We are certainly biased about Rome, but how could we not be? Way back in 2005, we spent four months of our lives attending “university” there, but in reality we were really discovering one of the greatest cities in the world. That is not an understatement. There are good reasons why the line to enter the Vatican stretches along its walls for hours or why trying to get a clear picture in front of the Trevi Fountain is a chess game of timing and luck. There may not be another city that boasts so much incredible history accompanied by so many prolific sights that can be seen over the course of a few days. As is the case in most cities, there are some overrated tourist spots that can disappoint. Have you been to the Spanish Steps? I mean, it’s really a large stair case, yay! But overall, there may not be a better city to spend a few days walking, eating and drinking. We absolutely love perusing through Campo de’ Fiori, Piazza Navona, Villa Borghese, St. Peter’s Square, Trastevere, the list goes on and on.  When your day involves a cappuccino and croissant for breakfast, maybe a stop at the 2000 year old Pantheon, followed by either a sausage and mushroom pizza or pork (porchetta) panini for lunch and Segway ride around Villa Borghese (gardens), toss in some fresh truffle pasta for dinner and an evening gelato run, how can you go wrong?

We spent six days in Rome, four with Leah and Lukas and tried to be the best tour guides we could be to them while surely sounding like old timers at every turn by saying “when we were going to school here we …”. We parked ourselves in one of our favorite places in Rome, just over Ponte Sisto (bridge) from Trastevere and a couple of blocks from Campo de’ Fiori. While our apartment was better suited for a single Italian bachelor attempting to bring the nightclub experience inside his own apartment (blue neon lights, really?), we made do. We spent the following days eating like WW III was about to break out. Rationing be damned, it was time to store up some calories for the long winter ahead. Is that a Salumeria on the corner? Time to load up on prosciutto, salami, breasola, mortadella, fresh mozzarella, crusty bread and some marinated veggies. Pass a gelato shop, two scoops please. Truffle pasta, carbonara, mussels and clam linguine and so on.  Check out www.3mealsout.wordpress.com for some pics.

We had plenty of time in Rome to visit many of our old stomping grounds, while still having time to find a few surprises along the way. We hit up our old university, John Cabot, where they’ve expanded and acquired a new and much larger campus nearby. We also made some stops at our favorite pasta and pizza joints, the local Irish pub where we spent most of our collegiate evenings drinking overpriced beers (I can’t believe we used to pay 6 euros for a beer) and visited some of our favorite sights. We jumped on a free walking tour of Rome that while crowded, was extremely educational and recommended.

Based on these experiences, we have five FREE can’t misses when in Rome. While some are obvious, others are truly a hidden gem.  1) The Pantheon – an incredible feat of engineering in its day that still makes you wonder. Hop on a guided tour or download Rick Steve’s app for more detailed information. It’s well worth it. 2) Chiesa di Sant’ Ignazio – Interior frescoes as impressive as St. Peter’s but with a twist (literally). Even better, no lines to wait in. 3) Villa Borghese – Rent a bike, golf cart, Segway, or just walk through Rome’s largest park. 4) Piazza Navona – Grab a drink and people watch in one of Bernini’s most influenced areas. 5) Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere with its uneven columns and golden ceiling. That should keep you busy for a while.

We spent one of our last days visiting Andy’s cousins in Latina (just outside of Rome) and enjoyed the beaches of Nettuno. You know you are in Rome when the beach side cafe serves linguine with mussels and prosciutto and melon for lunch. It was fantastic catching up with our Italian cousins, especially now that they have some babies of their own. I wish we all lived closer, but it’s a great experience every time we get together.

As expected, Rome did not disappoint. But after three weeks in Italy, we were ready to move on from the copious amounts of pasta and the detrimental house wine hangovers. It’s time for German beers and curry wurst in Berlin!