Though I only had two days in Rome, the centuries of history seeped through the walls and my journey. Ancient relics of columns, sculptures and fountains along the streets. Rome was founded in 753 BC; that makes it 2,777 years old. That’s super old.

The first day in Rome, I opted for a golf cart tour (affiliate link) to show me the main sights through the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, the Pantheon, the sprawling park of Villa Borghese, and the Colosseum. I found myself drawn to the Roman Mythology, the ancient history of Rome, and the immense wealth of the Medici and Borghese families.

Me every 5 minutes doing anything in Rome: “WHEN IN ROME”

Visiting The Vatican City & Sistine Chapel

The next day, I toured the Vatican with a guide and a small group. As someone raised on the Old Testament, it was certainly an educational and eye opening experience to witness the vast history and riches of the Roman Catholic Church. So many sculptures, artworks, and incredible ceilings.

Tips for visiting Vatican City

• Book a tour, seriously. Viator has tons of Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica tours (affiliate link).
• Go early. It will be CROWDED.
• Do not expect to see everything, just the highlights. It’s huge. There’s so much to see.
• Prepare to be exhausted after. Do not plan to do anything else the rest of the day.
• You don’t need to be religious to enjoy the art or history.

St. Peter’s Basilica took my breath away. It was incredibly ornate and decorated with mosaics, gold, and a lot of sculptures. I’ve never seen anything like it. Here’s a few images from inside St. Peter’s.

The Trevi Fountain was fine

If you must go, by all means. Go. Enjoy it. Take some photos. Push yourself to the front of the crowd for a photo. I hear it’s best to go in the evening. Alas, that’s not when I happened to stumble upon the Trevi Fountain. It’s walking distance from the Spanish Steps, where my golf cart tour ended. And that’s how I ended up at the Trevi Fountain at 1pm, the busiest part of the day, packed with people. I did not throw a coin in the fountain because the crowd made me too nervous to push through (and because I did not have any coins).

Saw the Pantheon

Related: I hope I’ll return to Rome because I need to see inside the Pantheon. Seeing the outside of Pantheon was a sight to see, a very crowded one as well. I did not have time to go inside (a shame), but to enjoy it from outside was still a pleasure. The Pantheon is an ancient second century Roman temple… yes, second century. My favorite part was the portico with large granite columns that they got from Egypt. You can book a tour inside online, or you can admire it from afar. There’s a little cafe across the plaza from it that served overpriced Aperol Spritz.

What to eat in Rome

One thing I love about travel is exploring culture without food. Every region in Italy (and most places in the world) has certain culinary specialities. There is so much to learn about the history of a place based on the food they eat; a reflection of the geography, the climate, and the politics. You’ve gotta try as much pasta, pizza, and artichokes as you can.

Carbonara and Amatriciana pasta at Trattoria Da Enzo al 29 @daenzoal29

Restaurants I ate at and liked in Rome

• Pizzeria Alle Carrette in Monti
• All’Antico Vinaio Sandwiches (various locations, prepare to wait in a line)
• Trattoria da Enzo al 29 in Trastevere
• La Licata in Monti (a stone’s throw from the Colosseum)

I really loved Rome and I’d love to return. It felt really unique to wander through ancient ruins and old cobblestone streets, plus I loved the food. You might like it too.