When (we were) in Rome - Our trip recap

If you would like to see all my travel posts, including recaps, tips & recommendations and packing guides, please visit my travel page.  I also wrote about tips & recommendations for Rome.

Ah Rome. If I have wanted to go to Paris all my life, I've wanted to visit Italy since the womb. Slight exaggeration maybe. Of course I wish we could have visited more of Italy, but it will have to be next time! We were in Rome for 3 full days - technically 4 but the last day I woke up with a horrendous cold and we had a lazy relaxing day, wandering around close to our hotel and taking zero pictures. As we all know no pictures means it didn't happen, so 3 days it is.

If Paris was love at first pastry, Rome was... not so much. The first few people we spoke to in Rome were either rude to us or simply ignored us. We got on our shuttle bus to take us into the city and looking out the window.. this was not the Rome I had pictured. I know big cities are dirtier and there are homeless people and graffiti everywhere, but I don't know... I was so disappointed, it was not a good first impression. Termini (where the shuttle dropped us off) was insane and I was so overwhelmed and it took us a bit to find our hotel... All of that added up to a not so great first impression.

We had a food tour our first evening, which I highly recommend, and our tour guide was fabulous, the area was so awesome and all the food was delicious. By the time we woke up the next morning, the bad impression had disappeared from my mind completely. I didn't see the graffiti or the beggars or any of that anymore. It wasn't dirty, it wasn't crazy busy, everyone was friendly.. Overnight, I loved it. We did and saw so much in such a short time. We saw The Vatican (we didn't take a lot of photos because you're not really allowed and it was just crazy, and the photos I took didn't really capture the amazing-ness of it), the Colosseum and the rest of all the cool ancient things, we wandered around and would happen on these beautiful old buildings and gorgeous fountains.. the weather was amazing (except the skies opened and it absolutely poured for like 4 hours one day, zero exaggeration), the food was phenomenal. I can't say much else except we are definitely going back.

So, let's get to the pictures shall we? If you thought I overshared with Paris or Versailles.. well, apparently I got super camera happy in Rome. Just be prepared.

One thing I want to point out - the below picture is of a rock / stone that the roads are made out of, they have been around as long as the Colosseum. There are these rut / groove things that are from the chariots and carriages or whatever (my english, so good!). I don't know why but this absolutely blew my mind. I hope it blows yours.

aaaaand, that's Rome. I know. Alllll the pictures. I couldn't help myself. And you know what? It doesn't even come remotely close to doing it justice. Rome might not have made the best first impression but it absolutely (eventually) exceeded my expectations. That might have been the food.

So, you going to Rome? Or have you already been and loved it as much as I did?