Italy: Jen's Rome Itinerary
Long story short, I quit (or resigned as they like to say) my job that made me miss my mother's 60th birthday and made traveling (and having a life) practically impossible. Since I'll have some free time on my hands, my boyfriend, Mike and I decided to book a spontaneous trip to Italy -- specifically Rome, Florence and Venice. (Woohoo!)
First up is the City of Seven Hills, Rome. We're only there for a few days, but I fully intend to make the most of our visit. Here are the highlights of our itinerary.
Courtesy of TravelDigg.com
Pantheon
Since our hotel is directly across from the Pantheon, we'll have plenty of good views day and night of the landmark building. We should arrive in the city around 8 a.m., so it'll likely be the first thing we hit up.
I plan to wander around the central city and grab some food and coffee while we adjust to our jetlag.
Courtesy of ItaliPass.com
Colosseum, Roman Forum, & Palatine Hill
After some R&R, we'll be heading south for a late afternoon tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Part of the charm of Rome is that it still has so many ancient ruins around that you can go explore.
Courtesy of Travel & Leisure
Trevi Fountain
After the old city tour, we'll head over to the famous Trevi Fountain, (hopefully around sunset!) throw a coin in, and grab some dinner in the area.
Courtesy of http://www.museivaticani.va
Vatican & Sistine Chapel
I can't go to Rome and NOT see the iconic works of Michelangelo, especially the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. We scheduled a "before they open" tour at 7 a.m. on the second day we're there so we can hopefully avoid the massive crowds. While we're around the Vatican we'll also be exploring the several amazing museums that make up the complex.
Courtesy of Fodors
Spanish Steps
After seeing Vatican City, we'll head northwest to see the Spanish Steps. While there's not a ton to do ON the steps (besides the obvious photo op), there are a few great little places to grab lunch.
Courtesy of GalleriaBourghese.it
Villa Borghese
Post lunch we'll be checking out Villa Medici and the Borghese Gallery. (Yes, I fully plan on being museumed out that day.)
Courtesy of Rome Travel Guide
Appian Way & South Rome
After a full day of religion and museums, we'll head south to the countryside on bikes! During the six-hour ride, we should be seeing a few iconic ruins, catacombs, and lots of beautiful fall foliage.
And here's our super-aggressive, detailed plan for the few days that we're there:
Are we missing anything major?!
-Jen
