Rome Itinerary 3-days
Roma is absolutely beautiful. It is now one of my favorite cities, and I cannot wait to go back! We had three days to explore Rome and this is the general itinerary we had.
Day 1
Lunch: Cesare al Casaletto or Marigold Roma
Activity: Explore Trastavere
Pre-Dinner Snack: Pizzeria Ai Marmi (local traditional pizza that offers slices to go)
Dinner: Seu Pizza Illuminati (modern pizza; online res available)
Dessert: Otaleg Gelato
Late Night: Ma Che Siete Venuti A Fa (often found on best bar in Europe lists)
Day 2
Coffee and Breakfast: Caffe Trastavere
Activity: Sightseeing
Piazza Navona
Pantheon
Trevi Fountain
Spanish Steps
I ready many people’s blogs suggesting you go sightseeing in the early hours of the morning to get photos without the crowd. I thought they were crazy. I just flew across the world. I’d like to sleep in. But turns out jet lag had us both awake at 3am! Haha, so we went to the caffe at 5:30am and then went sightseeing. It was pretty awesome to be able to navigate without a bustling crowd. So my advice is if you can wake up early and go sightseeing, do it, it’s worth it.
Lunch: Armanda al Pantheon or Colline Emiliane
Afternoon Coffee: La Casa del Caffe Tazza d’Oro (near Pantheon, one of the best coffee houses, known for their iced granita with whipped cream)
Afternoon Dessert: Fatamorgana Gelato
Otaleg is way better IMO. Fatamorgana is a gelato chain. It had more of an icy texture.
Activity: Colosseum Arena, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum Tour at 3pm
3-hr tour booked through Get Your Guide. There are different tour options! If you want special access to the Colosseum Arena or Underground, make sure it’s listed in the included section.
Dinner: Da Enzo Al 29 (walk-in only)
What we ordered and loved: carbonara, amatriciana, cacio e pepe, oxtail, tiramisu, and a caraffe of red wine
Note: This was probably my favorite restaurant for the whole trip! We had to wait 2-3 hrs in line before getting sat. I can’t remember the exact time since they made sure libations were had! A waiter periodically went through the line and took drink orders. We drank wine and got friendly w/ the people in line next to us, so we had a great time!
Day 3
Coffee and Breakfast: Caffe Trastavere (gotta love that they open at 5:30am)
Activity: Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and St Peter’s Basilica Tour at 8am
3.5-hr tour booked through Get Your Guide
Lunch: La Mani in Pasta (famous for fish and traditional Italian pasta)
Dinner: Osteria Nonnarella (casual, good dining where you can get good carbonara or pizza, walk-in only)
When in Rome, do as the Romans do! We noticed a plethora of Peroni beer bottles on the streets of Roma. To pass the time waiting, we bought Peroni beer from the convenience store and drank while we waited for our table.
What we ordered and loved: mussels, cacio e pepe, roasted lamb w/ potatoes, and caraffe of red wine
Useful Italian
I wanted to learn Italian language basics, and I found it useful when we were traveling! I also wanted to learn more about Italian culture, because I wanted to show my respect and avoid any cultural faux pas as Americans. I provided YouTube video links below of the ones I found useful! Happy learning and traveling!
Top 10 Italian Phrases for Travel - The Intrepid Guide
How to Order Food and Drinks in Italian - The Intrepid Guide
Top 25 Italian Phrases for Travel - Learn Italian w/ Teacher Stefano
15 Italian Words You Need to Know - Sofie’s World
What Not to Do When Ordering in Italy - Sofie’s World