Rome 3 days itinerary - Where to go and what to do for your first time in Rome!
Italy is a miracle. The first thought that ran through my
mind on my first steps on Italian soil was that anyone who was born, raised or
even lived here for a while must turn out to be an artist by nature. Because
this entire country is a work of art. It doesn’t matter where you turn your
head, frame what you see and it instantly becomes a painting, this is just
walking down the street, no museums or churches yet! Because those are a
COMPLETELY different story.
There is no doubt
that your first trip to Italy must include a visit to Rome, weather you’re a
typical tourist, a family, a backpacker or even someone who likes to discover
new eccentric off the beaten track spots, Rome has it all.
If you’re planning a trip to Italy, you can by all means
spend it all in Rome, although I would suggest discovering other cities as
well, feel free to email me using the contact us page above (or through any of
the social media links) if you want me to give you more recommendations on
other cities and things to do around Italy. But for now.. let’s get on with it
and plan a 3 days itinerary for your next visit to Rome!
Check out the video below for the top highlights if you don't want all the details:
Before I get into each separate day, let’s first cover the basics:
Getting from and to the airport:
Rome is big, and the Fiumicino airport is outside the city,
there are a few ways you can get from the airport to city and back, these
include a train, a bus or a taxi. Of course if you rent a car that will sort
out your transportation for the rest of the trip as well.
1.Bus (1:30 to 2:00 hours): there are a few companies that
operate trips between Fiumicino (airport)- and Termini which is the central
train station in Rome (so even if you’re going on a trip outside Rome but
landing in Fiumicino you can use that bus to get to the train). The bus costs
between 5.90 and 10 euro depending on the company and there are offices where
you can buy a ticket just outside the airport, you can also book it online on
one of the companies (Terravision Bus), but even if you’ll do that always make
sure you have 15-30 minutes extra time, since you can try to get on a bus and
they tell you its fully booked. (you can purchase return tickets and take the
same bus back to the airport when its time for your flight home) - Pro Tip:
always check the signs on the bus, there are two airports in Rome, don’t get on
the one going to Ciampino (unless of course you’re travelling through
Ciampino). It will cost you your flight.
2.Train (40 mins - 1 hr): there are two types of trains that
run between the Fiumicino and Termini (they also go to other stations if you
need to) and they cost anywhere between 8 and 15 euros depending if they are
suburban trains (these tend to be slower and stop a lot) or Express trains
which are obviously faster.
3.Taxi (40 mins): a taxi will cost you around 50 euros for
that same trip from Fiumicino to Termini, Taxis change their rates depending on
how big they are (how much people they carry) as well as the time of day and
the type of service. You will find taxis parked in front of the airport when
you get out, or you can book it from one of the offices in the airport.
Transportation inside Rome:
1.Bus, metro and tram: there are 4 types of tickets that you
can buy, they all work for all means of transport, these are: simple tickets,
and these cost 1,50 euro and are valid for 75 minutes. Daily ticket, these are
6,00 euro each and these are valid from the first time they are stamped until
midnight of the same day. 3 Days ticket, costs 16,50. And finally a one week
ticket for 24,00 euro.
2.Rent a scooter or a car: Just beware that Rome can get a
bit crowded, especially in the summer and on weekends, if you’re not absolutely
sure that you’ll find a place to park your rental, then you’re better off using
public transportation.
3.Taxi: you can always hail a taxi in the street, you can
resort to ordering one if there is no night bus that reaches your
accommodation, or if you’re
Now here comes the part you’ve been waiting for, the
planning. If you’ll visit Rome, prepare yourself for a lot of walking, and a
lot of food.
Pro tip: if you’ll visit the Vatican museums, San Pietro, or
any other church make sure you’re dressed appropriately.
Day 1: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, Colosseum and San Pietro
Hold on, before you even leave Termini train station, just
pass the street to trombetta and grab yourself THE BEST coffee in Rome!
Start your day off bright and early with a visit to the
Vatican museums and Sistine Chapel. The tour will take up a few hours. To make
sure you make the most of your time, book tickets online at least a week ahead,
this will allow you to go through a fast track and skip the line. Make sure you
have a printed copy of you pre-booked ticket. There are signs inside the museum
that will lead you in and through the tour and out. You can of course choose to
book this with a guided tour through a company, or you can buy an audio tour at
the museum.
Unfortunately, there is no avoiding the line in San Pietro.
The famous (and extremely beautiful church) is free to enter, but there is a
security check at the gate so there is a usually a line, although it does move
pretty quickly. The tour inside won’t take more than an hour to two hours max,
but it is a functioning church, so you maybe restricted to enter certain places
and it could be closed at certain times of the year, so make sure to check
online if you can enter the day you planned, specially on Sundays.
If you’ve booked ahead you can also include a visit to the colosseum
on the same day, you can take the metro or the bus from San Peter’s to there. Also
booking online means you skip the line and get in much quicker. Its not as
impressive as the Vatican museums but definitely worth a visit if its your
first time, it won’t take more than a couple of hours to finish touring the Colosseum
By the time you finish buzzing around and taking in all the
beautiful art, head to the city center to grab some. Now depending on your mood, and your budget, you can either go
for a pizza, and pizza in Italy is normally sold in pieces that you take away
or eat standing up, or you can sit-down in a pizzeria and order a round pizza, pizza
is everywhere in Roma, but I’ve gotten into the habit of going to Pizza E
Natura near Piazza del Popolo.
 |
| Pizza Bianca from an Irish Pub near Colosseum! |
Or, you can go to a restaurant and have a proper dinner. A
proper Italian dinner is 7 courses! Of course you don’t have to order them all,
but normally the waiter will recommend the main course of the day and you can
just have that with an antipasto and dessert. I personally love Eataly in Piazza
della Republica, but if you’re feeling a bit spendy and fancy go somewhere like
Chiaro Scuro in San Giovanni.
End your day with one of the best gelatos in town, if you
opted to stay in downtown go for Giolitti (and be prepared to stand in line) or
if you go to San Giovanni, you can try one of the different flavors in Gelateria
Rivareno.
Day 2: Free Walk, Explore Rome
You can pretty much discover the “Centro Storico” or the
historic city center on foot. Its not really “walking distance” but if you stop
and refuel with ice cream every once in a while you’ll be fine, to make it more
efficient, I included a map here with the route that you can walk from one
piazza to the other, if you don’t want to use the map, here are the piazzas in
order:
-Piazza Di Spagna (Spanish Steps)
-Trevi Fountain (throw a coin)
-Pantheon (you can go inside if there are no prayers)
-Piazza Navona (make sure you go back at night and have
dinner at one of the restaurants)
-Campo de’Fiori (you can buy fruits and flowers)
-Trastevere (have a walk by the river)
Day 3: Shopping and Tiramisu
 |
| Even shopping Centers in Rome are beautiful! |
Like all European capitals Rome has all the international
shops and brands, it also helps that most of the fashion designers are Italians
to begin with, so if you’re shopping for designer or luxury items then Rome is definitely
a place to be. There are also a few local brands and outlets, like OVS and
Upim. In the city center, Via Del Corso and Via Nazionale are both renowned for
shopping. Other than that you can visit the outlet at Castel Romano for
discounts on the most common brands (you can book a bus that takes you there
from the city center).
When you finish your shopping you can head over to Pompi. If
there is one thing out of the entire trip to Rome I would recommend, it would
be Tiramisu at Pompi for sure. Its heavenly and more!
Other alternatives, or if you have some extra time:
Rome is massive, you cannot physically see everything in 3
days, I’ve made sure the 3 days above will give you a true representation of
what its like, but if you want alternatives, or if you have some more time,
check these out:
Rome is surrounded by hills, some of them have terraces that
overlook the city, you can go up one of them for amazing views over Rome.
Its also a coastal city, there are suburbs that have
beaches, the most famous is Ostia, you can take a train or rent a car and go
have a dip.
Tivoli is a close by city that has one of the most beautiful
villas in Italy, Villa d'Este that has a thousand fountains.
Villa Borghese gardens, have a walk around the massive park
and enjoy the greenery.
Enjoy your trip!
Comments