ROME: 3-DAY ITINERARY THAT WILL MAKE YOU FALL IN LOVE

You’re soon going to be on your way to Rome, the Eternal City? Lucky you, because I already miss it!!

Rome is an incredible destination for a trip full of romance, art, history, and incredibly delicious food. There are really not that many cities that can match Rome’s vibes. The city is full of history yet modern, crowded but offers peace in the narrow streets of the old city.

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If you’re looking for the perfect itinerary that will make you love this stunning historical gem, keep reading!

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The incredible Italian capital is very well-loved by everyone, so I already had huge expectations going there, but the Eternal City knocked all of them through the roof!

Quick facts about Rome:

• Rome was also called the Capital of the World, a name completely justified by the size and gloriousness of the historical sites.
• Yearly, Rome gets visited by approximately 7 to 10 million tourists, which means you better be prepared for some crowds when you get there.

• Colosseum, as magnificent as it still is, in its time, has been the number one place to die in. It’s estimated that over half a million people and over a million animals died in the fights which were happening to amuse the Romans.
• The average temperature in Rome during the summer months (July, August) is around 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), so remember that if you plan on going during summer. I wouldn’t ever again.  My next visit is going to be in the spring.
• Lucky for all of us, over 2 thousand fountains in Rome offer free water to the tourists on almost every corner of the city, so the heat is bearable with some help.

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3-DAY ROME ITINERARY

If you’re planning on visiting Rome, please try and stay for longer than three days. The city is enormous and so full of history that every corner of it deserves to be explored. But if 3 days is all you’ve got – this is how to go about it!

ROME, DAY ONE:

You will probably fly into Rome’s biggest airport, Fiumicino Airport. The airport is not that far from the city center and the best way to get to the city is by train or bus.

The easiest and quickest way to Rome is by booking the Leonardo Express train. The train will take you to Rome Termini train station in under 30 minutes, for 13 euros. If you’re in search for a cheaper option, you can always book a shuttle bus. The shuttle is 6 euros but it takes around an hour to reach Rome!

The first time we stayed at the Hotel Giolli Nazionale, which was solid. We were on a budget so that’s why we chose this 3-star hotel, but in the end, it was totally okay for the money we paid. The most important thing for us was the location and this hotel was only a 15-minute walk from the Colosseum. The second time we stayed at Armonia All’Opera, rooms which we enjoyed much more!

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COLOSSEUM

As Colosseum was the closest sight to us, we decided to go and see it first.

The Colosseum, actually named the Flavian Amphitheatre, is a magnificent and truly marvelous structure that leaves you in awe and disbelief of the fact that it’s almost 2 thousand years old! It’s the biggest amphitheater in the world which tens of thousands of slaves built over the years.

We used our Skip the line ticket which we got from Get Your Guide – The ticket covers Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill and it’s only around 25 euros.

Also – if you’re 24 or younger you are considered a youth, so you get discounts – my ticket was less than 7 euros for the 3 most important sights in Rome! I was shocked but also delighted.

It took us a while to get inside with the skip-the-line tickets. Imagine the queues of people who were waiting to buy their tickets on site. Conclusion?

Definitely buy the tickets in advance.

The Colosseum was a stunning piece of history absolutely worth every penny. While to me the interior of the amphitheatre wasn’t as grand as the exterior, I’m still glad I got to experience it. We did a quick walk around the Colosseum as well, simply to see it from the outside because it looks incredible from every corner.

ALTARE DELLA PATRIA

We walked by the Altare Della Patria, which is one of the most remarkable buildings I’ve ever seen. You feel the building’s importance and magnitude just by looking at it.

The building also called the Victor Emmanuel II National Monument is one of the biggest monuments in Italy, dedicated to the first king of unified Italy. In the centre of the building is the Altar of the Fatherland, which is the most important part of the building.

There’s a museum inside, but if you’re not up to it, at least climb the steps to the top of the building. It’s one of the prettiest areal views of Rome, for sure!

PIAZZA NAVONA

Walk to Piazza Navona, which is one of the prettiest squares in Rome. The most popular Roman main square has several fountains, sculptures, churches, and even an obelisk. The restaurants there are a bit of a tourist trap so don’t sit there to eat – it’s pricey but not that authentic.

We really enjoy the ice cream at Grom gelateria. It’s a bit pricey but it’s delicious! Make sure to visit Piazza Navona both during the day and during the night.

ROME, DAY TWO:

The first thing I did when we left our hotel on day two waaaaas – buy a hat. It’s nearly impossible to survive Rome without a hat in the summer. We had seen people with paper bags on their heads just to get some shade.

PALATINE HILL & THE ROMAN FORUM

Our first destination was Palatine Hill, which is located almost immediately next to the Colosseum. There weren’t that many people there in the morning, so we wandered through the Hill freely and enjoyed it as much as the heat allowed us.

The Palatine Hill is a big museum in the open where you can find some of the earliest historical excavations. It’s going to take you an hour to an hour and a half to explore the whole hill, but it is definitely worth it.

As Palatine Hill has a joined ticket with the Forum, that was our next destination. The forum is incredibly beautiful, and it deserves A LOT of your time.

You will see the ruins of some of the most important buildings of ancient Rome – the temples, shrines, residences of the most powerful people of ancient Rome, and more.

Again, please do not go in the summer without a hat and a bottle of water. There is absolutely no shade at the Forum, and you could easily get a sunstroke. There is a lot of water fountains, so you don’t have to be scared of water scarcity, but you need a bottle.

TREVI FOUNTAIN

Next, we went to see the Trevi fountain, which was definitely the highlight of my trip. Not that everything else wasn’t impressive, but the sheer SIZE of the Trevi fountain will leave you breathless.

Did you know that approximately 3000 euros are taken out of the Trevi fountain each night? I’ve tossed my coin in the fountain as insurance that I’m going to come back to Rome again one day. Later during our trip we were late for our plane, so we like to joke about how it was because of the coin.

TRASTEVERE

In the evening we walked through Trastevere – Rome’s most popular neighborhood. The neighborhood accommodates incredible restaurants and bars. There are plenty of cute narrow streets filled with music and tables full of authentic Italian food. This is the place where you feel the spirit of the locals and get to experience Rome as one of the Romans.

ROME, DAY THREE:

PANTHEON

In the morning we took a walk to the Pantheon, one of the best-preserved as well as one of the oldest standing buildings in Rome.

In the past, the Pantheon has been a roman temple but with the rise of Catholicism, it has become a catholic church. Along with the Vatican, this is the only place where you absolutely have to be covered in order to get inside.

We bought a skip-the-line entrance ticket with audio guide because the queues for the free entrance were in the kilometers. We entered immediately and learned a lot through the audio guide, so that was a win for us!

For lunch, we stopped at Trattoria Angelo – the restaurant is close to the Termini station. It is not luxurious looking but it’s the best food we had on this trip, so I would definitely recommend it.

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THE SPANISH STEPS

A place you definitely should visit if you have the time are the Spanish Steps.

Situated in the heart of Rome, the Spanish Steps stand as an iconic architectural landmark. The 135 steps are adorned with lovely azalea flowers, and ascent to the Trinità dei Monti church. On the way, you get breathtaking views of Rome.

THE VATICAN

The Vatican is a country inside a country, which many come to visit from all over the world. As the home of the Catholic church and the Pope, Vatican is one of the most visited locations in Rome. If you’re someone who wants to visit the Vatican museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, book your tickets on time, because they sell out really quickly!

In the evening we took a stroll through the Isola Tiberina. The island of Tiber is the only island on the river running through Rome, and it’s connected to the land with bridges.

On both sides of the river Tiber, there are many bars and stands on the banks of the river where locals and tourists come to have a drink or buy souvenirs / handmade products. It’s a wonderful way to end your evening.