3 days can still be a lengthy and worthy vacation in Rome if you plan it wisely. if you accept the 72-hour challenge then here’s a cheat sheet for you to get the best out of these precious three days.
Just a quick reality check here. It’s impossible to cover everything of eternal Rome in just three days. You just can’t even if you rush from one place to another. So keeping it real I’ll mention places which you can cover under 72 hours.
If you follow along you will get a great tour plan. Which will help you to discover incredible secret spots and foods that will make your 72-hour Rome tour memory of a lifetime.
Day 1
Start the tour with all the hyped-up places of Rome. On the first day, we have the ancient pantheon, the romantic trevi fountain, and the famous Mouth of Truth from the movie roman holiday.
Places to visit
Places to visit On the first day, you should start with all the buzz in Rome. The pantheon is an architectural inspiration for centuries. Trevi fountain has a cute coin-throwing tradition attached to it. And how can one forget the mouth of the truth of the Roman holiday?
Pantheon
Image Source: theromanguy.com
No other ancient roman monument is as well preserved as the pantheon. You just can’t miss this even if you just visiting for 72 hours. The history of the pantheon is the most exciting part. So it would be great if you can take a tour guide with you.
This magnificent monument was built between 126 – 128 AD. Initially, it was used for worshiping pagan gods. As the name refers to “pan” meaning all “theon” means god. Over the course of time, the structure has been used for many reasons.
At last, it converted into a Christian church in 609 AD. The square that you see in front of the pantheon is called Piazza Della Rotonda. A popular meeting place for all the tourists of Rome.
Spending time in the pantheon is like time traveling. The course of time can be seen on the walls and columns of the pantheon.
Trevi fountain
Image Source: upload.wikimedia.org
The name trevi originates from the idea of three roads junction. It was believed that the fountain situates at the meeting point of three roads. Some also argue that the name is inspired by the goddess named trivia.
I can’t guarantee you which of the reasoning is more valid but one thing is for sure this is one of the most hyped-up places in Rome. Because of the tossing coin theory. It is believed that if you throw a coin in the water of the trevi fountain you will return back to Rome again.
If you throw two coins you will find love in Rome. And if you can’t resist and throw three then you will get married to your loved one.
Wondering about the statues? It’s the greek god Oceanus. Accompanied by his two underlings who are handling two horses represents the wildness and calmness of the ocean. The source of trevi fountains water is Aqua Virgo. It is one of the earliest aqueducts in Rome.
Mouth of Truth
Image Source: anamericaninrome.com
Maybe the most interesting tourist spot in Rome accompanied by even more interesting rumors. Locally known as Bocca Della Verità or the Mouth of Truth is a face made of marble with an open mouth.
What’s so interesting about it?
Legend says that if you place your hand inside it and lie the mouth will bite off some of your fingers. Previously it was free for visitors. At present, you will have to pay €2-3 to spend some time with this “Roman Holiday” famous mouth of truth.
What to eat
I know I can’t make your taste buds go adventurous on the first day. You are in Italy. You have always had your country’s version of Italian food. Now you want authentic pizzas and pasta.
I get it. I get it.
Here you go. All the famous pizzas and pasta that you can enjoy in the first 24 hours of Rome.
Pasta
Let’s start with pasta. Basically, you will find varieties of pasta in Rome that skim into basic four categories. They are,
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Gricia.
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Cacio e Pepe.
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Carbonara.
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Amatriciana.
If you want to be super sure of the taste then sit in a cozy restaurant and order Carbonara. One can never go wrong with carbonara.
Pizza
Image Source: By igorovsyannykov – Pixabay archive copy, CC0,
The reason why roman pizza tastes so special is they allow the dough to rest and develop large air bubbles for enough time. This technique makes roman pizzas light and airy. “La Gatta Mangiona” serves one of the best pizzas in Rome.
In Rome pizza is more of a go-to meal. You can just have a slice of pizza in your hand nibble and walk around the street. No dining manners are concerned.
Gelato
What time is it? It’s time for dessert. A scoop of gelato is the most desirable dessert of your Roman trip. It’s soft, gooey, and yummy. A perfect treat if you are visiting on a hot summer day. Gelato has a base of milk and sugar as its basic ingredients.
It contains lower fat compared to a normal scoop of ice cream. So can we call it a healthier version of ice cream? Though chocolate is my go-to flavor for a gelato yet here are a few flavors that you can try,
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Pistachio.
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Lemon.
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Tiramisu.
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Raspberries.
Day 2
The history heist day
Places to visit
On the 2nd day, let’s visit those spacious places which offer you maximum room for exploring Roman history. This day we are going to dive deep into the history of Rome.
Piazza Venezia
Image Source: www.italia.it
The name and fame of present days Piazza Venezia can be credited to Mussolini. This is where he used to deliver speeches to crowds of his supporters. It is also known as Venice Square. It is located a the meeting point of four major roads. Named as
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Via del Corso
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Via del Plebiscito
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Via di Teatre Marcello
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Via dei Fori Imperiali
It worked as the Embassy of the Republic of Venice as the name referred. Another theory says that the square was named after its creator Cardinal Venezia. Who built it in 1455? Piazza Venezia is open to all tourists free of cost.
Colosseum
Image Source: www.grunge.com
Probably one of the main reasons why you have come to visit Rome. The story of the colosseum gladiator battles is famous all over the world. Movies are made from their inspiration. It even inspired the construction of modern-day sports stadiums.
At the inauguration ceremony of this gigantic amphitheater 9000 wild animals were killed in one hundred days. It is over 1,900 years old. It is also awarded as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. And why not? it is the world’s largest amphitheater.
Much of its name and fame came from its controversial gladiator fights. Which was officially banned by Constantine in 325 CE. As he was strictly against violence. Yet you can enjoy a walk in the colosseum and its dungeon to get the vibe of ancient gladiator fights.
Palatine Hill
Image Source: www.planetware.com
A perfect place to visit right after visiting the Colosseum. It stands with its glory right above Roman Forum and the Circus Maximus. It is also the home of the famous roman myth of Romulus and Remus. So on the second day of the history dive make sure to visit palatine hill.
Among the Roman famous seven hills, Palatine Hill is the most famous. In ancient times it was considered to be an elite neighborhood. Not everyone was capable to reside here. Mostly it was residents of aristocrats and emperors.
It offers a great blend of history and myth to all of its visitors. It would be great if you have a tour guide to explain it to you. Though the palatine hill is overlooked by many tour companies I hope you can find one suitable.
At present, it is considered to be one of the greatest archaeological sites of Rome.
What to eat
For this day I want you to try a few snacks from the roman locality with yesterday’s menu list of pizzas and pasta.
Coffee
The popular coffee options in Rome are,
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Caffe/Espresso – tiny energetic shots of coffee
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Cappucino – served with hot milk and foam
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Caffe ristretto – stronger version of espresso
The roman culture takes coffee very seriously. Most of the restaurants won’t serve you coffee if you drop by after the morning. For them, coffee is strictly a morning beverage.
Pastries and desserts
Image Source: upload.wikimedia.org
Sweets crumbs melting in your mouth. Yes. I am talking about pastries. And roman chiefs have mastered it quite well. It would be a shame if you miss out on these delicacies just because you don’t know what to order.
In that case, let me help you. Go for,
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Tiramisu – Classic Italian dessert
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Creme Caramel – soft pudding made with a custard base
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Tartufo – hand-rolled ice cream covered in cocoa powder
Suppli
Cute little rice ball served piping hot, filled with mozzarella pull. Yes. that’s suppli. A perfect go-to snack of Rome which is so filling that you might burp in satisfaction right after having one. And it’s easy to find. Every other food cart and the street vendor is serving it in different variations.
Day 3
A day dedicated to art and architecture.
Places to visit
The final day of your visit. And it has to be grand and overwhelming enough to consider it as finale right? Then let’s visit another state. Let’s go to Vatican city. The smallest country in the world.
St. peters basilica
Image Source: cdn.britannica.com
St. peters basilica is considered to be one of the most influential religious and historic buildings in Christian history. Though much classical Christianity believers don’t support the excess showcase of luxury by a church. Still, St. peters basilica is one of the most ancient churches in history.
Not Visiting this iconic cathedral monument is no less than sinning. It has also been a great architectural inspiration for many years. Its huge dome, Baldacchino, and Papal throne are nothing but artistic architectural delight.
If you skip the line and take a tour guide with you then you can actually get the best of St. peters basilica in a short time.
Vatican museum
Image Source: m.museivaticani.va
Many people visit st. peters basilica after visiting the Vatican museum. But I like to save my dessert for later. Vatican museum is no less than an artistic desert my friend. It’s huge and filled with amazing art pieces sculptures and ceilings.
That’s right.
You can’t even miss looking at the ceiling in Vatican or else you will miss a masterpiece like the Sistine chapel. Its caliber of art collections and artworks on display matches to none. From famous fresco artworks to Roman bronze sculptures Vatican museum has it all.
It’s a non-stop runway of 9 miles filled with art, magic, history, and myth. It will take a few hours to take a look at each. And it might take years for you to process all the meanings of the artworks and sculptures of the Vatican.
Obviously, the climax of the Vatican museum is the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Don’t forget to observe Michelangelo’s masterpiece, the Last Judgement in a calm mind. The more you look at it the more details you will get.
Castel Sant’Angelo
Image Source: www.rome.info
If you can manage some spare time from all the walking of St. peters basilica and Vatican museum pay visit to the bank of the River Tiber. In the evening you will get the perfect light and ambiance for sightseeing in Rome’s ancient fortress Castel Sant’Angelo.
It is also known as Hadrian’s Mausoleum. It’s an ancient Roman castle or fort built 2000 years ago. It has been the eyewitness of many historical events. Starting from conflicts to Papal refuge to jailing criminals.
Relive the history of Rome with the dawn of the sun in the Tiber river.The perfect way to bid a bye to your short visit to Rome.
What to eat
For the last day, I want you to challenge your taste bud and try something different. That is,
Roman artichokes
Image Source: www.giallozafferano.com
Are artichokes edible? Yes, they are. And roman cuisine is really skeptical about it. Usually, you can have two types of edible artichokes,
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Fried
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Cooked in a special recipe
It will be served on a plate and you gotta pull off each leaf and nibble the flesh off the ends. When you reach the center of the artichoke just remove the fuzzy center and eat the rest.
You can complement that with a fine glass of wine and bid goodbye to Rome in the most classic manner.
Conclusion
There you have it. Just a little bit of planning and you can spend 72 hours in Rome with the basics covered. In this plan, you will spend 1st day wondering about all the mythologically famous places. On the 2nd day, historical places will get attention. And on the 3rd you are going to indulge in the ancient art and architecture of Rome.
What a lovely way to spend 72 hours in Rome! Your visiting time starts now. Ciao.
