Rome: A Long Weekend in the Eternal City
/My third trip to Italy began in Rome. History buffs, foodies, art enthusiasts and anyone in search of la dolce vita can easily fill a long weekend in this beautiful city. Here are the highlights of my stay:
Borgo
Located between the Tiber River and Vatican City, this charming neighborhood offers a calmer, quieter alternative to the most touristic center of Rome. The charming cobblestone streets were lined with budget-friendly outdoor cafes and gelato shops but still within walking distance of the city’s most popular landmarks. I stayed in Borgo and especially enjoyed my morning cappuccino with panoramic views of antiquity from my hotel’s rooftop terrace.
Vatican City
My first time in Rome overlapped with the pope’s election when St. Peter’s Square was taken over by media and the Sistine Chapel was obviously off limits. It was absolutely worth the wait to visit with my Catholic, Art History major partner who acts as a private tour guide for me whenever we tour the world’s best museums and cathedrals.
Our time in the Sistine Chapel was even better than I could have imagined. The first time through, we were elbow-to-elbow in a crowd of other sweaty tourists but since we always take our time in museums, we ended up doubling back just before closing time and had the Gallery of Maps all to ourselves. I can’t wait to share the video footage we filmed there!
Colosseum & Forum
We purchased same-day passes to visit these landmarks that let us bypass the line snaking around the Colosseum. This might seem ambitious since both are huge and are worth taking time to really explore but they’re practically next to each other so we made it work.
The Forum includes Palatine Hill, the middle of the Seven Hills of Rome and one of the most ancient parts of the city. The hill was home to wealthy Romans and its name is the origin of the modern “palace.” The Palace of Domitian sits atop the mountain and overlooks The Forum where visitors literally walk in the footsteps of emperors and gladiators.
The Colosseum once hosted 50,000 spectators for gladiator battles and animal combat. Two thousand years later, it is arguably the most popular tourist attraction in Rome so hold onto your belongings as pickpockets are notorious in this area. This was also one of the longest lines we witnessed on our trip, making the scheduled tickets we bought in advance even more value.
B.Y.O.W.B. (Bring Your Own Water Bottle)
Don’t waste precious Euros that should spent on gelato by buying bottled water from street vendors. Bring your own reusable bottle to save the planet and refill at the thousands of fontanella, or drinking fountains, that provide Rome’s citizens and visitors with clean water.
