We started our trip to Italy in Rome as we knew it would be filled with activities and sights to jolt us out of our jet lag. Our first two days were spent doing nothing but exploring on our own. It was, oddly enough, Easter in Rome and we weren’t exactly sure what would be open in this predominantly Catholic city. To our delight, besides the Vatican, it seemed to be business as usual those first few days. I do think the city was probably a bit more crowded than usual for early spring but that was only a minor inconvenience.
Once the Vatican reopened, we were excited for our tour of this historic space. Our one big splurge for the trip was opting to do a private tour — mostly for our own piece of mind! The idea of having our child disrupt a 3-5 hour event for 30 other folks just wasn’t our jam, so doing it on our own ensured we could relax a little bit. He was still a little hellion by the end — I mean, he’s 18 months old and you can’t expect him to last that long! — but snacks were crucial. One of the perks of doing a private tour was that we got visit some sites that are normally off limits to large groups. My favorite, by far, was the Bramante Staircase.
The next day I got up early for sunrise! I debated for a long time of whether to catch it at the Colosseum or the Roman Forum and eventually opted for the latter which I think was a good choice. Light clouds were working in my favor that morning and by the time I made it over to the Colosseum, the light was still just perfect. Touring the Colosseum was one of the highlights of Rome for me — our guide was informative but interesting and you can’t help but be in awe of this place you’ve seen so many times on screen and in photos. It’s truly stunning in real life.
Staying in Rome with a toddler pretty much demanded space, and we knew we’d be hard pressed to find that at any traditional hotel. Instead, we opted for an Airbnb downtown that was nothing short of perfect. Two rooms, two bathrooms, a KITCHEN and living room? Exactly what we needed!
Don’t miss Positano & Tuscany — coming soon!
add a comment
+ COMMENTS