Benvenuti a Italia and I am so excited to tell y'all all about the amazing things y'all MUST see if you visit Rome. Your ultimate guide on what to do in Rome!
I just went to Italy over the Summer 2023 and there was so much to see, eat, and enjoy. Some must do and must see views; also visited the Italian Riviera Coast and made a whole travel guide all about the top things to do and see, check it out here.
How to Get There?
The first part of our trip was at the Portofino Coast so, we took a connecting flight from Orlando to Chicago then from Chicago to Rome then from Rome to Genoa. From there it was a twenty minute taxi ride from the Genoa airport to the hotel in Rapallo. Lots and lots of flights this trip lol! After the first part of our trip we then took a flight back to Rome to spend the last days of our trip. (This was done to accommodate for my fam but y'all can just fly to Rome and stay there, and then fly to Genoa to see Portofino if it's more convenient).
One major thing I have to warn y'all about, if your flights aren't connecting and you end up missing one due to delays of your other flights, they will make you repay the entire round trip. We had to repay pretty much the flights from Rome to Genoa as with the delays that happened from Chicago we arrived late (wanted to mention was not our fault, the plane was delayed due to airline issues but no matter the reason, your flight will be seen as you missed it if it is an independent flight. The airline will not reimburse you.) We were at the Rome airport for I think 2-3 hours just trying to figure out how we could get on our original flight plus get our money back, so definitely get that insurance or plan flights with at least 3 hours in between as pretty much all flights now days are delayed.
Where to Eat
Where to eat is a very easy question to answer in Italy because everywhere the food is soooo good! Your go-to's: pasta and pizza. And of course for dessert: gelato and a cappuccino. The best thing to do in Rome is just to walk around the area and try different restaurants each day. There are restaurants all over the city, lined back to back, so there is always a new place to try. For the ones we went to:
Allegrío - has four beautiful rooms that they offer tours of, is amazing for my Insta girlies. Gotta say, the food was not great. Would recommend as a drinks and apps place before dinner. Not one of us liked the entrees we ordered so that was a downside.
Doney cafe - we had breakfast here and the cappuccinos were very delicious. The food overall wasn't bad, however, I had ordered a croissant and what I got was not the flaky bread that everyone expects. It tasted like the Hawaiian sweet rolls, so overall yummy but not what I had asked for you know. The service was nice and accommodating.
Hostaria Al Gladiatore - this was more of an American version of an Italian restaurant, had the burger with bacon and onions and it was delicious. If you are looking for a break in pasta, this is a good stop to have a bite. Has a taxi stop right at the corner as well.
Pepy's Bar - this was a cutie little place that we had breakfast in before one of our tours. Has the omelet and is was very nice, also loved the cappuccino here. The upstairs bar area looked super cute, so probably worth checking out for an evening drink too.
Pizzeria Mammapa - we went here after one of our tours and this was a family shop that has such great service and the food was so good! Enjoyed the vibes, the chef was very nice coming up to the table to ask how the food was. Great place to stop by after a long day of walking. As by the name, you have got to try the pizza.
HUGE TIP: If you girls are from the States like I am, this is something you want to keep in mind. In Italy, you have to pay to use the bathrooms. Usually its 1 Euro per person per bathroom trip, so make sure you exchange Dollars to Euros. We made the mistake to forget to and it was a pain to find somewhere to exchange money. **
Tours / What to Do in Rome
There is so much to see and do in Rome, lots of things are available to see by just exploring the city but others a guided tour is recommended. List of things to see in Rome: Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps + the Trinità dei Monti church, the Colosseum (We did a tour booked through Viator. NOTE: for the Colosseum, tour guides are NOT allowed to buy tickets so keep in mind if you pay for the tour, you have to pay in real time for the tickets. Go earlier to the Colosseum as the ticket line is extremely long.), the Roman Forums (We did a tour booked through Viator along with the Colosseum.), The Vatican (We did a tour booked through Viator to see the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica.), the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the Vatican Museums, the Castel Sant'Angelo, and the Aqueducts.
Top Places to Stay
We stayed at the Hotel Splendide Royal, which was so, so beautiful you guys!! Easily walkable in location, the rooms were amazing, such lovely staff, great room service, and gorgeous hotel lobby. Some more affordable, yet amazing hotels by reviews, include the Navona Central Suites and Growel Exclusive Suites San Pietro.
What to Pack
Lots and lots of summer dresses for the day time exploring and evening dinners at the town. Comfy sandals are a staple as you will be doing lots of walking. Of course a small crossbody bag to travel with with all the essentials (bandades, lip gloss, etc.). All my Italy outfits are linked on LTK for y'all to shop. I'll also link here a travel outfit guide I made for a general Italian trip, which y'all can get inspo and even shop from.
Have an amazing trip lovelies! Ciao bella!!!