When we started planning our trip to Italy, deciding where to start our trip was a no-brainer: Rome! Aside from being the capital of Italy, Rome (in my opinion) is the heart of Italy. We could have easily spent the full two weeks of our trip in Rome and would still not have seen everything this city has to offer. As I mentioned in this post, our trip got off to a rocky start with airline delays that meant cutting our time in Rome to only a day and a half. So we changed our plans around in order to make the most of a day in Rome.

We were on a direct flight from Dallas to Rome that landed early in the morning. We went straight from the airport to Otium Hotel to drop off our bags. The hotel was so wonderful! Originally we had made reservations for a hotel located nearer to the Spanish Steps but they were not very accommodating with our flight delays. I found Otium Hotel the morning of our flight and booked it based on the more central location. With only a day in Rome we wanted to be able to walk to as many areas as possible.

We arrived at the hotel several hours before our room would be available so they offered us a cappuccino to get us ready for the day. I mention this because it was one of the best cappuccino I had during the trip! We asked the staff for their recommendations of what to see with just a day in Rome. They suggested starting the day with an easy walking route that would take us from the hotel to the Forum and end at the Colosseum.

From the Colosseum it was an easy distance to the Trevi Fountain where they mentioned a close-by restaurant, L’Archetto, that had more spaghetti options than you could dream of! After walking for a while and the jet lag really starting to hit us, the quiet ambiance in L’Archetto was perfect. I had a delicious bowl of the Cacio e Pepe while sipping a glass of the house wine. When in Rome!

After lunch we were able to check-in to our hotel and rest for a little. We wanted to be up in time for an apertivo at the roof top bar in the hotel. The terrace had the most amazing views of the city which was one of the reasons we chose to stay at Otium Hotel. Watching the sunset over the city of Rome was magical!

After sunset we headed off to dinner at La Carbonara. This ended up being one of our favorite meals of our entire trip! The restaurant is located in a small piazza and has such a romantic feel. The staff was very welcoming and the pasta carbonara was one of the best! And trust me when I say, I am expert in carbonara.

The next morning we woke up early to be able to see a little more of Rome before catching our train to Florence. We walked from our hotel to the Spanish Steps, which are always less crowded early in the morning. The view of the city from the top of the steps is one of my favorites.

Another view that is worth mentioning is from the Terrazza del Pincio. It is located on the edge of the Borghese Gardens which was also on our list to see. The gardens are peaceful but not overwhelming. We did find a cute place to stop for breakfast that gave me a little Parisian vibe. The Clock Casina is nestled in the trees in Borghese Park and is a great place to stop for a little pick-me-up!

After breakfast it was time to head back to the hotel for an early check-out just in time to catch our train. It was a quick day in Rome but such a great start to our trip! I’ll be sharing more of our trip over the next couple of weeks. Up next… Florence! xo Bryn