Italy Travel Guide: Rome

Hello, strangers! Wow, it’s been a while! May has been the busiest, most jet-setting month of my life – Ryan and I were traveling from April 30th-May 22nd with a total of only 2 separate nights spent at home – can you say cray cray??? While I had the best intention of pre-writing my blog posts, I was only able to pre-schedule for 2 weeks *fail.* However, I’m SO thankful to have had a much-needed break from social media and am excited to re-connect with all of our Sweet Cayenne readers! I want to hear all about graduations, May-cations and what you did for your Memorial Day celebrations!

As you may know, Ryan I started off our month of travel with a 10-day trip to Italy; during which we celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary and both of our birthdays! It turned out to be an AMAZING experience and I’m truly grateful beyond words that we were able to go. We planned the entire trip ourselves and were so please with how everything turned out, so I wanted to make a point to get all the details on the blog with the hopes that our experience may help others planning a trip to Italia! So today we start with the first half of our trip in Rome – please SHARE this with anyone you know who may travel to Italy in the future, and certainly leave any comments/questions below the post!

Where to Stay:

Roman B&B near Colosseum

Our over-arching goal for the trip was to really immerse ourselves in the Italian culture and get one-on-one feedback for what to do/eat/see. What better way to achieve that than to stay in the home of an Italian? We found our host, Americo, through Air B&B and chose his home based on its close proximity to the Colosseum and city center of Rome. It was a perfect fit, as breakfast was included with our stay, we had a lovely room that was quite large for European standards, and learned so much about Rome from our exciting chats with Americo and his expertise on how to experience Rome to the fullest.

The picture below shows our view of an amazing orange tree that was right outside the window of the lounge where we ate breakfast each morning. Americo was such an amazing host – we loved how he made us fresh espressos and cappuccinos each morning to accompany our breakfast!

Based on our experience with walking around Rome, other location in the city that I would recommend staying is below:

• Tratsevere – this a fun, eclectic and Bohemian area across the river and away from the hustle and bustle of the city center. It’s filled with mom-and-pop type restaurants that serve the truly unforgettable, authentic Italian meals. The atmosphere is truly enchanting, and if I’m ever in Rome again I will definitely spend more time here!

Getting Around:

Buses and the metro: we were in Rome for 3 1/2 days, and purchased a 72-hour Roma pass for transportation purposes and getting into museums/exhibits. It was a great decision and saved us a lot of $$ since we didn’t have to pay a fee every time we needed to get somewhere. Some things you need to know about the Roma Pass are below:

• Buy it online before you travel. You are able to choose a pick-up date, time, and location at the time of purchase. We chose to pick up ours at the airport in Rome when we landed – so easy!
• At 36 Euro per person, our pass included free admission to the first 2 museums we visited, discount tickets/reduced lines at other museums/exhibits, and unlimited use of public buses and the subway for 72 hours after you initially activate it. It was such a great value and I highly recommend it.
• We strategically planned to use our free admissions to two of the more expensive exhibits – Palatine Hill/Roman Forum (12 Euro pp) and the Castle of St. Angelo near the Vatican (9 Euro pp). Note: you cannot use the Roma Pass for free/discount admission to the Vatican.

Trains: We purchased train tickets for transportation to/from the airport to the city center and also to travel to Florence. The trains we took with details on purchasing tickets are below:

• Leonardo Express  – this train is the fastest way to get from Leonardo da Vinci Airport to the Rome Termini central train and subway station. It’s a 29-minute train ride and costs 14 Euro per person. We found it much cheaper than hiring a driver or taking a cab, and found it easiest to purchase our tickets for the Express right before we needed them. This train has departures to/from the airport every 30 minutes, so it’s easy to catch it when you need it!
• Rome to Florence: we purchased our high-speed train tickets from Rome to Florence online from our b&b once we had arrived from Trenitalia, Italy’s train service. Purchasing them a few days ahead allowed us to reserve seats, have more departure time options, and take advantage of online travel specials, such as BOGO on the weekends.

Things to Do:

Day 1 Itinerary:

• Walk by/around the Colosseum – this is an easy site to see your first day in Rome, as it’s right outside a subway stop and an easy landmark to spot. We opted to just view the Colosseum from the outside vs. paying 12 Euro admission to get in as the entry wait time was often 2-3 hours and this area of the city is SWAMPED with tourists and street peddlers. While it is an amazing site to see with lots of great photo ops, WATCH OUT for pickpockets in this area and hold on to your belongings at all times while visiting this area.

• Palatine Hill + Roman Forum – we used our Roma pass for free admission to this must-see exhibit, which lies directly behind the Colosseum. It’s 12 Euro pp without the pass, and boy, do you get your money’s worth! There’s a TON to see here – Ryan and I spent a good 3 1/2 hours touring the grounds before we had seen everything. My favorite part of the exhibit was the Emperor’s rose gardens!

• Vittorio Emmanual II Monument – this breathtaking, stately, and extremely detailed monument is a 5 minute walk from the Coloseum/Palatine Hill area and is not to be missed! We spent a good 30 minutes walking around the building and gawking at the statues and sculptures outside of the monument. There are several free historical exhibits inside the monument, so be sure to check out all that the inside has to offer.

Day 2 Itinerary:

• Walk through of Vatican City – this can be an amazing place to visit for those who plan ahead and reserve a time slot + set aside plenty of time to get lost in the Vatican museums, St. Peter’s Basillica, and the Sistine Chapel. We made the mistake of visiting Vatican City late on a Sunday afternoon after a lazy Sunday morning of shopping in the trendy Prati neighborhood just north of the Vatican. To really enjoy Vatican City and make the most of your visit, it’s best to buy your tickets in advance online, reserve an entry time, and go on a non-weekend day. By the time we arrived Sunday afternoon, there was a 3-hour wait for the free entry into St. Peter’s and even longer wait for the museums. However, if you don’t want to do the museums or don’t have time, it’s worth the trip to Vatican City just to see the stunning views of the exterior….and you can opt to do a much more time-efficient visit to St. Angelo’s….

• St. Angelo’s Castle – located directly in front of Vatican City, this is an exhibit for those who dream of knights in shining armor and medieval escapades. During times of war, this is where the pope would stay for safe-keeping. There’s lots of history here, stunning views from the top of the castle, and a myriad of war relics on display. We used our Roma Pass to get in for free as our 2nd free museum; regular entry fee is 9 Euro.

Day 3 Itinerary:

We spent our 3rd day in Italy hopping from point to point on a list of “must see” sightseeing stops. We ate, walked, saw, ate, walked, saw, and ate some more! Follow our path with the itinerary below:

• Start your day with a visit to Campo de Fiori, a world-renowned food market. In addition to the sights and smells of the bustle market, be sure to taste! Have some freshly-squeezed pomegranate juice, sample some cheese, and grab a few snacks for your day of sightseeing. And don’t miss the gorgeous selection of fresh cut flowers sold throughout the market – the stunning peonies were abundant during our May visit!

• Head from Campo de Fiori to the Pantheon, one of the oldest Roman structures that is still completely intact!  an awe-inspiring sight to see; but know that tourists and peddlers swamp this area, so be sure to watch your belongings!

• The infamous Trevi Fountain is just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Pantheon, and unfortunately under construction during our visit in May 2015. It was still fun to see, however, and is not to be missed if you are walking through the area.

• North of the Trevi Fountain are the Spanish Steps, which are situated in a trendy area of upscale shops and restaurants {think: designer row}. It’s touristy and crowded, and in my opinion just worth a walk-by if you are in the area. However, there is great gelato/chocolate shop around the corner (see below), and the lovely Borghese Gardens can be found above the steps as well.

Places to Eat:

LUNCH

• Na Machia – this gem was recommended to us by Americo, the host of the B&B we stayed at. It’s a 5 minute walk from the Colosseum and just far enough away from the tourist crowds that it feels authentically Italian. We noticed lots of locals interacting cordially with the staff here, and had such a great experience that we came back for a 2nd visit for dinner on another night. We had the pizza for lunch the first day and LOVED it – super fresh ingredients and a perfectly-textured crust. After a fun conversation with our waiter we ended up getting our 2nd pizza for free, and received a complimentary limoncello on our 2nd visit. Try: pizza, pasta alla amatriciana (bucatini with a spicy tomato bacon sauce), and zucca di flora (fried zucchini flowers).

• La Prosciuterria – this small hole-in-the-wall is tucked in the bustling streets where you will find the Pantheon and Trevi fountain. You can get authentic Italian antipasti boards here and have a feast for only 5 Euros pp (not including drinks). The meat is carved and board assembled right before your eyes and will be different each time you order it based on seasonality and daily specials. House wines run fro 7-9 Euro per bottle and they have an amazing selection!

• Pizzarium – Anthony Bourdain put this hopping Roman-style pizza bar on the map, and if you’re up for an adventure with pizza, this is the place to go! It’s located behind the Vatican City, and can be a little out of the way if you don’t follow your map carefully – wander too far from Pizzarium and you’ll find yourself in a not-so-great part of town. Authentic, square-shaped, Roman-style pizza is served here and the toppings range from traditional prosciutto crudo with arugula to exotic edible flower-topped pizzas with fresh cheese. The pizza is sold by weight, and can be a bit pricey if you aren’t careful with what you order! The fried risotto balls are a MUST for an appetizer.

DINNER:

Le Tavernelle: this is an authentic family-owned restaurant located in the young and upbeat Monti neighborhood, in which you will find several trendy restaurants that require reservations and will not take walk-ins! After being turned down by 2 restaurants on our “must try” list {read: make reservations before you go!}, we stumbled upon this small, simple, but busy and bustling restaurant that was more than happy to seat us without a reservation. It was our first dinner in Rome, and did not disappoint! They serve a traditional Italian/Roman menu in courses, and Ryan and I found it best if we split each of the 4 courses (it’s a lot of food!). We ordered a simple arugula salad, has a delicious gnocchi in fresh tomato sauce, and fresh sole fillets. Delish!

• Hostaria La Boticella – after reading rave reviews of this small, family-owned restaurant, we walked 2.3 miles from our B&B to its quaint spot in the eclectic Tratsevere neighborhood. Let me tell you – it was worth every step there and back! This was hands-down the best meal I had in Rome, and we met some great people while dining at the outdoor tables of the restaurant {the hostess literally will sit strangers shoulder-to-shoulder so you have to get friendly with everyone fast}. We had zucchini flowers stuffed with fresh mozzarella cheese and lightly fried, an authentic Roman pasta dish with a spicy tomato bacon sauce {our favorite}, steamed mussels, and roast leg of lamb. My only regret about dining here was that we ordered too much food and did not save room for the daily house-made desserts!

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SWEETS:

• Gelato – we ate gelato just about every day in Rome, often when we were hot, tired, and worn-out from a long day of walking. Because of this, I failed to get a lot of pictures of our gelato-eating experiences and even more sadly failed to get the names/addresses of many of the. HOWEVER, I found this guide to ordering gelato in Italy extremely helpful and used it many-a-time to help us choose authentic gelaterias and would highly recommend the guide!

• I Dolci di Nonna Vincenza – this lovely pasticceria {pastry shop} is home to THE BEST dessert I had in Rome – a sumptuously divine chocolate cannoli. We visited on our way from the Trevi Fountain to the Spanish Steps, and had it not been so far from where we were staying, I would have visited every day {maybe 2x per day}. This will forever be the cannoli of my dreams…

Staying Hydrated:

I can’t leave you with Rome without saying something about hydration – stay hydrated. We walked an average of  8 miles per day while we were in Rome, and drinking lots of water was the key to being able to do all we had on our agenda. This can be tricky, however, as it is almost impossible to find places to refill a water bottle. It’s just as difficult to find a place to use the restroom, as public bathrooms are few and far between. We found our solution by purchasing liter-sized bottles of water from small walk-in cafes. In exchange for purchasing a liter of water for 1.5-2 Euros a few times per day, we could use the cafe’s restroom for free. Win win.

Have you ever visited Italy or are you planning a trip in the future? I’d love to hear about it in the comments section below! Stay tuned later this week for my guide to Florence!

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