So why visit Rome?
Rome is potentially my favourite city-break for numerous reasons: the food, the rich culture, the history, and stunning weather. These put Rome as a strong contender for Europe’s most beautiful city. With that said, here’s a quick guide for anyone who is fortunate enough to be jetting off soon.
Trastevere
When I think of Italy, an image instantly springs to mind of elegant little communities, warm coloured buildings plastered in ivy, and gorgeously rugged shops that welcome you with open arms. Trastevere turns that image into a reality. Whilst Trastevere lies outside the heart of Rome, I would certainly recommend experiencing this breath-taking community if you have enough time. If you are visiting Rome in summer, I highly recommend exploring the area in the evening. Nothing quite compares to a casual walk through the narrow alleys and round the piazza, where the sunset gives the community a spectacular glow.
Tours
Rome is a big city, and in summer, excessive exposure to above 30-degree heat can be overwhelming and frankly exhausting. With that said, Rome has some fantastic bus tour services which allow you to hop on and off whenever you desire. The entire loop for the Rome Hop-on Hop-off will allow you to see the major sites including the Trevi Fountain, Vatican City and Colosseum in around 2 hours. Not only will this save you hours of blistering walking, it’ll also greatly free up your schedule to experience other parts of Rome.
If you are planning on taking a trip inside the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel or St. Peter Basilica (which I highly recommend doing), be sure to book the early access tickets and tour. You can find tickets on TripAdvisor that’ll allow you to skip the queues for extremely reasonable prices. This will ultimately save you hours of waiting, of which is essential on a city break. Rome amazingly also offers free walking tours. These are a great experience which I urge you to take advantage of. During these tours, you will be escorted round the by tour guides who have a noticeable love for their job and are extremely informative and interactive. I personally did the ‘Fountains and Squares’ tour which I thought was fantastic. If you do take advantage of these tours however, please make sure to tip your guide.
Gelato
If you have a sweet tooth, ‘Fior di Luna’ is my choice for the tastiest and most traditional gelato in the heart of Roma. The ice cream bar is engraved into a stunning old-style building, which is well contrasted with an extremely modern interior. In terms of ice cream, the quantity of choice is ridiculous. Despite your taste, you will simply be left blown away.
Pasta and Wine
If you are a pasta lover, ‘Riscoli’ is certainly the restaurant for you. A small yet lively restaurant with a stunning interior and cosy ambience. Despite the sizeable menu, nothing we ordered was a bad choice. My personal favourite was the Carbonaro which surpassed expectations: creamy, rich and a gorgeous flavour.
If you are a wine drinker, Riscoli will certainly be a place of interest for you, designed like a wine cellar, you will find yourself submerged in a sea of beautiful Italian wine. My personal recommendation would be Barbera. Please note if you are interested in Riscoli, ensure you have reserved a table, as this restaurant is always buzzing.
Pizza
Upon entry at ‘La Soffitta Renovatio’, you will be met with an authentic Italian atmosphere. Everything about the restaurant is welcoming: from the cosy and romantically lit environment, to the chirpy personalities of the staff, and the gorgeous smell of fresh Italian cooking. If that’s not enough to leave you satisfied, the restaurant serves arguably the best pizza that Roma has to offer (which I’d suggest being accompanied by a glass of the house red). The pizza comes beautifully presented and is cooked flawlessly to the ideal balance of soft and crispy. A truly Italian treat that’ll leave you eager to return.
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The Lone Traveller 