Travel | 36 Hours in Rome

I have been craving to make my way back to Rome for a few years now and I’m so glad that Petar and I finally had the chance to do so over the holidays. We tend to cross the pond annually to visit Petar’s side of the family and we manage to squeeze in another destination, too. Last year was Budapest. The year before, Santorini and Istanbul. You get my drift. So this year, we carved out two days to visit the Eternal City. I got my fix of carbs, gelato and la dolce vita. Not to mention, I was able to revisit my old stomping grounds and spend time with one of my closest friends. Rome welcomed us with a warm hug and a cappuccino and it felt so, so good to be back. So what did we do in 36 hours, you ask?

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Where we Stayed: We found a 5-star boutique hotel near Piazza de la Republica. The Independent Hotel had all the amenities you can wish for, with glorified views of the city for roughly $120 a night. They had a delicious breakfast buffet with baristas whipping up personalized cappuccinos. If the weather cooperates, you can enjoy your meal overlooking Rome. When you’re in a city for such a short amount of time, it’s silly to drop thousands for a hotel room. One of which you will see for a few hours a night.

What we Ate: The three P’s. Pasta, prosciutto and pizza. No, but seriously. We indulged in traditional Roman cooking at Da Enzo and I satisfied my craving of gnocchi al salmone at Hostaria del Moro. It was just as delicious as I remember! You can’t go wrong with food in Rome. Make sure to try some traditional Roman dishes, as well. Like the Roman-style artichoke {il carciofo alla Romana}, and Oxtail {Coda alla vaccinara}. We also filled up on tons of gelato. My top gelateria served an extra creamy version, at Gelateria La Romana. My favorite flavors? Cioccolato, pistacchio, and zabaione.

What we Did: We definitely divided and conquered. Since this was Petar’s first time to the city we wanted to make sure that he saw the most important aspects of Rome mixed in with some of my favorites. We visited all of the main attractions; Pantheon, Colosseum, Vatican, Fontana di Trevi {warning it’s under construction for the next 8 months} and Piazza Navona. We checked out the Forum,   and drove up to Gianicolo for the view. Trastevere is a must for good food and bars. When I lived in Rome, my apartment was in Trastevere and it is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Rome. Definitely where the Romans hang and there are delicious restaurants around every corner.

Don’t: Rent a car. There is an abundance of public transportation that makes the city easy to navigate. Plus, the driving in Rome is very…Italian. Try to hail a cab- instead go to a taxi stand.

Do: Drink an espresso at any time of the day. Do ask for wifi passwords- most restaurants/bars will have wifi. Buy your entrance tickets days in advance for the Colosseum and other attractions.