July 12, 2024
Rome is like stepping into a living history book. The cobblestone streets lead to beautiful and mysterious places that all speak a story of art, history, spirituality, government, and conquest.
As a LIFE DESIGNER, I am convinced that travel is a part of designing a life we love living. It fosters curiosity, opens our lens on the world, and ignites new parts of us that bring joy and vitality. Rome definitely did that for me.
The city is a mix of modern life and historical significance. The first night we were there we walked down the street to the Piazza del Popolo and stumbled across a huge summer concert of Italian music stars while gazing at the giant Egyptian obelisk of Sety from Heliopolis that stands in the center of the piazza. This is what I mean… modern meet historic.
One minute we were walking by a Times Square sized Jumbotron on our way to shop at the four-story Zara, the next we were marveling at the massive stone walls of the Colosseum.
GET OUR UNIQUE LIST OF OUR TOP 8 THINGS TO DO IN ROME
Our son studied abroad in the Trastevere neighborhood at Jon Cabot University for the semester. He absolutely loved it.
Trastevere is a historically working class district in Rome that has become a trendy hot spot. It’s known for its fun trattorias, craft beer pubs, artisan shops, and delicious food. You can often find a young crowd gathered at the Piazza di San Calisto and Piazza Santa Maria.
I often hear people talking about their fears when it comes to theft in Rome. I never once felt unsafe. It actually felt the opposite. People are happy, friendly, and kind.
The way the Italians talk about food and wine as an art form is beautiful. To quote our new friend Ronnie from Roscioli’s
Food is meant for wine and wine is meant for food. They pair like a good marriage.
The way they see the role of alcohol seems much healthier to me than how many of us approach it in the US. It feels less extreme. Maybe that’s not true of all Italians, but I did take notice of it all throughout our trip.
The Art
Italians seem to value and create beauty in all of their spaces and places. I could not get over the art of Rome. It’s jaw dropping. I could have sat for hours in the Sistine Chapel taking it all in.
Less is more. I would recommend going to less places and really spending time at the ones you DO visit. Take it in. Don’t rush. Let the art speak and let it soak into your soul.
OUR DON’T MISS RECOMMENDATIONS
I’m so excited to share my list of our EIGHT favorite things we did in Rome. They are MUST-DO’S. I did hours of research for this trip. Much of what I planned worked out very well, but of course there were a few things that turned out to be a little bit lame. We simply laughed at those – not everything can be a home run. However, this list is HOME RUN focused!
I hope you have the best time in ROME – it’s truly a dream!
GET MY 8 FAVORITE THINGS WE DID IN ROME
A few tips for Rome
- The streets are square cobblestones. Wear shoes that are easy to walk in – this is a MUST. My favorites were these and these.
- Rome is HOT in the summer. We went mid-June and just missed the heat wave by a week. Try to hit the early summer shoulder season or early fall. It will be much more enjoyable if you aren’t dying of heat while there.
- Many places don’t have AC. Double check your accommodations to see if they have it.
- Many of the stores close for an after-lunch break. It’s similar to the “siesta” concept.
- Many dinner places don’t start serving dinner until 7pm or 7:30pm so check before you go. They eat later in Europe and that’s just the way it is.
- Check out THIS PAGE to see events happening when you are traveling to Rome. You may find a really unique event!
Pin this post for later
Comments