A Weekend in Rome

Have you ever visualized a place so much in your imagination that you’re scared to actually visit, not wanting to be underwhelmed after building it up so much in your head? Well that that was Rome for me and having just returned, I have to tell you, it didn’t disappoint. A couple of days in Italy’s capital is enough time to leave you desperate for another taste of Rome’s delicious food and stunning atmosphere.

Rome was everything I imagined and more. I fell in love with the picturesque streets, the historical monuments and of course, the delicious Italian food. Luckily, I have a friend who is living there at the moment so I stayed with her and had my own personal tour guide for the weekend!

Day One

After arriving in Rome on Friday night, Saturday is when the exploring began. Our day started with a trip to the Vatican. We stopped off for a cornetto, an Italian variation of the French croissant, before queuing to get inside St Peter’s Basilica. The queue was rather long so I would recommend buying tickets online. However, it was worth the wait as we absorbed the breathtaking mosaics and architecture which covered the church from top to bottom. As it approached midday, the temperature peaked to its hottest. So, after the Vatican we headed towards the Pantheon and stopped off for some lunch in the shade.

We decided to stop off at Napoletano’s where we had a perfect view of the Pantheon and also where I tried my first Italian pizza. I can’t lie, I struggled to decide what to eat on this trip. As I love Italian food, I wanted to try as many dishes as I could, but unfortunately, my time was limited, as well as the space in my stomach. Nonetheless, my first Italian pizza certainly didn’t disappoint.

After lunch we went inside the Pantheon which showcases the city’s incredible Roman architecture. Next, despite still carrying pizza food babies, we couldn’t resist going to Della Palma, a gelateria with 150 flavours of gelato. I was completely spoiled for choice so deciding on only 2 flavours was quite intense. In the end I went for chocolate orange (anyone who knows me will know I am obsessed) and tiramisu, one of my all-time favourite desserts.

Whilst we ate our gelato which was quickly melting, we made our way to do a spot of shopping around the Via Condotti.

After restraining myself from going spend crazy in Sephora and Bershka, we headed to Fontana di Trevi where I threw a coin and made a wish. Despite the heaps of tourists trying to get the perfect picture, it looked magical as the sun bounced off the water. I’d recommend visiting the fountain early in the morning to miss the crowds!

We continued wandering around the streets, all of which look like they came straight out of a fairy-tale; the cobbled streets where vespas wound through the crowds and every new turn revealed more trattorias serving hearty dinners.

This evening we ate in a restaurant in Piazza di Sant’Egidio which was located away from the overwhelming number of tourists. I had a sea bass fillet with steamed vegetables. After another hour of strolling, my first day in Italy came to an end.

Day Two

After walking nearly 27,000 steps in Day One, it’s safe to say I slept like a baby that night. After a slow morning, we made our way to the Colosseum, an iconic symbol of ancient Rome. The temperature was now hitting 30 degrees so queuing in direct sunlight wasn’t the most fun of experiences, but once we were inside I was once again taken back by the incredible Roman architecture which still stands today. Tickets to enter are only €7.50 for EU citizens who are aged 18-25, and this also gives you access to the beautiful Roman Forum!

We soon worked up an appetite so we stopped off at another pizzeria. This time I opted for a thin and crispy pizza topped with peppers, eggplant and courgette which I ended up devouring. I didn’t want to restrain myself from all of the delicious Italian food on this trip so I made sure to indulge while I could. One of my June Goal’s was to change my mindset around food and enjoy everything in moderation which you can read more about here.

After a stroll around the Roman Forum, a ruin of architectural fragments which once was the centre of day-to-day life in Rome, we spent the rest of day two soaking up Rome’s true essence. We explored more of the quaint streets and it wasn’t long before food was on the mind once again. This time I opted for a Nicçoise salad with salmon and, of course, some gelato for dessert. I chose the brownie and milkybar flavour, i.e. my idea of heaven.

My third and final day in Rome, for the most part, consisted of travelling and maybe a third pizza. When in Rome…?

Overall, I loved Rome; I’ll be dreaming of the food and mourning over all of the expensive shops I can’t afford until I return.

Have You Ever been to Rome? If so, what did you love most about it?

Thanks for reading! Until the next post,

Evie x

Follow my blog with Bloglovin