Rome, The Mad Dash: What to See and Do in Two Days, Pt. 1
Ah, Rome! The first time I visited the city I fell so in love with it I made a pact with myself to live there one day. On this last visit, boy did I find out the city had changed—like a mythical beast, it had shed its ancient skin and taken on a new look altogether in the social media age. Notorious for its crowds, the city has only become more congested with sunnies-clad tourists gesticulating with selfie-sticks, and headphone bedecked mobs trudging after Bluetoothed guides. Perhaps that’s what gives Rome its longevity: its ability to adapt to the changing needs of an era. Suffice it to say, while I happily got bloated on pasta, the second trip cured me of a desire to live there—I like more peace and quiet these days. Chuffed to visit though, and suggest you do too.
Planning
‘The lines! The lines!’ Our trip started with a four(!) hour wait to get through airport customs. By the end of that fiasco, I vowed we’d fast-track it through whatever line may follow like a couple of rich brats at Six Flags (which I’ve done btw, and highly recommend). Following our past practice, I made sure to book ahead for the Vatican with trusty Tiqets; our last trip taught me this was a priority as queuing seems to start at the metro, and continues right to the museum’s entrance. For more information on visiting the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, please see our upcoming post.
For all other sites, our group made the collective decision to purchase the Roma Pass. There are two options when purchasing a Roma Pass: you can purchase either a 48-hour pass for €28.00, or a 72-hour pass for €38.50. Each pass allows free use of the city’s public transport (metro, trams, and buses), includes one (48-hour pass) or two (72-hour pass) museum entrance(s), and gives you reduced ticket prices at many other museums and archeological sites.
Whether or not purchasing the pass is worth it to you depends on how much you plan to see, if you plan to use public transport or another means of transportation (foot, car, UberX), and how keen you are to skip the line. That’s right, the Roma Pass allows you to waltz by all would-be visitors to the Colosseum unimpeded. Line-up at the Musei Capitolini: skip on past. Queuing at the Foro Romano: not for you! It really is like having a platinum FLASH Pass, but with historical sites versus hair-raising thrills. And when you spend less time in line, you can spend more time doing cool things and stuffing your face. Or at least that’s my rationale for purchasing. That, and we used public transit—love a one and done!
Morning: Trevi Fountain + The Spanish Steps
Trevi Fountain, Piazza di Trevi, Roma, Italy.
Overview of several possible routes from Trevi Fountain to the Spanish Steps. Piazza di Trevi, Roma, Italy.
With ticket/pass purchases out of the way, I’d recommend spending the first morning in Rome getting the lay of the land. Rome is particularly charming on foot, and two of its the main attractions are free and within walking distance (less than one kilometre, or a ten minute walk). As we were meeting a friend, Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) seemed like a perfect starting point. Plus, if you’re there early-ish, you’ll have more elbow room to partake in the ‘when in Rome’ tradition of tossing in a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder. Roughly $1.5 million US was retrieved from the fountain in 2016, all of which was donated to charity. The fountain itself was built in 1762, and features the mythical Oceanus in its central niche. It was recently restored by the fashion house Fendi (to the tune of €2.2 million), so its Travertine stone looks freshly scrubbed and ready for that photo op.
As an aside, if you’re like us and need a little fruit to accompany the espresso you downed on the way, immediately adjacent you’ll find the obligatory refreshment stand next to all tourist spots. Pricing was okay.
Refreshments at a fruit stand next to Trevi Fountain. Piazza di Trevi, Roma, Italy.
With a makeshift breakfast in tow, we made our way toward the Piazza di Spagna following one of a few possible routes. Named after the adjacent Spanish Embassy to the Vatican (the Palazzo di Spagna), the piazza sits at the base of the famed Spanish Steps. Roughly at its centre, you’ll find the Fontana della Barcaccia, or Fountain of the Ugly Boat, sculpted by Pietro Bernini and his famous son, Gian Lorenzo Bernini. If you happen to arrive in Rome in spring as we did, you’ll find the Steps decorated with pink azaleas—like Trevi Fountain, they’re recently restored. Climbing the 135 steps is another Roman tradition, so get hoofing it for views at the top!
View of the Spanish Steps, Piazza di Spagna, Roma, Italy.
Roses on the Fontana della Barcaccia, Piazza di Spagna, Roma, Italy.
Lunch: Prosciutto e Melone + Pasta
Given some logistical issues (bag swap to another hotel), we eventually found our way to Edoardo II for lunch, conveniently located near our next stop, the Capitoline Museums. If you plan to follow our lead and head there for lunch, you may want to reverse the order of sites above (head to the Spanish Steps first, then Trevi Fountain) to avoid walking a giant loop; alternatively, you could take transit like we did.
Outdoor seating at Edoardo II, Vicolo Margana, 14, Roma, Italy.
I can't speak to the interior decor, but the outdoor patio was a welcome respite after the morning’s crowds. Vicolo Margana is a sleepy side street, and the big, canvas umbrellas at Edoardo II add to the effect. For an antipasto (starter), I choose a highlight from our first trip scoured from a bygone Lonely Planet and common to Italian menus: prosciutto e melone (prosciutto with melon). It’s quintessential Italian eating: simple and delicious. Typically the prosciutto is served wrapped around the melon (sometimes with gorgonzola in the middle), but here it was deconstructed. Nice and light, you’ll be ready for the next course.
Prosciutto e melone (prosciutto and melon) at Edoardo II, Vicolo Margana, 14, Roma, Italy.
For a primo (first course, and don’t worry, you can order one as a main), I had trofie radicchio e gorgonzola, or trofie with radicchio and gorgonzola. When travelling I always gravitate towards stuff I can’t get at home, and trofie (a short, hand-rolled pasta from Northern Italy) hit the mark. Sumptuously rich, the dish kept me full through an afternoon of touring.
Trofie Radicchio e Gorgonzola (trofie with radicchio and gorgonzola) at Edoardo II, Vicolo Margana, 14, Roma, Italy.
Afternoon: Capitoline Museums + The Pantheon
The left foot of the Colossus of Constantine, located in the Palazzo dei Conservatori. Capitoline Museums, Piazza del Campidoglio, 1, Roma, Italy.
Get ready to pull up those proverbial boot straps, because the afternoon’s a bit of a slog. (But I promise there’s ice cream at the end!)
Our first stop was the nearby Capitoline Museums, slated as the world’s oldest museum. The location of the museum itself is historic, situated on the Capitolium or Capitoline Hill, which was ancient Rome’s geographic and religious centre. What you see today is the brainchild of Michelangelo Buonarroti (yes, that’s THE Michelangelo), who drew up plans for restoring then lacklustre Palazzo del Senatore and Palazzo dei Conservatori, and building a third Palazzo Nuovo (‘New Palace’) across the piazza. At the piazza’s centre, you’ll find a bronze replica of the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius—the original is in Room 25 of the Palazzo dei Conservatori. Interestingly, the statue is the only fully remaining bronze of a pre-Christian emperor simply because it was misidentified as the Christian Emperor Constantine; others were melted for reuse.
The Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius. Located in the Palazzo dei Conservatori. Capitoline Museums, Piazza del Campidoglio, 1, Roma, Italy.
Immediately upon entering the museum, you’ll find the Courtyard (Cortille), which contains several of the museum’s originally exhibited pieces in their original location: the right arm, head, kneecaps, right hand, left shin, and feet of the Colossus of Constantine. Its bronze body was pillaged in antiquity. The Capitoline Wolf is on display in Room 7 on first floor of the Palazzo dei Conservatori. Noteworthy as the symbol of Rome, it depicts the city’s mythical twin founders Romulus and Remus being suckled by a she-wolf in infancy.
Across the way in the Palazzo Nuovo, you’ll find the Great Hall in Room 6 of the first floor. The impressive room has its original coffered ceiling, and features several black marble statues from antiquity. The Child Hercules stands in the centre of the room, recognizable due to the apple in hand and his lion skin cloak (his first and eleventh labours in Greek mythology). On either side, you’ll find two centaurs from Hadrian’s villa carved by the sculptors Aristeas and Papias of Aphrodisias. One is cheery and young, while the other is pained and elderly, representing the differing stages of life.
The Great Hall of the Palazzo Nuovo. Capitoline Museums, Piazza del Campidoglio, 1, Roma, Italy.
On the same floor, the famed Dying Gaul stands at the centre of Room 8. A Roman copy of a now lost bronze Hellenistic original, the statue is thought to have been commissioned by Attalus I of Pergamon to celebrate his victory over the Galatians or Celts of Anatolia (modern Turkey). The statue’s pathos, showing a fallen soldier drawing his last breath, made it frequently copied (or just used as inspiration) by artists following its rediscovery in the 17th century. Formerly called ‘The Dying Gladiator’, the combatant’s torc (metal necklace) helped correctly identify the subject as Gaulish.
The Dying Gaul, located at the Palazzo Nuovo. Capitoline Museums, Piazza del Campidoglio, 1, Roma, Italy.
The pediment of the Pantheon, Piazza della Rotonda, Roma, Italy.
Next, hop, skip, jump—I don’t care how you get there, just get there (we took transit to save our feet)—to the Pantheon in time for golden hour. It’s one of the few tourist attractions open later in Rome, and you’ll be able to bask in the shade of surrounding buildings next to a cool fountain while watching shadows creep across its pediment. Though the inscription on the front says ‘M. Agrippa’, for Marcus Agrippa, don’t be fooled—it was actually commissioned by the Emperor Hadrian in 126 C.E. on the site of Agrippa’s burnt down temple. Inside, you’ll find a fully operating church in a building initially used to worship either ‘all the gods’ (the meaning of the word Pantheon) or just one: the academic jury’s still out. Perhaps the most spectacular feature of the architectural marvel is its oculus crowning a perfectly domed roof; the ceiling height and inner circular wall both measure 43 meters. To this day its still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.
Interior of the Pantheon, Piazza della Rotonda, Roma Italy.
The coffered domed roof of the Pantheon, Piazza della Rotonda, Roma Italy.
Remember when I promised there’d be ice cream? Well, its happening now in the form of gelato! Just down the street from the Pantheon is GROM (take Via del Pantheon, then Via della Maddalena), an Italian-born gelato chain that’s gone international due to its raging success. Gelato is typically made with milk, versus cream, so expect a lower fat content (read: you can have more!) and big flavour. Its founders were inspired by Turin’s slow food movement, promoting local ingredients and preindustrial food prep. That means in addition to having locally-sourced fruit and nuts, your cone is free of colouring agents, aromas, and emulsifiers. Two scoops, please!
Gelato from GROM, Via della Maddalena, 30a, Roma , Italy.
Supper: Meatballs Pomodoro
After sauntering back to the Fontana del Pantheon dripping copious amounts of gelato, and literally waxing philosophical while watching the sun set slowly over the piazza, it was time to nurse some blisters in the hotel room and before heading out to eat. While I would love to recommend the place that we went to—Cantina Lucifero—I’m not sure that I can! It was/is(?) attached to the popular fondue spot Taverna Lucifero, the latter of which as far as I can tell is still in business and continuing to please. Cantina Lucifero is variously listed as permanently closed, temporarily closed for renovation, or open depending on which online source you consult. Both were/are(?) owned by the same people. Suffice it to say, their polpette al pomodoro (meatballs in tomato sauce) was exactly what I’d hoped for: like nonna made ‘em. The waitress kept the wine flowing and the atmosphere was charming. If you happen to stop by and can shed some light on the mystery, comment below! The fondue spot is consistently well reviewed, with black truffle as a featured ingredient, and some classic Italian dishes thrown in.
Polpette di vitello al pomodoro (veal meatballs in tomato sauce) at Cantina Lucifero, Via del Pellegrino, 53, Roma, Italy. Location closed.
Buon Viaggio!
Stay tuned for Pt. 2 and our Vatican trip planner.
Say hi in the comment box below!
Exterior of the Santa Maria della Concezione, Campo Marzio, Roma, Italy.
Apartments along Via della Maddalena, Roma, Italy.
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