Rome, the grand, in-your-face, imposing capitol of Italy. Nestled in the middle of the country, it’s a special blend of art, culture and awe-inspiring history… and the food! Wow, the food.

History buff? Interested in bustling food markets? Want to see some of the most famous art in the world? Nightlife? The epic Roman Empire’s classical architecture mixed with the modern, delightfully stylish newer neighbourhoods make this city a must-have on your travel bucket list.

We spent three full days in ‘The Eternal City’ which was just the right amount of time to walk (what seemed like) the entire city and reward ourselves with as much pasta and tiramisu as we could eat (which was a LOT). Even though there was an incredible amount to do and see, we were still able to do what we love; CHILL. We could take a moment to enjoy having a stroll, exploring cute little streets and happen across breathtaking pieces of Roman history that aren’t in the guidebooks.

Transport

We flew from London Heathrow to Fiumicino airport and took the Leonardo Express, a fast train from the airport train station to ‘Roma Termini’. We bought tickets at the airport when we arrived and the train took around 30 minutes at a cost of 14 euros. The regional trains are a cheaper alternative, but take longer as it’s a commuter route and makes more stops. Once in Rome we walked EVERYWHERE, but the bus routes are really good and there are lots of taxis around for those who have lots of luggage.

Day One

We stayed in the older part of town (Via Veneto), so took an afternoon stroll to explore our surroundings. First stop was obviously for pizza… when in Rome. After our carbicide, we took a stroll to the nearby Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi). This part of town is spectacular, it’s the historic medieval and renaissance center of Rome and you really feel as though you’ve gone back in time - if it wasn’t for the fancy gelato places on every corner (even in January we had to sample, would be rude not to, right?) You could spend a whole afternoon wandering down the narrow cobble stoned streets, which is exactly what we did! We then checked out the Pantheon, a former Roman temple, now a Catholic church, built in… wait for it… 126 AD. I know, rad. It’s also famous for the oculus, a circle in the ceiling at the centre of the dome. The opening is also referred to as ‘The Eye of the Pantheon’ and is pretty breathtaking to see in person.

Next up on our hit list was the Largo di Torre Argentina, a collection of ruins in the middle of the city. What’s really astonishing about this is that it’s actually the home to Rome’s cat colony and there’s a sanctuary for injured, stray cats under the bridge. Watching the cats stroll around the ruins like they own the place (which they kinda do!) is well worth the visit, we even got to play with the cats and make some new friends.

Walking around ancient ruins gave us an appetite! We found Mr. 100 Tiramisù, a wine bar that offered 100 types of tiramisu - heaven. We finished with dinner near our hotel, at Ristorante Virginiae, where we ordered Cacio e Pepe, a typical roman pasta dish made with pecorino cheese and pepper. Perfect comfort food, washed down with Tuscan red wine. Delizioso!

Day Two

We booked the 10am slot to visit the Colosseum, so headed there just after breakfast. It’s now the most visited archaeological site in Italy - originally built to show off the wealth and splendor of the Flavian dynasty. An imposing amphitheater, which at one time housed 80,000 spectators, construction for it started in 70 AD and it’s had quite a history since, from hosting Gladiator fights to public executions and, surprisingly, mock naval battles - legend has it that the Romans found a way to fill it with water using aqueducts. It’s actually being worked on right now so that they can open the top levels to visitors, the first time to do so in 200 years. It’s absolutely breathtaking, and that’s just from the outside. Once inside, you can learn about it’s history in it’s museum with pieces of history older than you can imagine.

We then took a walk around the Roman Forum and the Palatine (we booked this as a combined ticket with the Colosseum which was amazing value.) There is just so much to look at, and if you’re blessed with good weather, it’s a beautiful walk around the Roman monuments and temples. You can organise private or group tours, but we decided to take it at our pace.

That evening we headed to meet Chef Davide from InsideEat. This was the thing that we were most excited about in the whole trip! (Did we mention that we love food?) In a bid to live our best Italian lives, we’d booked a pasta and tiramisu making course on TripAdvisor a few weeks before arriving and when we turned up were happy to discover that we were the only ones wanting to take a class on a Sunday evening in January (who would have thought?) We were greeted with glasses of Aperol Spritz (when in Rome… how many times am I going to make that joke?) Then it was aprons on and the charismatic Davide taught how to make tiramisu, as we had to give it time to chill. Getting to decorate our own ones was a real treat (basically all of the chocolate…) We then went on to make fresh pasta from scratch for both ravioli and spaghetti, choosing which sauces we wanted from the list (I am a vegetarian so went with pesto, while Robert plumped for the Roman classic carbonara - a dish invented by the Romans for American soldiers in the second world war). Was it worth it? Most definitely! We both messed up quite a lot but the two hours flew by and Davide was patient, incredibly knowledgeable and at the end we had a delicious meal to eat that WE’D MADE, served with a large glass of red wine. Bellisima.

Day Three

Another early morning for us (did somebody say holiday?). We were up and at breakfast by 7.30am to get to the Vatican Museum on time. Again, we’d pre-booked tickets, which was a very good idea, it was already getting very busy and booking ahead meant that we could (smugly) by-pass most of the queues. If you’re keen to get the most value out of the visit, we would recommend either joining an organised tour with a guide, or, if you’re like us and want to escape crowds of people, rent an audio guide. You can pick and choose what interests you and focus on those things, rather than try to take it all in at once. It was fantastic to see the range of objects in the museum. From Renaissance frescoes in the Raphael Rooms to the Sistine Chapel, famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling, it’s awe-inspiring in it’s scale. We spent a few hours there, but you can honestly spend all day touring the gallery spaces. It’s pretty jaw-dropping just how much the Vatican has collected.

After a coffee by the gorgeous St Peter’s square, we walked up to Villa Borghese park, which has stunning views of the city. It was lovely to experience a big green space for a walk and take time out after being in a museum all morning (however amazing that museum is!) If you’re more adventurous than us you can also hire bikes to explore and there’s a zoo at the back of the park too. From there we reached the back of the Spanish steps and descended into one of the chic-est areas ever; upscale Campo Marzio. With luxury designer stores and car showrooms lining the beautifully quaint streets, it’s a great place for people-watching!

Other areas we explored included the Altar of the Fatherland, a huge monument dedicated to King Victor Emmanuel who we learned was the first king of unified Italy. It’s super close to the Colosseum and the Pantheon, and we guarantee that you’ll walk past it on your trip and stop dead in your tracks, just make sure to spend the time to reach the top of the stairs for some fantastic views, and a cute bar selling snacks and drinks.

We’d been given advice to head to Trastevere for dinner and drinks, the more hipster / bohemian area of Rome where you’ll find the locals hanging. We headed to Freni e Frizoni for aperitifs and then onward for more cacio e pepe and carbonara for dinner. Followed by, yes, more tiramisu - the only way to end the weekend.

Lauren Loves

What was absolutely brilliant about the InsideEat cooking class was getting to chat to Chef Davide and his assistant about life in Rome, the best places to eat in the city and find out more about the area. It’s always great to meet and talk to the locals and trade stories, and this kind of organised event is a brilliant way to do that. We even came home with a new skill! Will definitely look into more interactive events like this for our next trip.

Robert Loves

It was my first time in Rome and I was really happy that we went during the winter. Not being someone who likes a crowd, it was great to see all of the main tourist sites without the additional stress of it being overcrowded. One place that sticks in my mind is the Aventine Keyhole, through this keyhole you are able to see the Vatican and is well worth the walk up hill to get too. I was not prepared for how amazing such a small thing can be.

Where did we stay?

We stayed at the Palazzo Lupardi Relais, a 3-minute walk from Piazza Navona and Castel Sant’Angelo. It was lovely to be in this older part of town and live out our ‘Roman Holiday’ fantasies!

Where did we eat?

• Ristorante Virginiae; we always have a ‘splash-out’ dinner when we’re on a trip. Three courses, bottle of wine - the whole nine yards. This was a cosy, traditional restaurant with amazing staff.
• Pizzería Pasquino; delicious Roman pizza the size of your table!
• Mr. 100 Tiramisù; 100 styles of tiramisu, a large selection of wines and cured meats.
• Cantina e Cucina; really cute quirky place with traditional Roman dishes. Gets super busy in the evening so get there early!
• Freni e Frizoni; cool punk bar in Trastevere with music-themed cocktails and a vegan buffet for pre-dinner aperitifs.

Top Tips

• Think about when you go. If you don’t like the sun (like us!) winter is actually a great time to visit, as it’s a lot quieter than Spring and Autumn and the city still looks beautiful. We visited in January and it was a welcome break from the grey, wet weather in England. If you do like the heat, just be aware that August is considered a little too hot for most.
• Book your visits to the hot tourist spots (The Vatican, Colosseum etc) in advance. Earlier in the day is best to avoid huge queues. If budget allows, some places offer very early morning tours and visits which are more expensive, but it’s incredibly quiet (& you don’t have to fight other tourists for the perfect selfie spot!)
• If you love a restaurant / tour / store, then definitely rate it on trip advisor… it’s the way visitors get to find out about the best places in Rome and they really appreciate it you can leave them a good review as it’s great for their business. Good karma, right?