Rome has also been added to the list of favorite travel destinations. My favorite thing was being able to turn any corner and see something that was so old (in a good way). Also, I can't forget all the amazing food. I would say that Rome has the best Italian food of the trip.
Stay: 4 nights. I got so lucky with the Airbnb that I booked for this portion of the trip. The apartment had two beds, a living room, full kitchen, and garden patio. This place was bigger than any SF apartment I've seen lately! Plus, the manager was so friendly and provided great food recommendations (with a discount!)
Eat: One piece of advice that I got and followed: Do not each anywhere with picture menus. They tend to be touristy and the food quality is poor (this goes for all of Italy).
- All appetizer menu at a hole in the wall wine bar called Fafiuche. They had a great selection of wine and I ordered meat and cheese plate, which actually filled me up and I didn't eat dinner that night.
- Gelato at Giolitto. This place had the largest selection of flavors. I got champaign, mango and some type of berry. Make sure you ask for the fresh whipped cream!
- Best seafood of the trip at Ponte e Parione. I ordered seafood for two which came with every type of fish, shellfish, etc. that you can imagine. The owner chooses the items from a fresh fish market daily, yum!
- If you've never been to an ice bar, I highly recommend checking out Ice Club. It's a bar covered in ice and LED lights. You pay about 20 euros for entry which comes along with a free drink and a heavy weight poncho (so you don't freeze). It was quite an interesting experience, especially after spending the day walking around in the heat. Once inside, you can lounge on the ice chairs and order fruity drinks in ice cups. I only latest about 15 mins before my toes started to freeze!
- I've never road a Segway before, so when I saw that I could rent one and drive around the Borghese Gardens (without a tour guide), I was in! It was pretty affordable and a fast way to see the park. My feet were killing me by this point since I had been walking miles and miles in Paris and Venice previously.
- Last but not least... The Colosseum and Roman Forum are not to miss! I would suggest guying the tickets online ahead of time. It was was a relief to pass 100+ people waiting to buy their tickets in line. Besides that, it is one of the most amazing things you will ever see
- Pyramids of Cestitus. This thing is out of central Rome. I took the metro there (which was extremely creepy, dark lit, and crowded). When I arrived at the pyramids it was not as impressive as I expected as it's thrown in the middle of a questionable part of town.
- Mouth of Truth; Also a huge disappointment. There was basically a line of 50 people waiting to put their grubby, unwashed hands, into the mouth of a statue. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't worth it so I got my picture through the gate and got out.
- Vatican; I heard mixed reviews about this one, but figured it was something I should see. First of all, buy your ticket online because the line to purchase was insane. The museum part was interesting, I checked out the Pope's cars and some of the art galleries. Unfortunately, the chapel wasn't as it was hyped up to be. The security guards in the chapel took their jobs way to seriously and it ruined the experience.
Get around: I wouldn't recommend the metro. If you can't walk, taxi is your best option.. Unless... you are lucky enough to find a rickshaw. I took a rickshaw from the Colosseum to dinner and it was such a fun experience. We were in the road, in between traffic, then on the sidewalk going through building. They have no rules!
Pack:
- 7 summer dresses (which I wore between Venice, Rome, Capri)
- 4 sandals - but make sure they have a wedge or are flat because it's hard to walk on the cobble stone.
- Jean jacket found its way back into the rotation on chilly nights or rainy mornings
- Note: If visiting the Vatican, bring something conservative. I wore a knee-length dress and my jean jacket with no problem. Cover the knees and the shoulders
Check out what I did each day while visting Rome. On that page, scroll down for a day to day itinerary.
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