3 Days in Rome
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When my brother and I were in Rome, there’s no doubt we pretended to be in a movie and take advantage of la Città Eterna. From Ancient Ruins (in real life, not magic) to having the best meal I’ve ever had in my life, Rome did not disappoint. Here’s what we did in 3 days in Rome.
Day One: Local Flavors & Ancient Ruins
Before hitting the must-see sights in Rome, we had Pizza ai Funghi with Colosseum views. Sit outside and enjoy the locals passing by. You’re in Rome for God’s sake! Sit down and enjoy your pizza. While you’re waiting for your pizza to be ready, take advantage of the lighting and take some portraits. Remember, photos are free souvenirs.
We went into the Colosseum with a tour guide so we got to skip the long line and learn about what we were looking at. I think the most interesting thing I learned was that most of the Colosseum had been restored due to people going in and looting it at one point in history after they had stopped using it as a theater. There used to be a lot of gold there. It’s hard to picture it that way since we’ve always seen it in ruins.
After the Colosseum, we visited the Roman Forum. It was amazing to see history and the future together in one spot. Even after Rome fell, the city has continued to evolve and the past is still alive around it’s present.
We ended the day with the best meal I’ve ever had in my life. I found a little local restaurant on the corner, a block away from our hotel. Remember that scene in Ratatouille when Remy combines flavors in his mouth? That’s what happened. For real. I cried.
Always try to find places to eat while you’re in the city you’re visiting. Stay away from the tourist traps, meaning don’t eat by the Trevi Fountain. If you find a neighborhood with kids playing in the streets, luckily this is where our hotel was located, chances are you’re going to eat well.
Day Two: Churches & Cannolis
We visited the Catacombs and St. Paul’s Basilica in the morning. Both were enriching. The Catacombs reminded me how small people used to be. The underground tour we took lasted about 45 minutes and was a bucket list item for us both. St. Paul’s Basilica made me feel as if I entered a biblical world. My brother was really into this tour. He naturally became my photo subject.
We took the metro to explore the city on our own and walked around pretending to be locals. If you start to get tired or hot from all the walking, find a church (there’s one at every corner) and sit in a pew to admire the architecture. You’re still seeing things, you’re just giving yourself a break. Two for one. Don’t forget to rest. If you’re hungry, find a trattoria and order a snack. For this stop, it was cannolis.
Our last bucket list item of the day was the famous Trevi Fountain. Now, there’s not really a good time to take a photo of this icon unless you show up super early or on the off chance you’re not traveling during tourist season, maybe. But make the best of it. There’s a saying if you throw a coin in, you’ll come back to Rome. I was throwing mine in for more of a Lizzie McGuire Movie moment, but either way the City of Rome thanks you for your donation. Seriously, they collect the coins and keep them. Duh.
Day Three: A Castle & The Vatican
We wandered on our own today before we met up a tour guide at The Vatican. We decided to walk around and see the sites. We did use the metro again to give us a head start. Our first attraction was the Castel Sant’angelo. This was my first castle that wasn’t Magic Kingdom. Yeah, I know. Here I am inside the walls. We explored the castle on our own and discovered some great views at the top.
After exploring the city on our own, we headed over to Vatican City for a tour of the Vatican. Technically, this was a different country. Two for one special in Italy if you’re looking to stop by into Catholic Central.
The Vatican is a church and a huge museum. Walking around was a little overwhelming. I highly recommend you sign up for a tour beforehand. The Sistine Chapel was the highlight of this tour. You were not allowed to take pictures so you’ll have to trust me and go see it for yourself. I think the hype is real but it’s a lot smaller than you think it is.
After the tour we walked around some souvenir shops and ended up getting a refresher. Turns out that Fanta tastes way better at The Vatican.
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