My parents always used to take me to Lake Garda and later I have been to Sardinia, Sicilia, Napoli, Venice, Verona, Calabria and many more places in beautiful Italy. But none of these cities or regions are comparable to Rome. Rome is busy, quite impressive and for me so different than the rest of the country! During our 4 days press trip to Italy´s capital, we discovered so much and within this article I will share all my experiences, best insider tips and recommendations now with you to make your own trip nothing less than just amazing, starting from day one!
Historical sightseeing tour – On the trail of the ancient Romans
Rome is the place to be for all history interested people, which I am actually not that much. But after my trip I really have to admit, that the excavations and remains of the old Rome really impressed me! Therefore I highly recommend a sightseeing tour to all the historical places in Rome to everyone, as it is indeed overwhelming, trust me!
We visited the Colosseum and Forum Romanum, St. Peter´s dome, the tibet, the Angel´s castle, Piazza di Spagna and Piazza di Popolo, where Angels & Demons (Illuminati) were filmed at. All the places are both, at day and night time spectacular to visit and make Rome to an absolutely unique city!
Definitely something you should not miss to do when being there is to walk up to the top of the St. Peter´s dome, where there is a platform that offers an insane panorama view over whole Rome! What will feel like an absolute nightmare while walking up the loads of stairs, will be rewarded after with a stunning motive for your holiday pictures.
Also recommendable is a chilled afternoon in the park Villa Borghese, which is so big that you can easily get lost in there. Take a blanket and enjoy the sun and the wonderful nature there! From there you will also have an impressive view down to Rome.
My favorite place in Rome is Piazza di Spagna, where there are the big famous stairs, you probably know from the designer fashion shows that you may have seen in TV, decorated with beautiful flowers. Here, Romans and tourists come together to enjoy some rays of sun and good conversation in beautiful scenery.
Pizza, Pasta & Dolci – Italians culinary to fall in love with
When you enter a restaurant, bar or cafe in Rome, you probably will be blown away by the noise in there. Well, the Italians speak with the use of full body language, without a dot and comma in a sentence and in a much more impulsive way than probably all other nationalities. But heeeey, it´s sooo cool to watch this lively bustle. And we don´t have to speak about the food, which is just so good! Who can say no to Pasta, Pizza and homemade ice cream or the typical biscuits and tarts, that they call “dolci”? La dolce vita (the sweet life) is the absolute motto here in Rome, as you can enjoy amazing culinary on almost every corner.
My absolute favorite restaurants are the Yume Exclusive Sky Terrace with an incredible view over Rome and Sugo d´Oro for super fresh seafood and homemade Pasta. Recommendable is also the Amalfi Ristorante Pizzeria near the St. Peter´s dome for good Pizza and Gnocchi Sorrentina to strengthen yourself after your sightseeing tour.
For the perfect dessert I highly recommend you to check out Don Nino´s Gelateria at Piazza di Spagna. They have incredible ice cream, good coffee and the best dolci that I have eaten during my time in Rome. We went there three times in a row, because I could not get enough… but i have to admit, that it´s a total sin!
But if you need a bit more healthy stuff, Vivi Bistrot with its amazing smoothie bowls and healthy meals is a top place with great food, cozy and central location and affordable prices.
From there it is also a good starting point to do a shopping tour, as loads of fashion stores can be found in the city center. From high class designer stores over big international brands to little unique shops with Italian fashion, you can shop till all money is gone!
Good breakfast is however hard to find in Rome, as the Romans are used to eat at home already or in a cafe/bar for a quick espresso and a croissant or sandwich. If you drink your coffee directly at the bar and take breakfast for take-away, it´s much cheaper than to sit at a table, but definitely not so relaxed. Sometimes we were really shocked about the prices, as Rome is real expensive in my personal opinion, but absolutely worth going there anyways.
Where to stay – affordable or luxury housing?
During our 4 days press trip we checked in to two different hotels. One of them was the amazing Chic & Town Luxury Rooms between Piazza di Spagna and the Trevi fountain. This chic designed hotel is the absolute luxury for all who are searching the perfect place for honeymoon, romantic getaway or the more upper class short trip. Next to its super comfy beds, this central located hotel offers even an antique, free-standing bathtub in the room. How beautiful is this? For me the absolute dream, as I just loooove bathtubs, even in summer!
The more cheaper but of course not so luxury variant is directly in the neighborhood: Casa Heberart Guest House is a super cozy and lovingly looking guest house with cute antique rooms and super friendly stuff. And they even offer complimentary breakfast in the room, which was pretty good, as they surprised us with scrambled eggs, fresh juice and good coffee. The prices are in comparison quite affordable and I would say it´s totally worth the money.
Both places are absolutely recommendable, because of its amazing location in the heart of Rome with just a 5 minutes walking time to the Trevi fountain or Piazza di Spagna!
La bella vita in Italia
Which pictures do you have in mind, when you think of Italy? Of course, good coffee, pasta and pizza directly pops up in all our minds. But Italy is so much more. The culture and the people make it that special and their wonderful language, that I also restarted learning again. Life is just great when being in bella Italia! Try it for your own! And don´t miss to check out my article about the European Caribbean Sardinia, which is a total different experience than Rome, but absolutely mind-blowing, because of its insane beaches!
