When visiting Rome, The Traveling Professor recommends staying in a hotel close to the Termini train station because of the proximity to metro, bus, and train transportation. The hotels we like are the Massimo D'Azeglio, the Hotel Nord Nuova, and the Meditteraneo. Have with you a Roma Pass for 3 days of unlimited transportation within Rome and VIP entrance to 2 museums.
Please note that the Vatican Museum is closed on Sundays and on certain holidays. It is very important to purchase tickets in advance to the Vatican Museum including Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. The Vatican Museum is NOT included on the Roma Pass.
Day 1: Arrival in Rome. Get checked into your hotel and do the Rome Walk from Campo di Fiori, Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. It's about a mile or so and can take 2-4 hours, depending on how many times you stop for gelato.
Day 2: Start off with a reserved tour of the Vatican Museum including the Sistine Chapel and the Basilica of St. Peter. In the afternoon, make an appointment to visit the Borghese Gallery, covered with the Roma Pass.
Day 3: We can't visit Rome without visiting the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Both are covered as one admission with the Roma Pass. In order to visit the Colosseum, an appointment is needed.
Check out The Traveling Professor's small group tours to Italy.