As many of you may know I've finally returned from endless travels and adventures around Europe. I’ve taken everything there is to take in and I’m ready to share every adventure and meal here with you. From travel tips to meal suggestions I'd love to share with you all my favourite do’s and don’ts from the past three months.
Rome would have to be one of my top five favourite European cities. From endless amounts of pizza and pasta, to building facades and churches, you can literally find so many assets to admire in one city.
Theres so many amazing attractions to visit in Rome filled with history and beauty. But theres a few tips and tricks that I'd recommend to making the most of your time here in Rome. My top sights would have to be the Vatican (St Peter’s Basilica/Sistine Chapel), the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. There are obviously so many other things to see in Rome but these are my top 3.
Vatican
When visiting the Vatican (St Peter’s Basilica/Sistine Chapel) I'd recommend getting a skip the line ticket, these can easily be found on the internet, and are usually a little more expensive than on the day tickets. The line to get in here can be crazy. I had a very early skip the line ticket and the line to buy tickets on the day was already insane. I also did travel in peak season so this also would have made an impact on the line. There are tickets available online with and without guided tours. I just purchased the ticket as some of these guided tours can go on for ages, and I think I'd prefer to have time to visit what I'd like to see inside at my own pace. I also purchased a ticket to go up the cupola of St Peters Basilica which I would highly recommend as you get to see an amazing aerial view of Rome.
Colosseum
Colosseum again is a very long wait line, so I’d also recommend buying a skip the line ticket, again these can be purchased online. Each year the Colosseum is visited by about 4.2 million people, so you can image the line can get very long. There are a heap of people doing guided tours, but if on a budget these tours can get very pricy. If these tours aren’t in the budget I’d recommend doing a google search of facts about the Colosseum. Find a seat on a bench around the arena and have a read of these facts and it feels like you’re having a tour of your own. Lets not forget how crowded it gets inside, and the lady who stood next to me and tried to ruin my photo.
Trevi Fountain
Trevi Fountain is also a must see when visiting Rome, and don’t forget to throw in a coin while visiting. I'd recommend going early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the crowds. Rome is also known for pick pockets around these busy tourist attractions so make sure to keep an eye on your bag, wallet, phone or any other valuables you may have handy. Trevi Fountain is open to the public and does not require any ticketing. I've never seen it closed but apparently three times a week around 9am they close it off to clean and collect the coins. According to some research I did approximately 3000 Euros gets thrown into the Trevi Fountain everyday, leading to 1.4 million Euros every year.
Another really beautiful place to visit is the Spanish steps, wonderful view up the steps into the little square below with the fountain.
One of the churches that really stood out to me was the Pantheon here in Rome because of its round interior. Theres so many beautiful buildings you just bump into, don't forget to take a look inside of them, because they're usually even prettier on the inside than they are on the outside.