Rome for me was like travelling back in time. It’s the place I had dreamed of visiting as a young girl in high school who thrived in history class because Rome encompasses so much unbelievable history.
I had this idea that Rome would still be like the dark ages with no roads and horse carts (ok maybe not that ancient), but when we got there it was definitely not what I expected. Obviously being the capital of Italy it is very much a busy city with traffic and noise.
Our accommodation: We stayed at Vacanze Romane 2 which was about a 15 minute walk from the train station. Our directions were to a restaurant nearby and we had to inform the staff where we were staying so they ciould call the owner. It was a very different experience but the staff were lovely and served us free bubbly whilst we waited for him to come down and let us in.
The accommodation was very quiet and quaint. Our room had a big double bed and the best shower. Breakfast was also included at a little café nearby called Bar Trani where they made great coffee and absolutely delicious croissants.
The Colosseum
Seeing the Colosseum was always going to be surreal for me. It was something I had dreamt about for over a decade and was one of the highest things on my bucket list and of course it was first up. We actually saw it the first night we arrived in to Rome and when it first came in to view, I took a big breath in. It was magnificent especially in the night sky with the light beaming through the windows. It honestly felt surreal.
The next morning we were up early and ready for our tour. We would definitely recommend arriving early if you want to avoid queues. We arrived at opening time and didn’t have to line up at all but when we left there was a huge queue.
FIRST TIP/Warning: There are men dressed as gladiators standing outside the Colosseum who will ask if you want a photo with them. Whilst this may seem like a great photo opportunity, they then demand you to pay them money for the photo (ours asked for 10 euro each!) and they are persistent and quite intimidating. We learnt the way but be prepared.
Second tip: Book your tours online in advance. We winged it and all the English underground tours had sold out. They had availability in the Italian tour and because we were that desperate to go underground we paid for the Italian version. Underground tours were 9 Euro each and well worth it.
Before our tour we were able to explore inside the Colosseum and I was surprised to see how much of it had actually disappeared, wich we later found out was due to earthquakes and stone-robbers. However, you could see how much work the Roman people had put in to preserving what was left and there was still a lot of the original marble kept safely behind barriers. You could also make out some of the seats where the audience would have sat and it is spectacular to know that it once held around 55,000 spectators.
They had also built a wooden replica of the arena floor and walking out on it gives you an insight in to what it would have felt like for the gladiators walking out to face their impending victory or death. It is a very surreal and sombre feeling.
Our tour was made up of us and three other people which made it more intimate which was great. We were lucky that our tour guide was accomodating to the fact we only spoke English and helped translate at important parts for us.
During our tour we got to see the underground tunnels where the gladiators/slaves would spend their last few minutes before battle (and it was so dark). We also saw the cages where the animals were kept before being released in to the battle scene and we got a private entry to the very top of the Colosseum where we got the most unparalleled view and photos without hundreds of tourists in the background. I also found I learnt so much more despite thinking my days in history class had taught me most of it.
This was such an incredible experience and something that will never leave me. Definitely do the underground tour. It is worth every penny!
Roman Forum & Palantine Hill
Our ticket to the Colosseum also included entry in to the Roman Forum and Palantine Hill and again is well worth visiting.
The Roman Forum encompassed everything I had dreamt about Rome. It was filled with ancient ruins and you could spend hours walking around finding things to admire.
A short walk up from here is Palatine Hill which gives you the most incredible look out to Rome. With the ancient architecture of the Roman Forum as your background, you really get to imagine what this amazing place was like back in early AD.
Vatican City
The Vatican City is made up of three main attractions. The Vatican Museum, St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, which is also inside the museum.
It is absolutely huge and you will need a full day to get around everything if that’s what you want to do. We were there early morning and the lines were already building, especially for St Peter’s Basilica which was astronomical!
Audio guides are available and a great option for learning about the history and ideology behind the sculptures and paintings and we would definitely recommend doing this, especially if you are like me and didn’t know a lot about the Vatican.
Once you enter the Vatican you’ll walk through endless hallways and rooms of paintings, scultpures and Ancient history. The Sistine Chapel is one big room which we weren’t expecting and is very crowded. You are not allowed to speak or take photos in here. You will find a seat and then listen to your audio guide as it takes you through the paintings. It’s pretty increible to learn the detail and history of each work of art and this room can really take your imagination to what it was like in the days of Jesus Christ.
We decided to brave the line for St Peter’s Basilica and it took us almost two hours to get in. The view from the Cupula was amazing (especially of the Vatican City) and worth the wait. The basilica itself was also beautiful and huge in size.
Fountain de Trevi
We were very lucky to arrive in Rome just weeks after they had restored the Trevi fountain as it had been closed for 18 months! It also meant we got to see it in its restored beauty and it was stunning. The water was blue and the scultpures so detailed.
It does get crowded as it’s also another tourist hot spot but you can make your way up the front for a photo, throw your coin in and make a wish!
TIP: There’s an amazing gelato place right by the fountain called “Angel’s House” which is decked out in all things pink and the gelato is delicious.
Rome Night Life
It’s important to note that the nightlife in Rome seemed a lot different to other parts of Italy. Everything is spaced out so it took us a while to suss out where any good restaurants and bars were. We asked the locals and did some googling but you’ll have to travel to certain parts to find the fun. We also expected it to be buzzing every night of the week because it’s touristville but it was pretty relaxed during the week so you will have to do your research in to the hot spots.
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