Rome
Contents
ROAMING ROMA
ROME IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CITIES BECAUSE…
We’ve been there twice, in 2012 and 2016…I think. Yeah, Rome is dirty and grafitti-laden, but it freakin rules. There is SO SO SO much to see, and the first time when we went, we did all the expensive touristy stuff like the Sistine Chapel, Colosseum and Forum tours, etc, but the second time, we did all the free stuff, and there was an amazing amount. It rules!
AND NOW, IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, THE STUFF I REMEMBER FROM OUR 2 ROME TRIPS
Rome, like ancient Greece, is one of those places/cultures we always studied as kids, both in school and at home. We had been in London and Norway on the first trip and it was our first time to Europe and everything was amazing. It was nice going from cold and dark Norway to semi-warm Italy and aside from the long bus ride from the airport late at night, the trip was great from the start.
As I am wont to do, I got sick in Norway and it got worse in Rome. We were there on New Year’s Eve and had planned to go to the Trevi Fountain to see fireworks and kiss in the new year, but instead I was in bed watching fireworks out the window. Still cool.
I remember getting to our hotel way late the first night and being so bloody hungry from the trip and walking around this not-super-nice area looking for late night food. I found this hole in the wall place full of, sorry to say, stereotypical type Italian dudes yelling at each other. They were like the Fratellis from the Goonies. But I got a pizza and it changed my life. I realized Italy was the food capital of the universe.
Since it’s been a minute since we’ve been to Italy, I asked Caitlin for her top 3 things from Rome, and here’s what she said…
CAITLIN’S TOP 3 THINGS IN ROME
3: Trevi Fountain
2: Sistine Chapel
1: Colosseum
My commentary: Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes. The Trevi is just incredible. We went at day. We went at night. We went at dawn. We went at dusk. OK, not dawn, because it was a vacation and I hate mornings, but yeah, it rules. And we threw coins in backwards, which is supposed to mean you’ll return to Rome. Several years later? We did. It worked. Do it.
Plus, right by the Trevi is a place called Gelateria Valentino and it’s the best gelato I’ve ever had, hands down, end of conversation. Yes, it’s worth the long wait in the long line. It will change your life. And going to the Trevi at night, which is by far the best time to go, then ending your night at Valentino, is amazing and perfect and good and wonderful.
The Sistine Chapel is almost too big to comprehend, at least for my rabbit brain. I remember walking and walking to get there, and the halls and ceilings of the building you walk through are so ornate that several times I thought maybe this was the chapel. But no, the actual chapel is so nuts. It would be amazing to be able to lie down and just look up at each part. The annoying “no photo…no photo…no photo” monotonous security guards were annoying because it’s a very spiritual place and that detracted a bit, IMHO. Still bloody incredible. A testament to human achievement.
And the colosseum? Oh my shuv. I remember we went on one of those ghetto train lines that are covered in graffiti (getting around Rome is SUPER easy and relatively affordable) and we got off the stop and were looking around for where it was and then BOOM. It’s one of the coolest experiences of my life, seeing it for the first time. Just an incredible structure.
We ended up taking a tour of the inside for something like $100 which I think was a waste. There’s not much to see inside but cement, but I guess if you’re a visual person you could imagine the gladiators and stuff. SO SO SO cool to see the outside though.
PANTHEON
The Pantheon is another incredible building. We went a couple times, and it’s just insane to see from both the outside and the inside. Looking up through the dome oculus and seeing the sun coming through is insanely cool. Plus, there are a bunch of steps outside to hang out on and eat ice cream and watch street performers and just be stoked you’re in Rome. 10/10 would recommend.
MICHELANGELO’S MOSES AND PETER’S CHAINS
At the church called San Pietro in Vincoli there’s a “lesser known,” if possible, Michelangelo statue of Moses, and it is so rad. You can put a Euro into a machine and it lights up, which is cool, but the statue itself is amazing. I had read that it was one of the less famous statues in Rome, and there was basically nobody there when we went, which made it cooler. And Peter, my favorite Biblical character and hero, was in chains and those chains are in this church. Amazing. And from there, it’s a 30 minute walk to…
THE KEYHOLE IS SO DOPE
I can’t explain it in a way that makes it seem that cool, but the keyhole is so so so so cool. I mean, look it up online to see some good pics, but basically you look through this keyhole on a locked gate in some cul-de-sac and it’s this perfectly unobstructed view of Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. I can’t even explain how dope it is, nor how that view could be unobstructed when the city is so big and there are so many buildings. I just looked it up and it’s located at via di S. Sabina and via di Porta Lavernale in Rome. You’ll see some people standing in line for it at some random gate and it’s incredible. Just Google it and then go.
VATICANO
I’m always confused if the Vatican is it’s own country but it seems to be listed as one so I count it as a country I’ve visited. It’s tiny and old and walled off and incredible. Saint Peter’s Basilica is just beautiful, and the statues lining the top are certainly creepy and foreboding (to me anyways) but amazing. We spent a full day at the Vatican both times we’ve gone and I would love to stay closer to it so I could spend even more time there. I had the best pizza of my life either inside the Vatican or very near, but alas, no idea what the place was called. I have a video but it has basically no clues as to where we were, and that tears me up inside. By the way, at restaurants, request tap water, otherwise they bring you bottles that are expensive and still taste like rubbish.
Also, the Pieta statue is incredible. One of the most moving pieces of art I’ve ever seen.
PIAZZA NAVONA
Piazza Navona is another cool place, especially at night. It’s got 3 awesome fountains and the whole area is bustling. We loved sitting at each fountain and watching all the people around. We got lots of good food (mostly gelato) and took a couple hours strolling around.
ROMAN RUINS
We did a tour the first time of the Roman Forum, which takes you around a bunch of famous ruins in Rome. It was cool but probably not essential, as you can see a lot of them without a tour. Yes, some are gated and locked off, but you can still see them. It’s fun to try and imagine what it was like back in the day. Just like Jerusalem, it’s so cool to see the merger of ancient and modern cities. There will be some ancient aqueduct with highways built around it or a train running through it or something. Rome will forever be a place I could go for a day or a week or a month.
So…what did we miss? Hit us on Facebook or Instagram or YouTube and tell us how we’re the worst travelers ever and missed the best parts of Rome, or drop us a line at [email protected].
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GEAR
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I kinda repeat this section on every blog post, but seriously, this is all stuff we have and use, nothing filler. Below are some of the items we took:
ESSENTIAL BABY GEAR FOR THE LIGHT-PACKING WORLD TRAVELERS:
Now I’m gonna dad out on this section, and I do not apologize. Some of this stuff would have meant nothing to me pre-child and now it changes my life daily. So buckle up it’s gonna get dad-ish in here.
OH MY GOODNESS THE DOONA STROLLER CARSEAT: Yes, it’s expensive, but if you travel (and even if you don’t) this is a MUST! It’s a car seat that pops into a stroller immediately. I never have to lug my baby around in a car seat. On the plane, you roll it to her seat, pop it into car seat mode, and strap it to the seat (FAA approved size). In Japan we made it a car seat on trains and stuff where things were crowded then a stroller when we got off. Seriously and truly the best baby thing we own. It makes it so you don’t have to take two pieces of gear, which is rad.
Ergobaby Carrier: So nice to just plop baby in and carry her around Japan (or the house). She loves it, we love it, win win win.
Lots and Lots of Diapers: I already mentioned this but we just lined our bags with diapers rather than take them in their bulky packaging.
Pacifier/Toy Clip: As clean as Japan is, we didn’t want to be picking up binkies and toys off the bathroom floor, so we would clip them to baby or her stroller or whatever and they never fell or got lost, plus she could always reach them.
Stroller Cover: Super basic, but it kept baby out of the elements and let her sleep. Caitlin was also able to use it as a nursing cover.
Baby Changing Pad: Even though Japan has HEAPS of changing tables and is very family friendly, I don’t trust those tables…I’ve seen what babies do to them. So we would put down a pad just to be sanitary and safe.
Baby Cloud Suit Peg Leg Thing: This isn’t actually the one we took, but we got this one piece fleece suit thing (with clouds on it, so we called it her cloud suit). We got one a size big on purpose so we could just put it on over her outfit when it got cold. Plus, it made her look like a pegleg which was fun.
SwaddleMe Swaddles: We’ve loved these since the dad baby was born, and they help her sleep sooooo much better.
BELOW IS STUFF WE TAKE EVERYWHERE
Caitlin’s Stupid Awesome Space Saver Day Pack Thing: I told her she had way too much junk when she bought this, but I digress: You win, Caitlin, and if you only read this blog you’d see me say this. Oh well. This bag was SUPER cheap, amazing to take on day trips, and folds up into practically nothing. Seriously, just do it now.
Amazon Prime: C’mon, it’s 2020. Get free 2-day shipping (which was necessary since we always found something we needed at the last minute) and lots of good music and TV/movies which make road trips more enjoyable. Try it free and you won’t be disappointed. Plus, pretty much everything below will ship to you free in 2 days in the USA.
AUKEY Powerbank External Portable Charger: This thing has saved us many times. It’s nice to have around the house, but it’s nicer to have during a long flight or a 12 hour day at Machu Picchu. It has 2 USB inputs and charges our iPhones really fast. It’s a bit bulky, but we get 2-3 charges from it each time. SO worth having.
Anker External Portable Charger: Yes, we take 2 portable chargers on our trip. This one isn’t as long-lasting, but it’s much smaller and lighter. It’s a bit annoying charging 2 every night, but really worth it to have charged phones the entire day.
My Pants: Ever since my days braving the brutal Wellington rain in a suit, I HATE having wet pants. These Columbia pants were perfect to put on over my jeans if I needed, which I only did a couple times. Never got even a drop under them. Well worth it.
My Bag: As I said above, we travel LIGHT. Especially with cheap airlines like Ryanair, where things are expensive, having a versatile bag is a must. This bag is not incredibly nice, but it has a lifetime warranty and it can cinch down to unbelievably small sizes. It’s made it through 6 continents with no problems yet.
Ponchos: Another must for pretty much whenever. Just get something waterproof that won’t blow off immediately.
Towels: These ones are awesome because they fold up small and dry incredibly quick. We got an off brand, our friend Loinz has an original Packtowl which he raves about. Your call.
Space Saver Bags: These have proved invaluable on our travels. It’s amazing how small clothing can shrink down to in one of these! Highly recommended.
Outlet Plugs: Of course, when traveling overseas you need a plug
adapter. We’ve had these exact ones for at least 5 years. We’ve taken them to 6 continents and they’re still going strong. And, they’re super cheap and have everything you need all in one, so you don’t have to bring a bunch of different parts. Highly recommended.
Aux Cable: You probably already have a million of these. Most cars we’ve rented have a USB that connected directly to the music, so we could charge our phones and blast tunes at the same time. The longer cable is nice so if someone is in the backseat they can still charge and control the music or navigate or browse Instagram or whatever)
Carry On Luggage Bag: This is the first time we’ve taken a carry-on bag, but we needed it for diapers. We usually fly Delta so we got one that was within their measurements.
MacBook Air: OK this is probably pushing it for necessities, but I do have to work on the road and it’s perfect to take with us. Small, lightweight, powerful, and mine has a pink cover for good measure.
MISCELLANEOUS
Caitlin and I are on T-Mobile, which is awesome because we can text and use data for free. This meant navigation was all free (didn’t have to rent a GPS) and we could find attractions on the go, as well as me managing the business from afar without searching for Wi-Fi. So good!
If you don’t have TSA Global Entry, I highly recommend it. Not only do you get through TSA lines quickly and without removing shoes, belts, and liquids, but you also get to come back through customs much faster. It probably saved us at least 1-2 hours this trip.
One of the best travel tips I’ve ever had is to save clothes you’re going to throw away or donate and wear them on trips. Along the way, toss or donate them. Not only does it feel amazing having an empty pack on the way home, but on a strict airline like Ryanair, you’ll avoid heavy baggage fees. I ditched everything I took except what I wore home and it was awesome…except when Caitlin put her clothes into my bag without me knowing.
