Travel Guide | When in Rome

Hello again!

Get ready for a pretty lengthy blog post ahead!

I’m back on the blog today to give you the rundown on my three days spent in Rome. Of all the places that I visited on my trip to Italy, Rome definitely has to be my favorite city that I went to. It’s such a metropolitan, yet historic place and it’s so easy to navigate! I felt like even though I had seen everything that I wanted to see in the three days I was there, I still probably hadn’t even seen the majority of the city!

Once I arrived in Rome, I decided to try and see as many of the iconic landmarks that I possibly could on my first day. So, I went straight to the Pantheon, which was super close to where I was staying.

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Admission to the Pantheon is free, which is awesome because it’s a must-see sight for any trip to Rome. The coolest thing about this landmark has to be the architecture and the dome. I learned that it’s the largest unreinforced dome in the world, being made of only clay and concrete. Some really awesome stuff, people!

Following the Pantheon, I stopped at a coffee shop around the corner that sells iced granitas. These are iced coffee drinks with fresh whipped cream on top. It sounds pretty basic when I explain it, but you’ve just got to taste it for yourself because it was one of the best things that I’ve ever eaten. For your reference, the cafe is called La Casa Del Caffè Tazza D’oro!

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After my iced granita treat, I headed to the Trevi Fountain. I will say that if you plan on going to the Fountain, it’s best to do it later in the day, from what I experienced. By the time that I got there, it was a little before 5 p.m., so it wasn’t super crowded and I was able to throw my coin in the fountain! Just remember, toss a coin over your left shoulder with your right hand to make your wish come true!

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Next up were the Spanish Steps! If I’m being completely honest, the steps were cool to say that I’ve been to, but they really aren’t anything special. They’re really nice to sit on after a long day of walking around though, which is exactly what I did. I just wouldn’t go to see them with some big expectation that they’re magical, because they’re just steps!


DAY TWO

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On my second day in Rome, I was well rested and ready to get going as soon as the sun came up. I planned on going to see the Roman Forum and the Colosseum in the morning before it got unbearably hot outside. There is a two-for-one ticket to see both, and I chose the self-guided tour ticket. Definitely wear comfortable shoes because you’re walking on dirt paths 90% of the time that you’re at the Forum, and there are really steep steps at the Colosseum.

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The Roman Forum was the space where the first “city” of Rome began. Today, it’s filled with the ruins of centuries-old temples and buildings. It was so cool to be in the presence of the first constructed buildings in Rome!

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Sparkle Skirt (Anthropologie), Pink Silk Tank (Anthropologie), Denim Vest (Nordstrom)

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I was super excited about going to the Colosseum, mostly due to the iconic scene at the end of the Lizzie McGuire Movie where she’s rockin’ out and everyone’s dancing along in the Colosseum. Anyways, you can walk around the perimeter of the Colosseum with the self-guided ticket that I purchased. However, if you want to go closer to the arena, you have to buy the ticket that comes with the tour guide.

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Galleria Doria Pamphilj

Following my morning spent outdoors in the heat, I decided that wherever I was going to go in the afternoon should be inside. So, I decided to go to the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, which is like a mini-Versailles! For 12 euro, you get to walk through the entire gallery of art that has been accumulated by the family. It was such a cool place to see, so if you’re interested in art, definitely go there!

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The Mouth of Truth

One of the coolest places that I went to on my second day in Rome was the Bocca della VeritĂ , or the Mouth of Truth. The mask is at the Santa Maria in the Cosmedin church, which is also breathtakingly beautiful. Basically the Mouth of Truth is meant to depict the sea god Oceanus, and legend says that if you’re a liar and you put your hand into the mouth of the mask, your fingers will get cut off. Totally disgusting, but I stuck my hand into the mouth anyway and I came out with all my fingers!


DAY THREE

On my third and final day in Rome, I decided to explore a part of town that not many people venture to. Trastevere is the part of Rome that is just over the Tiber River, and it’s a totally different feel than Rome. There are quite a few options for bridges that you can cross to get to Trastevere, so just check a map and find the one that is closest in proximity to where you are!

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Panama Hat (Anthropologie), Crochet Dress (American Eagle Outfitters)

Trastevere is a great place to just roam around and explore the true charm of Rome. I had the best bruschetta at a restaurant in Trastevere, so it really is a hidden gem! I would give you the name of that restaurant, but no matter how hard I tried to research where exactly I was, I couldn’t find the name of it!

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My pizza at Ciampini Roma! YUM!

Before crossing back over the bridge, I walked right next to the river on the shaded walkway, which was such an awesome way to end a pretty chill day of exploring. For my last meal in Rome, I went to Ciampini Roma. I had been there for lunch on my first day, so I decided to go there for dinner. I had literally the most amazing pizza ever with fresh arugula, cherry tomatoes and ricotta cheese. SO DELICIOUS!


Well, there ya have it folks — Rome in three days. See, it is possible to see some pretty awesome sights of Rome in a short amount of time. I’m super excited for my next opportunity to go back to Rome and explore even more of the Eternal City.

Until next time … in which I’ll be sharing my top experiences from my time in Florence! Stay tuned!

Alicia

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