Anna's Adventures

The last stop on our honeymoon trip was Rome, Italy. Our “honeymoon tour” included London, Paris, Venice, Florence, and Rome. I think Rome was the city my husband was most excited about, and it was honestly one of the most surreal places I’ve ever been. The city is rich with history, and felt as if everywhere you looked gave you a glimpse into the past. The city was vibrant, and alive. It’s truly a magical place.

OUR TRIP TO ROME, ITALY

Just like in Florence, we arrived to Rome via the train. My husband and I both agree that train travel is the way to go. It’s actually very enjoyable. We took a taxi from the train station to the hotel, and the drive there seemed like you plucked a scene right out of a movie. We drove pass a few historical landmarks, and even had to dodge some pedestrian foot traffic. Our hotel was tucked away on a cozy corner of via del babuino. We checked in, and went out to explore.

We never really have any set plans on the first day we arrive somewhere. We really just use the entire day to explore, and familiarize ourself with the city. Our first stop was the famous Spanish Steps. The steps were packed with people just hanging out and enjoying the sunshine. Then we headed to the Trevi Fountain, and we were shocked with how touristy this felt. We were basically packed into a small area like sardines. We snapped a few photos, and kept walking.

We walked up some more stairs, and saw the outside of the Quirinal Palace. The palace is the official residence of the President of the Italian Republic. One thing that I didn’t realize about Rome is just how hilly it is. There are stairs everywhere.

Basically every corner of Rome has some historical landmark, so we stumbled upon the Mercati di Traiano Museo dei Fori Imperiali, and decided to walk around. We walked over to the Forum of Caesar, and I was amazed by how large everything was. This was so cool, and I couldn’t stop taking photos. I felt like I hopped right into a history book.

It was getting to be around dinner time, and we didn’t have any plans, so we decide to explore the Trastevere neighborhood. This neighborhood is known for their “bohemian” atmosphere, and wine bars. We popped into Trapizzino for some roman street food, and it did not disappoint. We tried supplì, a fried rice ball with cheese and pizza sauce, as well as the trapizzino, a triangle shaped pizza pocket. They were both so good. (side note: we are on a hunt for the best supplì in the states, so if you know of somewhere, let me know) I also tried some orange wine here, and it was my favorite drink in Italy!

The next day we booked a tour with The Tour Guy. The tour we booked was the Rome in a Day Tour, and it was absolutely the best thing we could have done. We started our day exploring the Vatican, and with the tour guide we were able to skip the line to go inside. We had a private tour inside the Vatican Museums, the Gallery of Maps, the Sistine Chapel, and the St Peter’s Basilica. We learned so much from the tour, and felt vey immersed in the history of the Vatican. One interesting fact I didn’t know was that Vatican City is the smallest country in the world.

We spent a few hours exploring and learning all about the Vatican. We even saw where the pope’s apartment was located from the outside. Afterwards, we all headed to the Piazza Navona via van transport. I thought it was very nice that the tour included not only tickets to everything we saw, but also transportation to different areas.

Our next stop included the Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain. We did toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain this go around. Funny enough we did not have an actual monetary coin, so we used what we had…..a bathroom coin. My fingers are crossed that it still will give us luck to come back! Haha. We had a quick lunch break and our tour guide recommended going to the restaurant, ii Barroccio, and the carbonara was ridiculously delicious!

Next up on the agenda was heading over to the Roman Forum. Here we had an in-depth history lesson about what was once the center of everyday life for the Romans. We thought it was so neat to be able to walk where the Romans once walked. We then headed to the end of our tour which included access to the Colosseum, and I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere as cool as this. The Colosseum is the largest standing amphitheater ever built. It was incredible to be able to explore, and see just how big this really is.

After our tour ended, we decided to shop around and then head back to our hotel to freshen up before dinner. We wanted to eat somewhere a little more low-key, so we decided to find a restaurant near our hotel. We ended up choosing a place called Babette, and it ended up being one of our favorite meals in Rome. The restaurant is family owned with secret family recipes, and it was such a hidden gem! One of our favorites was the veal Wellington wrapped in puff pastry with a truffle cream sauce. Talk about mouth watering!

Our “honeymoon tour” was coming to end, and we stayed out as late as possible just wandering the streets by the hotel before heading up to pack our bags to board our flight back to the states that next morning.

WHERE TO STAY: ROME, ITALY

Like the majority of our hotel stays in Europe, we chose to book another place in the Small Luxury Hotel brand. We loved our stay at the Babuino 181. The hotel itself is located in two buildings that are right across the street from each other, so that was a little confusing at first, but we quickly got adjusted to it. We booked the double superior room, and it was the perfect size for what we needed.

The hotel was around a 20 minute walk to the Trevi Fountain, and 40 minute walk to the Colosseum. While it was a little ways away from the main areas, we loved how much quieter the the hotel was compared to the more touristy areas.

MUST SEE: ROME, ITALY

• Spanish Steps – The longest and widest steps in Europe.
• Trevi Fountain – The most famous fountain in the world!
• Quirinal Palace – The official residence of the President of the Italian Republic.
• Mercati di Traiano Museo dei Fori Imperiali – Otherwise known as Trajan’s Market. The city of roman ruins.
• Forum of Caesar – The first of the Imperial Forums built by order of Julius Caesar.
• Trastevere – A neighborhood in Rome known for their wine bars!
• Vatican Museums – A museum filled with artifacts from the Catholic Church.
• Gallery of Maps – A long hallway of geographical maps painted between 1580 and 1585.
• Sistine Chapel – The Pope’s official residence.
• St Peter’s Basilica – One of the most sacred places in the world. Also home of the burial site of St. Peter, an apostle of Jesus.
• Piazza Navona – A public square known for its three fountains, and famous structures.
• Pantheon – A temple dedicated to the Roman gods built between the years of 25 and 27AD.
• Roman Forum – Full of history, known to be a common area for everyday Roman life.
• Colosseum – The largest ancient amphitheater ever built with construction starting in 72AD.

MUST EAT: ROME, ITALY

• Trapizzino – A must for local roman street food! The suppli is delicious.
• ii Barroccio – The carbonara is divine. A must try if you’re in the area.
• Babette – A family owned restaurant tucked away from the touristy crowd. We loved the veal Wellington.