Jan 24, 20235 min read

A WEEKEND IN ROME 🇮🇹

📸 Sony Alpha 7 IV - 50 mm / 1.8

🇮🇹 Benvenuti a Roma

If there is one European city to enjoy, it is definitely the Italian capital! The place is full of monumental treasures. If you're looking for a destination that will amaze you at every corner, don't waste any more time, it's time to book your flight tickets to Rome ✈️. Back to two (intensive) days of... La Dolce Vita.

✈️ Arrival at Rome Fiumicino (FCO)

3:45 am: the sweet ringing of my alarm wakes me up from a way too short night, but my excitement is obvious: in a few hours, I'll be on Italian ground! After a little nap and some snoring (oops) in the cab, I get to the airport. I head for the checkpoint, camera hanging around my neck. I enter the plane without a hitch ( a stress: will I have to fit it in my hand luggage already full of stuff?), put on my anti-pressure earplugs and get ready for the take-off. Barely 2 hours later, here I am at Leonardo da Vinci of Rome Fiumicino (FCO), the airport on the edge of Rome. Only 32 km now separate me from the Eternal City! I walk to the FL1, the train line signposted in the airport. Costing only 8€ to the Trastevere station, it is the unbeatable means of transportation (in a cab, expect to pay between 40 and 50 euros for a 40 minute ride). I guessed that the train was late despite the lack of announcement, Italian transports have their own reputation to keep...

🚖 Getting around the city

Except if you are unable to do so, the best way to discover the city is definitely on foot! This city is so crazy that you can discover impressive buildings at every corner (I can't even count the number of small churches that are almost ignored when these same buildings would be the main visited ones in other European cities as they are so pretty), and the best way to see them is to stroll through the streets.

As my dearest one only arrived on Friday evening, we really only had two days on site... And they were worth it: 20,7 km on Saturday, and 13,4 km on Sunday, all on foot. But, do not worry, it did not prevent us from taking a few breaks to taste some tiramisus (you will note the plural) and other local delicacies 😏

🍝 The program

▹ Friday: discovering Trastevere on your own

Trastevere is THE place to go for a meal and a drink. It looks like two different places: during the day, the streets are quiet and cute, but at night they come alive and the restaurants and bars fill up in a flash!

To me, it's the perfect neighborhood to stay in: perfect for discovering the culinary culture (because traveling is all about eating and drinking, right?), and only a small bridge away from the historic center and all the major monuments.

▸ Vin'Allegro's delicious Pear Gorgonzola Pasta and Tiramisu in a cozy setting

📍Vin'Allegro. Piazza Giuditta Tavani Arquati, 114

Otello's pizzas (and tiramisu...) in a nice trattoria

📍Otello. Via della Pelliccia 47/53 Trastevere

Everything was very good, but it seems to me that the best thing to do is to walk through the streets and stop whenever you want, as everything looks very good!

▹ Saturday morning: Forum, Mount Palatine and Colosseum

The alarm clock rings, but this time it doesn't make me want to smash it against a wall. We leave in order to find a small espresso to start the day. Small is the perfect word, because here espressos are consumed like late night shots: one sip and it's over! ☕️

We then pass by a cute little shop: the Bottega Rumi organic which offers fresh fruit juices made according to our tastes and desires. Perfect to recover my last points of life after my illness and to start this marathon day!

📍Rumi Organic Bottega. Via dei Fienaroli, 4

Fresh fruit juice in our hands, we leave for the Forum to discover THE Roman archaeological place. This is where the people gathered around the religious, economic and political life... And the least we can say is that it is impossible to imagine the magnitude of these vestiges as long as we haven't set foot there! It is clearly a city in the city.

After strolling through the ruins, we went up to Mount Palatine to take a look at these impressive ruins. Located 40 meters above the Roman Forum, it allows to appreciate the vestiges... And the view is impressive!

After a nice walk, we head to the Colosseum. 2000 years of history right in front of us, it's quite something! We had bought online tickets to access the Colosseum at a specific time. Good to know: if it is well specified that it is fundamental to be on time, we didn't have the impression that they were actually checking the schedule. We showed up more than 30 minutes earlier than expected and had no trouble getting in and starting our visit: the timetable seems to be more of an indication!

After this big culture session, we went to Divino Stilia in a Trattoria atmosphere to taste two other local specialities: truffle pasta and tiramisu. The pictures speak for themselves: between focusing and tasting the tiramisù, I had to choose... Oops!

📍Divino Stilia, Via Ostilia, 4, 00184 Rome

After eating, I headed to the very famous Trevi Fountain. And I must admit that I was not ready to be in a crowd worthy of a Beyoncé concert! The crowd is insane, and this at any time. Still, if the place is amazingly beautiful, dear agoraphobic friends, one advice: run away!

▹ Saturday evening: St. Peter's Basilica

We could have stopped there for the day. But with the excitement, we still had some energy so we went to St. Peter's Basilica. And there again... We were truly amazed. Anyway, in Rome, there is one true thing: everything is huge and makes you feel very small. St. Peter's Basilica is a perfect example.

▹ Sunday: Pantheon, Navona Square and Vitorriano

To start the day, we went to the Pantheon, another majestic building with free access (but you have to book in advance, there was no more room for the day!). This time, no picture of the interior. Not because you can't take any, but because, according to me, it's a place whose interest resides mainly in its circular shape, impossible to honor with my lens.

After this beautiful visit, we went to the Café Sant Eustachio, a charming and typical address but with a doubtful service... Here, the turnover is crazy: we sit down, drink our coffee shot and eat in a few bites a filled croissant before giving up our precious table to the next customers. Then, direction Plazza Navona, one of the most famous squares of the city. And it is enough to put a foot there to understand why...

📍Café Sant Eustachio, Piazza di S. Eustachio, 82, 00186