Italy Part Two: Rome
I’ve never felt like a great photographer, but I did bring my camera, because what better place to try and improve my photography skills than in Italy? I managed to take a few decent photos with my camera, and this is my favorite. I feel like I managed to get the lighting, composition and and focus just right!
Today I’m finally sharing all about the next part of our Italy Trip - Rome! We spent three days in Rome on the last leg of our trip and had an incredible time. Rome has long piqued my interest - from the incredible monuments and museums, to the rich historical culture, to the incredible food.
. Rome Night 1
We arrived in Rome in the late afternoon, with just enough time to check into our hotel. We enjoyed celebratory drinks to kick off our Roman adventure on the incredible hotel rooftop garden bar, where we were surrounded by pots and planters of all kinds growing every vegetable imaginable under the Roman sun. We got our first true taste of Rome walking through the city that evening, en route to dinner. My immediate impression was just how lively and joyful the city was, everyone was just there to enjoy. We made our way toward our dinner reservation at Armand al Pantheon - which is currently one of the most booked-in-advance, in demand restaurants, and for such good reason. The restaurant was recommended to us by an old friend, for which I am forever grateful, since it went down as the best meal of the entire two week trip by far. I still cannot forget every bite of that delicious dinner, the cozy and laid back atmosphere, and the simplicity of it all. We closed down the restaurant (which is how I got snapped the picture of the space below!) It was the perfect start to our time in Rome!
Rome Day 1
We started bright and early on our second day and walked over to Villa Borghese, a massive park in the middle of the city, right at the top of the Spanish Steps. We spent the morning walking around and taking in the views. My hope was to visit the Galleria Borghese museum, but there were sold out of tickets at the moment. By that time we were starved, so we made our way back to the Spanish Steps and took in the view and the incredible plaza below it. Below the Spanish Steps is a well known neighborhood filled with shops and restaurants. Designer boutiques lined the plaza, but we found so many local boutiques the further we walked that were definitely worth checking out! We found a charming little place called La Buvette which I just loved- we shared a charcuterie board for lunch. That afternoon we finally visited the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon (you can go inside during the day). We spent the rest of the day just wandering around the city before we made our way to dinner at Gianna e Poldo, a small restaurant with the most charming patio. We ate outside under the lights and watched as people strolled down the street.
Rome Day 2
This might have been my favorite day of the Roman part of our trip - we did a group tour of the Vatican Museum and it was an incredible highlight of our trip. Our tour guide explained so much of the history to us as she walked us through the museum. Setting all of the incredible art aside, the museum itself was a work of art. It was an unreal experience especially if you love art in all forms. We stayed for most of the day, walking back through rooms that were so beautiful, it was hard to believe they were real. Around 3 or 4 we left and headed to lunch that I’m still dreaming of today at Bono e Bottega- a tiny restaurant with every kind of sandwich, meat and cheese imaginable, and it was so so good. On our walk back, we passed through a neighborhood that so reminded me of Soho in New York, but quieter, more charming, and infinitely more stylish. The cobblestone streets were lined with art galleries, vintage shops and local boutiques that were a treat for the eyes, while an open door cafe played Louis Armstrong’s A Kiss to Build a Dream On. We stopped for espressos before heading back to our hotel. That night we had dinner at a restaurant near the Spanish Steps called Antica Enoteca. I had a ravioli dish that I’m still dreaming about today.
Rome Day 3
We started our day at the Campo de Fiori food market before making our way over to the Roman Forum and the Colusseum. We gave ourselves plenty of time to walk around and take in all the history before our ticket time for the Colusseum. I loved getting to walk through and see the Colusseum in person, it was truly incomparable to anything else, even in Rome. We spent some time walking around before heading to another late lunch at the tiniest hole-in-the-wall place called Diviniostella Food and Wine Bar. It was just steps away from the Colusseum and one of the most memorable and delicious meals of the entire trip! We spent our last evening in the Piazza Navona neighborhood, and made sure to grab one last gelato before it was time to head home! We flew out early the next morning and returned exhausted, but happy to be home.
If you have any questions for me about Rome, I’d be more than happen to answer in the comments!
And in case you missed it: