My brother and I finally visited Rome and fell completely in love with this stunning, full of history and magical corners, mind blowing, and mysterious city after months of research that involved reading travel books and blogs, listening to podcasts, reading all the great advice, photos, and comments, as well as watching countless travelers videos on YouTube.
I put a lot of thought into the perfect itinerary to fit our 4.5 days there, and everything just came into place and we checked off all the important boxes. This was our route, we walked an average of 25 to 30 thousand steps per day, took no trains or buses, and only one cab, to and from the airport.
We arrived on Monday at 1pm and we ate in the most amazing tiny quaint sandwich shop close to our B&B next to the bridge of St Angelo Castle on Monday after arriving at 1pm. The lovely La Salumeria offers mouthwateringly fresh sandwiches, beers, prosecco, and other beverages till late at night.
We were picked up at 3pm by Scooteroma for a 4-hour vespa tour. Two vespas, one with a guide, came and collected us up at our B&B, and we then embarked on an amazing tour of Rome. It was fantastic, from booking with Giovanni to the actual tour with Mike (Michele) and Alliseo. We got to see some of the real Rome along the way, and they were both entertaining, quite passionate, and extremely knowledgable. We saw the Colosseum, the Caracella Bath, and the Via Appia. As you can see from the images, we were able to visit many of the Vatican museums with a great deal less crowding. Really wonderful places. Could have stayed there for hours. Even though it was very busy when we arrived, the Sistine Chapel was nonetheless breathtaking to see. We paid the additional €13 to take the elevator to the lower level of the dome before continuing to climb. Although it is relatively small, the view from the top is absolutely breathtaking. We went to Trapizzino, which has the best street food in all of Rome. Trappizzino are mouthwatering pizza pockets with incredible flavors that are to die for. On Monday, we traveled to Campo di Fiori Market, where we ate breakfast in a small pub and people-watched while soaking up the wonderful ambiance and weather. Before visiting the Altare Della Patria, which was such a magnificent and enormous structure, we enjoyed some of the delectable food that was being offered and wandered around some of the nearby stores. A second semi-private guided trip with LivTours was scheduled for us to see the Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill with its breathtaking vistas, as well as the Colosseum's subterranean and arena floor. Our tour guide was fantastic and quite passionate. It was incredible, and I can see why it is one of the seven wonders of the world.
We recommend
Put on your most comfy pair of worn-out sneakers. I wore Sketchers Air Cooler Arch Fit, which felt comfortable and cozy. My brother wore sketchers as well. Everyone there is sporting trainers.
Eat anything you can find, but avoid the main squares. Food can be purchased at a very low cost, even in small supermarkets.
For our cab ride to and from the airport, Mary Roma was our driver.
Rome, you stole our hearts, and we will be back. Have a fabulous time, it is magical!