Last November, we had an opportunity to make our first visit to Rome, Italy. As one of the world’s most iconic cities, Rome has been on our bucket list for a long time. For our entire lives we have seen pictures of sites like the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps and St. Peter’s Square, but until you see things for yourself, you are never sure if they will really live up to the hype. We were so happy to find that all of these spots more than lived up to their reputations!
We had four fantastic days in the city and we will be sharing our itinerary, as well as a few tips and recommendations. Read on, if you are considering a trip to the Eternal City!
Some General Info
Before discussing the itinerary, we wanted to share some ‘general’ information about what to expect in Rome.
First, it would be helpful to learn just a few words of Italian. Knowing how to say ‘hello’, ‘thank you’ and the like, goes a long way to having positive interactions with your Italian hosts! That said, you do not really have to worry about a language barrier in the tourist areas of Rome. Once you say ‘Bonjourno!’, you will almost assuredly be addressed in English. We felt very welcome everywhere we went and almost everyone was very friendly and accommodating.
Second, as you may imagine, there is a lot to see in Rome. You could literally spend weeks there and still not run out of things to do. Therefore, try to determine all of the sites that you are really interested in visiting before you make your hotel reservations. Choose a hotel that is more closely located to the sites that you want to see. Also, make sure there are plenty of cafes and restaurants within a reasonable walking distance.
We stayed at the Villa Agrippina Gran Melia Hotel, located on the west side of the Tiber River. While the hotel was nice enough, it was located in more of a residential area. There were no restaurants or shops located within a short walk. In retrospect, it would have been better to choose a hotel on the east side of the Tiber. The original city of Rome was located on the east side and as such, that is where many of the traditional tourist sites are located.
Third, be prepared to walk. We walked at least 5 miles per day, in part because of the location of our hotel. Of course, taxis and Ubers are ubiquitous, so you can choose to use them. However, there is so much to see and enjoy just by walking.
Fourth, the food is amazing just about everywhere! Prior to our arrival, we had researched and chosen several restaurants that we wanted to try, but we did not end up at any of them. Instead, we just stopped at restaurants wherever we happened to be for lunch and dinner. Every meal was excellent, and it was easy to find really good food at very reasonable prices.
Day One
We arrived at our hotel in Rome around 10:00 AM on a Sunday morning. We left our luggage at the hotel and immediately set off to meet our guide for a food tour of Rome. We booked our tour through Viator. It was called the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Campo Dei Fiori Market Food and Wine Tour. We met our excellent guide at the center of the Piazza Campo de’ Fiore. She escorted us through the Trevi neighborhood for about 3 hours, providing all sorts of historical and architectural information along the way. Some of the more significant sites that we visited included the Fountain of Four Rivers, the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain.
During the tour, we made seven ‘food’ stops to sample all sorts of wonderful delicacies! Our first stop was a local butcher shop located right on the Piazza Campo de’Fiori. The Norcineria Viola, which has been in business for more than a century, provided us with delicious samples of aged meats and cheeses. From there, we moved on to a local vendor in the adjacent farmers’ market where we tried all sorts of olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars. From there we moved on to a local bakery famous for its pizza and beer, followed shortly thereafter by a 3-course lunch at a private restaurant. Our last 3 stops included a shop famous for their tiramisu, a stop for espresso and finally, some delicious gelato! We were beyond stuffed and it was good thing we were doing a lot of walking that day!
After the tour ended, we spent some time on our own strolling around and getting our bearings before returning to our hotel for the evening.
Day 2
On Day 2 we got an early start with a scheduled tour of the Colosseum. On the 40-minute walk from our hotel to the Colosseum, we passed all sorts of historical sites and buildings, including many archeological sites in the midst of being excavated.
The Colosseum is easily the most recognized structure in Rome, if not the world, and it was even more impressive than we anticipated. Although, we would definitely recommend taking a guided tour so that you will understand the historical significance of everything you see. The architecture, technology and history of this magnificent 50,000-seat structure is just amazing, including its sophisticated ticketing and seating plans, the elevators used to raise animals and gladiators from lower floors, and the running water that was available without a pump at the very top of the structure.
After leaving the Colosseum, we took a few photos of the famed Arch of Constantine. The arch was dedicated to Constantine the Great in 315 AD, and was built to commemorate his victory over the previous, contentious emperor, Maxentius. The arch spans the Via Triumphalis and is the route by which military leaders returned to Rome after successful campaigns.
After stopping at the arch, we toured the Roman Forum which is adjacent to the Colosseum. From around 500 B.C., the Forum was the center of early Roman life. It was the location for everything from open-air markets to elections speeches and criminal trials. Over time, the Forum was expanded and just like the Roman Empire itself, the Forum declined and eventually fell into disuse.
During the Middle Ages, the Forum was an animal pasture and it was not until the early 1800’s that archeologists began to excavate the ancient site. Excavations continue to this day, and the ruins, including some that are pretty well-preserved, provide an extraordinary glimpse into ancient history.
Unfortunately, thunderstorms started moving through the area during our visit. Since we were dodging the rain, we did not get the best photos. However, we still very much enjoyed our visit to the Forum.
Rain continued throughout the afternoon, so we took refuge in one of the first places we encountered – an Irish pub. We found it a bit ironic that we were at an Irish pub in the middle of Rome, but the food and beer were great, and we had time to dry out before returning to our hotel for the evening.
On the way back to our hotel we popped into a little shop called the Caffe Peru, where we found some excellent snacks including Ricciarelli, a deliciously addictive almond covered cookie. We actually stopped at this spot several times for our cookie fix.
Day 3
On Day 3, we spent the majority of the day at Vatican City. The entry point to the Vatican Museums was about a 30-minute walk from the hotel, and we set out early to rendezvous with our museum guide.
The Vatican Museums complex is actually made up of 54 different museums. There are nearly 500,000 square feet of display area, so clearly that is a lot to see! We definitely recommend taking a guided tour, just to make sure you do not miss the main sites. We had a wonderful guide who was an art historian. He was able to provide incredibly interesting background information to all of the art and architecture that we saw throughout the museum.
I must say though, that no photo does justice to seeing these masterpieces in person. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was the highlight of the tour, and it was simply breathtaking. Unfortunately, no photography is permitted in the Chapel.
We spent about 3 hours touring the museums, so we really only saw the ‘highlights’. Had we not had a guide though, we would have missed out on so much more.
After the museum, we moved on to St. Peter’s Square. Due to the fact that tourism had not yet rebounded last fall, the museums and St. Peter’s Square were relatively empty. Unfortunately, due to health-related restrictions, we were not able to enter the Basilica itself. We were quite disappointed, but now we have another reason to want to return to Rome!
After touring the Vatican, we made our way back to the east side of the Tiber, passing by the Castel Sant’Angelo along the way. The Castel Sant’Angelo is another famous landmark in Rome. Originally it was constructed by Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. Eventually, the ashes of many other of Rome’s emperors were also placed there. Over time, the contents of the building were looted, and the urns and the ashes of those interred with the building were removed and distributed elsewhere.
Over its nearly 2000 years of existence, the castle has been used as a prison, residence and even as a fortress for the Pope. In fact, it is connected to St. Peter’s Basilica via an underground passage. Today, the castle serves as a museum showcasing restorations from the 15th century, all sorts of art and even Papal apartments with original furnishings.
After leaving the Castel Sant’Angelo, we headed to the Spanish Steps to take in the amazing views of Rome from the top. The Spanish Steps have been the backdrop for a lot of famous films and television shows. Seeing this iconic staircase in person though, was very special!
After leaving the Spanish Steps, we wandered through the upscale shopping area of the Via Condotti, often compared to Paris’ Champs Elysees. There you will find all the major designer shops including Gucci, Prada, etc.
We stopped for a late lunch in one of the area’s many restaurants. We dined outdoors at the Fish and Truffle Restaurant for another terrific meal of Pasta Carbonara and Chicken Pesto. It was a lovely meal, but honestly, there are so many restaurants in the area. Just pick the one that looks good to you. Chances are that it will be fantastic!
Day 4
Day four was actually spent getting to and from our Day trip to Tivoli. We wrote about that visit in a previous post and I would encourage to take a look at “Tivoli, Italy – Beauty and History Just Outside Rome”. Tivoli was the most amazing place and if you are visiting Rome, but want a break from the big city, Tivoli will be for you!
Despite spending most of the day outside of Rome, we did walk through some different neighborhoods and took in another fantastic, albeit our last, dinner in Rome. We chose pizza for our last Roman mean and it was out of this world delicious.
Of course, on our way back to our hotel, we stopped one last time at the Caffe Peru for our favorite Ricciarelli. Then it was back to the hotel to finish packing up and preparing for the long flight home the next morning.
We so enjoyed our trip to Rome, even more than we expected. Even though Rome is a very large city, all the neighborhoods, each with its own discernible character, make the city seem more intimate and amicable. If you have never been to Rome, you should go. And, if you have already been – you probably want to go back. I know we do!
Until next time, safe travels.
Thank you for this visit through your experience. I love Rome!
I have visited Rome several times, but this is a city to return to at any time… and I will…
Thank you for your comment. We had a great time in Rome and hope to return.