Finding our stride in Rome, Italy
Traveling to new places can be like settling in to a long run.
The first day, or mile, is often annoying and tough. It’s hard to find your stride.
But as time goes on, the experience improves. Of course, the journey isn’t without challenges, but at the end of it all, you’re grateful for the adventure.
While this simile doesn’t work for every trip, it perfectly describes our time in Rome, Italy.
Eugene and I booked a trip to Rome on short notice, and touched down at Ciampino Airport on New Year’s Eve.
At that time, we knew close to nothing about the city and, other than reserving a place to stay, had made minimal plans.
We exited the airport shortly after noon and had no idea what to do next.
Ciampino is a small airport in Rome, located more than 30 minutes away from the city center. And, to make matters more difficult, the AirBnB we reserved was near the Vatican City, which is an additional 30 minutes beyond that.
We weren’t willing to pay for a pricey taxi, so after a quick Google search, we hopped on a bus we thought would take us to the city center.
Unfortunately, it did not
Instead, we got off at a different train station, where we bought a ticket for a train we thought would take us to the city center.
Again, unfortunately it did not.
So after another quick Google search, we caught a connecting train that finally took us to a station near our AirBnB.
But we still weren’t in the clear.
We somehow managed to get ourselves completely turned around on Rome’s intricate side streets. We wandered around with our luggage for nearly an hour before finally finding our AirBnB.
The whole ordeal took nearly three hours, and by the time we were settled in to our place, we were feeling pretty defeated.
However, the last day of the year is not one to be wasted. So we dressed in our New Year’s Eve best and headed out in search of an aperitif.
Like a beacon of hope, we spotted a sign on a nearby street corner that simply said “BAR.” We grabbed a table and settled in for a relaxing bottle of wine.
But we soon learned an Italian bar isn’t the type of bar to which we were accustomed.
It turns out these establishments are more akin to coffee bars, and they often close around 6 p.m. This became apparent at about 5:45 p.m., when we were peacefully sipping our wine while the waiter swept the floor around us.
We got the hint, chugged our wine, and headed back out in to the streets to continue exploring before dinner.
Eugene made a reservation earlier in the day at a nearby restaurant with good reviews. We knew we’d be dinning with the early crowd, but when we showed up at 7 p.m., we were surprised to find we were the first guests at the restaurant. At that time, the place hadn’t even fully opened, so they poured us each a glass of prosecco and graciously told us to wait outside.
When we finally took our seats, the service was great and there was a live musician, but we were served an expensive, mediocre meal that left a lot to be desired. Now, I’m not opposed to spending money on dinner, but when the bill is more than 100 euros and the food is just so-so, the whole experience leaves you feeling a little sick.
Even still, we were determined to end 2019 on a high note.
We began wandering back toward our AirBnB, and serendipitously stumbled upon the plaza in front of St. Peter’s Basilica. We seized the opportunity to stop and take in the peaceful sights under the evening lights.
Before calling it a night, we picked up a bottle of wine and made one last stop for carry-out pizza. After a trying day, we sat in bed and enjoyed a late-night snack, bid adieu to 2019, and passed out before midnight.
We’d had enough of that day and had even bigger plans for the first day of the year, so we chose sleep over celebrations.
The next morning, when our alarm went off at 5:30 a.m., we were ready to start fresh in Rome. We had booked an electric bike tour of the city at sunrise, and were running on a tight schedule.
So after getting up, and despite not having any hot water (an issue we later resolved with our AirBnB host), we set out to grab an Uber we’d requested a few minutes earlier.
As luck would have it, that Uber canceled on us… and so did the next four.
Time continued to tick by and the prospect of making our tour seemed to diminish.
Desperate, we quickly walked to the nearby train station, only to find that trains weren’t running that early on New Year’s Day. There wasn’t enough time to walk to our destination, but we headed in that direction, and tried to catch a ride.
We waved down the first taxi that drove by, but they already had a passenger. They began to drive down the road, but then pulled over just in front of us and yelled, “Termini?” from the window.
Termini is the city’s main train station, and only a few minutes from where we needed to be.
We responded, “si!” and hopped in to the backseat of the taxi, holding on to a bit of hope that we would make the tour, and start this new decade on a high note.
We pulled in to Termini at 7 a.m. and after settling with the driver, literally ran to our meeting point just as the tour guide was getting ready to head out.
I introduced myself with a hug, which is an uncommon way to greet a stranger. But it was from that moment on that our time in Rome went from not-so-great to amazing.
Although it was a chilly morning, our tour through the city was wonderful. It was my first time cruising around on an electric bike, which is an experience on its own. The e-bikes are especially helpful when pedaling through the City of Seven Hills for a few hours.
We wove our way through peaceful cobblestone streets and saw sights like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and Forum, before the rest of city woke up for the day. We also explored less-talked-about spots, like the Jewish Quarter, Aventine Keyhole and Chiese di Sant’Ignazio di Loyal.
We were also introduced to the Italian way of drinking coffee, which involves standing at the bar and quickly sipping your drink. At Sant' Eustachio, one of Rome’s oldest coffee shops, we were treated to extra foamy cappuccinos and light, flaky croissants.
The whole morning felt special, and gave us the energy we needed to give Rome another chance.
By the end of our tour, we were starving. We found a restaurant where women were hand-rolling pasta in the window, and got in line.
This was my favorite meal in Rome. The misshapen pasta was clearly rolled by hand; it was cooked to perfection and topped with olive oil and cherry tomatoes. We also ordered a bottle of wine and tiramisu for dessert.
The whole experience left me floating on a food high.
We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening roaming around the city and taking in the endless sights throughout Rome.
The next morning, we were feeling completely re-energized and ready to continue exploring the Eternal City.
We headed out for another quick cappuccino and croissant, this time at Sciascia Caffè, before getting in line to tour the Vatican Museum.
Seeing popular and historic sites is an interesting conundrum. You’d be foolish to not stop and see these significant places, but rarely are they the high points of a trip.
The Vatican City, the art inside the Vatican Museum, and the Sistine Chapel were all very impressive. But they were also packed with pushy people.
After we’d had our fill of people and art, we continued to take part in our favorite travel activities: eating and walking.
We grabbed a late lunch at a fast-paced pizza shop, where you ordered your pizza by the kilogram. There’s a constant drum of sharp knives falling on the hard countertop, as the workers cut off pieces of pizza for patrons.
Post-pizza, we opted for gelato from Giolitti. We took our cones to the Piazza di Monte Citorio, where we found a bench to sit and people watch.
We wrapped up our day of wandering by checking out the Pantheon, a beautiful, random church, and the coziest wine bar.
For dinner, we took a friend’s recommendation and went to Cantina e Cucina. While the meal was great, the best part of the night was waiting in line for a table. The hostess was incredibly kind and fun, and she treated us to prosecco and focaccia while we waited.
After dinner, I couldn’t resist the temptation to sample tiramisu from a nearby shop claiming to have ‘the best in town.’ I opted for a small cup of strawberry tiramisu and enjoyed it with Eugene, while we walked back to our AirBnB.
On our last day in Rome, we escaped the congested city scene and caught a train to Frascati, a small city 12 miles outside of Rome. Upon stepping off the train, we were greeted by warm sun, fresh air and Paola, a zippy Italian women who would be our guide for the day.
Paolo took us around the city center, through a produce market, and in to a local bakery, where we sampled crispy cookies that are meant to be dipped in wine.
Next we headed out to a family-owned 16th century winery. There, an environmental engineer gave us a tour of the vineyard and wine caves, and also told us more about winemaking in Frascati.
“We have a lot of emotion inside this bottle,” she said, as she explained the process of growing grapes, harvesting them, and making wine.
After the tour, we sat down for wine and snacks that included some of the most delicious porchetta on focaccia bread I’ve had in my life. The day concluded with lunch at a nearby family restaurant.
Afterward, despite spending the entire day eating, Eugene and I seized the opportunity to sample maritozzi and espresso from a bakery near the town square.
Our time in Frascati left me feeling peaceful and content. And I carried that feeling with me on our train ride back to Rome.
That evening, we headed to the Spanish Steps, where we watched the sun fall behind the city’s ancient buildings, and turn the sky pink. We hadn’t intended to catch the sunset, but I’m so happy we did.
We ended our time in Rome with an early dinner at Arlu, a friendly, family-owned gem that served up some of the best pasta we had in the city.
By the end of our trip, we’d most definitely found our stride. And while our experience in Rome was one for the books, I have a feeling we wouldn’t appreciate it as much, if we hadn’t muddled through the tough parts in the beginning.
If you go…
When you visit Rome, be sure to add these spots and experiences to your itinerary.
My Taxi app – Rome is definitely walkable and the public transportation is great, but if you find yourself in a bind, this is an easy way to catch a ride.
The Aventine Keyhole – You’ll find this keyhole on an unassuming door at the end of a quiet street. Look through the keyhole for a glimpse of two-nation states, one country and a perfectly framed view of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Ristorante Arlu – There’s a lot of great food in Rome – a lot, a lot – but this place combines expertly prepared dishes with warm service. Plus, the family-owners are actually working in the restaurant. Be sure to make a reservation ahead of time.
Giolitti – You can almost guarantee that any place with a line is good. Giolitti had some of the creamiest, most flavorful gelato we sampled. Take your cone to-go, head away from the congested street, and enjoy it at the Piazza di Monte Citorio.
Frascati, Italy – When you’re ready for a break from the city life, take a quick train to Frascati. We booked an AirBnB experience that gave us the chance to tour the city, visit a 16th century winery, and nosh on local fare.