A WEEKEND IN ROME

Is there any chance you can visit the Eternal City for just a weekend? The answer is YES, if you are located in Europe you can be there in 2-3 hrs like I was! Not ideal obviously to enjoy this ancient paradise in full but with many hours on the streets & positive energy everything can happen!

See below what I did when I visited stunning Rome just for the weekend:

STAY : I stayed in Trastevere! I had chosen the same area in the past as well. I love the ambiance of this neighbourhood, the small alleys full of people, the bohemian atmosphere & the nice bars and restaurants around. Many airbnbs available there and it is so convenient that you can go for dinner and drinks & just walk back to your room.

Rome has 2 main airports similar distance from the centre:

• Ciampino which is closer to the centre.
• Fiumicino airport.

I flew from Athens to Fiumicino airport on Friday evening and took a taxi (just outside the airport) to Trastevere.
It was approximately 30 minutes drive and cost was 50 euros. I went out for a nice dinner with purpose to visit Tonnarello restaurant that had amazing reviews but the queue was so long & I was so hungry that went to the one next door, Grazia & Graziella. Dinner was delicious!

Saturday

I woke up in beautiful Rome with a great apetite and ready to explore! Started walking from picturesque Trastevere towards Vatican city along the river Tiber.

1st stop in between: St. Peter’s basilica – one of the largest building in the world located in Vatican City, it is the universal headquarters of the Catholic Church and the Pope’s residence, entrance is free but it was closed when I visited due to a ceremony. Open everyday from 07:00 am to  18:30/19:00 pm. Angel’s tip: Entry to St Peter’s is free but the climb  to the dome costs €8 if you take the 551 stairs, or €10 if you take the elevator and then continue with the 320 stairs.

2nd stop : one of Rome’s main tourist attractions of course, Vatican museums. 26 museums in the list of the most precious and crucial museums worldwide and an attraction you cannot miss when visiting Rome. Inside the Museums you can find amazing collections and  unique masterpieces of many years that have become the precious evidence of an era. Angel’s tip: before visiting check since some days it is closed. Absolutely prebook the tickets online to skip the huge waiting lines and avoid the people coming to you to find you ticket by telling you that you will skip the lines, you don’t!

To book tickets for the Vatican, including the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica, you can visit the official Vatican Museums website. Here is the link: https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home)

This site allows you to purchase tickets in advance, which is recommended. You can choose different types of tickets, including guided tours, early entrance, and skip-the-line options.

3rd stop: After the great experience of the Vatican City I walked a bit more and ran into a beautiful small local wine restaurant called “Tacito” where we enjoyed delicious Picanha, good wine and some starters.

4th stop: was before Piazza del Popolo – a large famous square that we took great pictures and followed the stairs towards…

05th stop: …Villa Borguese gardens – the absolute combination of Roman arts and beautiful nature and one of the largest urban parks in Europe, entrance is free. You can explore them on foot or by bike that you can rent there, visit the museums (Borguese gallery is the most famous), visit the zoo,  rent a boat in the artificial lake and enjoy from close distance the ancient temple of Asclepius, located on the Tiber Island, a small island in Villa Borghese.

But my absolute favorite time there was sunset time from Pincio hill in Villa Borguese, a spot considered to be one of the most romantic spots and picturesque in the city with breathtaking panoramic views of Rome.

06th stop: After sunset I walked towards Piazza di Spagna , a very famous square in Rome but unfortunately too crowded. A beautiful fountain in the middle and restaurants/bars around. From there, you can see the famous Spanish Steps that connect Piazza di Spagna and the Church of Trinità dei Monti. The staircase is a favourite spot among tourists to sit, relax and enjoy the views of Piazza di Spagna.

07th stop: i think everybody knows Fontana di Trevi, one of the most popular fountains in the world from 1762 and a unique masterpiece, so impressive and amazing. According to the legend, close your eyes and throw a coin into the fountain and you will return to Rome one day! The municipality of Rome, serving a beautidul cause, cleans the fountain off the coins and donates to poor families a large amount of it (oh yes more than a million annually). Angel’s tip: so crowded all the time, maybe better to go very early in the morning and preferable with sunlight.

Back to Trastevere : had a nice dinner in “Taverna De’ Mercant”, an old tavern with traditional decoration like you are in the middle ages 1500

And then fancy cocktails in the bar “La Punta”. I love this area since it is full of amazing bars with locals.

Sunday

After a very busy Saturday, I woke up on Sunday full of energy to see Colosseum,  one of the jewels of Rome! It is an oval -partially ruined- amphitheater and the largest ancient one ever built in the center of the city. Yet, the largest standing in the world today, despite its age (built around 70–80 AD). It is so impressive that it was built with the man power of  10,000 slaves. If you want to enter inside, don’t have big bags since they control everything through metal detectors / book in advance to avoid the lines even if you pay more than regular ticket. The Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum are all located in the same archaeological area and count as one admission. The 2 first are one next to each other and you can walk freely between the two but they have separate entrances. Angel’s tip: there is the “Roma Pass” in case you want to visit other sights as well; and you skip the line.  

2nd stop: Walked towards another national formitable monument: Victor Emmanuel II National Monument or Vittoriano or Altare della Patria. Construction completed in 1935 and was erected in honour of king Victor Emmanouel II. Neoclassical design – Corinthian order – stairways – fountains – an amazing sculpture of the king and 2 statues with a goddess riding horses. So stunning indeed, went to the terrace and view was spectacular! Entrance is free.

3rd stop : Navigator on and walked towards the stunning Pantheon. An inspiration of one of the most amazing and famous architects of the Renaissance, Rafael. Built around 26 BC, a temple dedicated mainly to the 12 Gods but now it is a Catholic Church named Basilica di Santa Maria ad Martyres. The square in front of the Pantheon is called Piazza della Rotonda and is always full of people admiring the temple and taking pictures.

Our next stop for a quick drink was one of the largest and wonderful squares in Rome with three impressive fountains: Piazza Navona. You are lucky if you find a front table to enjoy the magic scenery and have a refreshing  drink!

After the stop, before the sunset I had a great ice cream from Della Palma gelateria (with a variety of 150 flavours!!!) and I passed by again from my favorite Fontana di Trevi since with daylight is better than night but it was too crowded again…

The 6th and final stop was Castel Sant’Angelo, a quite impressive fortress located on the right bank of the Tiber, with amazing architecture but unfortunately specific timings so it was closed. Everyobody is telling though is amazing inside as well! Angel’s tip: Go during daylight for sure , check online the last entrance in advance.  

Closing for this gorgeous weekend escape, since my flight back was on Monday morning, was a cozy meat/Italian trattoria called Il Ciak in Trastevere and a last walk around this beautiful neighbourhood.

“Il Ciak” restaurant in Trastevere

HIDDEN GEMS

Do you know to visit less known & crowded sites?

• “Rome’s magic door” near Piazza Vittorio.
• “The Pyramid of Cestius”, how unusual is this in Rome?
• “Piccola Londra”, located on Via Bernardo Celentano, directly off of Via Flaminia.
• “Michelangelo’s statue of Moses”, part of the tomb of Pope Julius II
• “Coppedè neighborhood”, a different part of Rome with bizarre features, a fantastic mixture of art with influences of Greek, Gothic, Baroque and even medieval art. No metro stations close by neither many restaurants or bars – this neighborhood is for exploring!
• “Basilica di Santo Stefano Rotondo al Celio” – an unusual Church in Rome with wonderful murals. Free entrance – closed on Mondays.
• “Tiber Island”, the only river island in the part of the Tiber which runs through Rome

Other food/drinks  recommendations for the Italian capital?

-“Pane e Salame” and “Prosciutteria Cantina Dei Papi”  for cheese / meat platter paired with Italian wine.  Second one is not ideal for many people since sitting is limited.

-“Su al forno” for delicious cocktails & excellent food in a splendid outdoor area in the heart of Trastevere. Angel’s tip: A bit hard to find it,  from the narrow street you enter a historic bakery in the area and on the first floor you can find it!

-“Mimi e Coco”, for Antipasti, pasta, pizza and local wines in a charming trattoria close to Piazza Navona.

-“Oro bistrot Roma” for fine dining & tasting menus in a chic rooftop bistro at the NH Collection Rome Fori Imperial hotel.

-“Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina” top-quality delicatessen restaurant for typical Roman kitchen!

-“Felice a Testaccio”, excellent  Italian food in a not so touristic spot. Signature dish is the cacio e pepe pasta.

-“Peppo al Cosimato”  and “Seu Pizza Illuminati” for great pizza and pasta in Trastevere.

-“Osteria Barberini” with best seller the white/black truffle pasta close to Trevi fountain.

-“La Tavernetta 48” not far from Piazza Navona.

-“L’Antico Forno di Piazza Trevi” for coffee and pastries overlooking Trevi Fountain.

– “Sant’ Eustachio Il Caffè” for coffee and chocolate, a shop famed for its home-roast beans, blended with water from an ancient aqueduct.

I know a weekend is not enough at all for the absolute Italian city but I think our schedule was good for such a short trip!

Arrivederci Roma! You are absolutely magical!

*For more pictures check my highlights on Instagram*

IG: ANGELIKI.A_