Rome–I had such high expectations for you. It was mainly because of Hollywood movies (Lizzie McGuire, When in Rome) that led me to have had such grandeur visions of how pretty you were going to be. And while the cobblestone streets, and historical monuments did not lie– it wasn’t as picturesque as I thought it would be. Also, because everything was so crowded– it made it so much harder to enjoy. BUT, what made my Rome experience was meeting good people, and "treat yo-self" mentality on my last solo leg of the trip that led to spending my time visiting museums, eating hearty food, and shopping. 

itinerary

  • September 2017 -4 days at Yellow Hostel in Rome, Italy.
    • This hostel was honestly meh. Each night ran about $40, and even though it was an all female dorm–it still wasn’t very clean. They had silicone lining for the mattresses #gross. But I ended up making some great friends from this hostel, and because of that– it was worth sleeping in the worst bunk of my life.

highlights

  • Eating really decadent food. I was not completely blown away by the pizza or pasta, did find a few favorite places to eat at. 

    • Tiramisu -- Two Sizes. A small store that only sells tiramisu. They have so many favors (regular, coffee, chocolate, banana) and all in… two sizes.  

    • Gelato -- La Gelateria Frigidarium. This was my favorite place, and I came back here on multiple locations. For 2 euros you can get two flavors, cup/cone, and have it dipped in chocolate or whipped cream. 

    • Pizza -- Ivo Trastevere 

    • Pasta -- No one favorite place I’ve been to, though there’s a lot of great dishes that can range from $2 to $20. One thing I will note about all pasta in Rome is that it is usually cooked al dente.

  • Going solo on a four hour walking food tour. While still in central Rome, the tour consisted of stops along the southern part of central Rome, making it a lot less crowded and touristy. We had two pizzas, wine/cheese/meat pairings, fried vegetables, bruschetta, caprese salad, mozzarella sticks, three pastas/wine pairings, and ended with gelato.

    • Going on the food tour was the first time I truly felt like a solo traveler… and it was so liberating I felt like such a badass being able to strike up conversations with random people, to talk to them about my trip plans, and to make friends without the crutch of someone else with me.

  • Enjoying and experiencing all the history in Rome. The city is truly so beautiful. Being able to walk down the street and run into the Pantheon, or Via Portico d’Ottavia. I just finished reading Beneath the Scarlet Sky, and I could literally visualize all the different parts of Italy the main character Pino would go through. Rome is such a vital party of European history, and while tourist filled– I’m truly glad I went. 

    • Vatican City -- save yourself the long wait and buy a “cut the line pass” for 4 extra euros. Also, got to see the pope! Zoom in to see him on the big screen. 

    • Spanish Steps – easy to see, and imbedded in all alley of shops

    • St. Peter’s and Sistine Chapel– don’t forget to bring clothes that cover your shoulders!

    • Colosseum -- you are so gorgeous, and it is truly so amazing how well intact you are with constant visitors. Great deal, also admission into Colosseum leads you to Roman Forum as well.

    • Trevi Fountain

  • Walking around Rome -- I never took a taxi the entire time I was in Rome, and the bus system in Rome is so nice and easy to navigate.

  • Shopping, especially for leather goods. I just signed a new full time offer and it was time to celebrate this win and the start of another chapter in my life. Came back to the states with a new leather backpack from La Sella, marking a new chapter in my professional career.

    • Pro tip: Make sure to save your receipts for tax refund!

  • A good trip to celebrate the win. It was an amazing leg of my trip where I spent my time shopping, romin' around, eating gelato, visiting museums, and relaxing.