3 Days in Rome
A quick note about this write-up…..this is a collaboration between Hannah and Chris so it will switch speeds and tones from time to time as well as the first person narrative. So just try to keep up!
Ahhhh….Rome, so beautiful…….and a bit touristy.
First things first, let me just tell you how excited I was to be flying into Italy for the first time. This wasn’t my first trip to Rome but it was the first time I’d be going through customs in Italy which meant I’d be getting my long-awaited passport stamp. (To provide some much-needed context, It’s important to note that I have a healthy addiction to passport stamps). My previous trip was back in 2014 and as you may already know, you only get a stamp once you enter (and exit) the EU (We flew in and out of Zürich). So yes, I was very disappointed I never had a stamp from Italy……UNTIL NOW. The funny part about all of this of course, is how there is absolutely NOTHING unique about their stamp. It looks exactly like the other stamps you’ll get within the EU so while I may have been initially disappointed, I can’t say that finally getting one filled a huge gap in my life. Haha!
The both of us had visited Rome before, which meant we weren’t under any pressure to embark on the usual tourist mission. There is an overwhelming amount to see in Rome and if it’s your first trip, be prepared to dedicate the majority of your time to walking and waiting in lines if you’re only staying for a few days. If you want to see it all, go with an agenda so you can hit the main spots before the crowds get out of control. We still made our way to our fair share of hotspots, but ample time was dedicated to relaxing with an Aperol spritz in hand. Almost everywhere we go on our trips, we pitch up in a bar/ café for a quick drink and before we know it we’ve lost a couple of hours to drifting conversation and charcuterie.
Flying into Rome
If you’re flying into Rome on a long haul then you’re likely flying into Fiumicino Airport, which is situated to the west near the water. If you’re flying from London, then it’s much easier (and cheaper) to fly into Ciampino which is south of the city.
I bring these simple geographical facts up because you may need/want to know how Rome operates. Getting into the city isn’t terribly hard but it can be expensive. (Well, at least I think it is) For a taxi, you’re looking at 48 euros from Fiumicino and 30 if you’re coming from Ciampino. These are flat rates the government has set and CAN’T be negotiated.
If you arrive before midnight, one of the better options is to take the train (Leonardo Express) to Termini Station and from there, just take a taxi to your hotel or Airbnb. Lucky for us, our accommodation was a nice little 10-15 minute walk. It’s interesting to note here that our Airbnb host provided a map which gave us a route that in her words…. “was the best way to avoid the ugliest streets near the station.” I wouldn’t say I ever felt unsafe but I also didn’t want Hannah walking those streets alone. If I didn’t make this clear earlier, I’ll do that for you now; Hannah and I flew into different airports which meant we would need to meet at Termini train station but because of the timing(I got in a bit earlier than her), I went on ahead to check in with our host and once I was done, I went to collect Hannah about a block away from Termini.
The train rates from Fiumicino are anywhere from 8-12 Euros depending on the time of day. From Ciampino you’re looking at paying between 5-7.
Okay…enough about the logistical nightmares of Rome.
Here’s what Yearwood & Clarke got into…
The Colosseum
For those of you not up on your Roman history, the Colosseum is a 2000 year old Roman amphitheater which still stands today(obviously). I think most of us think of the well-known gladiatorial contests when it was actually used for so much more.
Having seen the Colosseum before, you’d think maybe I wasn’t going to be impressed with it again but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I should also add that I’d be seeing it for the first time with Hannah which for me, made it all worth it.
My first pro tip for Rome: Bring your walking shoes. Rome is meant to be walked in order to see every inch of its beauty. We purposely booked our place just a hop, skip and a jump from there so we’d have to walk by it every day. We logged over 26 miles in a three-day span which isn’t too shabby for street walking.
This was the view of the Colosseum walking through “Parco Del Colle Oppio” or Park of the Opium Hill.
We took our time walking through the park because of the gorgeous views from the top that would keep anyone up there for hours. Plenty of people were hanging out with their families, reading the paper or going for a stroll and all the while, one of the most recognizable wonders of the world was right there, in their backyard.
A couple of quick tips if you plan on going inside:
Make sure and buy your tickets(preferably skip the line) ahead of time. Not only that but you’ll need to make sure you have them printed out.
Even if you have Skip the Line tickets, I would still recommend you get there as soon as the gates open. Those times change depending on the season so you’ll need to check that out.
It’s also worth mentioning that access to the Colosseum is free on Sundays.
Protip: Don’t bother trying to bring in glass as they have TSA like security at the entrance. We had a bottle of Limoncello that we had planned on drinking throughout the day but that idea quickly went to shit. Oh well.
Selfie game was strong even after the Jager shots for breakfast.
Once you’re in, soak it up. This thing has been around so damn long there’s almost way too much history to take in. It even had box seats for the VIPs to witness the slaughter of over 500k people and over a million wild animals…….. with over 80 entrances, and capacity for over 50k people, this whole place was overwhelming!
It’s something else to see and aside from the annoying dudes outside trying their very best to sell you bracelets and selfie sticks, the Colosseum is a must see.
Along with the Colosseum we visited the following sites:
The Pantheon- Old AF. We lounged outside at one of the super touristy restaurants and had ourselves a few Aperol spritz’s with a snack or five.
Trevi Fountain- Of course we contributed to the millions of euros they scrape from the bottom every year. As legend has it, you’re supposed to throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain. This apparently means you’ll make it back to Rome one day. Now I’m sitting here trying to remember if I did on my previous trip. Hmmmmmm……I think I did. Lets go with that. I will also add that the Trevi Fountain has been in quite a few movies so you may notice it from one.
The Spanish Steps- Great view of Rome. It was actually really funny but once we made it to the top, there was this family from southern California who obviously had money. Anyhow, while the dad was pointing out where the Vatican was to his son(maybe 6 or 7), the mom was pointing out the Gucci store to her daughter(maybe 9 or 10). The daughter then responds to her mom with, “That’s even bigger than the one in Costa Mesa”. Yep. (Trust me, there was plenty of other sites to be looking at besides the Gucci store).
This was the view from the top looking back down which isn’t the best view of the actual steps but I thought this was the better picture I had, so this is what I’m using.
Vatican City- Well, this was just a quick stop. As we approached the front, some random guy was reminding(telling) Hannah to put her jacket on to cover up. Listen, I get that Rome is an incredibly religious city but women covering up? Sorry, that’s just too much for me to deal with. Sell crazy somewhere else. And no, we didn’t end up going into St. Peters or the museum because those lines were just silly. It would have been hours on end and quite simply, we didn’t have time for that.
Right after the Vatican, Hannah found us a nice restaurant which was just five minutes away by foot. The name of the Restaurant was Arlu which had some really good reviews online so we decided to give it a shot.
I won’t go into detail with what we ordered or bother telling you how great the food and drinks were because the most important part of this little anecdote is what happened while we ate.(okay real quick, the food was good, really good).
I took this shortly after we finished eating. The seats outside starting filling up so I thought it made for a good picture and I also thought it would be good to get some evidence from the scene of the crime.
Well, we were deep in conversation about something(probably how good the food was or maybe the street sellers who had no regard for privacy) and that’s when it happened, Hannah waves her hand in a quick motion and completely knocks her wine glass over into my lap. Yep. I’ve learned over the last 17 months that this is typical Hannah. Her own mother has confirmed this point for me as well because apparently, Hannah has been like this her entire life.
Proof of the crime.
Okay, enough of that story…..
Aside from all of the normal tourist “to-do’s”, we had such a good time wandering the city on our own accord. Drifting along, stopping in to get a bite to eat or a spritz in random bars to relax with some good conversation. If time is on your side, you can follow the Tiber River all the way to Vatican city. We took a taxi there, and walked back (there is a cycle route too). It wasn’t far, maybe 40 minutes. We passed a few groups of locals pitched up by the river banks with pizza enjoying the sun.
Tiber River which runs through Rome. Let me tell you that it’s in close competition with the Thames in London for the filthiest looking river i’ve ever seen.
What else……..
Wanting to see some of the more authentic aspects of the city, we opted to stay in a residential area within walking distance of Termini (the main station). Chris found an apartment through Airbnb; clean, modern, and with every amenity we needed for a weekend in the city. (Highlight: everywhere we stayed in Italy came with a stove top percolator and some top-notch ground coffee!).
Our Airbnb Host recommended a couple of local spots to eat. One pizzeria just down the street apparently served ‘the best pizza in Rome’. Unable to secure a spot during the 3 days we were there, we can’t vouch for that. But the sheer volume of Italians pouring in the doors suggests she was right. (Trattoria Vecchia Roma- if you visit, maybe you can get a table and let us know if it’s worthy of the hype!). We had slightly better luck with breakfast, at a small coffee bar just minutes away from the apartment. Breakfast is an ‘on-the-move’ affair in Italy. A quick shot of a coffee at a bar and some baked goods to go. To Chris’s delight the owners also willingly served up, and joined in, in a shot of Jagermeister at 8.30am. (We were up early to beat the queues at the Colosseum).
We stopped here every morning for coffee, baked goods and of course, Limoncello and Jager shots.
After some small talk with the owner, he proceeded to bring our drinks out like this. Not bad, not bad at all.
All in all, we had such a good time in Rome. If you’re planning to visit from April-October, be prepared for the crowds. The city gets over-run and the street sellers are out on mass. Rome is magnificent enough to trivialise this, but if you get the choice.. visit out of season!
Thank you coming along for the ride and if you have any questions, feel free to reach out using whatever platform you wish.
A co-written affair by Yearwood & Clarke