italy entry requirements · ETIAS timeline · Banca d’Italia reference rates. Checked 26–27 Oct 2026.