Rome, Italy - Part One
Rome was our first and last stop in our Italy trip. We stayed here for one and a half days at the front end of our trip and we managed to squeeze in The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, The Pantheon, Spanish Steps, and plenty of cafe's and restaurants! This is a quick compilation of our favorite things those two days.
We arrived in Rome via the Roma Termini from the airport outside of the city. Stepping outside of the train station and into the city streets was exciting and a little disorienting! The city was buzzing with scooters and people all living modern lives in an ancient city.
We met up with our friends Zac and Ashley, and settled in to Air Bnb just a few blocks from the train station, in Monti, Rome, located near Municipo I. If there is one thing I could recommend about Rome, it would be to stay in Monti! We all LOVED the neighborhood (pictured below). It was quiet, full of locals, adorable restaurants and cafe's, and a perfect location! Just a few blocks from both the Roma Termini train station, The Colosseum, and the Roman Forum. The food prices are very affordable, as long as you don't get too close to the Colosseum!
The next morning we started the day with breakfast at an adorable ivy covered cafe, and made our way to The Colosseum. There is so much to see so we tried to make our more "tourist-y" stops as efficient as possible. Pre-buying tickets for the Colosseum and Roman Forum lets you skip the long lines, and if you prefer to go at your own pace like we did, download the Rick Steves audio tours and guide yourself around The Colosseum!
The Pantheon was easy to get into. No tickets to buy, and the line moved very quickly! Below is the only photo I took! I was honestly too busy just taking it all in!
Next up we made dinner plans with my friend from high school, Mackenzie, and her husband Mitch! They have been living in London, and happened to be on a holiday in Rome while we were there! We planned to eat near the Spanish steps, and visit the Trevi Fountain with gelato for dessert.
Tip: In our experience... restaurants with someone outside asking you to come inside, is especially the type of restaurant you might want to avoid ;)
This night we actually started out at a restaurant where someone lured us inside. Once we were seated Mitch started reading online reviews... and lets just say, we finished our wine and left. We became a little bit more selective about the restaurants we chose ;)
The Trevi was not surprisingly, stunning at night! But very crowded! This was also our only close call with pick pocketing.
Our favorite way to experience the Trevi was from the side. We went both nights and made ourselves at home on the stone of the right side of the fountains.
As far as clothing goes, even in early May Rome was hot! I can't imagine when summer is in full swing and there are even more tourists packed into the city! Breathable pants, jumpsuits, or longer skirts and dresses were ideal. If you plan to get into any churches just make sure your bottoms go over your knees, and your tops cover your shoulders. I linked what I brought below, and what I wish I brought!
Comfortable shoes are a must, the cobblestones will start to make your feet ache if your shoes don't have a strong enough sole. I mostly wore my grey Vans and these sandals I bought 2 days before we left. They are so comfortable, affordable, washable, and left me with no blisters!
Next we headed to Florence and the Tuscan countryside! But we were so excited to get to come back and spend more time in Rome. There is so much to see here, and we really fell in love with the city!