Britnee JohnstonQUICK LIST OF 12 THINGS TO DO IN ROME Britnee Johnston July 1 Europe, Italy, Travel There’s a reason why Rome is one of the top destinations for travelers. If you’re reading this post, chances are that you already have a Rome trip in the works and you’ve already been perusing blogs and social media to find the highlights you can’t miss. Well, I have to admit that I may be sharing some of the same things that others say to do, see or eat in Rome because it is what Rome is known for. I once met a couple who said they wouldn’t go to the iconic sites in the country we were in because that’s what everyone else did. To which, in my head, my response was “yeah, but there’s a reason why everyone goes there.” It’s usually something so extraordinary that even if it is mainstream and there are crowds…it’s that way for a reason. I feel the same goes for Rome. There are many sites in Rome that are mainstream, but that’s because those things are what make Rome extraordinary. Rome has some secrets too though, so I’ll share a little bit of both below in this quick list of 12 things to do in Rome. Visit the Underground Archeological Site of the Trevi Fountain Did you know that there is an underground archeological site of the Trevi Fountain? The water that flows from the Trevi Fountain filters through the ancient masonry of this ancient site called the Vicus Capraius. You’ll walk through ancient living spaces and see artifacts of pottery and coins that were discovered at the site. Another plus is that it is nice and cool underground if you’re visiting Rome on a hot and sweaty day. Visit the official website of Vicus Caprarius. Take a Pasta-Making Class Don’t just eat pasta, make it too! We took this pasta-making class through Eat & Walk Italy. The instructor was great, however, the market tour portion was canceled and they refunded us very little money from what we had already pre-paid for the full experience. So that was a disappointment. We learned how to make the pasta dough and cut it correctly, which was all fun, but we would’ve liked to have learned how to cook the pasta and how to make the pasta sauce. I’ll link Eat & Walk Italy here, but please note that it’s not the full pasta cooking experience we thought it would be and that they could cancel portions of the event and will not generously refund you. Visit the Official Website of Eat & Walk Italy. Eat an Authentic Cannoli Alexa found online that we needed to try authentic cannoli, which is where they insert the stuffing after you order it. So it’s not pre-filled cannolis. We found a place right by the Trevi Fountain that did their cannolis fresh like how I described. And wow! it was the best cannoli I ever had. They have a lot of other exciting-looking treats there too. Visit the Official Website of Mancuso Gelati Italani dal 1920. Build a Bridge at the Museo Leonardo da Vinci Experience We had some free time and decided to visit the Museo Leonardo da Vinci Experience since it was right down the road from our Palazzo Cardinal Cesi Hotel. It was a fun time going through the exhibits to look at replicas of his many inventions and also go through an art gallery of replicas of his most famous work. We really enjoyed the interactive bridge exhibit where we were challenged to build da Vinci’s invention of a bridge using no nails. It was fun, we learned a lot, and we enjoyed the air conditioning (it was hot in Rome that day!) Visit the Official Website of Museo Leonardo da Vinci Experience. Roam Around Rome’s Alleyways Sometimes wandering through Rome without a plan is the best way to see the city. You’ll come across some beautiful buildings such as this one above with growing vines all over them. You’ll also find other hidden gems of restaurants and shops. So make sure to give yourself some free time to roam around Rome to give you the opportunity to discover something special. Eat Gelato at Giolitti This gelato shop was awesome. It was such a cool experience inside to order gelato from one of the oldest gelato shops in the city and we came out of it with some of the best-tasting gelato we’ve had on the trip. Don’t miss out on the great tastes and this great backdrop for photos. Visit the Official Website of Giolitti. Admire the Classics at the Vatican Museum Everyone visits the Vatican Museum, but for a reason! It’s an amazing collection of masterpieces from renowned artists such as Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Berini. The most popular is probably Michelangelo’s painted ceiling in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Museum. I’d say my favorite is the School of Athens by Raphael, pictured above. Be sure to buy skip-the-line tickets to the Vatican Museum. It is an absolute nightmare to wait in line outside, especially on a hot day as there is no shade as the line wraps around the building. I bought our skip-the-line tickets with Viator. I promise it’s worth the few extra dollars to skip the line. Visit the Official Website of the Vatican Museum. Be Awe-struck at St. Peter’s Basilica St. Peter’s Basilica is so grand that you can’t help but be awe-struck the moment you walk in. This is a beautiful building that features some famous artwork as well such as Michelangelo’s Pieta. It’s a large basilica so give yourself time to explore since you will have to wait in a long line to get in. Visit the Official Website of St. Peter’s Basilica. Pose for Evening Photos at St. Peters Square Our Palazzo Cardinal Cesi Hotel was right next to St. Peter’s Square, so it only made sense to pose for some photos out there in the evening after the crowds died down. Alexa needed a bigger suitcase to bring things home so we bought her one and on the way back to our hotel we snapped some fun photos of her as a world traveler. Going out in the evenings are fun to see the sites with fewer crowds around. Visit the Iconic Spanish Steps The Spanish Steps are an iconic site to see while visiting Rome. It can be pretty busy so it’s hard to snap a photo with no one in it. Alexa and I enjoyed going here though and relaxing nearby. Just be sure to not sit on the actual steps. If you notice in the photo, no one is sitting on the steps. They have police officers out there who will blow their whistles and yell at you if you even think about sitting. I’m not 100% sure why they do this, but I assume it’s to keep the famous steps from being too crowded for regular passersby to walk up and down them. Visit the Colosseum Of course, you should visit the Colosseum. I’m not even sure what to say about this one because it’s kind of a given of why you should visit this iconic site. I will say that this is another venue that is worth it for buying skip-the-line or priority tickets. It can get so crowded that skipping the line will save you time and energy. We bought our priority tickets from Headout. This meant we were given a specific time to show up in line and this meant that we were able to get in quickly. These tickets are also good from Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. It’s worth it to pay the extra money for a better experience. Stay at the Palazzo Cardinal Cesi Hotel We chose to stay close to St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican Museum by staying at the Palazzo Cardinal Cesi Hotel. It was a beautiful hotel with quiet rooms. Our lodging also included free breakfast in the mornings. Since it’s near St. Peter’s Square, there is tight security, which means we always had to be buzzed in to be let in from the front doors. Book the Palazzo Cardinal Cesi Hotel on Booking.com.
