3 Days in Rome: Navigating the Crowds, Trastevere Charm, and the Best Pasta
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They say all roads lead to Rome, and arriving there at the end of September, I quickly realized why. The city is a living, breathing paradox: ancient ruins stand stoically against the modern chaos of buzzing Vespas and waves of tourists.
It’s heavy, vibrant, and beautiful all at once. While the crowds at the Trevi Fountain were enough to make me crave a quiet lemon grove, finding our rhythm in the cobblestone streets of Trastevere changed everything.
If you’re looking for the 'zest' of Italy’s capital, you have to look past the selfie sticks and find the moments where the city finally breathes. Here is how we spent three whirlwind days in the Eternal City.
1. Stay in Trastevere for a Local Pulse
We chose an Airbnb in Trastevere, and it was the best decision we made. I can’t take all the credit, though, as my father-in-law and I did loads of research. While the "main" side of river Tiber is where the monuments live, Trastevere is where the soul thrives.
It’s a maze of ivy-covered buildings and narrow alleys. It’s lively; alleyways filled with bars and trattorias (trattorie), and it was a great beginning to the trip. Staying here allowed us to start our mornings with the locals over espresso and brioche before the day-trippers arrived. Good thing I had my phone set up with a local data plan from Airalo, which was a huge help when trying to find our Airbnb.
2. The Iconic "Must-Sees" (And How to Survive The Crowds)
You can’t visit Rome without paying your respects to the giants. We checked the big boxes and here are some interesting, fun facts:
Il Vaticano: is the world's smallest independent nation-state. Walls surround the entire city-state, and while it's a popular tourist spot, it is the only country in the world with a population under 1,000.
St. Peter’s Basilica: Took over 120 years to build. That’s insane. The interior contains no oil paintings; all the artwork is actually incredibly detailed mosaics.
The Colosseum: Standing inside is a surreal reminder of history’s weight. Over 1 million animals and countless people were killed in the games, contributing to the extinction of some species, like the Barbary lion. Major earthquakes in 847 AD and 1231 AD caused the extensive damage seen today.
The Pantheon: While I didn’t actually do a tour and go inside, it’s still an incredible sight when walking around it. The height from the floor to the oculus is exactly the same as the diameter of the interior, 142 feet. It’s a 2,000-year-old architectural marvel featuring the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome. Originally a pagan temple built by Hadrian around 125 A.D., it features a 27-foot open-air, roof-top circle called the Oculus that acts as the sole light source and drains rainwater through hidden floor holes.
Trevi Fountain: Stunning, but be prepared at the Trevi, you’ll be sharing the view with thousands of others. Despite its origins as an aqueduct terminal, the water is now recycled and not potable. There is a large travertine sculpture on the left side, designed to block the view of a barber who was annoyed by the construction.
Dad, seen here, pointing at the same area our uncle took a picture
You have no idea how many people are behind this image, lol.
St.Peter’s Basilica was a fave
Zesty 🍋 Tip: If the crowds feel heavy when roaming around Rome, head to Villa Borghese. Walking through these gardens felt like a much-needed deep breath in the middle of a busy city.
3. Sunset at Castel Sant’Angelo
One of my absolute favourite memories was sitting along the River Tiber as the sun began to dip. We had a perfect view of Castel Sant’Angelo, watching the light turn the stone into gold. It’s a simple, free, and stunning way to see the city's beauty without the push and shove of the main squares.
I’ll admit, the restaurant we sat at wasn’t my favourite. The Aperol spritz was delicious, but it was lacklustre for food (hence why I’m not sharing our meal from here.)
4. The Rome "Foodie" Checklist
Speaking of food. You don’t come to Rome to diet. You come to eat. We leaned into the classics:
The Big Three: We ate our way through endless bowls of Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, and Pinze (Rome’s lighter, oval-shaped answer to pizza).
Street Food: Do not miss Supplì—fried rice balls with mozzarella centers. They are the ultimate Roman snack. Grab one or two, fai una pausa e mangia.
Caffè e pasticceria: Conveniently located by our Airbnb was Il Siciliano, and good thing. I don’t think my father could have waited for our stop in Sicily for a cannolo. Here' you’ll find arancini, cannoli, gelati, and of course coffees and other pastries. We would start our mornings here with a fresh cornetto and a cappuccino.
But! No offence to the Romans, this wasn’t the place I was searching for food. I’ll be sharing my journey through Italy in a series of blog posts, so if you’re interested, you can subscribe here.
