It’s hard not to have an amazing experience in Rome. The history! The food! The people! But to give you a little helping hand, here are my top tips for making the most of a short stay in the Eternal City.
Eat
Italy is a food lover’s paradise and when Rome is the last stop of an epic four week European summer vacay (and you’ve held back ever so slightly in London, Paris, Cinque Terre and Tuscany in anticipation), it’s *ahem* fair to say nothing is off limits. Pastries for breakfast, pizza for lunch, pasta for dinner and gelato in between? Yes, yes, yes and definitely yes.
Here are some of my favourite finds:
Pizzarium, Via della Meloria 43, 00136 Rome
It might look like a little hole in the wall but what awaits inside is an array of doughy goodness with amazing toppings that you order by slice to the size of your choosing – dangerous! – and pay for by weight. Go and go early. The fig with caramelised onion gets my vote.
A photo posted by Nicole Gentle (@nicgentle) on
Osteria Barberini Via Della Purificazione 21, 00187 Rome
Mr LML is a truffle lover from way back and much to his delight I finally start to enjoy the distinctive taste on our trip, making Osteria Barberini a must-visit. Nabbing a lastminute booking thanks to our trusty concierge at Hotel Regina Balgioni, the cosy restaurant delivers on our truffle craving with brushetta and pasta dishes covered in lashings of this gourmet delicacy we could only dream of having at home.
Pinsere Roma, Via Flavia, 98, 00187 Rome
Another little pizza joint that actually lived up to its high TripAdvisor rating (number nine restaurant in Rome at time of writing). Think individual pizzas with the freshest of toppings and friendliest of staff. Mr LML may have gone back for seconds.
Gelateria La Romana Roma Ventisettembre, via Venti Settembre 60, 00187 Rome
If you’re craving a cooling gelato after your pizza hit at Pinsere Rome, this popular pick is just around the corner. The lines are long, the choices are many and you’ll probably find yourself lining up again for another scoop or three. 
They have stores all over Italy but I totally fell in love with Venchi in Rome, even having ‘just one last scoop’ at the airport at 10am en route back to Sydney. Their chocolates are the goods too.
See
There’s no doubt Rome has a lot of iconic must-visits. Tick them all off but between playing tourist, make sure you take the time to stroll the streets, pop into that cute boutique or wine bar and soak it all in.
The Trevi Fountain
I’ve always wanted to visit this icon and toss my coin into the water but unfortunately on our visit it was not looking its best…
Key learning: double check for construction work before you go. It didn’t even have water in it! On the plus side, it’s a good excuse to go back 😉
The Vatican
You can’t come to Rome without visiting the Vatican.
The Colosseum
Channel the Ancient Romans with a visit to this nearly 2000 year old landmark. It’s still one of the biggest buildings in Rome – and has plenty of wow factor at a distance taking in all its glory – but seeing it up close and stepping inside is a special experience.
Another day, another iconic landmark. Pretty damn impressive. #colosseum #rome #europeansummervacay A photo posted by Nicole Gentle (@nicgentle) on
The Spanish Steps
Maybe it was the scaffolding (yep again!) in the background but this one left me pretty underwhelmed. Tick them off on your way to exploring other parts of the city.
Stay
While Rome has a lot of accommodation options, I couldn’t go past the regal Regina Hotel Baglioni.
Built between 1892 and 1894 and refurbished in 2009, the five-star property has a touch of the old and the new in a classic luxury way.
With its Art Nouveau styling, even the staircases are glamorous!
A photo posted by Nicole Gentle (@nicgentle) on
It truly is fit for royalty (Queen Margherita of Savoy chose it as her residence while she awaited the completion of her own residence) and our room is the perfect sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of site seeing in Rome. In the name of research we sample the in-house restaurant and enjoy delicious cocktails, impressive service and food so rich I can’t even contemplate the petit fours for dessert (a very rare feat, as those who know me will attest to).
Who needs to go downstairs to the breakfast buffet when you can have the breakfast buffet delivered to you. #somuchfood #needtowalkhometosydney A photo posted by Nicole Gentle (@nicgentle) on
After all, as they say, ‘When in Rome!’
Have you been to Rome? What are your eat, see or stay tips? Share with us in the comments!
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- Hotels in Rome
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