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As the saying goes... "when in Rome!"
Rome was my very first introduction to Italy a few years ago, and while we have had a chance to revisit Rome briefly, it is easily one of my favorite cities in Europe. The first time we were there it was a marathon of sorts trying to do and see as much as possible. Whether you have a few days, or a full week, you will still not have enough time to capture it all, so my recommendation is to pick a few things you absolutely must do, and save a few for your next trip.
Our first visit to Rome we stayed in the Piazza del Popolo neighborhood in a One Fine Stay rental and couldn’t have been happier with our location. The neighborhood was very local and one of our favorite things to do was wander around at night, finding new places to check out – including our favorite little spot, Osteria Margutta. We definitely packed in as much as we could our first visit, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing.
Favorite things to do
Walk everywhere! Rome is big, but there is so much to see, and while they have a subway system, we enjoyed the most of the weather and walkability and walked almost everywhere, including spending our first afternoon strolling the Borghese gardens, which were lined with magnolia trees.
Explore the Colosseum. We opted to do a tour through Livitaly and I highly recommend going this route. We selected the underground tour, and we got so lucky! Our tour was all of 6 people total, our tour guide was an archaeologist on a night dig who spends her days giving tours, and we were one of the first groups to access the top floor of the Colosseum in 50 years (something that now requires a separate add on!). When we went back to Rome this last fall, our friend had never been to the Colosseum so we jumped at the chance to do this tour again, and we learned even more!
Spend time at the Vatican. You’d think tours wouldn’t be our thing, but the best part and main reason for joining any tour in Italy is purely to skip the lines. And wow are there lines. For the tour of the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica, we used Viator and booked the “skip the line” Vatican tour of the Basilica and Sistine Chapel. I would have paid this three times over to spend another five minutes in the Sistine Chapel.
Where to eat
Pane e Salame. This tiny little restaurant is near the Trevi Fountain, but you definitely need Google Maps to find it, as it is off the beaten path. It opens at noon, but you better be in line by 11:30 or 11:45 at the latest. We were second in line (yay!) and they only have a few tables, so it’s first come, first serve. The sandwiches are out of this world, and they serve wine in little plastic cups, which felt fun at the time. Ironically, while we were there our wedding song (Sideways, by Citizen Cope) came on, which blew us both away as it is not exactly mainstream.
Osteria Margutta. Discovering this restaurant on our first trip felt like it was meant to be. During one of our nightly walks, we saw a sign for an underground Whiskey Bar and started following the arrows (which eventually disappeared!) and ended up on via Margutta, a street I am convinced was designed as a movie set. The cobblestone street was lined with Vespas and vintage Fiats, and under a single light was a little patio that was perfect for enjoying wine. We actually didn’t eat here until our second trip! The food is good, but I’d recommend it ten times over for the patio and wine.
Pizzaria Bonci. I had this on the list of places to check out when we were near the Vatican. It is not exactly close to the Vatican, which made it even more appealing, to be honest. This place is the size of a shoe box, and really meant for take away. You walk in and there are dozens of pizzas to try, flavor profiles and combinations you would never think of (hello, pumpkin, spinach, ricotta pizza of my dreams!). They cut the pizza (with scissors!) to your desired liking, and you pay by the ounce.
Taverna Trilussa. Known for their truffle pasta served in the sauté pan, this dinner was perfectly indulgent. We came here on our recent trip with friends, and we started our meal with Aperol Spritzes, natch, and in the perfectly Italian yet environmentally friendly manner, the straw was pasta! The truffle pasta is the star of the show here, and reservations are highly recommended.
Rome in a day
This past trip to Italy was focused on Positano and Florence, but for ease of travel we flew in and out of Rome, giving us the chance to explore Rome in a day! If you are looking to make the most of your time in a day, here is what we did:
Morning - we dropped our bags and the hotel and hit the streets, but not with out grabbing a coffee first! Then we wandered to the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain, of course.
Mid-day - our hotel rooms were finally ready so we did a quick change and refresh and jetted off to the Colosseum for the underground tour, which ends at the forum, which admittedly we left early as we were ready to eat by this point.
Late afternoon - we were well past time for an Aperol Spritz and pizza, and happily found a neighborhood spot that was a welcome respite from all the walking we had done so far. Then it was time for a quick power-nap.
Evening - I firmly believing in making a reservation for your first night of travel, mainly because jet lag can cause you to pick the first spot you find, which doesn't always result in the best meal. We had heard great things about Taverna Trilussa, and we gladly stuffed our faces with pasta!
There are still places on my list that we haven’t had time to check out, including the Court Bar at the Hotel Manfredi (it just opened up Summer 2019) that overlooks the Colosseum; ordering cacio e pepe from Roma Spirita, the restaurant Anthony Bourdain swore by; and checking out the Mouth of Truth (thanks Audrey Hepburn/Roman Holiday!) and the Knights of Malta keyhole. But, I do believe it's best to leave somethings to come back for!
What are your favorite spots and things to do in Rome?
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