We’ve been to Rome a few times before and so didn’t feel the need to do all the big ticket locations once again, well at least not to pay and go inside. We wanted some alternatives and so asked AI to help us out.
Prompt me an Itinerary
I flit between different AI tools but for this one I thought I would try Gemini. This is what I asked it:
We are going to be in Rome the first week of March (tues-sat) so three full days. Can you suggest an itinerary that takes in the sights. We prefer to be outdoors and walking and have been before so don’t need to pay to go into the sights. We are staying in an hotel in Via de Corso.
And this is what it came up with…
🗺️ 3-Day Walking Itinerary
Day 1: Ancient Vistas & The Jewish Ghetto
• The Overlook: Walk south to Piazza del Campidoglio. Go behind the main building for the best free view of the Roman Forum.
• Ancient Ruins: Walk down to the Teatro di Marcello (the “Small Colosseum”) and through the Portico d’Ottavia.
• The Ghetto: Wander the atmospheric streets of the Jewish Ghetto.
• Aventine Hill: Walk up to the Giardino degli Aranci (Orange Garden) for a panoramic view.
• The Secret: Peer through the Knights of Malta Keyhole nearby to see St. Peter’s Dome perfectly framed.
Day 2: The Grand Parks & Baroque Squares
• The Climb: Walk north on Via del Corso to Piazza del Popolo. Climb the zig-zag stairs to the Pincio Terrace.
• The Park: Explore the Villa Borghese Gardens. Visit the lake (Laghetto) to see the Temple of Asclepius. (Entry to the park is free).
• The Icons: Walk down to the Spanish Steps, then weave through the cobblestone streets to the Trevi Fountain.
• Night Walk: Visit the Pantheon (Piazza della Rotonda) at night to see it illuminated from the outside.
Day 3: Trastevere & The Janiculum Hill
• The Island: Cross Ponte Fabricio (Rome’s oldest bridge) to Isola Tiberina.
• Trastevere: Explore the ivy-clad alleys. Visit the square of Santa Maria in Trastevere.
• The Big View: Hike up the Janiculum Hill (Gianicolo). Stop at the massive Fontana dell’Acqua Paola.
• The Cannon: Reach the Terrazza del Gianicolo at noon to hear the daily ceremonial cannon fire.
So this is what we have been following. The suggestions have been good but probably too short as we were done by lunchtime. I could have gone back and prompted for a longer route but we decided just to wander instead.
Knights of Malta Keyhole
The last suggestion from Gemini for the first day was a look through the Knights of Malta keyhole so we headed off there. When we arrived we found that it wasn’t “secret” at all as Gemini had suggested but actually quite the opposite. There was a long queue which we joined and then spent the next hour muttering about the length of time people were spending looking through the keyhole.
When we reached the head of the queue we pressed our cameras against the keyhole hoping for the perfect view but what a disappointment! The autofocus on the iPhone camera just didn’t know what to do and had a bit of a meltdown leading to rubbish pictures. However, there was one bright spot to ease the pain. At one point the doors were briefly thrown open and I got the shot below. I’m happy with that!
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