"When in Rome"

Perhaps I should rename this post "Ben in Rome" because our fantastic guide, Ben, treated us to two days of non-stop sightseeing, limoncello, coffee and Italian pizzas! After working in Rome for a couple years, Ben sort of owns the city! I have to say that it was refreshing to walk around and actually see the sights as opposed to having my nose buried in a map. Rather than pick a restaurant based on a random recommendation, we confidently followed Ben into his favorite cafes and hole in the wall trattoria's. On this trip, we were followers, and Ben made sure that we saw as much as possible on our short weekend in Rome. 

 I had visited Rome in July with a couple of our friends from Kentucky, but unfortunately Chris' job kept him home. Boo. This time around, I was not about to take the trip without my hardworking Hubby! I knew that all of the books and shows surrounding ancient Roman civilization would spring to life once Chris saw it all in person. It took two short hours to fly from Brussels to Rome and since I was familiar with the route from the airport to Termini Station, we had no problems finding Ben's metro stop. 

If you've been following our little blog (or clicked on the link above), then you'll remember how miserable I was in Rome in July. It. was. unbearably. hot. The kind of hot that is manageable only when lounging near a large body of water (with a cold beverage in hand and some SPF30). July is high tourist season, so you're less likely to see rain, but you'll be praying for a downpour about 30 minutes into your touring. After visiting Rome in early February, I would absolutely recommend visiting in the winter or early Spring. The crowds were minimal, and we had fantastic weather! If you do happen to visit Rome in the summer though, read my "know before you go" tips from the July trip. 

From this trip, I learned that the Colosseum at night is a must see! Once the sun sets, Rome is dimly lit with warm, yellow lights that give the illusion that torches are illuminating the ancient city. At night, you can almost imagine the city as it was 2000 years ago! Just breathtaking! All in all, we had a marvelous time in Rome! Thanks again to Ben for being the best guide! Ohh, and in a later post, I will write about all of the amazing restaurants and wine bars that Ben introduced us to! My talented husband also edited our first Gopro video with footage from this trip! Maybe I can post that as well. 

Thanks again for reading!

Pictures 1+2 - the Colosseum at night // 3 - the Roman Forum // 4 - Trevi Fountain // 5 - The Spanish Steps // 6-8 Inside St. Peters Basilica // 9+10 - Chilling (and jumping) in the Vatican City // 11 - Inside the Pantheon // 12 - Roman gods in Piazza Navona

Rome on Dwellable