If you're a romantic at heart, then Rome will fulfil every fantasy that you've ever harboured about travel. This 3000-year-old city is bursting with remnants of the past that instantly transport you to the world of gladiators and their fighting arenas.
There is a certain madness about the crowds in Rome. There are so many people everywhere, almost every second person you will come across is a tourist. It's exhilarating to see so many people vying with each other and hovering around you to take pictures...it's impossible to click a picture without some heads showing up in them.
8 things you must know about Rome before planning your visit -
1. 3 days are not enough to see the entire city. I can say this with a certain amount of certainty because we were in Rome for 3 days only, 3.5 days to be precise and boy! Was it crazy? To top it all, it started pouring in the morning we had to start our sightseeing. So there was a delay of another half day. You can, of course, rush through the sights, but if possible, keep at least 4 to 5 days for Rome. If that is not possible, then plan your trip thoroughly.
2. Don't travel to Rome without advance bookings for attractions. There are crowds everywhere and you will not be able to see much if don't have a fixed itinerary.
3. The Rome airport, Fiumicino Airport is well connected to the main train station, Termini, by the Trenitalia train, Leonardo Express. This train runs non-stop to the main station and takes about 30 minutes.
If you get a Rome City Pass, then you can travel by bus, train, tram, or metro, free of cost within city limits.
4. Take guided tours, wherever possible. There is so much history to learn about that you will feel quite lost if there is no background to it. Even with a guide at most places, we used to exchange notes in the evening trying to remember what we had seen during the day!
5. The entire city can be seen on foot. Most destinations are within walking distance of each other. Just follow the map so that you don't miss the attraction that you wish to see. In 3 days, it will not be possible to see all the attractions from the inside, so pick the ones you wish to see thoroughly.
6. Rome is a deep pool of history and information. Most of it is very intriguing and interesting too. But, as I always write in all my travel blogs, not every museum and art gallery needs to be seen from the inside, not unless you're a historian or a serious history buff.
I have seen tourists, especially in places like Rome, going berzerk, running around to catch everything they can. This can take away the romanticism of a beautiful city like Rome. Some monuments should just be experienced for their architecture and beauty alone and most importantly, for the experience of you being there in that moment!
7. Italy is bustling with tourists at all times. There are massive queues anywhere you go. I have not seen so many tourists walking around with maps and cameras anywhere else in the world. So, plan your itinerary ahead to beat the crowds. To see the famous landmarks like the Colosseum and the Vatican, it's best to reach early morning.
As I've mentioned earlier, there are many attractions in Rome to see. If you have limited time, then pick the ones you really wish to see first.
For instance, on our trip to the Vatican, there were massive crowds and multiple queues lined up for different areas of the Basilica. We ended up getting into the wrong queue which led to the tombstones.
There is no coming out if you've entered the wrong queue. Almost 25,000 people visit the chapel each day, so you can imagine the sea of people who are jostling to get inside the chapel. We ended up spending over 2 hours extra trying to get out and get in the right queue for the chapel. So, be very clear about where you are headed in the chapel.
8. At a lot of places in Italy, if you're availing a service, be sure of what you have to pay for it. In Rome, around the Colosseum, there are men dressed as knights and gladiators, wearing centurion costumes. First, they'll coax you to take pictures with them and then harass you for money. At times, they'll ask you to pay an exorbitant amount of money like 100 euros for a picture. So, decide in advance what needs to be paid.
Read more about Italy by clicking the link below -
3 exciting Days in Romantic Rome
Day One
Day Two
Day Three
Day One - Morning
Colosseum
As we stepped out of the metro station, Colosseo, on metro line B, this awe-inspiring mammoth structure of the Colosseum made me gasp. We all have seen pictures of the Colosseum on every possible travel pamphlet and travel site about Italy, but when you actually set eyes on it, the effect is surreal.
As mentioned before, there was a sea of people waiting in the queue outside. We had pre-booked a tour with a tour guide. He spoke clear English and took us around the stunning ruins of what is considered to be the world's largest amphitheatre.
There are many tour options to choose from.
Some tours take you only to the main arena, some take you to the underground level and the top tier also. Here you can see the working mechanism of the rope-and-pulley system that controlled the 80 passageways, from where almost 50,000 spectators could enter the Colosseum.
Please check the official website of the Colosseum before visiting for any changes in the tour itineraries. There are many options available depending on what you wish to see and the amount of time you can spend.
My Tip -
The Colosseum is the star of your trip to Rome. Keep ample time for it. The guided tour is a must as it enhances the experience of seeing this historical masterpiece manifold.
There is a combo ticket available for the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. We came across tourists who started their day with the Roman Forum on their combined ticket because the Colosseum was too crowded when they got there. Well, the Colosseum is always crowded. So, reach early and tick off your Colosseum tour first since there are time slots that you will have to adhere to and then you can take a stroll in the Roman Forum at leisure.
And pre-book your tour so that you can skip the queue.
Day One - Noon
Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
The Colosseum and Roman Forum can be seen on the same ticket.
After doing the tour of the Colosseum, we headed to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Both these were included in the ticket to the Colosseum. It's just about half a kilometre walk. You can take a cab too, but walking around in this area is fun.
There are 7 important hills in Rome, Palatine is the highest. You can get splendid views of the city from the top of the hill. It is believed that Rome was founded by Romulus on this hill.
The Forum lies adjacent to the Palatine Hill. It is an open area with ruins of ancient Roman government buildings. You can spend about 2 hours walking along some of the famous sites in the Forum like the Temple of Saturn, the largest temple, the Temple of Venus and the ruins of the oldest shopping mall.
My Tip -
Even if you're tired from your outing at the Colosseum, don't skip the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. If you have 3 days, then you will not have time to come back to this spot. The entire Roman history is on display here, enjoy the spectacle!
Day One - Second half
Capitoline Hill
Just an 8-minute walk from Palatine Hill lies Capitoline Hill.
This is one of the 7 hills in Rome and is the most beautiful. It played a very significant role in ancient Rome. Michelangelo turned the hill into a beautiful Piazza.
Entry to the hill is free and it's open 24/7.
There is a beautiful staircase designed by Michelangelo that takes you to the main square at the top of the hill, Piazza del Campidoglio. In the centre of the piazza is a beautiful bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius. Behind the piazza, is a beautiful fountain.
We were tired from all the walking during the day, so we just walked up the staircase to get stunning views of the Roman Forum below and then decided to spend the rest of the evening just sitting around and soaking in the sights.
The piazza has the Capitoline museums, they are believed to be very interesting with some of the most significant Roman sculptures. If you have the time and the inclination, you can book tickets in advance for that. In that case, you will have to visit the hill in the morning.
My Tip -
Piazza del Campidoglio is beautiful. Go there for the views of the Roman Forum from there at night. As far as the Capitoline museums are concerned, there are many museums in Rome, so it's wise to be a bit picky. Otherwise, it can get extremely tiring and a bit muddled up too with too much history in one trip.
Day Two - Full Day trip
Vatican City
What can I write about the Vatican City that has not already been said and discussed?
Although, there is still so much more to be said about this smallest country in the world.
I have written about our day trip to the Vatican City in a separate blog. Please click on the link below -
My Tip -
Keep a full day aside for this trip. There was not a single dull moment during our entire day at the Vatican. There was history, art, architecture and loads of touristy stuff to indulge in.
Day Three - Morning
Piazza Venezia
We started our last day in Rome from the point where we had left on Day One at Capitoline Hill.
Just a 2-minute walk away, at the foot of Capitoline Hill, lies Piazza Venezia. It is located at the intersection of many roads, right in the central hub of Rome, so it's quite noisy all around with a lot of traffic. We crossed the Piazza so many times during our stay in Rome. The Piazza has many buildings all around with amazing architecture.
However, the one building that stands out is the stunning marble structure which is a monument to King Vittorio Emmanuel II. The layered appearance of its outer facade has earned it the nickname of 'Wedding cake'. I did not know this at the time of our visit, but we were just awed by the magnificence of this structure.
The monument was built in honour of the first King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel II.
The famous landmark can be identified by the two chariot horses on the two top sides of its outer facade. You can take pictures of this stunning monument from the outside, there are stunning marble steps and fountains. Or you can buy a ticket and go to the top via a Panoramic Glass elevator. From there, you can get beautiful views of the city.
My Tip -
Spend some time walking around the Piazza to look at Victor Emmanuel's monument from different angles. You can also go to the terrace by taking the staircase for free. But remember, there are lots of stairs to climb to reach the top. There is a museum inside and a restaurant on the top with beautiful views of the city. You can also see the change of guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier.
Day Three - Morning
Trevi Fountain
We started walking from Piazza Venezia towards Trevi Fountain which is about 800 m away. There was so much anticipation in our minds about what to expect once we reached.
And as expected, the fountain is a sight to behold!
The massive fountain is 85 feet tall and 65 feet wide. The intricate baroque craftsmanship of the structure cannot be expressed in words.
There is a tradition in Rome that throwing a coin in the water at Trevi Fountain will ensure that you will come back to Rome again. We saw people throwing coins with their right hand over their left shoulder. We learnt that all these coins are collected daily and given to local charities.
Most traditions have their roots in certain beliefs. Ancient Romans tried to please the Water Gods by throwing coins in the water to earn their blessings so that they return home safely from journeys or wars.
One can easily spend an hour at this fountain. The stunning artwork and the vibe around the place are intoxicating.
My Tip -
If possible, do another round of the Trevi Fountain at Twilight. We could not do it since we were leaving early the next morning, but I've heard a lot of wonderful accounts of it.
Day Three - Noon
Pantheon
Walking along narrow alleyways, in about 8 minutes from the Trevi Fountain, we reached the Pantheon.
The Pantheon was built as a Roman temple and was used as a burial place for kings. It is known for its famous dome, which still holds the title of the largest unsupported concrete dome in the world.
Here again, there are hordes of people all around. Entrance to the monument is free except on weekends when a reservation is needed.
We were not aware of this, we saw a long serpentine queue but it moved very fast. So after a wait of about 30 minutes, we got inside. There are audio tours and guided tours available that will show you around with all the historical details.
As soon as you enter the Pantheon, what catches your attention is the huge dome with a big gaping hole in the ceiling.
I read somewhere that some tour guides will tell you that water does not enter through the dome when it rains. They do this to create some mysticism about the Pantheon. But it proved to be a myth since we could see some waterlogging on the floor inside after the previous days' rain. Although, there are holes along the floor for water to run through. Even minus this magical fact, the Pantheon has an aura of mystery around it.
The entire area around the Pantheon is the Piazza della Rotonda. The eye-catching obelisk of Ramesses II, hordes of people just sitting around on the steps of the Fontana del Pantheon right in front of the Pantheon, roadside eateries, art galleries, boutiques, souvenir shops and the cutest toy shop by the name of Bartolucci give this piazza a very lively vibe.
I recently learnt that this shop has now been closed. It would be sad if it has indeed closed down. We had bought wooden name plates and a cute bunny rabbit clock for both our kids from here. Do write back to me if you happen to visit this shop and it's still open!!
My Tip -
Plan to spend the entire evening in the area around the Pantheon. The vibrancy and the warmth of Italian culture are so palpable here. Ideally, we could have just walked around the streets, looking at stunning artefacts strewn all over the Piazza but this was our last day and some attractions in Rome still remained to be seen.
Day Three - Evening
Piazza Navona
I could not imagine that after the magnificent Pantheon, another architectural marvel was waiting for us just a 4-minute walk away.
Piazza Navona is the beautiful historical square of Rome. The square is not a square but an oval-shaped complex. The reason is that this Piazza was originally designed to be a stadium.
There is art and history splattered around the square, in every nook and around every corner. There are beautiful churches, museums, cafes and fountains in the square.
The most eye-catching is, of course, the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or the Four River Fountain. Everyone knows this fountain by this name.
The fountain is a stunning baroque-style structure with four statues that represent four important rivers of the continents where Christianity had spread, the river Nile, Ganges, Danube and Rio de la Plata.
My Tip -
Just a 10-minute walk away from Piazza Navona lies the stunning St. Angelo Bridge over the River Tiber. If you walk over the bridge, it will lead you to Castel Sant'Angelo, a beautiful castle on the River Tiber. You can walk over the bridge or if time permits, you can go inside the castle. Entry to the castle is paid and bookings have to be made in advance.
We had no time for the castle but the bridge was very stunning with beautiful views of the Tiber.
Day Three - Evening
Piazza del Popolo
This was our last destination of the day. We were tired from all the walking throughout the day. We had to walk another 20 minutes to reach Piazza del Popolo.
This is the largest square in Rome. It has churches, some fountains, and an obelisk, By the time we reached here, we had seen multiple fountains, obelisks and churches.
Despite that, the piazza is worth visiting. There is a famous church, Santa Maria del Popolo. This church became famous after it appeared in the famous novel by Dan Brown 'Angels and Demons'.
Apart from that, there are two twin churches, and one of the largest obelisks in Rome is here in the piazza.
People were sitting around, eating and drinking from the various kiosks. The food was good, I've forgotten the name of the eatery, though.
We spent our last evening at the piazza, soaking in the richness of this beautiful city and hoping we had more days to spend in this historical paradise.
If we had an extra day, then we would've spent that around the Trevi Fountain, you can't ever get tired of looking at this exquisite piece of architecture.
From Trevi Fountain, we would have gone to the Spanish Steps, the longest and widest staircase in Europe. And the second half we would have spent at the vibrant Piazza Navona.
Comments