Italy is one of the most diverse and picturesque countries as it basically has it all, from tall mountains and blooming plains to perfect beaches with turquoise waters. Not to mention that they have one of the best cuisines in the world, I mean: pizza, pasta and gelato!...
And besides all that…they have Rome, an actual open-air museum! It’s hard to walk down the streets of Rome and not be impressed by every corner of the city; either by a small statue or a lovely water fountain.
Without a doubt Rome is worth a visit as it is the perfect destination for a romantic weekend getaway.
We spent 3 days in this beautiful city and here are the things that we consider a must:
THROW A COIN IN LA FONTANA DI TREVI
Unlike other wishing wells and fountains, this one is not meant to grant you a wish, but it’s said that if you throw a coin in the fountain you are bound to come back to Rome one day, and who would not want that? Keep in mind that Rome is a very touristic city, therefore anytime of the year you decide to visit it would most probably be packed with tourists. In this case, you might want to wake up a bit early than usual and catch a glimpse of the city in its whole grandeur.
VISIT THE MAGNIFICENT COLOSSEUM
There is usually a large queue at the ticket counter so in order to avoid wasting valuable time, I would suggest you buy the tickets online. These tend to be sold out fast, so you might want to get them a few days, maybe weeks in advance.
TAKE A STROLL DOWN TRASTEVERE
This is the most romantic and famous neighbourhood in the city. You might know it from all the movies about Rome. It has lovely buildings and houses, covered with ivy and cute and colorful Fiat 500’s at almost every corner.
VISIT THE HOLY CITY OF VATICAN
People from all over the world come to visit this place, so tickets are usually sold out and the queues are endless. If you do plan a visit to the Vatican I would suggest buying the tickets online with weeks in advance. Even so, you will still need to wait a bit in line to get in. Properly visiting the Vatican, with the museums and churches, can take you an entire day, so plan accordingly.
VISIT THE BRIDGES AND ADMIRE THE VIEWS OF THE CITY FROM THERE
Ponte Umbro, St. Angelo Bridge, Ponte Sisto and many more, will show you a different side of Rome. Equally beautiful!
Palentine Hill and Roman Forum will transport you thousand of years into Ancient Rome giving you a glimpse of the Roman's lavish lifestyle.
TAKE A PEAK THROUGH AVENTINE KEY HOLE
This little keyhole gives you a unique perspective of Rome as it lines up perfectly with Saint Peter's Basilica.
GET LOST THROUGH THE LOVELY STREETS
Rome is ideal for visiting everything by foot as all the major attractions are relatively close together. It's also a shame to take the bus or tram as you might miss one of the city's hidden gems along the way.
CLIMB THE SPANISH STEPS
PANTHEON & PIAZZA DELLA ROTONDA
The Pantheon is another landmark that requires booking in advance, otherwise you might spend half a day waiting in line.
Piazza della Rotonda would be a lovely place also, unfortunately it's hard to notice all the details due to the thousands of tourists crammed up in one place.
VIEW THE SKYLINE FROM TERAZZA DEL GIANICOLO
INDULGE YOURSELF WITH THE ITALIAN CUISINE
Pizza, pasta, repeat! And then maybe some gelato or some delicious cakes.
There are many great places to eat in Rome, but I would avoid the touristy ones as the food tends to be not that good and overpriced. We made the mistake of taking lunch at a restaurant in a popular square, that kind of caught our eyes, and we managed to have the worst pizza and pasta in the entire country, most probably.
Dessert recommendation: the mouthwatering tiramisu at Two Sizes.
Having this said, keep in mind...La vita e bella!
Ciao,
O
