How to Spend 3 Perfect Days in Rome: Must-See Sites, Food & Hidden Gems

Rome is an immense treasure chest, starting from its birthplace in Ancient Rome it retains a multitude of magnificent sights, moving through the Baroque and the Renaissance to contemporary Rome. To know it all is truly difficult, and even a Roman will reluctantly confess to not having seen this or that.

With this assumption in mind, our 3-day Rome itinerary will not be an exhausting race against time to boast of knowing it all, but will be a tour with the right pace, in which we have chosen the top attractions, saving some space to also visit some hidden gems off the beaten path and savor a bit of the city's culture and the best places to eat in Rome. A 3-day sampling that you're sure will leave you wanting to return to see what you haven't seen. The first tip for your 3-day itinerary in Rome is to plan ahead and avail yourself of a Pass such as the Visit Rome Pass, a single app that gives you access to the main attractions and unlimited use of Rome's transportation; in 3 days you can't afford to waste time in access lines or indecision.

Following in the footsteps of the history that has traversed this city we will devote your first day to visiting Ancient Rome. After a good breakfast of cappuccino and cornetto, as is the Roman tradition, dressed comfortably and especially with shoes suitable for walking, backpack on your shoulders and off we go! Our first stop is the Roman Forum, the beating heart of ancient Rome where the fate of the city was decided, but trade, meetings, and exchanges also took place, as well as where the places of worship were. From the Roman Forum you can also climb up the Palatine Hill, one of the 7 hills of Rome, it was there that the houses of the great emperors were located, a magnificent spot from which to enjoy a wonderful view.

Leaving the Roman Forum on the side of Via di San Gregorio a short walk will take you to the Circus Maximus, the largest Stadium of antiquity, this site is freely accessible. From the Circus Maximus another short walk will take you to the Baths of Caracalla, a huge thermal center of Ancient Rome where you can still imagine the wisdom and engineering grandeur of the ancient Romans. The last destination of our first day will be Castel Sant'Angelo, you can also reach it on foot, it will be nice to walk along the Tiber and every now and then ogle the stupendous beauties that are at its edges.

Our second day starts with a visit to St. Peter's Basilica, the seat of the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, in the Jubilee year you cannot miss to visit this wonderful church, built and decorated by the best masters of the Italian Renaissance, whether you are a believer or not you cannot miss the opportunity to go through the Holy Door, which opens only every 25 years. The advice is also to climb the Dome, from there the view will leave you breathless and you can sweep with your gaze over much of the immense Rome.

Leaving St. Peter's Basilica a short walk along the Lungo Tevere will take you to the picturesque neighborhood of Trastevere, here you can decide to get lost in its narrow streets and be amazed at some wonder that will suddenly appear before your eyes in squares like Santa Maria in Trastevere. Here take it easy, sit in some bar to enjoy an aperitif or take advantage of the many pizzerias and trattorias with typical Roman recipes.

It may seem strange to you to think that the unusual places and secret corners of Rome are also many, here too we should make a selection leaving some hidden gems of Rome for your next visit to the capital: you are truly spoiled for choice. The idea for your last day is to get to know a neighborhood that romane off the beaten path for tourists the Ostiense district that in recent years is becoming a trendy destination with a lively atmosphere, trendy clubs, full of cultural and recreational initiatives. There is certainly no shortage of artistic destinations either.

Our tour starts at the Centrale Montemartini Museum, this is a former power plant that still retains the old machinery converted into a museum, we can say that industrial archaeology in this place off the most common routes, mixes with Greek-Roman archaeology. Between one piece of machinery and another you will discover classical statues and extraordinary artifacts. Leaving here walking through the neighborhood you can admire the murals drawn on the buildings, it is in fact the first neighborhood in Rome where street-art was born. The last treat at the end of your walk and at the end of the Via Ostiense is the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, its internal garden and its splendid mosaic in gold on the facade of the church that will shine in the rays of the setting sun.

Our Rome travel guide could not omit a few pointers on food. It is known in Italy wherever you go you eat well, and it is also true that each region has its own typical dishes and delicacies. Roman cuisine began as a popular cuisine and one of the dishes you will have to taste is definitely the Roman pizza, as well as some traditional first courses such as pasta alla carbonara or pasta all'amatriciana present in almost every trattoria. You will see that finding authentic Roman cuisine is not difficult, just keep away from the overly touristy places, you will easily spot them by seeing the groups of tourists outside the establishments, or menus displayed in different languages with tourist-catching staff on the street inviting you to sit down.

In order not to stray too far from the 3-day itinerary in Rome we have suggested; for the first day we suggest you look out into the Testaccio neighborhood, which is not far from the Circus Maximus, there you can find typical pizzerias and trattorias, some open until late at night. For the second day the suggestion is to take advantage of the Trastevere neighborhood, there it is nice even for an aperitif. For the last day if you are in the Ostiense area we have suggested the advice is to choose a pizzeria, there are some not far from the Basilica of St. Paul that have an overlook directly on the Tiber, or go as far as the Porto Fluviale area, where over the years various eateries have sprung up.

Rome is a deeply touristic city and in recent years the places used for reception have increased by leaps and bounds, between luxury or low-star hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, hostels or even some campsites close to the capital you really have the choice depending on your preferences or your wallet.

Our advice, since 3 days is not a lot, is to choose an accommodation in the center of Rome and close to one of the neighborhoods we have suggested: Historic centre, Vatican, Trastevere, Ostiense. they are 3 different areas so you can compare prices and quality. Alternatively if you want to spend less you can choose some accommodation further away, but make sure to choose a place near a Metro stop.

As we said at the beginning 3 days in Rome is not a lot, but it will be enough to explore a bit of this wonderful city, with the idea that if you loved it you will come back and rest assured each time it will give you a different experience because Rome is a city made up of many small towns, each neighborhood has its own character and style.

The tips are those suggested by common sense, comfortable clothes and shoes, don't forget your water bottle, in Rome there are many public drinking water fountains, you will be able to fill your water bottle there without having to buy the plastic bottles that the environment doesn't like either. Also in the summer season, carry a shawl or a light sweater in your bag for entering places of worship or if you plan to stay out until the evening. There is always a bit of a temperature range in Rome, especially in areas with richer vegetation. Once again, we suggest that you take advantage of the Visit Rome Pass that will make it easy for you to visit Rome. Remember to take care of this wonderful city crossed daily by fleets of tourists, help preserve it by respecting all its ruins and landscape. Enjoy your exploration!