From the day my husband announced we were travelling to Rome this valentines, being a foodie,I started dreaming of Pizzas, Italian wine and Gelato. I started packing for our trip with excitement,eager to try amazing Italian cuisine and all the flavours of gelato. Apart from the food I was also looking forward to explore the city which has many renowned worth seeing places and the history it is famous for. I suggest reading about all these places before you visit so you know what exactly are you looking at as every place has some history behind it. Without knowledge it would be you just walking through famous ruins, monuments, sculptures which look beautiful but with the content it is interesting to walk through.
Your ticket to the Colosseum usually gets you insights of Roman Forum and Palentine Hill. Taking a tour through the Colosseum you will reconnect to the movie Gladiator.(You must watch if you have not yet) Colosseum is the largest amphitheatre and when in Rome one must not miss a chance to take a tour to the Colosseum which is also considered as one of the seven wonders of the world.
Nearby walk through the ruins at the Roman Forum and Palentine Hill. The Roman Forum was once the centre of Rome and had the most important buildings and structures and today it is left with bits and ruins. This place gives you a glimpse into the life of the early Romans.
Visiting these places plus some places like Vittorio Emanuele II Monument, Campidoglio and you will find many more famous monuments,ruins,fountains when you walk through this area. It will take an entire day end it with some authentic Italian Food, you find various joints walking through the streets.
Watch the Pantheon’s Dome standing beneath it
Pantheon is one of the most famous temples in Rome, which is now a church and also has free entry. The strong and well-built structure leaves you mesmerised. When you step out and look around you find many gelato shops and food joints which serve amazing food. They have cozy and romantic sitting arrangements just perfect for a date night with your loved one.The days we were in Rome we made sure to try different joints in this locality and none of them disappointed us.
Another location for spending a nice evening is the Spanish steps. Relaxing here and looking through the city is an amazing experience. Located at the centre the steps connect Pizza Di Spagna (below) with Trinita dei Monti (above).
After watching about it in the movies and having heard about it who would miss a chance of tossing a coin in the Trevi Fountain? It has an interesting story behind it. If you toss a coin you will be destined to return to Rome someday.2 coins you will find true love and three coins your love would turn into marriage. The area around the fountain is usually always crowded and beautiful to watch during the day and night too.(P.S-lot of coins are collected every single day and donated to provide food to the homeless in Rome. So this belief leads you towards a great act)
Finally, a trip to Rome is incomplete without a visit to the Vatican City which is a small country of its own. It is the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. Within the city there are many sites such as St. Peters Basilica, the largest church in the world and has the most renowned work within. Sistine Chapel which is the official residence of the Pope and has beautiful interior, particularly the ceiling. Vatican Museums which contain master pieces of paintings, sculptures and other works of Art collected through the years.
P.S- It is recommended to book the tickets in advance as the place is usually very crowded and long ques.
*Some more travel tips when in Rome*
Currency: Euro
Cards and Banks: Cards are accepted over all, but it is good if you carry cash as it is used for small items also some markets and museums only accept cash.
Weather: Resting near the Mediterian Sea, Rome enjoys warm weather. It is usually hot during the summers. (In February there was sun but wind so we did need our jackets)
Flights: Dozens of flights go to Rome every day you need to check based on your origin. We opted for Ryan Air as they gave us the best deal within our budget.
Public Transport: Wandering by foot is the most romantic way to discover every corner and street of the city. That is what we prefer. Rome has amazing public transport, various passes and also city tours. If you are in town for at least 72 HRS, try the Roma Pass ( around 38 Euro)which has access to public transport, entry to two museums and some discounts.
Stay: There are various hotels, hostels which you will find online. We preferred to stay at the city centre as it is easy to walk to different places. We had booked Hostel named as Mosaic and you can also find some great deals at booking.com.
Food: Authentic Italian food- Pizza, pasta, bruschetta and a lot more, the famous Italian wine and not to forget soooo many flavours of gelato to choose from.
Language: Italian is widely spoken here but you will find many English speakers and the locals are also very friendly. Italian is sweet to listen to and also recognised as the language of love and romance.
Travel the world with me 