Ciao belle!
Rome is a city that had been at the top of my bucket list of as long as I can remember. As a kid—and today!—I devoured book after book about the Roman empire, and had dreamed of going there to see the sights in person for years. Spoiler alert—it was everything I thought it would be, and more! Oh, and I hung out with Vice President Joe Biden at the Colosseum. And yes, I have video proof below! 😀 We are totes besties! 😀
Check out how I packed for our ten day Europe trip in ONE cary on—and what I wore!
How to Get There:
We went to Rome right after Florence and Tuscany (click each link for the recap!). We took the high-speed rail from Florence into the city (about a two hour ride) and then walked 30 minutes to the hotel. The central station in Rome was sort of shady- lots of people offering to give rides right next to signs saying not to accept rides from anyone. Eek!
Where to Stay:
We stayed at the Domus Libera, which was a small boutique hotel that was extremely nice. It had a great location right by the city center of Rome. It’s in a 15th century building that was once owned by Sebastian del Piombo, the famed Renaissance artist. It was the perfect blend of modern + rustic—the bathroom was amazing but the wood beams above the ceiling were my favorite part. I highly recommend!
What to Do:
Go for a walk! The first night we got in after dropping our stuff off at the hotel. It was the COOLEST THING! We passed the freaking Colosseum and The Forum…and a million other things that made me want to weep.
Visit Vatican City! Just a short walk from the center of Rome is a whole other city—Vatican City! We went to see the Vatican Museum, which was incredible! There is so much history there…and the Sistine Chapel!
Walk into literally any cathedral. Like all of Italy, each and every one is amazing.
Take a tour. We did a tour with The Roman Guy and it was a blast! We went to The Forum and then to the Colosseum, where we met Joe Biden and he photobombed my selfie!!!!!!! 😀 (See the video for proof!).
Go to Trevi Fountain and toss a coin in. If you do, you’ll come back. 🙂 It’s a fact. And a dream of mine!
Check out the Pantheon. It’s free and smaller than I thought, but totally iconic! 🙂
What to Eat:
Best meal of our Lives- La Cabana. This restaurant was right around the corner from our hotel and we loved it so much we went back twice during the 3 days we were there. SO. GOOD. Their lemon meringue pie was literally the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life. A close second would be their pasta carbonera. Seriously, go here.
Gelato- Giolitti is world-famous and with good reason! It’s fantastic.
Espresso- Sant’Eusstachio II Cafe. This cafe was the inspiration that launched Starbucks. Also, it is delicious!
Wine- we had the best wine at Enoteca Bucco. You know in Beauty and the Beast where the Beast has that killer library (I was always so jealous!)? Think of that but with wine!! This place solidified my love for Italian prosecco. You can get drinks by the glass and by the bottle! Also, you can meet amazing new friends there (hi Sonia! Miss you!).
And now……time for the video!!!! 😀 Watch Joe Biden photobomb me. And all the glorious sights of Rome.
I loved seeing all your pictures and the video. We went a few years ago and would love to go back. It’s an awe-inspiring place.
It really is! i can’t wait to go back one day soon. So much more of the world to see first though!
This post and pictures make me want to pack up my bags and go to Rome. Beautiful pictures.
Do it Harini! It’s so amazing. You won’t regret it!
your pics. were wonderful of Rome,, oh, and Joe Biden.. very.. very… nice.. wasn’t sure what all of them were,, but, very nice.. thanks for sharing..
Thank you! 🙂 I learned a lot of history while i was there, I didn’t know what many of them were either!
Do you know what the name of the Vatican Museum gallery is that has your SEVENTH PHOTO (in this post) for part of its ceiling? I believe the gallery I am trying to name is adjacent to the magnificent Map Gallery. Thank you!