A Long weekend in Rome!

What a weekend THAT was! I honestly can’t believe how much we squeezed into such a short break.

Last week I finally ticked Rome off my ever-growing bucket list, with my sister as my partner in crime. We totally lucked out with the weather all weekend, and choosing October was a masterstroke: warm sunshine, blue skies and none of the intense heat of a Mediterranean summer that neither of us can cope with.

It was such an easy hop from Newcastle to Rome (FCO), and about 40 minutes later, after our transfer into the city centre, we were there and checked in much earlier than expected. We stayed at the Glam Hotel, complete with its super-cool rooftop bar, where we tucked into the most delicious pasta with a perfectly paired glass (or two!) of wine. My three must-have foodie goals for the trip were simple: proper Italian pastas, pizzas and gelati. By the end of day one, pasta was joyfully ticked off.

From there we set off exploring and, just a 10 minute stroll away, found ourselves at the iconic Trevi Fountain. Being so close to it, surrounded by the happy chaos of tourists and locals, with those narrow cobbled streets and restaurant terraces all around, was magical. It is very much a “pinch me” moment. We had tickets for the Trevi the following evening and I would absolutely recommend skip-the-line tickets here.

Next morning, we were up and out early for the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. We joined a small guided group of just six, which really helped bring everything to life. I’ll admit, the build-up through the galleries before you actually reach the Chapel did test my attention span a little, but stepping into the Sistine Chapel itself made it all worthwhile. Again, 100% invest in skip-the-line tickets: the regular queues were eye-wateringly long.

From there it was just a five-minute walk around the Vatican walls to St Peter’s Square and the Basilica. Whether it is because I am Catholic or not, it completely took my breath away. While we were there, we heard that the Pope was due out of hospital that day and would be addressing the crowd at noon the following day. That instantly went on my “absolute must-do” list!

The rest of the day we simply wandered at a relaxed pace, soaking up the atmosphere and treating ourselves to proper gelato. A scoop of authentic coffee gelato did not disappoint. In just 24 hours we had ticked off the Trevi Fountain, the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Square and still found time to just enjoy wandering and people-watching.

Sunday was Colosseum Day. As if that was not enough excitement, we also found ourselves caught up in both the Rome Half Marathon and a socialist demonstration, which all added to the buzz and energy of the city. The Colosseum was only about a 10 minute walk from our hotel and that moment when you turn a corner and suddenly this colossal structure is just there in front of you is genuinely awe-inspiring. Once again, skip-the-line tickets are worth every penny, as the queues were huge.

Inside, the Colosseum was everything we had imagined and more. It even made me want to rewatch Gladiator the minute I got home. We did also have tickets for Palatine Hill, but seeing the Pope felt unmissable, so we sacrificed that part of the ticket. It felt like the whole world had the same idea, all heading back to St Peter’s Square. With taxis out of the question because of the marathon, we braved the metro instead. It was actually very straightforward, just absolutely packed with people all heading in the same direction.

We jumped off at Ottaviano station and made our way towards the square. Somehow we managed to secure front-row spots by 11.30, ready for the Pope’s address at midday. When Pope Leo XIV appeared at the window, I cried like a baby. For me, that was the absolute highlight of the weekend.

Feeling very full of joy (and a bit emotional!), we then strolled over to the Spanish Steps, such a beautiful spot and perfectly positioned by all the serious designer temptation like Gucci and Versace.

All in all, we were amazed at how much we managed to fit into a long weekend, flying out on Friday and back on Monday morning. Rome really delivered.

Now… on to planning Iceland after Christmas!