ROMA

Our trip to Italy was amazing, and we are so grateful we had the opportunity to go. We fell head over heels in love with this country and while there, we wanted to soak up as much Italy as we possibly could in just two weeks. We saw so much, walked until our feet felt numb, fell in love with city after city, and ate until we thought we might get sick - seriously, Italians know how to eat and feed you well.

The first and last place we went was Rome as we flew in and out of there. After arriving in Rome, taking the Leonardo Express train to Roma Termini, then a taxi to our hotel, getting checked in to our hotel (in Italian time which I will tell you more about later), and forcing ourselves not to crash and get used to the time change, we went out to see some sights. We walked down to the Colosseum, passing gorgeous and centuries old churches and Roman ruins and the Forum along the way.

Roman Forum across the street

The Colosseum

The arch above was built by Emperor Constantine when he legalized Christianity in 312 A.D. 

This day we didn't go inside the Colosseum as planed since it was already closed, so we ended the night by wandering around and getting some gelato for dinner - ha! The next morning the rain was pounding down outside our open window. We had plans to get up and go early, but our bodies were screaming at us for some kind of time zone identification. Our bodies won and the Colosseum tour (as planned) got pushed back. Around 11, we packed up, grabbed a bite to eat, and were on our way back to Roma Termini, this time on foot with luggage in tow. Our destination: Venezia!

When we returned to Rome to end our Italian adventure, we had a busy schedule planned. Arriving Wednesday afternoon, we saw the Pantheon (well preserved and magnificent temple with its striking dome), the Spanish Steps (street performers and mass crowds included), the Trevi fountain (also mass crowds but gorgeous and just like I pictured it), ate dinner around the corner from the Trevi, and then went back to see it lit up at night while eating gelato (which I did everyday and sometimes more than once :). 

Pantheon

 Here's a video inside the Pantheon:

Spanish Steps

John Keats died in that light pink house in the middle there and Lord Byron lived down the street - I know you are as intrigued as me. ;)

Trevi Fountain

The last two days in Rome were jam packed with sights to see, things to do, and A LOT of walking to be done. So much so, that those days will have to go into another post (or two). 

Check back tomorrow for a Roma 2 post!