Rome on Foot in 3 Days

Day 1

Starting from Piazza del Popolo°, where there is the church of Santa Maria del Popolo°, worth visiting, also note the Flaminio Obelisk° and take via del Corso (if you like you can turn right into via della Frezza for the Ara Pacis, until you reach via Condotti, the street of chic shops and shopping — if you want to have a coffee we recommend the historic Caffè Greco) you'll arrive at Piazza di Spagna°° at the foot of Trinità dei Monti°. After drinking the excellent water from the fountain (Rome's water is all drinkable and good), climb the staircase and enjoy the perspective.

Take a right onto via Sistina until you reach Piazza Barberini where there is the Fountain of the Triton°. From here turn towards via della 4 Fontane until you reach the square° of the same name. Turn right towards the Palazzo del Quirinale°° which you'll walk alongside to get right in front of it. You are 2 steps from the beautiful Trevi Fountain°°. After a refreshing break we head left towards via de Crociferi, enter Galleria Alberto Sordi and come out in Piazza Colonna°° where Palazzo Chigi is, we pass by the Chamber of Deputies in the direction of Piazza della Rotonda, one of the most beautiful squares in Rome, where the magnificent Pantheon°° is. Towards the west, about 200 metres away, passing by Palazzo Madama (seat of the Senate), move on to Piazza Navona°° where you'll observe the beautiful Fountain of the Four Rivers°° by Bernini and the church of S.Agnese in Agone°.

We head to the north of the square to take via dei Coronari where there is a famous gelateria to refresh ourselves. We go to Castel S'Angelo°° and visit the castle and the prisons (€5 each, students free) (from which the famous Tosca of Puccini threw herself), then you go up until you reach the terrace dominated by the angel and from which you can see the passetto that connects the castle to S.Pietro.

Finally we deserve an excellent meal at Sor'Eva° (piazza della Rovere 108 tel. 06/6875797 typical Roman restaurant... Antipasto of supplì, bucatini all'amatriciana, straccetti with rocket, artichokes alla romana and sautéed chicory with chilli, excellent wine from the castelli, cost €30 per person). For today our feet are aching but we've trained for tomorrow and so off to bed.

Day 2

We start from corso Vittorio Emanuele to head to Campo de' Fiori°° where the famous market is. With the aim of reaching the Circus Maximus and then the Colosseum and the Forums, we walked along via del Giubbonari passing through the Ghetto°° into via del Portico d'Ottavia° and the Synagogue, the Theatre of Marcellus and a quick stop at the Tiber Island°, to pass on to Trastevere°. We stop in Piazza Belli° (if you have time and aren't already tired, the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere° and its lovely square are certainly worth a visit), we go back along via della Lungaretta, cross the Ponte Palatino and so find ourselves at the Forum Boarium°° and enjoy the lovely view. Here don't stop only for the famous Mouth of Truth but above all for the Early Christian Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin°° with beautiful mosaics inside.

Behind it is the Circus Maximus° which we cross, keeping the Palatine on our left until we arrive, passing under the Arch of Constantine°°, at the Colosseum°°. If you're hungry, from the metro stairs go up to Largo Agnesi and on the corner you'll find a bar-restaurant with a toilet, quite cheap and with various dishes from sandwiches to pizza or salads. Here, even though there are the Forums to visit, we choose to come back later to go to S.Pietro in Vincoli° where there is the beautiful Moses by Michelangelo and then, passing along via Cavour, to the Basilica of S.Maria Maggiore in Esquilino°° which is definitely worth it. We return to via Cavour (here there would also be the metro that would take us back to the Colosseum, our feet are starting to ache...

but we go on foot!) to finally visit the Trajan Markets°°, the Column of Trajan°° and the Imperial Forums°°, then the Capitoline°° with the beautiful square designed by Michelangelo, we go down the staircase and pass in front of the Vittoriano°.

That's enough for today, we go back to the hotel and go to eat near the Ristorante Il Matriciano on via dei Gracchi recommended to us by a friend (Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Abbacchio, Code alla Vaccinara and Chicory €32 each, excellent quality but a bit expensive; Sor'Eva is better...). We would rather point out another place, the Ristorante Renato e Luisa Via dei Barbieri 25 (H) near Campo de' Fiori, nice, you eat and drink well, outdoors, you spend little.

Day 3

3rd DAY This morning, to finish on a high note, we're going to the Vatican; to get there by metro we prefer the Cipro station, closer to the entrance of the Vatican Museums°° which is on Viale Vaticano. We're lucky, there's not much of a queue (which is usually kilometres long) and the time is right (9.30-10). There are no words to describe the beauty and richness of these places, the only thing to do is go there. After a couple of hours we come out and before doing the loop to go to Piazza S.Pietro we pass along via Candia at roughly no. 20 where there is a bakery° that's great for refuelling with just a few euros (pizza filled with mortadella). Now we can go to Piazza S. Pietro°°, the Basilica°° and if you like the Cupolone, which however costs a lot, from which you can enjoy a magnificent view, (beware of those overweight or claustrophobic because the passages are very narrow!).

We still have half an afternoon left and decide to end the tour with one last beautiful church, the Basilica of S.Giovanni Laterano°° former papal seat and you can tell; if you can, also visit the cloister°° which is very beautiful.

Our trip is over, we calculated that in 3 days we walked about thirty km on foot! Quite a workout...It's obvious that there are many places to visit, not just churches like we did, but it's undeniable that they are part of the history and the wealth of this city because they are all very well preserved. Next time we'll make a point of focusing more on the archaeological sites and nightlife.

We set off with some friends of ours, who by chance have a son the same age as ours, us in a camper and them in a hotel, so here's our price comparison for you:

Total cost of the holiday for a family of 3 (2 adults + 16-year-old son): - hotel: 146 euros a night for the triple room with breakfast included € 252.00 - food, museums and souvenirs € 300.00 - fuel, parking, motorway € 180.00 total for 3 days: € 732.00

- campsite € 91.00 - food, museums and souvenirs € 300.00 - fuel, motorway € 150.00 total for 3 days: € 541.00

If you'd like advice, impressions and so on, or if you'd like to leave us a comment, contact us at our website at alpatom@libero.it

We recommend the guides that gave us the information on the places to visit: City Book Rome.