3 and 1/2 days in Rome Itinerary
 

I would love to hear your input on my itinterary, my husband has never been there and I want to make sure he really does enjoy his trip and say Arrivederci Roma! when it is time to leave! Please note we have no car and will be walking on our two feet, taking trains and buses and carrying lots of water and sunscreen. Tell me what you think!

Day one - arrive in Rome right before lunch and out hotel is near the trevi fountain and spanish steps. Since we will have some jetlag, we will walk to these two destinations and try to get to the Pantheon (which I believe is nearby??) Get dinner at a romantic restaurant (suggestions?)

DAY TWO: Go straight to the Vatican, visit the museum and anything else that is nice to see in the area. A Fodorite suggested going to the park at Janiculum Hill afterwards - how do we get there? (Remember, no car!) For dinner, a Fodorite recommended dinner at La Medusa Restaurant. We are on a tight budget so lunch places can be recommended too!

DAY THREE - We have morning reservations at the Borghese Gallery and then going to the Colosseum in the afternoon. What else can we do that is in that area?

DAY FOUR - if the pope is not at the vatican, we are going to castel gondolfo in the morning and then in the evening calling it an early night because we are leaving the next morning.

I would of liked to fit Florence in but I want to see as much as we can in Rome!

Thanks in advance for your ideas!

You should just get a taxi to Janiculum Hill park from the Vatican. It's only a few minutes by taxi and will cost less than 5 Euro. Unless you are there very late at night it will be easy enough to find a cab to take you back down as well.

Consider bringing a picnic with you, it's a nice spot for one. The food at the snack bar at the park is not good (but it's OK for water or soft drinks).

We just returned from Rome, also doing it all on foot. Trevi fountain, the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona are all close together and quite doable on your first day, jet lag didn't hit us too badly. There are all kinds of cafes on the Piazza, try and find one without the service charge.Also at night there are street performers on the square.

Be sure to make a reservation at the Vatican to bypass the line, there's a thread telling you exactly how to do it. A short walk from the Vatican in Piazza Rigorsmento (sp?) is Insalata Ricca, a good and inexpensive place to have lunch, and around the corner, across from the Vatican walls, a great gelateria. House wine at Insalata was E5 and we found the food good.

We rented a surrey bicycle at the Borghese, it's a nice way to see the park before your reservation. Buy your ticket for the Colosseum at Palatine Hills (ticket is good for both) and tour it and the Forum before you go to the Colosseum, you can walk right past the line for tickets. Don't forget Circus Maximus is in the same location, and the "mouth of Truth" at the end of the field.

Leave plenty of time for people watching and refill your water bottles at the spigots that are everywhere in Rome, clean, cold water from the aquaduct.

Great feedback - two questions though -

our tour at the borghese is early so we would probably ride bikes afterwards. Do you rent them from the gallery or somewhere nearby? that sounds like fun!

2. How do I get to the Palatine Hills to buy tickets from the Colosseum? Can I buy the day of or need to get it in advance?

Hi Indovina,

You can buy your ticket at the Palentine Hill entrance right as you walk up. There should not even be a line. You will also get a ticket for free admission to the Villa Adriana (Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli) just in case you can use it!

The ticket office is on the street as you walk through the Arch of Constantine, very easy to find. I believe you will be traveling southeast? I have an excellent sense of direction, but in Rome I navigate more by landmark than direction!!!

Buon viaggio!

PS - whatever you do DON'T miss the Borghese!

Thanks Dayle so much for your details! I travel by landmark too! I got reservations to the Borghese Gallery already and am all set. Borghese in the morning and the Colosseum in the afternoon. I will provide my trip report when I return! Thanks!

the bikes are everywhere in the park, just ask someone to point the way, there is also a stand by the zoo