Discovering The Magic of Rome

This post about how we discovered the magic of Rome was brought to you in partnership with Alice and Monarch.co.uk.

I wouldn’t say that Rome immediately grabbed me.

Yes, this probably seems odd seeing as it’s one of the great cities steeped in our lore and history, but nonetheless, I wasn’t fascinated as much as I thought I would be upon arrival. It was stinking hot and the first few meals we had were lacklustre, our accommodation was fan only and we were literally sweating in our bed.

Luckily, although it took a day or two, Rome won us over with impeccable ease.

Rome Map Reading

Let me tell you why.

Every corner of Rome is painted in history, bold monuments carved from stone rise up from the ground in the form of fountains and statues.

Rome Monument

Statue Fountain Rome

The place is an incredible open air museum from the Colosseum to the Pantheon to Vatican City (and everything in between), history buffs will be left slack-jawed at the wonders on offer.

Colosseum and Tom

Us At Pantheon

There is surely amazing food to be found (this IS the capital of Italy we’re talking about), but it’s a matter of navigating the tourist trap restaurants that are ever-so-common and finding a hideaway serving up local Roman fare.

Food in Rome

Bar Del Fico Rome

Rome was a lot greener in parts then I expected, many back streets were leafy and the buildings blossomed with oranges, blues and yellows. The quaint and faded colours felt very Italian as we strolled around in the afternoon amongst alleyways shaded from the sun by the buildings themselves.

Coloured Rome Buildings

Green Bicycle Rome

Shaded Sidestreet Rome

Please note that stopping frequently for cold gelati is ALWAYS a good idea.

Gelati in Rome

Gelati Girls

Here are a few suggestions to make Rome a more pleasant experience and help you discover the magic of Rome just like we did.

Rome is a great place to start any Italian trip, whether you head south towards Sicily or north towards Florence it’s a great middle point for any adventure.

Cheap flights can be had to Rome Fiumicino airport, like with Monarch’s flights to Rome, you then catch a train from Fiumicino (takes about an hour) and you’re smack bang in central Rome.

If you want to eat out a lot, do a bit of research online and pencil in a few recommended restaurants from the guidebook, travel bloggers, TripAdvisor etc – that way you’re not floundering around the average restaurants wondering where the good stuff is.

Whether you’re staying in a hostel or hotel, go for the air-con! In summer, Rome is crazy hot so be prepared! If you’re up for it, try getting up early to walk around and then coming back for a sleep in the afternoon between 12 and 3, then heading out again for the late afternoon and night.

If you are planning on heading to Rome, don’t miss my what to do in Rome post that provides a one-stop mini travel guide to get your brain buzzing at the wonders that await.

3 Responses to “Discovering The Magic of Rome”

  1. Rome is such an amazing city.
    The street are so charming and you see History everywhere.
    It’s definitly a top city for a week end and so cheap nowadays with lowcost companies.

    • Tom says:

      Yep, Rome is a FANTASTIC city for history buffs, no doubt about that. I think it is cheaper than Paris too, but they’re both worth visiting 😉

  2. Laura says:

    Glad you ended up liking Rome better after a few days. We’ve been a lot of places, and it’s definitely among our top favorites. The Colosseum and the Forum, in particular, are just astounding.

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