Sep 4, 20183 min read

Rome wasn't built in a day, but you can see it in a couple!

Updated: Sep 30, 2018

ROMA, ITALIA

As much as I love to travel, I love being prepared for the trip and having it all planned out, and then came Rome. I was supposed to go on an all a girlfriend's trip which was filled with activities from sun up to sun down. 3 days before our take off, a hurricane hit Florida and their flights were canceled. I was left with a flight...no hotel...no excursions but passion to discover one of the most ancient cities in the world.

I scrambled to book a last minute hotel and took off to the Eternal City. I arrived late night and took the train to the city center

( tip : if you are traveling with 2+ people, taking a cab is about the same amount ) The hotel was in a middle of everything, right by the Spanish Steps ( pictured above) and down the block from Fountain di Trevi. The fountain is absolutely worth seeing both at night and day.

If you stay in central Rome, you can save on cab fairs and walk to most main attractions. On the way to the Colosseum, you will pass by

- Altare della Patria / Piazza Venezia - a monument built to honor the first king of unified Italy, Victor Immanuel... stunning! Make sure you to the observatory on top of it, it will cost you a couple of euros but you will get views for days....360 of Rome! I also believe its the tallest point of the city.

- Pateline Hill ( one of the most ancient parts of the city )

Vatican City - the smallest country in land and population in the world sits right in the middle of Rome across from Tiber River. The Vatican is beautiful from the outside, and I have heard even more stunning form the inside. If you are interested in going inside, arrive extremely early as the lines get long and waiting is outside

Overall tips

Tiramisu - it might be an obvious choice but in Rome, they put an extra twist and do a pistachio version, strawberry, creme brulle and the list goes on.
Gelato Gelato Gelato! Always save room for desert and be ready to indulge in multiple flavors...if coffee is your thing , an afogato is a must
Coffee- Italians drink their coffee on the go and in espresso form with a drop of zucchero ( sugar) Each coffee shop has two different prices, a cheaper price if you drink it at the bar and a more expensive one for those toursit that want to sit down...as Italians would not be seen sitting down "sippin" on coffee unless its with their meal.
Pizza - everything you ever dreamed of and more....and by more, I am referring to the many topping it comes with. Want your pizza with potatoes or salmon? You got it! Anchovies, yep... on its way! I also found the way pizza is sold very neat. the pizza in Rome is NOT round, but yet square and you show the pizza master, how big of a slice you want, after which , they will measure and you will pay by the weight
Pasta- this was a shocker to my taste buds as I didn't expect the "al dente" taste. If you are not a pasta expert, you might not know that the right way to eat pasta is when the pasta is actually still hard rather than the sloppy spaghetti texture that many of us know. The texture definitely adds a different flavor...I will let you be the judge of which is better.
Lemoncello - oh my, oh my! More to come on my Positano blog , but make sure you try in Rome after a meal in case you don't make it down to the Amalfi Coast