Ah, Roma! Such a special city that exudes beauty and history. It's like a walking museum that leaves you with a deep appreciation and a longing to return.
Where to Stay:
We stayed at the Glam Hotel in the Monti area. This is a mid-range hotel in a great location. Only a short walk to the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and other major attractions. It was perfect for our first time in the city. I really loved this area since it was less crowded and had a laid-back village vibe with amazing restaurants and bars. Would also consider the Trastevere area for our next visit.
What to Do: Walk. We walked a lot. Rome is such an enjoyable walking city because every street you turn down there is a beautiful hidden surprise, whether it be an ancient sculpture, a charming street, a beautiful piazza, Madonnelles (Italian ancient shrines) that adorn the sides of buildings, and the enticing smells of the many restaurants lining the streets. The first day we walked the city without a plan, without a destination, and it was the best way to experience the city.
Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill
Make sure to book a skip-the-line ticket in advance or a private tour guide or risk waiting in line for hours. I would highly recommend trying to book for the first time slot of the day for the Colosseum since it gets increasingly crowded during the day. The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are typically included with the Colosseum ticket but only the Colosseum has an indicated time slot that you reserve.
TREVI FOUNTAINThe largest and arguably the most beautiful fountain in Rome. The myth of the Trevi Fountain is that if you throw one coin in the fountain you will return to Rome. The coins are collected and donated.
Be prepared, it is very crowded during the day. The best time to experience the fountain and many other attractions is sunrise or prior to 8am. Even very late at night, it remains crowded. My favorite times to visit any city is the early morning, when the city has yet to come to life. It's so peaceful and you can truly take in all the beauty surrounding you without shoulder nudges. Well worth the wake up call.
PANTHEONA former Roman temple, now a church and one of the best preserved buildings in all of ancient Rome. Recommend pre-booking tickets online prior to your visit. It gets extremely busy.
TRASTEVERE
Crossing the Tiber, we were greeted by one of the most charming neighborhoods in Rome, Trastevere. It seemed as though time slowed down here, people strolled through the narrow cobbled stone streets, took time to enjoy the street performers in the piazza, chatted over their Aperol spritzes, and simply enjoyed the sweetness of doing nothing. It was special.
Visit Janiculum Hill for amazing views of the city. Basilica di Santa Maria with it's beautiful mosaics. Villa Farnesina, unfortunately, it was closed when we were there, but is said to have amazing works by Raphael.
Housing an impressive private art collection consisting of work by Raphael, Caravaggio, and many more famed artists. Definitely worth a visit.
Vatican Museum & St. Peter's Basilica Admittedly, I did this wrong. I was able to book tickets in advance for the Vatican Museum the day prior but was unable to secure tickets to St. Peter's Basilica which was sold out. Since I was not willing to commit on a date prior to leaving we ended up missing the basilica. Don't make my mistake. Book your tickets or private guide in advance. The line was insane.
My absolute favorite thing about Rome, the food!! Oh, and the vino rossa (red wine)!! I stopped drinking red wine since it started giving me headaches. Not here, my friends. One liter of vino rossa a night and all is well. The cacio e pepe, the carbonara, the pizza, the gelato, the cheese boards, the lasagna, the ravioli, the suppli, the tiramisu, the cheesecake, the pistachio croissants, the osso bucco, the COFFEE, did I mention the CARBONARA!!! Chef's kiss! I came to Rome for the history and beauty of the city and I'll return for the food!
Osteria da Fortunata (few locations)- This was the first restaurant we tried when we arrived to Rome. It was hot, I was in a full on black sweat suit. We saw chefs in the window hand rolling their freshly made pasta. We waited in line for about 20 minutes attempting to hide from the sun until they opened. A bit of a tourist trap? Maybe. I was influenced, the line kept growing and the pasta was pretty darn delicious. Expect long lines, recommend coming at time of opening.
Dar Poeta- (Trastevere)- Pizza was so good!
La Nuova Piazzetta (Monti)- One of the best meals we had!! The lasagna and carbonara were amazing. Don't skip the dessert; best cheesecake of my life!
I Vaccinari (Monti)- Another top meal for us. Get the fried artichokes and don't forget to sprinkle with parmesan cheese. The locals next to us made sure we did it right. Voted best Carbonara by Jer. He got it a lot.
Osteria Al Vicolo 9 (Monti)- Our best meals were in the Monti area and this one was no exception. It felt the most authentic.
Tonnarello San Pietro- After admitting defeat at St. Peter's Basilica, we came here to eat, to drink. It was good, not great.
Suppli- Had to try this Roman snack. A fried ball of rice, mozzarella, and tomato sauce. I loved, Jer not so much.
Cantina del Papi- Walked past someone receiving a cheeseboard that looked so amazing, so pulled a u-turn and gave it a go. Did not disappoint. We saw many others around Rome so seems to have multiple locations.
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