Copy it into your account, move it to your own dates and make it yours — swap stops, change the pace, add days.
Free account, no credit card. Copying, moving and adjusting are included.
Arrival day
Long train day: bring some snacks and plan a relaxed evening in Rome.
An early train is worth it for the journey, so you arrive while it's still light.
Long leg — plan in some breaks.
This is where your journey begins. From Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, you head south by train towards Italy.
A quiet family-run hotel near Piazza della Repubblica and Termini station, with a lovely rooftop terrace. An ideal central base for exploring Rome on foot and by metro. From here, you can reach the main metro lines within a few minutes.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Colosseum and Forum
Get to the Colosseum early, when it's cooler and less crowded.
Plan a long break in a shady spot during the midday heat.
The largest amphitheatre of antiquity, where tens of thousands of spectators once watched gladiator fights. Across two levels, you can trace the sheer scale of the architecture. The combined ticket also covers the Forum and Palatine Hill.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
The heart of ancient Rome with temples, basilicas and triumphal arches, plus Palatine Hill with imperial palaces and gardens. From up top, you get a lovely view over the Forum. It's a large site, so sturdy footwear is recommended.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
The best-preserved temple from antiquity, with its famous dome and the open oculus at its centre. A short but striking stop on your way through the old town. Afterwards, treat yourself to an espresso at Piazza della Rotonda.
See tickets on WeGoTrip(affiliate link)
St Peter's Basilica and the Museums
St Peter's Basilica early, then the Museums with a timed slot afterwards – the walk between the two is short.
For weeks close to Easter in May, be sure to book ahead, as it's peak season.
The largest church in Christendom, with Michelangelo's dome and the Pietà. Climbing the dome rewards you with a sweeping view over Rome. Appropriate clothing is required, with shoulders and knees covered.
One of the world's most important art collections, spanning ancient sculpture, the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes. It's a huge area, so take your time and choose a route in advance. Crowds are enormous.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
The former artisans' quarter with narrow lanes, ivy-clad façades and the Basilica di Santa Maria. In the evening, it's full of small trattorias serving Roman cuisine away from the main tourist routes. Ideal for cacio e pepe and carciofi.
Renaissance gardens and Hadrian's ruins
Visit Villa Adriana in the morning while it's cooler – the site is large and offers little shade.
In Tivoli, it's worth having dinner with a view of the Aniene waterfalls.
On the eastern outskirts near Tiburtina station, you'll collect your hire car and drive straight towards the motorway, without ever having to pass through the city centre's traffic restriction zones (ZTL). Booking in advance is significantly cheaper and secures availability.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Emperor Hadrian's sprawling country villa, a vast ruin site with water basins, baths and the picturesque Canopus. Among pines and old walls, you can wander for hours. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and notably quieter than the city ruins.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
See tickets on Tiqets(affiliate link)
A masterpiece of Renaissance garden design, with hundreds of fountains, water organs and the famous Avenue of the Hundred Fountains. The garden cascades down the hillside in terraces and is a delight for garden lovers. A UNESCO World Heritage Site right in the heart of Tivoli's old town.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
A hotel in an old estate with views over Tivoli's old town and its waterfalls, with a pool and its own car park. A quiet location, ideal as a base for excursions into eastern Lazio. Easily reached by car.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Papal residence and wine villages
This excursion combines three Castelli Romani towns – don't linger too long anywhere.
Total driving time stays under three hours, mostly in the morning and afternoon.
The former papal summer residence high above Lago Albano, with its baroque palace and expansive gardens. The view from the belvedere over the crater lake is stunning. The papal gardens can be visited with a guided tour.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
See tickets on Tiqets(affiliate link)
A deep blue crater lake surrounded by wooded slopes, perfect for a walk along the shore or a break amid greenery. A peaceful contrast to the bustle of the city. Small kiosks and bathing spots invite you to linger.
A well-known wine town in the Castelli Romani, with grand villas and terraces overlooking the Roman Campagna. In the cantine, you'll find Frascati wine and hearty porchetta away from the tourist crowds. A good spot for a late lunch.
Roman port town
Visit Ostia Antica in the morning, before the sun beats down on the open site.
The afternoon is relaxed, with the drive to the lake and settling into your new base.
The surprisingly well-preserved port town of ancient Rome, with paved streets, thermal baths, mosaics and an ancient theatre. A vast excavation site that you'll almost have to yourselves, where you can relive everyday Roman life. A highlight for lovers of ruins.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
A friendly hotel in the small town of Trevignano on the northern shore of Lake Bracciano, with views over the water and good regional cuisine. A quiet base for your final excursions into northern Lazio. Parking available, a relaxed lakeside village off the tourist trail.
Booking ahead is often cheaper here
Lake, castle and monster park
A full but very rewarding programme – start early and plan in breaks along the way.
If you'd prefer a quieter pace, skip Calcata and spend longer in Bomarzo.
One of the best-preserved Renaissance castles in Italy, set high above Lake Bracciano, with sumptuous halls, a weapons collection and a wonderful view over the water. The mighty towers and battlements bring the visit to life. A must for castle and history enthusiasts.
A tiny artists' village perched on a tufa rock above the Treja valley, car-free and seemingly frozen in time. Narrow lanes, small studios and cafés make it an atmospheric stop away from the tourist trail. Explored on foot in just a few minutes.
The Sacro Bosco of Bomarzo, a bizarre Renaissance park full of giant stone monsters, tilted houses and mythological figures from the 16th century. A surreal, enchanted place between woodland and sculpture that delights garden lovers and the curious alike. Be sure to allow time to wander around.
Journey home
Set off early so you arrive comfortably in Frankfurt on the same day.
Alternatively, a night train section, if available, to spend more of the day at the lake.
Long leg — plan in some breaks.
On the way to the station, you'll return the hire car at a station near Termini. Allow time for the return and the walk to the train.
Arrival back at your starting point. This completes your round trip through Rome and Lazio.
Copy it and move it to your own dates.
Free account, no credit card. Copying, moving and adjusting are included.