When In Rome…
Written by Sydney June 10, 2019
Roman Forum (with view of the Colosseum)
Colosseum
Trevi Fountain
Pantheon
Roman Forum
A view from inside the Vatican Museum
Rome was an astonishing city full of history in any direction that you looked. I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend there, and loved seeing such iconic places that I’ve heard so much about. It was three days full of breathtaking moments, appreciation for art, and exploring the city that is known for so many things.
My friends and I visited the Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Roman Forum, Vatican City (where we saw the Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel), Pantheon, and the Trevi Fountain. It was a jam-packed weekend, but there was a lot of fun involved as we tried local restaurants and visited the various neighborhoods of Rome.
We got to Rome on Thursday night by train, and decided to have a lowkey night. After checking in at our hotel, we ventured down the street to a family-owned restaurant. It was some of the best pizza and pasta I’d ever had, and you could tell that the food was homemade. Afterwards, we made a quick stop for gelato and then went to the rooftop of the hotel that overlooked the city of Rome at night. It was the best start to an even better weekend.
Friday started early as we had a scheduled tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum. They were both incredibly neat and it was nice to have a tour guide to explain certain things about it that I would have otherwise not known. We didn’t have a lot else planned for the day afterwards, so we decided to just walk around and stop in any places that looked interesting to us. We ended up browsing in a few stores to shop (with three girls traveling together, making time to shop is just bound to happen), and by the time we were done we were beyond ready for a nap. Everything in Rome is within walking distance, but the miles really add up throughout the day. That night we went to dinner with a view of the Colosseum. What a dream!
Saturday was another jam-packed day as we had a scheduled tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, but also wanted to make some time to see some tourist attractions and local areas as well. We ventured down to the Spanish Steps to start our day, and afterwards went to a little neighborhood called Trastevere. Going to this little town and having a nice afternoon lunch on a patio was one of my favorite parts of the weekend! It was so nice to take a small break from the crowded tourist areas and to see what a more local area is like. There were flowers hanging from balconies and gorgeous ivy on the side of the colorful buildings — exactly what you’d dream of a little Italian town to look like. It was hard to believe that we were still in one of the most populated areas of Italy, and it was only a 5 minute taxi ride to Vatican City afterwards! Our day ended with going to a nice dinner in the heart of Rome, and then visiting the Trevi Fountain. The fountain completely took my breath away, and throwing a coin into it while making a wish was a definite check off of the bucket list.
Sunday morning began with a quick brunch (and gelato, of course) and then a mission to visit the remaining attractions of Rome. We stopped by the Pantheon, and then went to the Trevi Fountain again, because when in Rome, you know? By the time we were done walking, like I said..it takes awhile to get around, it was already time for us to check out of our hotel and head to the train station. A short and sweet weekend indeed, and one that I will never forget. It was sad to go, but I have a feeling that I’ll make it back to Rome one day. After all, the tradition goes that if you toss a coin into the Trevi you’re destined to return again 🙂
Blogger: Sydney, University of Iowa
