June 6-10, 2019

It’s always been a dream of my best friend, Mary, and I go to Rome, so about a month ago we booked our tickets and made it a reality! I flew from Dubrovnik to Rome (FCO) on Vueling for €124.99. 

At Fiumicino airport, the bus departure points are outside of Terminal 3, to your right as you leave the terminal. Buying bus tickets online is usually cheaper but not recommended. If you get a ticket online you might save 1-2 euros but you’re forced to use that service even if there’s another bus that offers the same exact service for the same exact destination (Termini) and leaves immediately instead of half an hour later. Just buy a ticket for the bus that leaves soonest directly at the bus stop (€7). Buses take about 45 minutes to get from Fiumicino airport to Rome Termini station in normal traffic conditions, but can take considerably longer if traffic is heavy. For a return trip to the airport, allow lots of extra time, because at busy times, buses fill up quickly and you may have to wait longer for a bus than you anticipated. 

The two-mile metered taxi ride (use app, mytaxi!) from Termini station to the Airbnb was €12. Our Airbnb ($556.05 or $139.01/night) was in a terrific location, across from Largo di Torre Argentina (where Julius Caesar was supposedly assassinated), and within walking distance of Trastevere, my favorite neighborhood in Rome.

Here are some of my favorite things we did:

• Campo de’ Fiori - Since 1869, from Monday through Saturday (8am-3pm) it houses a market well-known for flowers, fruit, vegetables, cheese, spices, and oils. 
• Head to Piazza Navona to see the beautiful Fontana del Moro and Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers). Also, lots of cute restaurants and cafes in this plaza.
• Pantheon - Wow, this place really took my breath away. The history, the beauty. Worth many visits.
• Temple of Hadrian - It’s amazing how much history you just stumble upon in Rome, and this is just one example.
• Venchi - Best gelato we had.
• Trevi Fountain - It was recently cleaned so statues and pool are sparkling. Throw a coin from your right hand, over your left shoulder, to wish for a trip back to Rome.
• Cimitero dei Cappuccini - You’d never guess from the outside or even the small museum, but the crypt, or ossuary, contains the remains of 4,000 friars buried between 1500 and 1870, arranged. The sign “What you are now, we once were; what we are now, you shall be” was chilling to read, to say the least. 
• Spanish Steps - Honestly, not sure why these are popular, but people were really into taking selfies here.
• We walked up to the Orange Garden (Giardino degli Aranci) for the most wonderful sunset.
• We spent a long day in Vatican City (another country!) on the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Tour (£58.72). Must see the Vatican while in town, but wow, the crowds are overwhelming for the most breathtaking art I’ve ever seen.
• I enjoyed the Colosseum, Forum & Ancient Rome Guided Tour (£47.32) the most out of the other tours we did. Just the right amount of sights and information.
• We also did this simple food tour ($53) but didn’t eat anything that we wouldn’t have eaten anyways, so I’d recommend trying something else. 
• Mouth of Truth - Made famous in Roman Holiday, the yawning maw of this pagan visage is said to bite off the hands of liars.
• Bir & Fud - Wine you tire of wine, this place has really yummy saisons and sour beers.
• I Dolci Di Nonna Vincenza - These pastries and the coffee were so good!
• Antico Forno Roscioli - Oddly laid out but this bakery is incredible!
• Osteria da Fortunata - I recommend getting a reservation beforehand so you don’t wait in line as long as we did, and then ordering the gnocchi with buffalo mozzarella.
• Il Ponentino - Totally touristy but this is how I imagined Rome, so I like it. A liter of red wine and truffles on ravioli would probably make anyone happy, though.
• Grano - Another great small, romantic restaurant.

The taxi cost €16 to the Rome Tiburtina bus station.