Rome, Italy: Travel Series

Welcome to Roma!

My husband (Damien) and I decided to go to Rome for a few days before our private wedding on the Amalfi Coast of Italy (read all about our wedding HERE). We had never been to Italy and wanted to make the most of our short stop in the city in the little time that we had. We were able to do multiple tours and see all the major attractions on our list before heading to Positano by train. If you only have a couple days to explore, this guide will help you make the most of your time and get you through the city efficiently.

Getting Around: When traveling to Italy my husband and I opted to fly into Rome because of the sheer convenience and (obvi) the prices in and out of this airport tend to be the most affordable. We arranged for a car service to pick us up from the airport and transfer us to our hotel. Although we prearranged our car service, many hotels offer transfer services. I would encourage you to use the hotels services so that your driver knows exactly where they are going. To get around the city we walked mostly- this way you can stumble upon unplanned shops and sights, but when going farther distances we would just grab a cab on the streets. Some people rent scooter which would looked fun HOWEVER be careful, there is no learning curve or room for error when it comes to zipping through traffic.

Where To Stay: Trivium Suites Fontana di Trevi was a lovely little gem in the middle of the city. I absolutely LOVED our stay here. Its only a 3 suite hotel and the rooms are extremely well appointed. To make it even better you are less than a block from the Trevi Fountain. Damien and I really enjoyed being able to leave at night to go down the alley and sit by a uncrowded moonlit Trevi. It made it feel like we had the whole place to ourselves. Incredible. When contacting your hotel be sure to inquire about airport transport, check in times, and their ability to store your luggage so you can begin your adventure right away.

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What To Do: 
1. Colosseum and Roman Forum: Damien and I did a tour thru Walks of Italy that was extremely helpful. We aren’t really tour-type-people but we really enjoyed using this company because of the different accessibility it afforded us to some of the larger tourist destinations. The tour began by taking us through the Roman Forum before venturing over to the Colosseum. Honestly, if you are tight on time I would skip the Roman Forum and do it on your own. However, time permitting,  this part of the tour is something I wasn’t really looking forward to but was very pleasantly surprised. The history our guide delved into and the stories we heard were very interesting. It did seem to drag on at points but I think I was just impatient because I was excited to see the Colosseum. After the Forum we ventured over the colosseum. We didn’t have to wait in the typical lines and our guide was able to grant us exclusive access to the gladiators floor (which was insane) and given a really insightful run down of how it operated back in the day. Incredible experience. After our tour we broke away and ventured across the street for dinner at Ristoro della Salute. If you are looking for a table with a view -THIS IS IT – when you arrive you will want to ask for a table on the roof to get unobstructed views of the colosseum. Aim for early evening for peak ambiance. The wait (understandably) is usually on the longer side but  while we waited they sat us on the roof and gave us a couple glasses of prosseco – with refills 

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2. The Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and The Vatican Museums: We purchased THIS tour to get early entrance to The Vatican, St. Peters Basilica and The Sistine Chapel. The tour was great but we decided to break off from the group to grab lunch in the middle of The Vatican and take the sights at our own pace. The early and streamlined entry was very helpful tho. The crowds here are always crazy so I definitely recommend getting the earliest possible tour so that you can really take in this incredible space without all the people. 

3. The Trevi Fountain: This attraction is absolutely stunning. Sitting by the Trevi made all of my 2003 Lizzie McGuire Movie dreams come true. After all *this is what dreeeaaammmmsss are made of*. If you can, visit the fountain later at night so that it is less crowded (ie. way more romantic). Also avoid having anyone who approaches you “take your photo” you will be charged. This is one of the areas that is riddled with scammers and peddlers who will nickel and dime you in any way possible. Be aware of your surroundings and don’t fall for any gimmicks. 

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4. The final recommendations I have to round out your Roman adventure are historic sites that don’t take as much time to explore an therefore are great to pepper in to take a break in between tours. 
– The Pantheon
– The Spanish Steps
– The Catacombs
– Piazza Navona

We absolutely adore Italy and cannot wait to go back to continue exploring. Until then follow our adventures to The Amalfi Coast and Venice.