For a long weekend, my friend, S and I went to a city filled with culture, beautiful architecture and incredible food. I've been to Rome before (check out the blog posts here: I, II, III, IV) for about the same amount of time. To get our bellies prepped before our early flight to the gorgeous city of Rome, we grabbed some breakfast, a big mug of coffee and a bellini.
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Places:
First up, Campo de' Fiori is a marketplace that has been around since 1869 so it's definitely worth taking a peek, even if you don't buy anything. Plus it's very close by to one of the restaurants I love. The market is open Monday to Saturday between 7am and 2pm.
Meander your way around the city and you will inevitably find quaint and colourful streets with amazing cafés/ gelaterias and beautiful churches/ cathedrals waiting around each corner, maybe even some famous monuments before they get packed with tourists.
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The Colosseum is filled with an abundance of history, it's a must see when visiting the city for the first time.
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The Altar of the Fatherland is a monument built in honour of the first King of unified Italy, Victor Emmanuel. I didn't get to visit the last time, so this was on the top of my list of places to go to when visiting the city. It features Corinthian columns, fountains, an equestrian scultpure of King Victor Emmanuel and two statues of Goddess Victoria riding on quadrigas.
A lift was built in 2007, allowing visitors to get a 360° view of Rome and it did not disappoint. We went just before closing so it wasn't too busy and the sun was getting ready to set. Gorgeous!
The Trevi Fountain is on the list of my top 5 places to visit in Rome, I just think it's beautiful and I find the sound of the water incredibly calming. Evidently one can't really appreciate this fully when the place is buzzing with tourists so I suggest waking up a little earlier to avoid the mad rush. Don't forget to make a wish!
Doria Pamphilj Gallery was another place I wanted to visit the last time I came to Rome (but didn't have the time to). Home to a large art collection privately owned by the princely Roman family, Doria Pamphili, the gallery is also home to a chapel that holds a mummified corpse of the family saint. Prior to entering the gallery, there is a small but pretty courtyard that's home to a few orange trees.
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Hotel Russie was recommended on a blog I read and then by a friend (who is from Rome) so I added it on the "To Do" list. The hotel has a large courtyard so is the perfect pit stop for a pick me up before exploring once more.
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Gelato:
Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love gelato so any opportunity to visit Italy means that I can get my hands on all the gelato my stomach can fit. I personally recommend: Gelateria dei Gracchi and Gelateria Giolitti- you won't regret it.
Restaurants:
When it came down to restaurants I pretty much rely on TripAdvisor and blogs but fortunately I have a friend who is a true Roman and asked for his personal restaurant recommendations. Thank you so much R- you're the best! His recommendations were spot on. We didn't get to go to every single one unfortunately but I guess that makes for the perfect excuse to come back.
Our first lunch in Rome was at Osteria da Fortunata where I ordered a Cacio e Pepe which is essentially cheese and pepper. Simple but delicious. Roscioli is a short walk from the marketplace, not only a restaurant but a multi functional deli and wine bar. This restaurant is pretty much always fully booked but we were lucky enough to get a seat in Roscioli Caffe Pasticceria and order from the restaurant menu as they're directly next to each other.
I ordered a pretty basic dish of tomato sauce and pasta (limited vegetarian options). I was expecting something bland and boring but oh boy were my taste buds rejoicing. I wish I knew the recipe to the sauce because who knew a simple tomato sauce with pasta could taste this magnificent. Maybe it's a good thing for my waistline that I don't know. If you eat meat, there are more options available that they recommend so you should definitely try those too. I'm 100% craving this dish now...
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Ciampini (Piazza Trinita dei Monti)
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There are a few Ciampini dotted around Rome but this was the one we went to and it was so good that we went twice. The service, the view and the food were all exceptional. We went for lunch and for our last dinner in Rome before coming back home. For lunch, I ordered the seafood risotto and S got the Fettuccine. I really wanted to get the seafood risotto again but thought I ought to try something else on the menu so for dinner, I got the Sea Bass Caprese and S got the grilled Sea Bass.
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I am so excited already for my next Italian adventure, whether it be another trip to Rome or another city in the country that I haven't visited.
And that's just a note from me. Ciao!
