Rome adventures
As you guys know, I’ve been wanting to go to Italy for years. My whole life, really. When the Pilot and I were dating (and knew things were headed down Serioustown), we’d Skype chat while he was deployed about visiting Italy. We’d tentatively plan it a few times, something would happen, and the trip kept getting postponed. We finally saw an opportunity to go since, for the first time ever, we had no deployments or TDYs on the horizon.
We had to decide if we’d take Livi with us, or if she’d stay home with mom and nana, who offered to watch her. It was a win-win situation, but in the end, we decided to go just the two of us. It was definitely the right choice. We Skped with the girls (Livi, mom and nana) every day we were gone, and she was having a blast when we talked to her. There were parts of Italy she would have LOVED (the food, riding the train and the beach at Positano), and other parts she would have hated (not understanding the long wait/travel times, long meals, lots and lots of walking). We missed her like crazy, but it was best-case scenario all around. Also, since we’re not sure where we’ll be living this time next year, we’re glad we had the opportunity for her to stay at home, in the environment she knows, and be taken care of by family.
After a long day of traveling, our first stop in Italy was the picturesque and romantic city of Rome. My first impression of the hotels in Italy was a very good one.
We stayed at the Marcella Royal, with walking access to many shops, sights and restaurants. While the rooms were standard:
(clean and comfy + all of our hotel rooms had large windows to open. I kept joking that I was going to open the windows and sing an aria to the street)
the service and amenities were fantastic. The concierge was extremely helpful -he gave us great tips for restaurants, train info and directions- and the rooftop restaurant is something I’ll never forget:
We ate our continental breakfast up there each day, surrounded by the views of the city, birds chirping and hibiscus blooming. It was a great start to the morning, especially that first day when we were severely jet-lagged and had no idea what time it was.
During our stay in Rome, we spent a lot of time walking, eating and exploring. We also did a couple of necessary touristy things, like a tour of the Vatican and a tour of Ancient Rome.
The Vatican museums, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistene Chapel were absolutely breathtaking. It was incredible to be surrounded by so much beauty and history, and our tour guide thoroughly explained each room (in between trying to wrangle a guest who kept mysteriously disappearing).
My favorite tour stop of Ancient Rome was the Colosseum. It is seriously enormous; it used to hold up to 50,000 spectators!
Some interesting facts:
-It’s also known as the Flavian amphitheater, named for the family of three emperors under that dynasty
-Spectators were seated by class. The Emperor, vestals and wealthy families had prime seating (and actual seats), while the women and poor were segregated (and had to stand)
-It was built using the aqueduct system and could be flooded with water for mock sea battles
-There were trap doors and small lifts to lift the gladiators, animals and scenery into the arena. By doing this, these things could quickly appear without warning
-Many of the men fighting were prisoners
Our tour also included ruins, historical arches and temples:
While we were in Rome, we also did some shopping– the shopping is almost as crazy amazing as the food 😉 Even though I feel like we could have spent our entire stay in Rome, I was glad the we ventured down to the Amalfi coast to visit Positano.
So this post isn’t a 50-pic photo bomb, those adventures will be up in the am 🙂
xoxo
Gina
Have you been to Rome? Is there somewhere you’d love to visit?
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Ah Rome looks absolutely gorgeous and fantastic!!
All the museums are stunning – I can only imagine how much more beautiful they are in person.
Rome is always somewhere I’d love to travel too!
I am actually headed to Rome tomorrow! Can you recommend any restaurants????
There’s a 2-story place off via septembre that was amazing (terraza barberini) w an awesome view on the upstairs patio, another restaurant gusto pinto (they brought us lots of fun things to try in addition to what we ordered), and one that was right by the hotel w twinkly lights (on Flavia).
For the gelato, pick something that has flat gelato (not mountains) of the overly garnished stuff. The flat gelato w less color is the homemade stuff!
You have to visit GROM gelato – there are many in Rome! They are the best, and they top it off with creme fraiche! Try the pistachio and Fig!
Thanks so much!!!! I can’t wait!
a gorgeous place is also Open Colonna, on the rooftop of Palazzo delle Esposizioni, via Nazionale. You can have buffet lunch (with excellent food, not your typical “all you can eat” place) for 16 euros. Super recommended!
wow, that sounds amazing!
At the Colosseum you can still see the names etched into the seats, where specific VIP’s would sit.
I’m so glad you got to go, finally! The fulfilment of a dream! But now.. you want to go back and re-visit, right? Did you go to the Trevi Fountain at night? Or Piazza Navona? Both are amazing in the evening.
Love being an armchair traveller (although not quite as much as being the traveller myself, but…) thank you for a fabulous insight into your holiday. I loved Rome so much. I think one of my favourite parts was the Trevi Fountain at night time, with people flicking in coins and making wishes. Next favourite… the massive gelato store we found with hundreds of flavours where we squeezed five flavours into a cup. Rome, you do it right! x
Awesome photos! My husband and I went to Venice, Florence, Rome and Sorrento seven years ago on our honeymoon. It was an awesome trip and I’d love to go back someday!
I am during to visit Rome! I have taken Latin for 4 years in high school and as a senior now in AP my small class and I are talking about taking a post-graduation trip to Italy with our teacher!
I was only able to take Latin for one year in high school, but I LOVED it, and I developed a fascination for Rome. 10 years after graduating I still haven’t been, but I’m still dreaming! Hope you get to go!!
Rome looks simply amazing, I can’t wait to see the rest of the pictures (and food)!
I agree, the photos are amazing. Such history in that city. And the food…the food looks to die for. I think the photos of Vatican are my favorite. More please!
I’ve been to Rome 2-3 times and loved it! I definitely want to go back – maybe paired with a traintour through the Toscana before, which is not too far from Switzerland.
The pics look amazing, that rooftop is beautiful!!
Love Rome! Your pictures make me want to book a one-way ticket 😉 When we were on our tour, the guide explained how even back then, there were famous prisoner fighters (at the Colosseum) and before the show they would stand outside and sell viles of their sweat (seriously!) to fans (it was marketed as an aphrodisiac) and they would also be paid to do product endorsement.
So funny! It’s like the ancient roots to the modern day celebrity-media machine!
So glad you got to go – your pics are lovely! Can’t wait to see the rest.
Love Rome! So awesome you got to go! Amazing to live out life dreams!
Can’t wait to hear more about your trip! Italy is definitely on my list of places to go while I’m in Europe!
I’ve been to Rome once before… the Coliseum was my favorite!
Wish I’d known you were going ahead of time! I could have sent you some good resources / intros for the trip! Looks like you had a good time anyway!
What an amazing trip! I’m already jealous seeing these beautiful photos, but can’t wait to hear more about it! 🙂
Gotta live vicariously 🙂
Have a great day!
I was lucky enough o be in Italy this summer and this post was such a wonderful start to my morning. It made me happy and nostolgic 🙂
I am so happy you had the trip of a lifetime!!
I’ve been to Italy before and I didn’t love Rome as much as I loved Florence or Venice. Hope you have the opportunity to travel to those places too. Ah – I do miss all the amazing food I had there!
Beautiful pictures! So glad you both were able to go!
Ahh Rome looks amazing! The rooftop restaurant looks very quaint and relaxing 🙂 I’m excited to see your Amalfi Coast pictures–I’ve heard it’s gorgeous there. I’ve never been out of the country, except for Canada if that counts? I’d love to travel to Italy someday, or Greece..or Peru..or Turkey……I dream about traveling quite often. I’m glad you had a good time!
Wow, thank you for this review. I’m happy for you that you made it finally to Italy!! I’ve been there last year. We’ve done the Amalfi coast which is amazingly beautiful. I’m happy you loved your stay here in Europe 🙂 perhaps you will come back soon. Hugs and love. Rommie
What a beautiful trip! That rooftop cafe looks amazing! I’m so glad you two enjoyed yourselves. Can’t wait to see the rest of your adventures!
Absolutely gorgeous! This brings back so many memories for me because I went to Rome quite a few years ago and loved it! It’s an amazing place and I hope I get the opportunity to go back sometime soon!
Oh, wow!! It is beautiful!! Rome looks wonderful. And the rooftop look wonderful as well!
So jealous of your trip, there’s seriously some gorgeous pictures in there! I knew about the trapdoors and lifts in the Coliseum, but I had absolutely no idea that they could flood it for mock-sea battles. That’s so cool!
This is a trip of a lifetime so happy for you!
what an amazing opportunity. i can’t wait for the rest of the pictures!
Oh I am so jealous of your photos! I love Italy. I went to Rome when I was in high school but I sooooo want to go back. I really, really want to do a cycling trip in Italy. Excited to hear about the Amalfi coast!
Beautiful pictures! It is my dream to go to Rome one day! It is so so beautiful there! Glad you all had a great time!
I LOVED Rome! I want to go back so badly! It is such an amazing city! Looks like you’re having a great time.
I would LOVE to go to Italy someday, so I am really enjoying your recaps! I would also love to go back to Wales. I studied abroad for a semester a few years ago, and would love to take my husband back with me!
I studied abroad in Rome for a semester and it was the best time of my life. I wish I had known you were going, I have so many tips! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I actually lived in Italy for a few years, ended up meeting my husband and living there for a few more. We live in the states now but We went to Italy in August and took our one year old for the first time. . You made the right decision leaving Liv at home. The travel was really hard on The baby. Your trip sounds amazing. Rome is one of my favorite cities. Isn’t the history amazing? When I saw the pic of you and the giant door I immediately thought you were in Italy, but was confused. When I saw the mussels, I knew!!! I’m glad you had a great trip.
So glad that you and the Pilot got away! I am especially excited that you went to Rome and Positano because my husband and I are heading there in two weeks. Are you going to do a post on restaurant recos? If not, I may have to be annoying and email you :).
Welcome back!
I went to Rome (and several other cities in Italy) 10 years ago. It was the hottest June they’d had in over 300 years, and it was a large group of us, a lot of high schoolers, so we were in cheap hotels without air conditioning. I can’t think about the trip without thinking about how freaking hot I was the entire time! However, it was still an amazing trip. My favorite spot was hands down the Colosseum. I’d love to go back!
i have now visited Rome 10 times! ( in the past 6 years alone, ive been 5 times with my husband)…and ive been to Italy 17 times in my lifetime, including 10 visits with my husband…its keeps calling us back… great to hear you enjoyed it!!!
Both of us are italian, but i think even if we werent, we would still go back as often as we do 🙂
I have not but my grandfather took my mom and her sister when they were 16 and 17. So I have lots of photos that they took and always loved looking at them and daydreaming. I hope you bought yourself some jewelry, my mom said its the one thing she wishes she could have bought more of, as the Italian jewelry is some of the best in the world! She would always say the lemon slush was real if it had seeds in it.
I think it was a good decision to leave Liv at home. She wouldn’t remember the trip anyway and couples NEED that time alone occasionally!
I’ve been to Rome twice; once in college and a few years ago with my husband. It was fun to play tour guide with him, much like I’m sure the Pilot did for you.
However, having a real, great tour guide with you is such a difference maker! Instead of having your nose buried in a Rick Steve’s guide, you can sit back and listen to some fantastic stories and facts.
Looks like such an amazing trip! My family is from Italy so we’ve always wanted to go together but haven’t made it there yet. Love the recap!
Rome looks incredible!!! This makes me sooo excited for my upcoming trip to Germany! Glad you and the pilot were able to get some QT in together 🙂
I am jealous! Italy is still on my must-see list!
What a fantastic trip for you two! So glad you got to go, its so tricky figuring out how to travel with or without a little one!
YAY!!!!!! This post makes me so happy. Ahhh Italy – so romantic and fun. The Colosseum was my favorite part of Rome, too. Your hotel sounds wonderful with its rooftop restaurant. I’m really glad that you and the Pilot had such a nice time. Can’t wait to see your pictures in Positano!
What an awesome trip! I loved Italy and wish I could go back, like, all the time. Thanks for sharing your adventures and letting me live vicariously through your gorgeous photos 🙂
Oh my goodness, that view! The ruins! So wonderful!!!
Did you use the bidet!? haha i’d be so curious to try it 😛
um NO. i’m not even sure how to go about that haha
The colloseum is my dads favorite part! as soon as we landed, he said thats where he wanted to go that night haha. how long did you guys spend walking around? How was the weather??
we spent hours walking around every day. the day we did the vatican, we walked for 5 hours! it was warm, but not too hot 🙂
We did 2 1/2 weeks in Europe a few years back…Germany (there’s a great Lodge on the base in Garmisch open to retired or active duty military), Switzerland, and Italy. We enjoyed Rome but chose to stay on the outskirts of the city in a bungalow on a campgrounds. Much more affordable and we’re a very outdoorsy family. The locals in Rome and Venice however were horribly rude to the tourists. Would love it visit the Amalfi coast one day! I’m not a huge labels girl or shopper in general but agree with you on the food…it’s amazing!
And we’ve been homebrewing Limoncello for years. Our first XO’s wife from many years ago is Italian and gave us her family recipe.
if you’d like to share, i won’t tell anyone haha
I went to Rome when I was 18, it was amazing. Looking at your photos brings me back — all the food, the sites, and the super ancient buildings. Hope you threw a coin into the Trevie Fountain so you’ll go back some day.
Lovely! I’ve been to Rome twice (2 years in a row, in fact) and can’t wait to go again!
Your pics brought back such good memories! 🙂