Embark on an immersive Rome journey, where every cobblestone street unveils a new tale in the city’s captivating history. Begin by exploring Rome’s iconic landmarks, immersing yourself in the grandeur of the Colosseum. Explore the Vatican or take a day trip to Tivoli, a hillside town outside of Rome. As the trip unfolds, delve deeper into the fabric of Roman life, savoring the flavors of authentic Italian cuisine and strolling through charming neighborhoods. With our immersive Rome trip, you’ll have the opportunity to experience the Eternal City, gradually feeling more connected to its vibrant culture and timeless charm.
Itinerary
Arrive at airport and get private car to accommodations. We recommend staying in the neighborhood of Trastevere for a relaxing experience, allowing you to choose when to interact with the crowds.
Check in to hotel or bed and breakfast and get comfortable before heading out to explore.
Many great restaurants exist around your hotel or bed and breakfast on your way to the first sight that we recommend, the Colosseum. Eat a great first meal at a small local restaurant.
Seeing the Colosseum first gives a great perspective point of the city, allowing you to compare other landmarks. Directly by the Colosseum also sits the Forum and other ruins. We will save the touring of inside of the Colosseum and other structures for our first full day, as to not be rushed. For a different perspective, also visit some of these places at night, as they can be less busy. While you can’t go inside them, it gives a more peaceful environment to appreciate the environment surrounding you, full of ancient structures once bustling with life.
After exploring the ancient center for a while, you will have worked up an appetite for a Roman dinner. Head to one of our recommended local spots for a relaxing environment.
No day in Italy is complete without a gelato, unless you had a tiramisu with dinner, then we can let it slide.
Grab a coffee and pastries from a local bakery. We can always snack on street food, so we don’t want to start with too heavy of a meal!
The best things to start off with are the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Palatine Hill Area. They are all located near each other, making it easy to take a break, before heading to your next activity. Also close by is the monument to Victor Emmanuel II, who was the first King of a unified Italy. This is a massive structure built between 1885 and 1935, so while it doesn’t fit into the ancient theme, there are many ruins between the Colosseum and this monument. After a tour of the Colosseum, you will probably be hungry for lunch.
Eat lunch in a local spot, a few blocks west of the monument. We have street food or cozy restaurant recommendations, so depending on how much time you want to take away from the ruins, we got your back!
Return to the area for more tours of the ruins, this time heading to Palatine Hill, Circus Maximus, and the Roman Forum.
Eat Dinner at a local restaurant, a few blocks northeast of the Roman Forum.
No day in Italy is complete without a gelato.
Grab a coffee and pastries from a local bakery. We can always snack on street food, so we don’t want to start with too heavy of a meal!
First head to the Trevi Fountain. One thing to keep in mind is that if it is too busy for you, you can always visit at night when it is much less crowded. Note: Right in front of the fountain is a great gelato place. After the fountain, check out the Pantheon. This beautiful structure is not large, but it is fascinating, and it is also filled with art.
Head to Piazza Navona, which is essentially an outdoor museum, with the three art piece fountains, along with tourists and locals alike relaxing in the square.
After Piazza Navona, cross the river to visit Castel Sant’Angelo. This museum was originally a masoleum for Hadrian, along with other things throughout time. If pressed for time or you want to head to the park, you can save this for day 6.
After working up a bit of an appetite, head to a local restaurant for lunch. If you don’t want to slow down much, head to our recommended Pizza Al Taglio place, where you order by the weight, or dollar amount.
Take a 35-minute train ride out to the suburbs of Rome to see the ancient aqueducts, strolling around Aqueduct Park while also getting to see what outside suburbs are like. They are culture rich with many small places to eat or drink, along with people living their everyday lives. Tourists here are few and far between compared to center city Rome.
Enjoy dinner in small restaurant a few blocks from the park. Surrounded by locals, you know that you are eating some of the best food that you can get!
Return to Trastevere via train, stopping on your way back to the room to get to gelato.
Grab a coffee and pastries from a local bakery. We can always snack on street food, so we don’t want to start with too heavy of a meal!
Explore Vatican City, seat of the Catholic church.
– St. Peter’s Basilica
– Vatican Museums
– Vatican Gardens
– Sistine Chapel
– Head to lunch in Prati, a beautiful neighborhood just east of the Vatican
– Dinner will als4o be located in the Prati area, due to the abundance of great options
– OR –
Take a day trip to the mountainside town of Tivoli. Explore a renaissance palace, ancient ruins of emperor Hadrian’s palace, lush gardens/parks, and stunning waterfalls in this charming hillside town.
– Villa d’Este: Beautiful gardens are a UNESCO World Heritage Site
– Hadrian’s Villa: An ancient Roman archaeological complex
– Parco Villa Gregoriana: A picturesque natural park featuring lush vegetation, dramatic cliffs, and stunning waterfalls
– Grande Cascata di Tivoli (waterfalls)
– Eat lunch in Tivoli at a beautiful small restaurant in a relaxing environment
– Return to Rome and have a relaxing dinner in Trastevere
No day in Italy is complete without a gelato, no matter what you did today.
Grab a coffee and pastries from a local bakery. You may want a bit heaver of a meal here due to traveling a bit to get to your destination even after arriving in Naples, or you can grab a snack when arriving in Naples.
Head to Termini Station to catch a highspeed train to Naples, taking about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
After arriving in Naples, catch the Circumvesuviana train to the Ercolano (Herculaneum) stop. Here you will be able to catch the bus up to Vesuvius, so you can hike the last little bit to the top. For an alternative to the Vesuvius hike, you could explore the Naples Bay, the area around Castel del Ovo, the historic center, or explore Pompeii in addition to Herculaneum.
After hiking Vesuvius, you are the in perfect town already to explore the ruins of Herculaneum. These ruins are similar to Pompeii, but seem to be better preserved, and less known!
Return to Naples center for a pizza to experience it in the city in which it was invented, or opt for seafood, as it will be incredible as well with Naples being on the bay.
Explore the port area or Naples’ Old City, which is one of the oldest continuously inhabited urban areas in the world.
Catch the train back to Rome.
Relax with dinner in a local spot, not too far from your accommodations.
No day in Italy is complete without a gelato.
Grab a coffee and pastries from a local bakery. We can always snack on street food, so we don’t want to start with too heavy of a meal!
Spend the day in Villa Borghese, a green sprawling park with manicured gardens, verdant groves, and serene lakes. Enjoy walking trails, encounter exotic animals at the quaint zoo, or marvel at a replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Inside the park is Galleria Borghese, which houses many art pieces.
Enjoy lunch in the park or just outside, at our recommended place west of the park.
Relax with a beautiful dinner at a local restaurant just Northeast of the park. Often offering a tasting menu, let the chef craft the perfect meal for your last dinner in the Eternal City.
No day in Italy is complete without a gelato.
Grab a coffee and pastries from a local bakery. This is the one time we recommend a larger meal in the morning as you don’t want to rely on any airport food!
Head to Fiumicino Airport via private car, leaving the Eternal City until next time.
