The weekend between Christmas and New Year are the best times of the year for me to travel to several countries at once because our office is closed. I want to visit all seven wonders of the ancient world and with Petra, Jordan already booked, I only have the Colisseo in Rome and the Pyramids of Giza left. Geographically, it made sense to go to Egypt after my Jordan trip but I simply have too much I want to do in Egypt so I decided to travel there separately, hence Rome.
My friend Nickia, joined me after a week in London and Paris so I already know I will get quality pics of myself (haha)!
From the FCO airport, I took the Leonardo Express train to Termini (costs €14 one-way). There are cheaper ways to go to the city center but the express train is the fastest. This non-stop train runs every 30 minutes and the trip takes about 30 minutes. At the airport, you have to exit the airport hall, cross the walkway and purchase your ticket there.
Termini station is also where all local metro around Rome and trains to other parts of Italy converge. Naturally, I picked up our Airbnb within walking distance of the station. The first thing I did after arriving in Termini was to get some delicious coffee, no surprise there. What was surprising to me was the lack of ‘american size’ coffee – even the maxi cappuccino wasn’t big enough for me! I also decided to buy a metro pass (a must) because all the places worth visiting in Rome is within walking distance from a nearby metro. I spent the day with my cousin who I haven’t seen in a decade (thanks Tagay!) and we went to see St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican City at night.
The following day was my day trip to Pompeii. I purchased my train tickets in advance to Naples online. It is cheaper that way but you can also buy a ticket on the day of your trip since the train is rarely full. Look up the train schedules online and then purchase your ticket to Naples at any kiosk in Termini. Exit at Naples Centrale station and follow the signs downstairs to the Circumvesuviana Railway station, located underneath the mainline station. No advance booking is necessary – just buy your ticket and hop on the train towards Sorrento, exit at Pompeii Scavi station and voila! You are in Pompeii!
Pompeii opens at 9am with the last entrance at 3:30pm (during winter) and each ticket costs €22 (five-site pass). If you’re a history buff, you may want to explore this the whole day – this archaeological site is VAST. You have to purchase the audio guides separately or hire one of the tour guides lounging around the ticket office. Also note that huge luggages aren’t allowed inside but there is a room at the entrance gates where you can leave bags and there is a commercial left luggage facility by the Circumvesuviana train station (both for a fee of course).
Pompeii has fascinated me from the moment I watched a documentary about the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius about 20 years ago. Something about the intensity of its eruption, how fast the town was covered in ashes, the images of those who tried to run away and those who remained were very haunting. I’m sure you are all familiar to the bodies so preserved it looked like sculptures done by God himself shown in all images of Pompeii.
After a few hours of walking around the ruins, it was time to head back to Rome and meet Nickia. I was famished and we both wanted to have a nice view while having dinner so off we went to the Colisseo.
Best.Decision.Ever…. This magnificent ruin is beautiful by day but stunning at night!
The next day was our first full day in Rome and we planned to see all the famous sites in our list except the Vatican since it’s further out (PS you cannot purchase a metro ticket through the machines with a credit card so make sure you have a few local currencies with you!). The ticket line for the Colisseo can be very long so plan to be there early! The ticket costs €12 and includes entrance to the Palatine Hall and the Roman Forum. This does not include any audio guides which you can purchase separately. There are also a lot of tour guides around and tour groups that you can join if you want to (for a fee of course!)
One wonders of the ancient world down! Yaaay!!
(By the way, the best shot of the Colisseo is definitely inside the Roman Forum, at the Temple of Venus facing the Colisseo and right up where you buy the tickets, trust me!)
The most famous of all seven hills of Rome, Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum didn’t interest me as much to be honest although it is rich in myth and legend as it is believed to be the location of the cave where Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were found by the she-wolf. The Farnese gardens in the Palace of Tiberius was worth walking several flights of stairs up though and the view of the Colisseo from there is also beautiful.
We took the metro afterwards to head to the Trevi Fountain and was greeted by hundreds of tourists. It was such a shame. The plaza was so crowded you can barely find a spot near the fountains to take your photo without someone’s shoulder or head of hair. We thought it couldn’t get any worse but were proven wrong when we walked to the Pantheon.
The Pantheon was one of the best surprises in this trip. You exit a small alley and you’re greeted with tall, old, granite Corinthian columns and one of the best-preserved of all ancient roman buildings. Somehow I thought the ceiling was lower and the oculus smaller but I was pleasantly surprised when we went inside. Almost 2,000 years old and its dome is still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome!
Our last stop was the Spanish Steps… and that was a mistake. Everyone and their mothers were there trying to watch the sunset from there. I don’t know whether there was an event happening nearby but it was crowded as fuck. I was trying to get ONE good picture and I was so frustrated I cried (i know, so dramatic!). No one gave a shit you’re taking a picture – they didn’t stop for a few seconds, they didn’t excuse themselves for a bit, they hovered and posed behind me… UGHHHHH. Thank God Nickia knows me better and found the nearest cafe where I can have coffee and cake – the two things that could improve my mood!
I decided on our last day and before we head to the Vatican that we will return to the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain to get at least ONE decent picture!
The next day was our Tuscany wine tasting tour which I booked through viator.com. This was a very relaxing trip and I’m glad we signed up for it. We met Paolo, our tour guide at the Piazza del Popolo around 7am with the rest of our small group (around 10-12 people).
Our first stop was Montepulciano, a Renaissance hilltown best-known for its production of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a full-bodied red wine. It’s a pretty charming small town with Florence-style clock tower, medieval wine cellars, car-free roads and the old town walls. There’s apparently a good view of the rolling hills of Tuscany here but it was a very foggy morning so we missed it.
Our next stop was a small vineyard for our lunch and wine tasting. I was very excited to try the acclaimed Brunello di Montepulciano wine and it did not disappoint! I am always partial to red wine so it was a treat for me to try the Brunello and the Vino Nobile.
From the farm, we continued on to see the Sant’ Antimo Abbey and then to Pienza, one of the region’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We passed on Pienza because we were so tired from walking the previous day and it was too foggy to enjoy the view anyway. This tour is definitely worth it so if you want a nice, relaxing break from Rome, I highly recommend it.
After several days of pasta and pizza, we stayed in that night and got some chinese food!
Waited too long though to get our dumplings and stir-fried noodles!
On our last day, I made sure to wake up early to beat the crowds at the Trevi Fountain and Spanish steps (note: this photo was taken at 7am). I didn’t mind losing some sleep if it meant I get an unimpeded view of this beauty.
Ohh Yes, definitely worth the 6:30am metro commute!
I wasn’t so lucky at the Spanish steps.. there was a tour group who decided to debrief at the stairs (i know, right?!). So I got creative and bought a large gelato to hide them in the picture, hah!
After my morning excursion, I returned to our airbnb to pack up and check out. After getting that out of the way, we’re ready to explore the city one last time! Our first stop was Castel Sant’Angelo and then to St. Peters Square and the Vatican .
Unfortunately it was the last Sunday of the month where access to the Vatican museum is free to the public… which means lines as early as 5am to get to the museum at 9am (it closes at noon). One of our biggest regret is not planning a tour ahead of time to see the Sistine Chapel. All early morning tours on days other than Sunday was sold out. Oh well, one reason to return to Rome at some point!
After a nice late lunch, we took the metro back to the city center and walked towards Santa Maria della Vittoria to see the Ecstasy of Santa Teresa, a very popular work done by Bernini.
To be honest, everything in that church is beautiful – the ceiling, the altar, the other sculptures and paintings.. I can sit there and admire the artworks all day!
Finally, it was time to head to the airport and fly back to Washington, DC. This trip felt like it was too long (because there’s only so many churches you can see) and too short (because we missed the Sistine chapel) at the same time. I was happy to cross off another wonder of the ancient world and I loved learning about Rome’s very old history but also was disappointed with the crowds I have to deal with at every single areas of interest. Not to mention we encountered some pretty racist italians!
I’ve seen someone in reddit superimpose all the roads in ancient europe and asia and highlighted that they all, indeed, lead to Rome. I believe that.. After all, I am definitely returning in 2020 to see the Sistine chapel. However, I know better now so I will be staying in Northern Italy and only taking a day trip to Rome, Hah!
The Travelling Accountant 