3 Days in Rome

My husband Rob and I have wanted to go to Italy for a long time, and we finally made it happen! Technically, we were only in Rome for more like two and a half days, but “3 Days in Rome” was a catchier title. We did fit a ton in for such a short period of time, and I’m excited to share more with you!

I did a lot of research prior to this trip, and I also relied on recommendations from friends and fellow bloggers. Travel guides from Ashley of History in High Heels and Whitney from Blonde Atlas were great resources. This post is a little long because I wanted to include as much info as possible, but if I somehow missed something, let me know!

Where We Stayed

We decided that we wanted to stay at an AirBnb in Rome so we could explore more of the city. We considered a few options, and ended up with a beautiful apartment in the Jewish neighborhood (an amusing coincidence, since we’re both Jewish and I work for a Jewish school.) The apartment was in an old building, but completely updated inside. I was totally in love with the decor as soon as I saw it on AirBnb, and it was even more gorgeous in person. The hosts Luca and Giulia were incredibly friendly and accommodating. They set up a car to pick us up from the airport, and Luca met us at the apartment when we got there. We had everything we needed and were very happy staying there! It’s a pretty quiet neighborhood, which we liked, but only a block away from the Tiber River, and convenient to a number of other areas.

Day 1:

We arrived around noon and made our way to our AirBnb. Once we checked in, we walked over to Trastevere, a colorful neighborhood South/West of the Tiber.

Trastevere is known for great food, and it did not disappoint. We had pizza for lunch at Dar Poeta, and it was one of my favorite meals of the trip. I ordered Cacio e Pepe pizza, and ate every last bite!

TRAVEL TIP: Most authentic pizza places in Rome don’t do pizza by the slice. You get your own little pizza, or share one if you can agree, and people tend to eat with fork and knife.

After lunch, we walked around Trastevere for a while, popping into a few stores and stopping for a glass of wine al fresco. Definitely recommend spending some time there when in Rome!

That night, we fought through our jet lag and went to have dinner at Aroma, a Michelin star restaurant with a beautiful view of the Colosseum. Allie recommended it to me after a trip to Italy with Ashley last year, and it was definitely a fun experience. The food is unique and they bring you a few extra courses courtesy of the chef. Service was good and they certainly make you feel special! But, it’s pricey, and although we enjoyed the atmosphere and the view, we ended up having food elsewhere that we liked better.

Day 2:

The next morning, we went right back to the Colosseum for a tour with The Roman Guy. I can’t remember who recommended this company, but we ended up doing two tours with them and both were great. The Colosseum is gorgeous and has such a fascinating history. We chose a tour which included the Colosseum floor, and it was so cool to be down there!

Next, we explored the Roman Forum and climbed up Palatine Hill to check out the view. Our guide, Alessandro, was very knowledgable and we learned a lot.

After the tour, we wandered over to the Pantheon. The line to enter moved quickly, but for us it was a little underwhelming inside. We left after a few minutes and had lunch nearby at Di Rienzo. Rob had the Spaghetti Carbonara and was still raving about it days later.

Next, we stopped at Giolitti Gelato, which was recommended, and had tons of flavors to chose from. (FYI Know that you have to pay at the register before you go over to the counter to order.) Then, we walked through the market at Campo del Fiori on our way back to the AirBnb. It’s a great place for food-related souvenirs or a treat to enjoy during your trip.

That night, we took a cab to Ambasciata d’Abruzzo. It was in a totally different, residential part of the city that we probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise. They had an extensive menu and a warm, homey vibe. The homemade ravioli and lamb chops were favorites!

TRAVEL TIP: Getting a cab in Rome is a little confusing. There are taxi stations in especially busy/touristy areas of the city, but otherwise, people don’t really hail them on the street. There’s an app you can download to call one, or if you’re at a restaurant or hotel, they will call one for you.

Day 3

Our last day in Rome started with another Roman Guy tour, this time at The Vatican. The tour was a little long for our liking and the Galleries were especially crowded. But, it was pretty amazing to be there and see The Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica in person.

Next was lunch at Pizzeria Bafetto, another recommendation. They specialize in thin crust and have a smaller, more traditional menu. Rob loved his salami pizza, but I had the Four Cheese and one of the cheeses was a little strong for me.

From there, we stopped by the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. Both were very crowded because it was already afternoon, but we didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to see them.

We did a little shopping around Via del Corso, where you can find both international and Italian chain stores. It’s not the place to go if you want something unique to Rome, but there are plenty of options if you just want to shop.

For our last dinner, we stayed in the neighborhood and ate at Ba’Ghetto Milky. It’s a Kosher restaurant that doesn’t serve meat. (There’s a companion restaurant called Ba’Ghetto Meat that serves only meat and no dairy.) The menu is a combination of Jewish and Roman specialities, and everything was delicious. We had a cheese plate with local honey that was simple, but so good. They also offer fried artichoke two different ways. The homemade ravioli and gnocchi were both great.

TRAVEL TIP: If you eat at a Kosher restaurant on a Saturday, be aware that they may not open until after sunset. We made a reservation online for 9 PM, but the restaurant didn’t end up opening until around 9:40 because sunset was so late. Although I wish we had known that ahead of time, it ended up being worth the wait!

The next day, it was on to Florence and Tuscany! Stay tuned for another travel diary, and save this post for later with the graphic below!