When we started discussing the honeymoon we were overwhelmed by our options. We both love the Caribbean but we had gone to St. Maarten the year before and neither of us had been on a European trip in a few years. Italy is a place that neither of us have ever been and that I had dreamed of going to since I was a kid. However we knew it would be the off-season and we wondered if the weather would put a damper the trip. On a flight to Chicago in March I happened to end up sitting next to a travel agent. Her recommendation was to go to Rome and head south to Amalfi that time of year. We talked about it, researched it and decided to add Sicily to the trip. Planning for and counting down the days to the honeymoon is part of what kept me sane during the wedding planning process. We decided to leave the evening after the wedding, I worried that would be too much on us but it turned out to be a great decision. We went back to the apartment that morning, dropped off gifts and other items into our apartment that was already a mess from wedding prep, grabbed our packed bags and headed to the airport.
 |
| View of the sunset from the tarmac |
We landed in Rome at 7:30 in the morning. I had slept more then I normally do on a flight thanks to pure exhaustion and Ambien! We took the train from the airport to the main train terminal in Rome, which is Termini. There was a little bit of a line at the taxi stand and we were so tired that we almost fell for a common Roman scam. I had read that the men outside the station will offer to help get you a cab and then you end up in an unofficial cab that takes you on a long ride for a high cost. The red flag for me was when we were going past the line, I realized something was very wrong. So we told the guy no thanks, got in line and paid a reasonable fair to go about 1/2 mile. Another thing to watch out for at Termini is people offering to "help" you use the machines to get a metro pass and then demanding money.
Once we made our way to our hotel and were fortunate enough to be able to check in even though it was so early. Our hotel, the Hotel Raffaello was located near the Cavour subway stop on Via Urbana and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a place to stay in Rome. Our room was a little on the small side with an oddly laid out bathroom, but we have both spent enough time in European cities to know that's to be expected.
 |
| Oddly shaped bathroom at the Hotel Rafello |
The location was great. It was near a metro, walking distance to most of the sites and had a free breakfast including cappuccinos. The neighborhood it is located in, the Monti District is apparently a working class neighborhood and not as popular with tourists as some of the other neighborhoods. However we always felt safe and the neighborhood had some great restaurants and charming streets.
 |
| Via Urbana |
We rested that first day for a few hours before heading out for to see Rome. The first thing we had planned was a tour of Rome that evening. We slowly made our way to the Spanish Steps since that is where we were to meet our tour guide but once we got there we had plenty of time to kill so we wandered through the neighborhood and decided to get a snack. Our first meal in Rome was an enormous platter of meat and cheese!
 |
| Spanish Steps |
 |
| My favorite things |
Before long it was time to meet for the tour. Since it was the off-season and a Monday we were lucky enough to be the only ones of the tour. With our tour guide, we got a personal tour including stops at Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Campo de Fiori. It was a great start to the trip, it was entertaining and informational plus it forced us to fight the jetlag and stay up awhile.
 |
| Trevi Fountain |
 |
| The front of the Pantheon |
 |
| In awe of the perfect dome with a hole in the center |
Our tour ended in the Campo de Fiori which is an old square where weekly executions used to occur that is now filled will trendy bars and restaurants that cater to Westerners. We didn't find anything interesting there so we headed a few blocks of the main road and found a great restaurant for our first dinner. I had ravioli and the husband had his favorite, spaghetti carbonara. If you don't know what spaghetti carbonara is you've have been missing out. It's specialty in Rome made with eggs and bacon, next time you're at a good Italian restaurant if they have it on the menu.. get it!
 |
| Statue in Campo de Fiori |
 |
| Spinach ravioli |
 |
| Spaghetti Carbonara |
Once dinner was done the jetlag had set in. We decided to grab a cab, head back to the hotel and get some sleep for a full day of sightseeing on Tuesday.
No comments:
Post a Comment