We had two days in Rome, and ran a marathon. Basically.
We walked over 27 miles. In TWO DAYS! That may sound crazy, but it's easy to do when you're in such a big, bustling, and beautiful city! In honor of our blistering feet, here are approximately 27 photos from our Roman adventure (just about 1 per mile).
Our first day started with us arriving in Rome at about 10 AM. We took the train from the airport to the Colosseum (Alli nearly cried when we first saw it... the Colosseum is breathtaking) and then walked about a mile to our bed and breakfast, La Finestra Sul Colosseo. From the moment we arrived, we felt like locals. With only five rooms, La Finestra Sul Colosseo is small and unassuming, which we LOVED. The staff warmly welcomed us, pointed out their favorite places to grab a bite, and brought us to our room. We had a gorgeous, spacious room with a great air conditioning (a MUST if you are traveling in the summer!), and a stunning view of the Colosseum. They even gifted us with some fresh fruit and a lovely bottle of Italian red wine - it's those little touches that make a place memorable! While we were tempted to relax in our air conditioned room, the city was calling us!
First stop: the Colosseum. We decided to go in on the following day, but we were still able to capture some cool photos and enjoy the massive structure.
We continued on and meandered through the streets until we found an incredible hidden gem. The Piazza della Madonna dei Monti. In this small Piazza there were a couple small restaurants, and picturesque fountain in the middle, complete with an accordion player serenading the passerby's. It was dreamy. Here we shared a yummy pizza (we're convinced you can't order a bad piece of pizza in Italy) and salad before continuing on our stroll.
Our next stop was another hidden gem. The Vittorio Emmanuel II Monument. For €7 you can go to the top of this monument and enjoy amazing views of the city. We're not sure why this is a hidden gem, as it was one of the highlights of our time in Rome. There was nobody up there, and it was so beautiful! GO - this is a must-do!
View from the top. You must go up here! There was nobody around and INCREDIBLE views!
Next, we headed to the Pantheon (Bobby’s favorite) and got some gelato (Alli’s favorite). When traveling, it's all about meeting each other's needs! ;) Alli bought some local hand made jewelry and we headed back to our hotel for a quick air conditioned nap. After the recharge, we made our way to the Spanish Steps for the sunset. While it was a treck to get there, it was definitely worth it. The weather cools down significantly in the late afternoon, so we recommend taking advantage of your evenings!
The day was capped off with an amazing dinner, and more exploration of Rome’s beautiful streets. 14 miles in one day, and it was time for some sleep.
We woke up to our B&B's signature breakfast in bed. Talk about feeling pampered! This breakfast gave us the energy and ability to go out an do another 13.5 miles today. We started with touring the Colosseum, which is best first thing in the morning. You can easily avoid the crowds, and the mid-day heat! While we explored on our own, there are several tour options as well.
Can you find Alli in the Colosseum wall?
We hiked around Palentine Hill and took on some Colosseum Gladiators... because, "When in Rome!" Please note.. these guys will try to charge you €10 per photo. Negotiate your price first or be prepared to battle!
We decided to head back through Piazza della Madonna dei Monti, and there we scored some AMAZING caprese sandwiches. Definitely take advantage of the hole-in-the-wall deli's, they're everywhere throughout the city. You can score some cheap and delicious sandwiches that you can eat on the go. Pair them with a cold beer or a bottle of white wine, and it's the perfect lunch!
You can’t go to Rome without seeing the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican. It would be a crime. So, we hopped on the metro and made our way to Vatican City. Keep in mind that the museum gets HOT, but seeing the Sistine Chapel was worth it. We recommend going first thing in the morning, or early evening. Lesson learned. We considered going in St. Peter’s Basilica, but when we saw this line…
We decided we should just get some gelato. Because, gelato.
From there we walked through Piazza Navona, to Campo de Fiori, across Tiber Island, across Ponte Palatino (where we took this photo).
Next, we walked by the Bocca della Verita, around the backside of Palantine Hill, past the Colosseum, and started looking for a place to eat. We ended up at Naumachia, and we were obsessed. As incredible as it was (and looks), from the time we had gotten gelato we probably walked 6 miles to get here. So we were EXTREMELY hungry. Regardless, it was an incredible meal and definitely a local vibe. Make sure you get the tiramisu.
We headed back to our lovely (and chilled) room, and had a great night of sleep. You definitely rest easy after a marathon. It may have been strenuous at times, but there are SO many amazing sights in Rome that we would do it all over again tomorrow!