A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO ITALY: MY QUICK ROMAN HOLIDAY
The time has finally come… this is my last of my Italian travel guides! I’m going to miss writing these because they transport me back to the beginning of summer. When did time decide to fly by so quickly?!? These posts also give me an excuse to talk about my trip, which I will always remember dearly as one of my favorites I’ve ever been on. I can’t wait to go back to this amazing country someday (hopefully in the near future), since I only saw the tip of the iceberg in terms of all the wonderful places and experiences Italy has to offer. Alright, that’s enough nostalgia for one rant. For my last guide, I’m going to take you through the 3 days I spent in the colorful and ancient-history-packed city of Rome. Now let’s get to some guiding!
Stay:
Inn at the Spanish Steps: After spending more than a week in a rented villa, we were all pretty ready for some hotel time. Don’t take that the wrong way, we enjoyed the villa all in all, but sometimes all we really wanted was a place to stay where we didn't have to worry about locking up or making our beds. :) The Inn at the Spanish Steps definitely provided us with both of those things and much, much more. The only problem is that it took us about a hour to find because it happens to be super tiny. You can barely spot the place among all the luxury clothes stores that surround it, but once you step through that little door you're instantly transported into a beautiful boutique hotel. The rooms we had were incredibly spacious and there was a gorgeous rooftop terrace that overlooked the pretty neighborhood. And as promised in the name, each room comes with a flower-lined balcony that you can lean out of to see the famous Spanish Steps.
Eat:
Taverna il Trastevere: Searching for the hotel the entire afternoon the first day we got to Rome was in a word, draining. We were tired, a little irritated, and most importantly hungry. As I’d soon come to learn, Rome is a city of partying. There are constantly people (tourists and locals alike) hustling and bustling about the streets that it’s almost overwhelming. A family friend of ours gave us a recommendation for a nice restaurant that happened to be in the “quieter" part of town, for Roman standards. We ordered some fantastic antipasti including the Prosciutto di Romagna, which A. is delicious and B. will get your local waiter to smile. :) We also got an oven-baked mozzarella and ham dish and some out of this world fried squash blossoms stuffed with cheese and sardines. That may sound weird to some of you, but trust me they were incredible. The pasta dishes came to us in the pans they were cooked in which was a sweet little surprise for all of us, despite the fact that our table soon became very crowded. Overall, it was a great start to our Roman food journey.
Tre Scalini: This famous gelateria is located in one of the prettiest plazas called the Piazza Navona. They’re known for their crazy ice cream truffle aka “Tartufo,” which is a little too chocolatey for my taste. We stopped by this gelato parlour because my dad went here 30-something years ago and kept talking about it since we started planning this trip, so we decided to make it a definite pit-stop. The gelato was great don’t get me wrong, but it definitely wasn’t Bologna-level good. :P
Pizzeria Da Baffetto: At one point in our trip the days started to feel shorter, and the mass of humanity surrounding us was beginning to put us on edge. This meant that after a long day of walking around the Roman Forum we were a little tired and a lot of angry. We had been told by the same family friend as mentioned above about a small pizza place that she dubbed “the best in Rome.” Once we got there our emotions were running high, and our stomachs were growling. We ended up waiting a bit and eventually snagged a table outside right across the way from where we would later get (amazing) gelato. The pizzas were traditional Roman thin-crust and each were big enough that even one slightly hungry person could handle it. Just based off the one I got with mozzarella, mushrooms, and onions proved to me that this was probably the best thin-crust pizza in town. Everyone’s hungry/angry emotions were immediately tamed post-pizza. Quick tip: this place has a second location in the Piazza del Teatro di Pompeo that we ended up visiting as well (it was really that good), which ended up being a lot less busy and had the same quality as their original location (yay)! Who doesn’t love a win, win like that? :)
Frigidarium: As we devoured our pizzas at Da Baffetto, we also kept an eye on the incredibly local line across the way at Frigidarium. By the time we finished our lunch the line had gotten down to a manageable length, so we decided to go for it and stand in the middle of the narrow street. I’m so glad we did because this was definitely the best gelato in Rome and the new second best to Bologna's Funivia. I decided to go big so I got a cone with super rich and creamy cinnamon, biscotti, and stracciatella.
Meridionale: I have been waiting for SO LONG to talk about this place! My cousin studied abroad in Rome for a little bit a few years ago and told us this place could not be missed. I instantly fell in love with this darling restaurant due to it’s cute vintage decor and intimate, homestyle vibes that made me feel like I was eating in an Italian grandmother’s kitchen (lol). This was definitely one of the best meals we had throughout the whole trip. The kitchen ended up giving us a smattering of antipasti dishes, all of which were all incredible even though we didn't know what half of them were. It didn't matter though because they were all delicious. I had been looking for a place to try the traditional Roman dish of Cacio e Pepe, and decided that I would try the one there. Let me put it like this, my world and taste buds alike have been shaken. To top off this already fantastic meal, we ordered the most amazing cheesecake and panna cotta I’ve ever had. I’ll definitely be back here next time Roma. ;)
See:
Lots of the locations I’m about to talk about are what I would consider the “no-brainers,” but if we’re being honest here, I just want to show all of you a bunch of cool photos I took from my trip. :) Also, I think it would be nice for any first-timers traveling to Rome to have a nice complied list of all the must-see landmarks, so you don’t miss any of the big ones!
Ostia Antica: Although not technically in Rome, Ostia Antica is what remains of an ancient Roman harbor city. It’s a little bit confusing to put it that way since the ocean seems to be nowhere in sight, but due to a bit of silting the sea now sits just 2 miles away. It was an absolutely incredible experience to walk through the multiples miles of ground that have survived after more than 2,000 years. I found myself meandering around remnants of an old marketplace, an amphitheater, some bath houses, apartments, and even what is considered the “world’s first restaurant.” The site is only about a half hour drive outside of Rome, and I definitely say it’s worth the trip.
Colosseum: The iconic Colosseum is just as incredible as you would imagine and more. It still fascinates me to think that this was once a fully-functional gladiatorial arena! I would recommend buying tickets online before you get there because the crowds are a bit insane. Also, there are a bunch of tour guides that hang around the outside that will gladly take you through the arena for a sometimes slightly ridiculous fee, but it’s totally worth it because you get to bypass the crazy lines.
Pantheon: This is the OG Pantheon people, like THE one that all the other famous pantheons around the world copied. The outside transports you back to ancient Roman times with it’s granite columns, large portico, and enormous dome. Inside you’ll find the tombs of some of the most famous Italians, including two of the country's kings and Queen Margherita (as in pizza). ;) Entry is free but it gets pretty busy, so I’d stop by towards the late afternoon after the lunch rush is over to get a good look around.
Roman Forum: The site of the heart of ancient Rome is just as breathtaking as it sounds. The grounds are surrounded by ruins of several important ancient government buildings and if you are willing to climb a few sets of stairs, you can see it all from above. It’s really worth it, and it’s a great way to get some exercise in between all those food marathons.
Piazza Navona: This gorgeous square is one of the grandest and most beautiful we saw during our trip. In the center sits the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, which is supposed to represent the four major rivers of the four continents: the Nile, the Danube, the Ganges, and the Río de la Plata. Pretty cool right? But wait there’s more! In the middle of it all, stands a giant Egyptian obelisk. Kind of random, but still amazing.
Vatican City: It still shocks me to think that the Vatican is it’s own city-state within Rome. The headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church are home to the Pope (obviously), as well as some of the most treasured art and architecture in the world. Frescoes, sculptures, paintings, mosaics, and more; you name it and they've probably got it! We had a private tour guide take us through the building because you honestly can’t do this place alone. It’s the most visited landmark in the world, so you can probably imagine that it might take an expert to navigate. Despite the crowds, it was definitely an experience I will always remember lovingly, although I don’t see myself going back anytime soon. It’s one of those places where you see it once and feel satisfied. I’ve got to say the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica were my definite highlights, but the Raphael Rooms and the Map Hall absolutely blew me away too.
Trevi Fountain: Ah, we’ve finally made it to one of my favorite places in Rome. There’s something about the Trevi Fountain that makes me so incredibly happy, and love the city of Rome even more than I thought possible. Maybe it’s because it made me feel like I was channeling my inner Audrey Hepburn a la Roman Holiday, or maybe it’s just that the beautiful sculptures and the sparkling turquoise coin-filled water was just so mesmerizing. Either way, it’s an amazing place and if you can squeeze your way to the front be prepared for your jaw to drop.
Shop:
As you can tell, we did a lot of sightseeing so shopping wasn’t at the top of our priorities list. Yet, we managed to stop by a couple little places to pick up some gifts and a few goods for ourselves between landmarks. :)
Vera Pelle Schegge: This leather goods store was such a nice find. Everything there was super high quality and at a very reasonable price, which is hard to get in a city as expensive as Rome. I got the cutest clutch purse with a tassel, as well as the most AMAZING backpack/shoulder bag hybrid which I’ll be sure to feature in our next outfit post. Friends, I'm talking about real ground-breaking technology in the accessories world.
Falconeri: We stopped by this Italian knitwear store and instantly fell in love with the place’s incredibly soft cashmere sweaters and comfortable basics. Everything comes in natural earth tones and light neutrals with a few colorful pieces here and there.
Italy’s capital has incredible art, architectural wonders, and a vibrant culture on full display no matter what part of the city you’re in. I only got a taste of what the city has to offer, but I’m glad I got to hit all the main attractions. I think that the next time I visit I’ll probably steer clear of the big landmarks and focus on trying to find the hidden gems the city has to offer, but who knows? Maybe, I’ll end up wandering around the outskirts of the Colosseum to admire it’s incredible architecture, or I might even stop by the Trevi Fountain again to throw in another coin for good luck; whatever happens, happens. Until next time Roma. :)
Before you go, I filmed just about everything in sight as we travelled around Italy, so I compiled all the footage into a little film that you can watch down below. I hope you enjoy and be sure to like and subscribe to our channel. :)
Ciao,
Emma :)