Rome City Guide 2018

Stay

Vatican City, Rione I Monti or Trastevere are all great areas to stay in Rome, easy enough to walk to all the attractions, but far enough away from the tourist trap and each offer something unique.

First time around we stayed at Hotel Cicerone near Vatican City and found this area to be pretty convenient. It has a chilled vibe with lots of venues nearby doing Milan style ‘happy hour’ (a fixed price for one drink plus buffet). A nice area and close to Vatican City if it’s on your must-see list. The restaurant attached to the hotel does a 10 euro buffet with drink special which was great value. We noticed prices here in general were cheaper here than right in the centre of Rome.

We didn’t actually get the chance to stay in Trastevere, but after visiting the area it reminded me of Surry Hills and would definitely be considered for our next trip. Worth exploring for the cool bars, restaurants and nightlife. A great place to stay if you’re looking for people watching by day, and lively bars at night.

On our last few days in Rome we stayed in an area near the Colosseum called ‘Rione I Monti’ Hotel Artorius. A bohemian area we discovered at the start of the trip by chance. Hanging out here was a highlight of the trip and this area completely won my heart. It had a relaxed feel, very trendy with cobblestone streets and lots of hip cafes and bars. Reminding me of Paris, and the cool streets around Montmartre. My first pick of areas to stay in Rome!

Shop

Rome provides lots of options for high end and high street shopping. There’s a huge Zara on Via del Corso which has multiple floors and provides endless shopping inspiration.

The shops leading up to the Spanish Steps are super nice, think high-end stores like Gucci, Maje, Tiffany & Co, Celine etc. Once in the square of the Spanish Steps there’s a Sephora but I found the brands weren’t the same as the Australian store (they didn’t stock Nudestix and a few other favourites).

Galleria Alberto Sordi is where is where I bought my Pinko bag. The complex itself was beautiful and reminded me of The Queen Victoria building in Sydney. Nice stores, cafes, beautiful high ceilings and stylish shopping experience.

Sights

All the stunning monuments are in the city and super easy to find just by walking around. Although it’s definitely better to book online.

By far the most underrated attraction I found to be the Castel Sant’Angelo. Very inexpensive compared with others and the views from the top were breathtaking. There’s also a beautiful roof terrace to enjoy drinks & snacks.

Food /Drink

Hands down my favourite spot to eat in Rome was a small takeaway pizza shop we found in Rione I Monti called ‘Pizza La Boccaccia’. The pizza and food at this modest place was to die for, with a variety of different pizzas to choose. Not your traditional pizza selection, unique flavours and drool worthy toppings on a crunchy but soft base. Pizza is served by the slice and charged by weight and was very reasonable. It’s mostly a takeaway but if you’re lucky enough you can score a seat at the small bench, and enjoy fresh pizza accompanied by beer & wine from the fridge. Alcohol was around 1-2 Euro from memory!

Rione I Monti in general was a great spot for eating and drinking. A few other recommendations would be Civico 4, La Casetta a Monti and La Barrique. Monti also has its fair share of great fine dining restaurants at your disposal.

A cute spot to enjoy an afternoon drink was the rooftop bar at Il Palazzetto overlooking the Spanish Steps. The drink prices are what you’d expect for a venue in its location, exsy but worth it for the atmosphere and views.

Hotel Forum is another great rooftop option for drinks and snacks. A prosecco will set you back 12 Euro. Keep in mind it only opens in the evening.

Camillo B near Hotel Ciccerone was lively with good atmosphere and great specials for happy hour if you happened to stay in the area.

Gelato

Fact: Not all gelato is good in Italy. You have to seek out the best ones. The two best I found in Rome where La Romana and Quinto Gelateria near Piazza Navona.