Up next on my 35-day adventure was Rome, Italy. Italy has been the place I’ve wanted to travel to for as long as I could remember. Carbs are my best friend, so you better believe I ate all the pasta and pizza in my sight while in this amazing country. We took a quick flight from Athens to Rome and checked into Hotel Albani Roma, which was an amazing hotel! That afternoon we did some sightseeing of iconic Roman spots including the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Piazza Navona. Getting a chance to see these beautiful sights that I had only ever seen in movies, it was surreal. Of course, I made a wish into the Trevi Fountain…I think it’s necessary to do so. We also had a quick gelato at Venchi, literally the best gelato in the whole world (in my opinion).

We had a great evening planned with a 6-course meal at Buddy, a really cute Italian restaurant and cafe. The meal included lots of wine, so naturally, our group was happy. The next morning, a few of us walked through the National Park, which is huge and people could probably spend days walking through. Then began a guided tour of Ancient Rome where we saw the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. It’s hard to put into words what it’s like to see this huge structure that was used thousands of years ago as the host of some pretty gruesome events. There was a small concert being held that night inside of the Colosseum and I think that would be an amazing thing to experience someday. That night some of us went to Da Bucatono for dinner, which was recommended by our Tour Director. It was a cute place with great service and AMAZING FOOD. Try the Bucatoni, you won’t regret it! We were told many tourists don’t go there, so they were surprised to see us…but I guess I just let the cat out of the bag.

Our next morning began at Vatican City, where the unbelievably beautiful Sistine Chapel is. There is a ton of beauty within this city-state surrounded by Rome. We had a local guide who knew a lot about our surroundings so that was very helpful. We stopped at the souvenir shop associated with the Vatican to buy items that could be blessed by the Pope and the Cardinals. Up next was an amazing activity that I couldn’t recommend more…a pasta making class! We used the company Walks of Italy and learned a ton about olive oil and what we were using to make the yummiest pasta EVER! I think all of us were pretty impressed with ourselves with how good the pasta turned out. I was so happy we got to do this activity because it’s an experience I’ll never forget.

For our last dinner in Rome, we went to I Butteri, where I had the most delicious potato gnocchi with carbonara that I’ve ever had. Told you I ate all the carbs while in this city. Everyone had yummy food and I know this because I tried a bite of all the dishes at my table! We said goodbye to Rome the next morning and headed towards Florence. Along the bus ride, I loved all the mountainous regions, which was a pleasant surprise to me.

I really enjoyed my time in Rome and would love to go back someday. I know there is plenty to see and do…and eat obviously. Have you been to Italy? What are your favorite dishes to try? Let me know in the comments!

Happy travels! 🙂