When in Rome: Your Guide to Food, Hidden Gems, and Unforgettable Memories
When in Rome: Your Guide to Food, Hidden Gems, and Unforgettable Memories
Buongiorno!
Ciao ciao! Let the games begin in Rome! With the hustle and bustle of a big city and historic sights, Rome is definitely not one to play with. So, come along as my mom, my sister, and I start round two of our multi-city tour of Italy!
From Milan to Rome
After parting ways with Bae, I had to figure out how to get myself from Milan to Rome. Unlike in Switzerland, where I could read French signs, I was totally at a loss in Milan's train station. Though, as a self-proclaimed Amtrak pro, I believe I was well equipped for this 3-hour solo trip to Rome! But, girls..... these Italian streets are truly no joke. On the short walk from our Milan Airbnb to Milano Centrale, one of the wheels on my suitcase disappeared. Poof! Gone! Without a trace! My solo journey was not off to a great start. The good thing, however, about Italian transit hubs is that you really don't have to do much navigating once you get to the train station-- just find your track, hop on, and settle in! I recommend getting to the station a bit earlier than necessary to account for lost tourists (like me!) and grab a snack before your journey!
Once I made it on to my train and started moving, I could breathe again. First, solo travel task complete! But, as I'm peacefully reading on this high speed train without a care in the world, I start feeling like I've been on this train for quite a while. Imagine my surprise when I finally decipher the train schedule and I'm over an hour delayed. Crickets. How we got so delayed, I have no clue because we were flying through the Italian countryside! Somehow, though, we finally arrived in Rome only 20 minutes after our scheduled time. After meeting up with my mom and my sister in Roma Termini's marketplace, we set off for the beginning of our Roman adventure!
I'm Just a Girl, Mom!
To be just girls with your mother and sister is something so special. We were in Rome to help my sister wrap up the end of her semester abroad. For her, that meant packing up her apartment and taking the last of her final exams; for my mom and me, that meant plenty of sightseeing, eating, drinking, and just being girls! Our first night in Rome as a mother-daughter duo was dramatic in the best way possible. After dropping my sister off at her apartment, we wandered back toward the heart of Rome as the sun dipped and storm clouds rolled in. I can very clearly remember the moment when we both said "wow" as we walked across a bridge lined with angels. The dark sky and dramatic bolts of distant lightning offered up an almost spiritual nighttime walk. I mean just look at this:
And, to think that this was only the beginning of days worth of stunning architecture, sculpture, and art. I guess I had never really believed how much Europe, specifically, Italy, is steeped in centuries worth of rich history and unimaginable art. This is my apology to Italians; I won't doubt you again, promise.
For day two of our time in Rome, Mom and I ventured into the thrush of the crowd and fully embraced being tourists. After a rainy morning, we wandered into the Orange Gardens on Aventine Hill and took in the peaceful morning as the clouds made space for the sun. This ended up being a little bit of a hike, so if you're into gardens, lookouts, and getting lost like us then definitely pack a pair of shoes you can walk for miles in. As we walked closer into city center, we stumbled upon the Spanish Steps and quickly found ourselves on an avenue full of shops. One of my must-dos on this trip was to find a new Pandora charm as a souvenir! As I'm looking at the Italian travel charms, I see my mom looking a little starry eyed at the shiny charms and bracelets. Long story short, we walked out of there with a new bracelet for her and my sister and matching Italy charms for us all. What can I say? We're just girls in Italy.
When I tell you we walked everywhere, I mean it. By the end of this day, we clocked almost 10 miles of walking. But it was well worth it! By midday, we bobbed and weaved past massive tour groups and made it to our first destination: Trevi Fountain. Again, I will never doubt Italian arts again. Truly the only thing I could do was snap a a bunch of pictures. There were no words for this ornate fountain in what seems like an unassuming square of small shops and cafes.
Next, we pushed our way toward the Pantheon. At this point, the sun was really taking it out of us. Hungry and tired of crowds, we only passively marveled at the Pantheon. Although it would have been nice to go inside this wonder of the world, some of Rome's allure was losing its sparkle. Sounds crazy, but I had almost seen too much beauty in only a few hours and was unable to fully appreciate more.
Mom, if you're reading this, I did indeed complain about the walking. But, I wouldn't change this day one bit. Absorbing all of Rome's iconic attractions slowly like this with you is something I'll never forget!
And girls, if you have the chance to walk every inch of Rome, do it! You'll find nooks and crannies, churches, shops, eateries, and people that you never would have if you were zooming by on a Vespa. Looking back, this day of walking was perfect prep for our next day in Rome, which was packed with lots and lots of eating!
Pasta + Prosecco = <3
Day three in Rome was by far my favorite day. We woke up a bit earlier and met my sister in Rome's oldest market, Campo dei Fiori, to start our walking food tour with Elisa from Eating Europe. Elisa is Roman born and raised; she even grew up in the Campo dei Fiori piazza! After some awkward introductions with a couple from New Jersey and an English mother and son, we set off to learn about Rome's food culture spanning from the height of the Roman empire to more modern food traditions.
Our first stop was only a few minutes walk from Campo dei Fiori where we found ourselves in one of Rome's ancient butcher shops. Waiting for us in the back of this quaint butcher was two bottles of red wine. As Elisa explained, Romans can't eat without wine. And she was not skimpy with her pours! As we snacked on perfectly greasy porchetta, we sipped on red wine and learned a bit more about Elisa's childhood in Rome.
As we moved from place to place, the hungrier we got as our eyes became bigger than our stomachs and our hands kept reaching for endless glasses of wine. From salted fish to bruschetta, we were having a time tasting Rome. I think I'll forever look down on wine in the States. Nothing beats Italian Prosecco in Italy. But, more on wine in my Florence blog coming soon!
The real show stopper was the little mom-and-pop restaurant, Ristorante Spirito di Vino that sat atop an amazing secret. Before sitting down for a small plate of homemade Amatriciana, we stepped directly into ancient Rome. Spirito di Vino's basement is an ancient Roman wine cellar. Several feet below street level, we were standing in ancient Rome and could see the striations of stone as Rome was built up. A bit damp but soaked in history, this basement was something straight out of a history book. With decades-old bottles of wine stored here, it was clear that Elisa wasn't joking about the reverence Italians have for good wine.
As the sunset over Rome and we giggled off countless glasses of wine, we made our way back toward city center to rest up for day four in Rome. Well, more like day four and a half. Originally, my mom and I had planned to visit the Vatican. But, learn from us and reserve your tickets far in advance. We had purchased tickets for what we thought were the papal gardens on Vatican grounds. Instead, we found ourselves in the cutest village about an hour outside of the city! Castel Gandolfo ended up being a day trip we didn't know we needed!
Check out my mini-blog on Castel Gandolfo soon!
Arrivederci, Roma!
Rome, like any major city, is packed to the brim with amazing sights and experiences. Girls, don't be afraid to do literally everything. I promise you, the memories you will make will be some that you won't regret. Experiencing Rome with two of my favorite people is a feeling that can't be beat! From uncovering hidden treasures in one of Rome's many tiny alleyways to wine-drunk ramblings, Rome made it known that it had made its rightful place in history as one of the world's marvels. So, marvel at it! Rent that Vespa for the day! Get lost! Splurge a little on cheesy tours! Arrivederci, Rome, how could I ever forget you?
To catch up on the beginning of my Italian spring tour, read my Milan blog!
If you’re gagging for more GTG, follow my IG at @girlstripglobal!