My family’s Roman history dates back to my grandfather. Before he immigrated to the United States, he lived near Rome and worked in the city as a cleaner. I can imagine that my family was there for centuries before him. Some of the allure of Rome for me stems from wanting to do what my grandfather never could – return. I’ve had this privilege a handful of times, and took note of some of the absolute must do’s to include in this travel guide for Rome.
One of the most potent memories I have of visiting Rome was in May of 2017 with my Mother. However, I have also seen it while working in Italy, studying abroad and traveling with other relatives.
Roman History
Roman history is so extensive that I took a semester-long class on it during my Freshman year of college. Obviously I can’t go into all of it in this travel guide for Rome, but here’s a quick rundown.
Ancient Rome
Rome has been around since the 8th century BC. It was founded in 753 BC by the two brothers Romulus and Remus. Legend has it that the boys were the sons of Mars – the God of war. Romulus became the first King of Rome after killing his brother. There were seven legendary kings of Rome, but the monarchy ended in 509 BC.
After that, it famously became a Republic with power centered in the Senate. Julius Caesar took the Roman throne in 59 BC. This was soon followed by his death on the Ides of March in 44 BC. By 29 BC, Octavian ruled Rome and officially took power as Augustus, emperor of Rome, in 27 BC. There were many Emperors, as well as heightened internal conflict and civil wars for centuries.
Modern Rome
Eventually, Rome collapsed in 410 and was divided between Britain, Spain and northern Africa. In 1871 Rome became the Capital of the Kingdom of Italy, and in 1946 that of the modern Roman Republic. Many things remain from ancient Rome, and to this day the economy is still based on politics and tourism.
If that wasn’t enough of a rundown, History.com has a great retelling. And now, on to my travel guide for Rome.
Roman Cuisine
The food in Rome is a wonder in itself, and therefore must be covered in this travel guide for Rome. It features fresh & seasonal produce within most dishes. Peas, artichokes, and fava beans are staple produce. Other features of the cuisine include shellfish, lamb, goat, pecorino romano cheese, ricotta, olive oil and prosciutto.
Ancient Roman cuisine is influenced by Greek culture, and touches of this are still found in dishes today. During the Italian Renaissance, Rome also became the home of high cuisine as the best chefs in the world were hired by the Pope.
My 4 Favorite Staple Roman Food & Drinks
1. Pasta
Caccio e Pepe, Gricia, Carbonara and Amatriciana are all typical on Roman menus. Spaghetti is the most common pasta shape in Rome.
2. Artichokes
Artichokes are another Roman staple food. When I visited in May they were in season. We ate them fried in olive oil with an aioli to dip. Artichokes have always been a favorite of mine but I had yet to try them cooked in this style. They were crispy on the outside and soft and mild on the inside; perfectly prepared.
3. Guanciale (Pig’s Cheek Bacon)
Many of the pasta dishes here incorporate this pig’s cheek bacon. It is a thicker cut with an incredibly smoky, savory flavor. The meat pops in your mouth and is crunchy on the outside yet smooth on the inside.
4. White Wine
Rome is the Italian center of White Wine. The best in the city are Frascati and Castelli Romani. These pair well with Creamy pasta dishes like Carbonara and shellfish.
11 Things You Must Do in Rome
1. Toss a Coin into the Trevi Fountain
Legend has it that if you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, you will return to Rome. This is one thing that I have certainly put to the test. Before I left Rome the first time, construction blocked any coins from touching the water. However, I couldn’t let that stop me. I stood on my toes and chucked a one euro coin over the barrier. I’d return to Rome not once, but five times. Maybe a coincidence, but maybe not.
2. Tour Paletine Hill
Palatine Hill is possibly one of my favorite attractions in Rome. The walkways are a part of the ancient ruins, and therefore your shoes touch the same stones as those who walked at the height of the Roman republic. The view from Palatine hill is a marvel in itself. From the top of the hill we could see all of Rome as dark clouds rolled in. From the Basilica di San Pietro to The Colosseum it sets the perfect scene.
3. See Renaissance Art in the Galleria di Borghese
The Galleria di Borghese houses one of the greatest collections of artwork in all of Italy. I spent most of my time gazing at a painting by one of my favorite artists, Botticelli. It also has a gorgeous garden scape to stroll in after viewing the museum’s interior.
4. Tour the Colosseum
The Colosseum is perched at the same ground level that it was thousands of years ago. To reach the structure you have to take a path downhill. The top levels still protrude for stories above the ground, further emphasizing how huge the place is. Vendors line the path leading down and sell everything from handmade paintings of Rome to little gladiator figurines. Among the vendors, tourists from all over the world traverse with guides speaking nearly every language on Earth. Our guide was a Romanian with a quick wit and strong English fluency. You can book in advance, but getting a tour at the box office is easy and not too expensive.
5. Take a Cooking Class
There are plenty of cooking classes in Rome, but the one that I stumbled upon is taught by an elderly couple in their own home. This turned into us learning how to make pasta and then eating a beautiful dinner prepared by our lovely host. She showed us how to roll pasta then made her own sauces. It wasn’t exactly a class, but we loved the experience nonetheless. We started the meal with fried fish drizzled in lemon on the patio. After the fish, our host presented the main course – pasta we made topped with four different sauces.
The first dish was a white sauce with butter, cream, garlic and finished with parmesan. Next, we had a rich pesto with whole pine nuts and a delightfully grainy texture. After that, Bolognese. Lastly, we had a spicy pasta with olive oil, garlic, and hot pepper. For dessert we had a sweet chocolate loaf with strawberry compote. To finish the evening, we had a nightcap of limoncello in their living room overlooking all of Rome.
6. Walk Through History at the Basilica San Marino ai Monti
The structure is a 16th century basilica, which sits on top of a 12th century basilica, which sits on top of a second century basilica which sits on top of a first century public area. This, above anything else showed me what a “lasagne” Rome truly is. Everything is sitting on top of some ancient footstep.
7. Walk the Spanish Steps
The Spanish Steps ascend between the Piazza Di Spagna and the Piazza Trinità dei Monti. You can reach the Villa Medici from the top of the steps. They are often covered in floral arrangements, musicians and people set off on a pilgrimage to reach the top. The steps are featured in many pop culture moments, my favorite being the Bob Dylan song “When I Paint my Masterpiece.”
8. Visit the Cappuccini Bone Crypts
The Cappuccini were a sect of Christian monks who worshiped and sought death. Therefore, they glorified and decorated with their deceased. The Cappuccini used their bones to decorate four intricate shrines. The walls are adorned with canopies of pelvic bones, skull arches and the skull and crossbones. The pirates stole this motif years later. There were about eight full skeletons in the crypts of the most holy members of the Cappuccini.
9. Spend a Day at the Vatican
We walked the Vatican museums, and then entered St. Peter’s Basilica on our tour. Statues and busts of Popes long dead lined the walls adorned with gold leaf. Each ceiling we passed under housed a Renaissance painting and numerous popes considered St. Peter’s Basilica their final resting place. One even had his embalmed body on display for all of the visitors to the basilica to see each day.
Our tour guide was especially keen to tell us the must sees in the Sistine Chapel. Since it’s so big it can be difficult to decide what to look at. He told our group to look at it as a story. The chapel depicts the creation of Adam and Eve all the way to the downfall of man. The Sistine Chapel is truly a magnificent work of the Renaissance that everyone should take the time to enjoy.
10. Go Underground in the Catacombs
The Roman Catacombs are easy to access on a guided tour. They sit above a basilica that leads to the entrance – a steep set of stairs. It could have been mistaken for a basement. We could hear solemn incantations in one of the rooms – many Catholics still hold Mass in the shrines. Don’t let the film As Above, So Below fool you, the catacombs themselves are a peaceful place.
11. Eat at Dillá
It has now been three years since my last visit to Dillá – quite possibly my favorite restaurant in the world. On my first trip there, our antipasto was a variety of Mediterranean treats. The most memorable part of the tray was a whipped garlic truffle butter that we spread on warm crostini. Along with this delicacy there were fresh artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes preserved in extra virgin olive oil, an olive tapenade, roasted red peppers and mushrooms.
To accompany the meal we got a bottle of robust red wine. After the antipasto, we moved on to the main course: for me, a classic Roman Amatriciana pasta made with a spicy tomato sauce, guanciale and parmigiano reggiano cheese.
Where to Stay
The Hotel Forte
The Hotel Forte is a boutique hotel located only a few blocks from the Spanish Steps. The hotel first opened back in 1923. When I stayed there in 2017, our room was on the second floor and overlooked a cobblestone side street. Every morning people would stroll down the street with produce that they purchased from the nearby market. It was a peaceful place to be in the heart of the city with buffet breakfast each morning and comfortable rooms.
Rome is a city like no other. Hoping to learn more beyond this travel guide for Rome & Italy in general? Check out my other pieces all about this phenomenal destination that I consider one of my many homes.
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