Weekends in Rome with The Roman Guy

Italy is one of my favourite places to visit and in the past few years I've fallen even more in love with it. February seemed like the perfect time for an Italian pick me up to blast away those Winter Blues, so my friend and I decided to book a long weekend trip to Rome.

This would be my third visit to the Eternal City - read about what I learned on my first trip here. I was excited to return and for what I would discover this time around.

Arriving in Rome is a sensory experience - the sound of Vespa motors fills the air, leaden with History and memories of grandeur. The Italian passion and style exudes from every crevice- you can see it with every couple in the street; the well-dressed elderly man; the pizza maker busy at work in the window and the avenues and streets of expensive boutiques. Designer stores sit right next to tiny little cafes, launderettes, bars and quirky leather goods shops.

There is so much to take in and people watching is part of the charm of this city. On our first day, we arrived at our Air BnB - Ivan Camillo's The White Inn, located in the San Giovanni area. Ivan and his wife greeted us and could not have been more helpful, suggesting lots of local places for us to check out. The apartment itself was beautiful and had everything we could need - even a little outdoor terrace which is unheard of in Rome!

We were starving so headed out to grab some lunch - authentic local pasta and a trattoria just down the street. We knew it was legit since there was no menu - only a specials board in Italian! Fully fed and watered we headed for a wander round town, past the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Venezia and Via Del Corso.

We finished our evening with some aperitivo in a little bar just off Piazza Venezia - the staff were really friendly and even offered us another glass of prosecco on the house when we left!

On Saturday, we had an early rise for our tour of the Vatican Museums. We booked the Privileged Entry tour with The Roman Guy, which turned out to be an excellent decision! Our guide, Jovita, greeted us at a little cafe just outside the entrance. She gave us ample time to have our breakfast of espresso and cornetti, which gave us the energy we needed. 

Being one of the first groups to enter the Vatican meant we were able to wander the halls with no-one else around. Experiencing the Sistine Chapel in absolute silence (it is forbidden to converse inside) with only a handful of other people around is indescribably wonderful. 

Jovita was an excellent guide and made our tour even more special - not only was she incredibly knowledgeable and was able to explain everything to us well, answering every question - she filled the tour with stories and anecdotes to spark our interest and imagination. 

The three hours seemed to fly by and soon we were at our final destination - St. Peter's Basilica. Nothing can prepare you for the sheer scale of the place - the biggest in the world. It's a breathtaking way to end a tour which I'll never forget.

After our culture-filled morning, we had a slightly lazier afternoon- the sun was shining so we sat outside lunching at Da Francesco - highly recommended by our local foodie Lorna. Afterwards we enjoyed an espresso at the famous Sant'Eustachio Caffe - the best coffee in Rome (I can testify this is true...) and later a gelato in the sunshine, overlooking the ruins at Torre Argentina (famously speculated as the site of Julius Caesar's murder - now a home for lots of stray cats!)

On Saturday evening, we headed to Trastevere to meet Lorna. She took us to the excellent Grazia & Graziella, where we sat outside and sipped on our Aperol Spritzes before enjoying a delicious dinner. Afterwards, we wandered around lively streets of Trastevere and headed for some cocktails at Pimm's Good, where we danced to the blues band that were playing.

Our first two days in Rome were busy but so much fun. Thank you to Lorna and The Roman Guy for everything. Check back for my next blog about our Sunday wine tour in Frascati!

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10 things I learned in Rome

So I visited Rome last weekend. And although it was a flying visit, it was long enough for me to completely fall in love with the city. Here are just 10 things I learned about Roma Aeterna (The Eternal City):

1. It's effortlessly beautiful
Unlike Paris, which can be a bit pretentious and over the top at times, Rome feels like it's just breathtakingly beautiful without even trying. The juxtaposition of the simple and the grandeur, the awesome history and architecture, the nature and the quirky modern artwork makes for a feast for the eyes.

 

2. Crossing the road can be tricky
One of the things I loved about Rome was the constant buzz of the city - the energy, the sounds of horns beeping and Vespas cruising by. It does make crossing the road a bit daunting, though! However a seasoned Roman knows that confidence is the key to success.

3. The people are super friendly
No matter where you are- a bar, a pizza place, a little boutique or just wandering round a piazza admiring the artwork - everyone you meet in Roma is friendly, smiley and happy to chat. The warmth and hospitality of Italians is famous for a reason.

4. Courgette pizza at 3 a.m. is the best thing ever
Just trust me on this one.

5. It's a shopping paradise
Not just for clothes, shoes and bags.. everything in Rome from the designer to the shabby chic markets is enough to make a shopping addict like myself squeal with delight. Like the Champs Elysses in Paris and Las Ramblas in Barcelona, wandering down the Via Del Corso is a joy. (And the Zara is over five floors).

5.5. Sometimes people take their pet pigs out for a stroll...

6. They know how to make cocktails
From classic mojitos to tiki rum concoctions, I didn't have one bad cocktail experience while I was here (and I sampled a fair few). Like most things in Italy, the preparation of drinks is an art form, not to be taken lightly. You might have to wait a bit longer for your drink, but it'll be worth it.

7. It rivals Paris for passion
Everywhere you look in Roma, it seems like there's evidence of amore - brides and grooms dashing off to be married packed into the back of a tiny Fiat or rickshaw, couples on street corners locked in a passionate embrace, or street performers showing off their sizzling Argentinian Tango:

8. They're serious about coffee
It's true what they say about Italians and coffee. The Romans have espresso down to an art form here - the key is not too hot, not too cold (and it's cheaper if you drink at the bar). Italians aren't big on breakfast but every day will start with a good cappuccino.

9.  The Italian ritual of "Aperitivo"
This literally translated means "to open one's stomach" and it is the glorious Italian tradition of having a drink (usually a Campari  or Aperol spritz) and a small snack n the evening, at a bar, just before dinner, to get your appetite ready and warm you up for your meal of pasta carbonara! How wonderful.

The Roman Supplì (wonderful balls of Rice and mozzarella goodness) are a favourite Italian street food and only I euro each.

10. Go once, and you'll immediately want to return
Sadly the Trevi fountain was being renovated during my visit so I didn't get to throw my coin in and make a wish. But if I could, I would have wished more than anything to come back to Rome soon! There's still so much more I want to see of this place. Now I understand the magic of it, and why Audrey Hepburn's character in Roman Holiday was so enamored by it! La Vita Bella...

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