Dates are flexible. This day-by-day plan is provisional until you choose exact travel dates.
Start at the Pantheon soon after opening, when the square is generally calmer and the light through the oculus is especially beautiful. Allow about an hour, including security procedures. Entry may require a timed ticket under current regulations, so check the official booking system shortly before your visit; admission rules and fees can change. From the Pantheon, walk roughly five minutes via Via del Seminario and Via del Collegio Romano to Sant’Ignazio Church. Spend about half an hour looking up at Andrea Pozzo’s extraordinary painted ceiling and false dome. Church access can be restricted during services, and shoulders and knees should be covered.
Walk approximately 15 minutes toward Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina, passing through the lanes around Via dei Giubbonari and Campo de’ Fiori. Settle in for Roman dishes such as carbonara or amatriciana, seasonal antipasti, and Italian cheeses and cured meats. Budget around €35–€60 per person before drinks, and reserve in advance because lunchtime tables are not dependable for walk-ins. After lunch, leave time to wander through Campo de’ Fiori and the neighboring streets rather than moving immediately to the next sight.
Walk about 10 minutes to Piazza Navona, approaching from the south for a good first view of the fountains and Baroque façades. Allow around an hour to circle Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers, admire the architecture, and explore the surrounding lanes. The square is worth seeing but its cafés are expensive, so save your drink stop for a side street. From there, stroll 15–20 minutes toward Il Gelato di San Crispino near Trevi, taking the quieter streets around Via del Governo Vecchio. A small gelato will usually cost about €5–€8 depending on size. If you still have energy, continue to the Trevi Fountain, but expect heavy crowds and keep valuables secure; this first day is best kept flexible so you can recover from the flight and enjoy an unhurried Roman evening.
Start at the Colosseum as early as your timed entry allows, ideally near opening. Allow about 90 minutes for the amphitheater itself, plus security and time at the upper viewpoints. Book through the official archaeological site in advance: standard, arena-floor, and underground visits are separate products and may sell out. From central Rome, Metro B to Colosseo is usually simplest; walking from Termini takes roughly 20 minutes. Wear supportive shoes and bring water.
Continue directly into the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill with the same combined archaeological ticket, allowing around two hours. Focus on the main route along Via Sacra, then climb Palatine Hill for the views before descending through the Forum. The ground is uneven and exposed, so this is best done before the afternoon heat. If your Colosseum entry is later in the morning, keep lunch quick and casual rather than committing to a long meal.
After a short break, walk approximately 10 minutes to Basilica di San Clemente. Its medieval church leads down to an earlier basilica and then to a Roman house containing a Mithraic temple, making it one of Rome’s most rewarding smaller historical visits. Allow about an hour and reserve the underground section ahead if possible; lower-level access is controlled and can sell out. The lower rooms are cool and confined, so bring a light layer.
From Basilica di San Clemente, take a taxi or walk roughly 25–30 minutes to Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica at Palazzo Barberini. This is the day’s artsier replacement for the originally planned open-air stop: its intimate galleries and strong Baroque collection provide a much richer art experience than simply passing through an ancient field. Allow about 90 minutes. Check the museum’s current Tuesday opening hours before setting out and allow time for security; admission is generally in the low-to-mid teens, with reductions sometimes available.
From Palazzo Barberini, walk around 15 minutes to the Spanish Steps. Spend about 45 minutes around the staircase and Piazza di Spagna, taking care not to sit or eat on the steps, where restrictions are enforced. This northbound sequence avoids backtracking and leaves room to wander through the surrounding streets and independent shops. If you are tired, the short taxi ride to Trattoria Monti is more comfortable than crossing the city on foot; allow roughly 20–30 minutes in traffic.
Reserve dinner at Trattoria Monti, ideally around 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. Expect approximately €35–€55 per person before substantial wine, depending on courses and drinks. Its compact dining room makes advance booking sensible. After dinner, walk to Piazza della Madonna dei Monti for a drink or gelato and an unhurried neighborhood evening. This is a full day, so if the archaeological sites take longer than expected, shorten the Spanish Steps visit rather than rushing dinner.
Begin with the pre-booked timed entry at Galleria Borghese, allowing about two hours for its outstanding collection of sculpture and painting. The gallery limits visitor numbers, so an advance reservation is essential; confirm its opening days and exact entry time before travelling, then arrive 15–20 minutes early for ticket collection and security. This is the day’s main art experience, while the later museum adds a more unusual contemporary-feeling setting without overloading the schedule.
Afterward, take a taxi from Villa Borghese toward the Aventine, usually around 20–30 minutes depending on traffic. A taxi is worthwhile here because it avoids a lengthy cross-city connection and preserves time for the ruins. Have a light lunch at a café or casual Roman spot near the Aventine, budgeting roughly €12–€20 per person.
Spend the early afternoon at Terme di Caracalla, where enormous brick walls, fragments of marble decoration, underground service passages, and the original scale of the bathing complex make the site easy to appreciate without a guide. Allow about 90 minutes, including time outdoors; comfortable shoes, water, and sun protection are useful. Admission is commonly in the approximate €8–€12 range, but check official ticketing information for current prices and any entry restrictions.
Take a taxi from the baths to Centrale Montemartini, generally around 10–15 minutes depending on traffic. The museum’s atmospheric former electricity-generating hall contains ancient Roman sculpture alongside turbines and machinery, making it a genuinely artsy replacement for the open archaeological track. Allow about 90 minutes and verify the day’s opening hours before setting out, as museum schedules can vary. Afterward, return by taxi or public transport to the Aventine, wander its quieter streets, stop for an aperitivo, and finish at a neighborhood trattoria for approximately €25–€45 per person before drinks.
After arriving from Rome, allow time for luggage drop-off, check-in, and a short rest before sightseeing. Bologna’s historic centre is compact, but cobbled streets and porticoes can make the final walk with bags slower than expected. Keep the first afternoon flexible and avoid booking anything time-sensitive immediately after arrival.
Start at Piazza Maggiore, where you can take in the medieval civic buildings and the lively rhythm of central Bologna. Step into Basilica di San Petronio if it is open; opening arrangements, security checks, and any restricted areas can change, so treat entry as optional rather than guaranteed. Allow roughly €3–€5 for church access or special areas when applicable, with regular worship areas generally handled differently.
From the square, stroll toward the Quadrilatero, Bologna’s historic food quarter. Browse the small produce, pasta, cheese, and cured-meat shops, then settle into a wine bar or traditional trattoria for dinner. A casual meal with local pasta and wine is usually about €25–40 per person; a more substantial dinner or carefully chosen regional menu can run €45–70. Leave room to wander beneath the porticoes after eating, since the centre is easy to explore on foot and this evening is best enjoyed without trying to cover too many sights.
You are already in Bologna, so begin on foot with Mercato delle Erbe, a practical covered market where you can browse produce stalls and food counters before the day gets busy. It is a good place for coffee, a pastry, or a first taste of local specialities; allow roughly €4–8 for a light breakfast and €12–25 for a casual lunch. Opening patterns can vary by day, so check the current schedule and use the nearby food streets as a fallback.
From there, walk through the Quadrilatero, the oldest market quarter, keeping an eye out for fresh pasta shops, mortadella, Parmigiano Reggiano, and local cured meats. Rather than trying to turn every stop into a full meal, share a small plate or snack and save room for dinner. Bologna’s centre is compact, and the porticoes make this route comfortable in changeable weather.
Continue to the Archiginnasio of Bologna, reached in about 10–15 minutes on foot from the market quarter. The building’s arcaded courtyard and carved coats of arms are memorable, while the Teatro Anatomico requires a separate small admission and may have timed or capacity-controlled access. Allow extra time if there is a queue; the building is still associated with university life, so access can occasionally be affected by events.
Walk east toward Santo Stefano, passing through the central streets and under the porticoes. The complex is best appreciated slowly, moving between its surviving churches and quiet courtyards rather than treating it as a quick photo stop. Admission is generally free or donation-based, but religious services can restrict access, so keep the visit flexible and dress respectfully.
Take a 15–20 minute walk or a short local bus ride toward MAMbo – Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna. Its collection gives useful context on Bologna’s postwar artistic scene, and the temporary exhibition programme is worth checking before you go. Budget approximately €6–12 for museum entry depending on the exhibition; if contemporary art is not a priority, use the same time for a longer wander through the porticoed streets instead.
Return toward Via del Pratello for aperitivo and dinner. This is a good area for an informal evening: expect about €8–15 for a drink with a small accompaniment, €20–35 per person for a straightforward trattoria meal, and more for a carefully chosen tasting menu. Keep the night reasonably easy before tomorrow’s transfer to Ancona; check your train connection and allow around 20–30 minutes to reach Bologna Centrale on foot or by taxi, with additional time for luggage and station navigation.
Leave the Bologna–Ancona transfer as a separate travel block and allow generous time for arrival, luggage, and the onward ferry. On reaching Ancona, go directly to your accommodation, luggage storage, or the port according to your arrival time. Have your passport, ferry booking, and any required travel documents ready; international ferry check-in deadlines matter more than the advertised sailing time.
If you arrive with a comfortable buffer, take a short walk around Mole Vanvitelliana, which is close to the harbour and works well as a low-effort introduction to the city. A taxi from the station area to the port generally costs about €5–15, depending on traffic and luggage. Walking is possible but awkward with bags, so use a taxi if your ferry check-in window is tight. Skip the stop entirely if your arrival is delayed.
For a little atmosphere before boarding, head to Piazza del Plebiscito for an aperitivo or an early meal, returning to the port well before the operator’s required check-in time. Keep this deliberately compact: the port, security procedures, passport checks, and locating the correct terminal can take longer than expected. Allow approximately €10–20 per person for an aperitivo and light food, or €25–50 for a more substantial dinner.
Return to the Ancona port and ferry terminal with ample time for ticket collection, check-in, and boarding—often at least 1.5–2 hours before departure, subject to the ferry operator’s instructions. Reserve a private cabin if available, particularly for the overnight crossing. Confirm the exact Croatian destination and sailing date against the current operator timetable, since Ancona–Croatia services are seasonal and may operate only on selected nights. If no suitable sailing runs, stay overnight in Ancona and take the next available ferry rather than relying on a same-day connection.
After disembarking at Split Ferry Port, allow time for luggage collection and any border formalities before walking or taking a short taxi to your accommodation. If your room is not ready, leave your bags and keep the morning light; the ferry timetable is seasonal, so the exact arrival time may shift. A taxi is generally the easiest option with luggage, while the central waterfront is walkable from the port for travellers travelling light.
Begin in Diocletian’s Palace, where the compact historic centre makes a good first introduction without requiring much transport. Explore the Peristyle, Vestibule, palace cellars, and narrow surrounding lanes at an unhurried pace. Paid access to some cellar and cathedral areas is normally separate from simply walking through the palace, so decide on the day rather than creating a tight booking schedule. Allow roughly €5–15 for selected entry tickets, depending on which areas are open.
If it is open when you pass, browse Pazar Market for seasonal fruit, pastries, cheese, and other local snacks. Market hours and individual traders vary, particularly outside the busiest season, so treat it as an optional stop. Continue to the Riva for coffee and a slow waterfront pause; coffee usually costs about €2–4, while a light snack is roughly €5–10.
Have lunch at a small konoba-style restaurant in or just outside the Old Town, choosing grilled fish, seafood, or the slow-cooked beef dish pašticada. Budget approximately €20–35 per person for a casual meal with a drink, with fresh fish and wine increasing the total. After lunch, return to your accommodation for a proper two-hour rest rather than trying to force in another major sight.
If you feel refreshed, walk toward the lower paths of Marjan Hill for a quiet change of pace and views across the harbour and islands. Keep this optional: the paths involve some uphill walking, and the overnight crossing may leave you more tired than expected. Otherwise, spend the afternoon at a café near the Old Town and save the hill, museums, and longer excursions for a later Croatian day.
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