Autumn in Rome

Remember that back in the Spring of 2015 we were wondering where to go – Rome or London? Yes, we have decided to go to London first, but I was feeling that Daniel lost that fight regretfully and he really wanted to see Rome. That is why I chose to be ‘the best girlfriend ever’ and booked a trip to Rome as a gift for his birthday. Daniel was born on September 1st, but I was in the middle of something with my employer in that time, so our trip was planned for the begging of October. I gave him a birthday cake together with the tickets and I think he enjoyed them. I’m saying ‘I think’ because I’m actually living with a person who is able to express emotions only when is hungry 🙂 

However, we had an hour flight to Rome on October 1st and landed in sunny Italy early in the morning. We took a bus to the city and faced Rome’s morning traffic (not really pleasant experience). Our hotel was close to Termini Station (great location!) – close to everything in the center and on couple of minutes distance with metro to any other location.

Again, we had short bus and walk tour through the city with the agency than we have spent the rest of time only by ourselves. The only tour I have booked through the agency was Vatican city. It was worth it. 

Couple of things to tell you about Rome: it’s really, really nice there. Except the crowds. It’s cheap, cozy, tasty and full of spectacular places to see. Like London or Paris, you can spend weeks exploring every detail and in the end you’ll still have plenty of places to see more. List of things and historical artifacts to be checked is most probably endless and actual number could not be given. In case you’re going for couple of days, like us, you’ll only see those top-attractions that everyone knows from the post cards – Coliseum, Di Trevi, the Parthenon… but if you want to have real Italian experience and to feel Rome as he really is, save at least 1 day and fill it with long walks through the city and local places that aren’t so famous and crowded. 

Don’t count how many top attractions you have visited, but how many pleasant hours you have spent just walking and enjoying Rome. Buy beer/vine and some appetizers like salami and bread from the local stores and spend an hour in Foro Romano and Palatine hill. There are benches and you can sit easily and  enjoy the sun without numbers of Chinese tourists trying to smash you just for a photo close to some statue… Or take a real Italian gelato in the hottest afternoon hours and eat it under the shadow of some tree.

It would be hard for you to find cheap and decent hotel with nice breakfast in Rome, so don’t count on that. Book something nice and good looking (with good reviews, of course!) with decent location and that is perfectly enough. Find a place nearby the hotel for a nice cappuccino and fresh juice in the mornings, and plan your days there. Or try more than one cafe – explore the neighborhood. You’ll easily find a breakfast wherever you are, but you already know that – there is nothing I can say more for Italian food except that – delicious. Everywhere I have ever been there – just delicious.

Give yourself enough time to try everything you like – like pasta, pizza, tiramisu, appetizers, nice salads, sea food… and buy more to bring here in Bulgaria 🙂

Note: do not eat nearby Vatican city! Expensive, bad service and bad quality of food!