Rome Travel Forum

I am travelling to Rome with my husband for our 25 anniversary. We only have 3 days in Rome on a budget. Can anyone make some iternary suggestions. We love to walk... We would also like some dining ideas.
We are so excited and would love some suggestions from seasoned travellers.

If you love to walk, then Rome is your city. There is just so much to see, quite apart from the obvious touristy things. Public transport is cheap and excellent (bus/tram/Metro) so you can easily take a rest if your legs get tired. Cross roads with determination and don't dither: drivers may not stop entirely, but they will be able to swerve round you if they know where you are going. If in doubt, follow a nun or priest across the road (there are plenty of both in Rome)!

Buy a three-day travel pass for 11 euros from the booths at Termini bus station. Validate (date-stamp) it at the start of your first journey (use the yellow machines) then just keep it with you: it covers all public transport options.

This is what I'd do:

Spend one day in the Forum area. Explore the Forum itself, the Palatine Hill (take a picnic lunch.....the gardens are lovely), the Colosseum, San Clemente (entirely unmissable, imo), Trajan's markets...maybe walk a bit further out and visit the ancient round church of San Stefano Rotondo. If you are not too tired, and time still allows, there are lots of other sites/churches in the area.

Spend another day visiting Santa Maria Maggiore (unmissable), then San Giovanni in Laterano (where the Pope was based before the Vatican existed). Then get the bus from the bus station opposite to the catacombs of San Sebastiano (or San Callisto..both are fascinating). Then walk from S Sebastiano down the ancien Appian Way, passing (maybe visiting)Roman tombs and the Circo Massentio and on into the countryside.

Spend another day visiting St Peters (after 4pm might be less crowded), exploring Trastevere, crossing the river and wandering through the old ghetto area (past the Teatro Marcello and the Roman fish-market) towards the Area Sacra (3 temples in a cat asanctuary!). Try to fit in the Pantheon (again, earlier ot later) and, if you want to see a stunning 'trompe-l'oeil' ceiling, the Gesu.

Catacombs:

http://www.catacombe.roma.it/

Appian Way:

http://www.parcoappiaantica.it/en/default.asp?L1=1

My Rome pages also have details on everything I've mentioned, and it's worth exploring the other VT Rome pages too.

Allow enough time to eat gelati every couple of hours or so (essential!) and be aware that anywhere touristy will charge high prices for food. The Termini area has some good reaasonably-priced places, otherwise make sure you go off the main drag(s) when you want to eat.

Hello,

If I only had 3 days in Rome my itinerary would be:

1rst- get the rome pass- check out romepass.com for info.

My first day I would spend at the colosseum/forum area. See the palatine hill, explore the capitolini museums,go around to the cirucus maximus, see the bocca della verita, go up to visit San Clemente and then St. Johns in Lateranno.

For the 2nd day I would go to visit the trevi fountain, the spanish steps, the pantheon, piazza navona, and all the churches in those areas including: St. Agnese in Agone and santa Maria sopra minerva. You might want to make a reservation for the Borghese gallery for this day also.

For the 3rd day I would spend it at the vatican seeing the basilica and the museums. If you go to the museums in the afternoon the lines will be much shorter. See the basilica in the morning spending as much time as you like inside and in the piazza.

You can walk to all these sites but the rome pass does include 3 days worth of transportation on the bus system and metro system. Be sure to stop into any and all churches you come across. You will be amazed! Have a great trip.

Donna

Ah Rome. Its a walker's paradise for sure. I slightly sprained my ankle just after I arrived but that didnt stop me walking for miles over my three day visit. There is just so much to see and by foot is the most fun way. Leics gives good advice about crossing roads. The only time I was nearly run down was when I hesitated.

Grab a map and head off early each day. Expect long queues at the Vatican and my pet hate queue jumpers! If I ever visit the Vatican Museums again I would go later in the day when the excitement has died down a bit. I know people can spend all day there in combination with the Basilica but 3 to 4 hours for both is OK too.

Basically we just wandered about for three days stumbling upon gorgeous piazzas and magnificent churches by accident.

If you are in Trastevere and looking for a different dining experience I do recommend La Cisterna. It is one of the oldest restaurants in Rome. The food is good but its the atmosphere that sets this restaurant apart. Its a great night out.

All of these suggestions are great. I particularly agree with the poster who said to go into every church you come across as you certainly will be amazed. If you see St Peter's, St John Lateran and St Maria Maggiorre, then if time permits, you need to take a short trip outside the walls to see the fourth great Roman Basilica, St Paul's outside the wall. This is a particular favourite of mine and is also within walking distance of the Circus Maximus, which these days, doesn't necessarily have a lot to "see" other than the fit brigade having their daily run, but to stand there and read up on the history from a good guide book will give you goose bumps.
As for the gelati, just remember NOT to buy it at a roadside trailer, they will charge you the earth, get it at one of the many little gelati shops you will see at regular intervals along your way, it cam be as little as a third of the price of the trailers. Happy anniversary!

To those who replied.
thank you for some great info and tips, we will be crossing roads behind nuns and priests while eating gelati!

Just like me! :-))