A Roman Holiday | First Impressions of Rome | Live Lovely Travel

A few months ago we spent a few days in Rome before flying to Athens. It was an incredible journey going from one ancient city to another. We left Venezia, the city of canals, behind us and took a three hour train ride to Rome. 

Our first impression of Rome was that it was definitely a big city, surprisingly similar in atmosphere to parts of New York City. It was bustling and shockingly modern for such an ancient city. There was so much to see all around us. Our Uber ride was quite the rollercoaster, weaving in and out of bustling city traffic to our Airbnb right around the corner from the Colosseum. For the first time during our trip through parts of Europe, we felt slightly uncomfortable in the new territory we found ourselves. We had heard much about Rome; from the ancient architecture to the bustling streets and how dirty the city was. It was all true, even the bad things we had heard, including the aggressiveness of the street vendors and pick pockets. Normally I hear cautious tails from other American travelers and I brush their concerns aside as exaggerations (which they usually are), as a unique experience that is very unlikely to happen to me, or even ignorance from people who caution about traveling to new places, but have never actually been there. In this case, every bad thing we were told was in fact true, but Rome was also so much more. 

We tucked our luggage into our Airbnb and wandered around the corner to the Colosseum. Busy roads full of modern cars, buses, and mopeds circled the ancient structure. Once you make it past the crosswalks and down the stairs you are transported into living history. After walking around the Coloseo, we took a bicycle cart ride to the Trevi Fountain. It was amazing how fast our bicycle driver was able to cart us all the way across the city and through busy traffic too. The Trevi Fountain was a sight to behold, and hundreds of other tourists thought so too. A lot of cropping and strategic timing happened to get this shot.Reality looked more like this:We had dinner right in front of the Pantheon, a short walk from the Trevi Fountain. I love meals in Italy. The first course is usually a meat plate, cheese, or antipasto. The second dish is a pasta, and the third is a meat and vegetable. Staying true to my “eat like a local” mantra, we tried all of the local specialities, including veal saltimbocca. Typically I lean towards vegetarian meals, but when in Rome I felt the need to try their signature dishes to experience the culture. One thing we did not like was that street vendors approached us at least seven times during our meal to try to sell us flowers, bottles of water, scarves, and other knick-knacks. It was disruptive, but was all a part of the flavor of Rome. Our dinner view:When choosing an Airbnb in a famous location, splurging on a close location or going for a not-so-nice room close to popular destinations allows you to get there fast, make the most of your visit and allowing you to return to famous places more than once. Because we rented a room close to the Coloseo, we saw it numerous times night and day. If we were to ever return again, I would situate us close to the Trevi Fountain as it is a much nicer area and the view of the fountain at sunrise is spectacular. A street view. I love classic films, especially Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. As much as we would have loved to rent a moped in Rome, we both agreed that it would be dangerous and the very busy roads would take away from the fun. There were multiple accidents including mopeds during our visit, and we met a few other tourists that saw mopeds under cars or knew someone seriously injured in a moped accident in Rome so it was definitely for the best!Things you must do in Rome:

• Take a tour of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum.
• Visit the Trevi Fountain at sunrise (make a wish!), then walk down the road to the Pantheon.
• Visit the Trevi Fountain again at night to see it lit up. 
• See Michelangelo’s masterpiece at the Vatican.
• Eat gelato as you walk down the streets. 
• Enjoy a long meal at an outdoor cafe.
• See the statue of David. 
• Ask another tourist out to dinner.
• See the Coliseum in the morning before the crowds swarm it. 

I loved the history and sights of Rome. However, I won’t be returning any time soon. I feel that these places are so important to see, but once was enough for me and for my husband. That being said, if we have children one day I will want to take them here and share these gorgeous sights. The aggressiveness of the street vendors and the uncomfortable atmosphere of the city streets made this a more stressful part of our trip. Although these ancient buildings have survived hundreds of years, earthquakes and even local volcanoes can threaten these sights, and often do cause damage to them. I hope that if you haven’t, then one day you make it to Rome. Everything you hear about Rome is true, yet it really is an incredible place to explore nonetheless.