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Lisa
Rome had been on my top destinations list since I was young. My half Italian heritage was calling me and finally, when I turned 50, we spent a few glorious days in Roma pre and post-cruise. We booked a premium economy seat on Alitalia and immediately felt the Italian influence through the flight attendants’ accents. Landing in Rome was surreal, as it was my first time in Europe. Steve and I glanced at each other when our driver straddled the lines as he speeded us off to our hotel. Our hotel room was on the rooftop and included an outdoor tub and lemon trees. La dolce vita!
After the most delicious cappuccino ever, we hit the streets walking with a lousy map, just exploring. We quickly found the Trevi Fountain, and when I mean found, we turned the corner and there it was. To see that first iconic photo come to life in front of you is just life changing. We toured the Pantheon, Spanish steps, and other major landmarks and even wandered our way to a delicious porketta sandwich.
The spiritual moment for me was standing to enter the Colosseum. As I turned to look right at a gate, all I envisioned was a river of blood. It reeled me and I thought I may have to leave the queue. As we moved along the vision passed and I was able to tour the Colosseum and grounds without further visions of the past carnage.
On day 2 we had what has come to be known as the “Fendi incident.” While visiting the second floor of the flagship Fendi store, I walked directly into a mirror – HARD. We could hardly contain ourselves as we raced to the exit, and burst into laughter in the street. As we ate a delicious dinner that night of homemade pasta, we laughed about the security footage of that dumb American woman who walked into the mirror.
My one dream purchase in Rome was a red leather wallet and we got lost in search of a leather store. However, getting lost was magical. Not only did I find the perfect wallet for $50 euro (not $1500 from Fendi) but we experienced the street and alleyways of the city in a way we never could have on a guided tour or in a vehicle.
We toured the Vatican on day three and meandered the city on the west side on the Tiber River. The Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel were everything we imagined and more. The angel statutes leading to Castel Sant’Angelo were mesmerizing and we were lucky to catch a wedding photo session. Walking through the streets of Rome, ordering a café, shopping in the open air, dining al fresco and family-style all were highlights of trip that was much anticipated and did not disappoint.
The saying goes if you throw a penny into the Trevi fountain, you will return to Rome one day. Well, we did, and we did! We enjoyed a second Rome trip with our daughter years later. It was even more special to witness the city through her new eyes and see some new sites with her.
Steve
Rome. The city is as magnificent as one has read or heard about. If this is your first time in Europe you will be in awe of the age and beauty of the architecture. My wife and I flew from Miami to Civitavecchia on Air Italia. The non-stop flight was roughly 10 hours and we flew in Premium Economy which was more than adequate for our first long distance flight.
We had a driver waiting for us at the Airport in Civitavecchia to take us to our Hotel in Rome. Be ready for some interesting driving on the highways of Rome as locals tend to drive between lanes until they have to move. Once we arrived at our boutique hotel we dropped off our bags and enjoyed our first Roman breakfast. We had plenty of breads, cheeses, meats, fruits and pastries to choose from and delicious coffee.
Once we finished, we grabbed our map and proceeded to look for the Trevi Fountain. It took us a while to find but when we did it was absolutely stunning. I had seen pictures of Rome and the different attractions, but seeing everything in person just takes your breath away. Be ready for crowds as every landmark draws millions of people from all over the world. Besides the Trevi Fountain other must sees are the Spanish Steps, The Colosseum and the dozens of Churches, statues and frescos scattered throughout the city.
At night Rome becomes this magical place of romance and beauty with plenty of restaurants and shops to keep you busy for hours. We found a restaurant while walking during the day that we decided to eat dinner at on our first night there. The restaurant was That’s Amore. It was perfect for our first night in Rome. The food was delicious, I had the Pig Cheeks with fresh homemade pasta along with a lovely glass of wine. We enjoyed a beautiful view of the street traffic for our first dinner in Rome.
After dinner we just walked the streets and enjoyed the night life along with some window shopping and some actual shopping for souvenirs. We went back to our hotel room which was perfect for us as it had a balcony with a bath tub and views of the square below.
We spent two nights in Rome on the Trevi Fountain side followed by our Cruise and then 1 night before heading back home on Vatican Side of Rome. We toured the Vatican, witnessed the Sistine Chapel as well as the Vatican Museum. Pictures are not allowed in the Sistine Chapel so be forewarned. The Museum was massive and showcased one of the largest Egyptian exhibits I have ever seen as well as hundreds of ancient Roman artifacts.
Just a word of warning - while the Romans who work in the restaurants and hotels speak English most of the people on the street do not and if you get lost like we did just walking around you will have a hard time getting directions.
Rome is one of my favorite cities I have had the pleasure to visit. We actually went back a second time during another cruise, this time with our daughter. She also found the city of Rome to be purely magical. If you have the means and the time the city of Rome is a must-see which will leave you captivated and planning your next visit there.
Steve and Lisa’s top 7:
- Get out and walk the city
- Venture along the outskirts of the major attractions and explore the alleyways
- Grab a porketta sandwich and eat it in a piazza in front of a fountain
- Visit places again at night for a totally different feeling
- Eat alfresco
- Don’t only wish at the Trevi fountain – Steal a kiss.
- Take the time to enjoy every sight and sound – La Dolce Vita!
