Two Weeks in Italy: Historic Sites, Beaches, and Food – Part 1 Rome
Check out this ideal itinerary for a two week visit to Italy. A perfect combination of historic sites, beaches, family time, fantastic food and new friends. Visit Rome, Positano, and Polignano a Mare.
I conducted a lot of research and took my time planning this trip. After all, I am a researcher. Worth every minute. The execution of my plan was flawless and all the accommodations, transfers, and food exceeded my expectations. Read on to plan your Italian adventure.
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Rome (historic sites; food; walking)
VRBO rental in Trastevere
Many years ago, I had the good fortune to visit Rome for a technical conference. I stayed near the Colosseum, but a conference dinner took place in the Trastevere neighborhood. The cobblestone streets, the colorful buildings, the piazzas, the lively bars, and wonderful food. I fell in love with the area immediately and was determined to make a return trip.
Our Italian adventure began in Rome, an easy non-stop flight from Chicago (Friday afternoon departure and Saturday morning arrival). We have had excellent experiences renting vacation homes through VRBO, so this trip was no exception. I scoured pictures and reviews on the VRBO website for the perfect Trastevere vacation spot. We certainly found it. Our apartment was located at the end of this charming cobblestone alley.
Trastevere means ‘across the river’. This Roman neighborhood is located on the West Bank of the Tiber river. The Trastevere riverside is filled with lovely bars and restaurants. Definitely worth a walk to check it out. From our accommodations, we were able to walk to everything we wanted to see in Rome. Lots of exercise. Therefore, no guilt eating lots of pasta, pizza and gelato. Trastevere was the perfect home base for our visit in the Eternal City.
Roman Food
The food in Rome was amazing. We preferred to do most of our dining in Trastevere and started our days with breakfast and cappuccino at Giselda. A great mix of tourists and locals.
Cacio e Pepe is a local specialty. A co-worker recommended the dish and the restaurant Roma Sparita. Unfortunately, we did not have a reservation and we were not able to get in. Luckily, we did find another restaurant right around the corner. The Cacio e Pepe and wine were delizioso. Missing this simple dish, I searched the internet and found a fantastic recipe at Gimme Some Oven.
Another favorite dining spot was Tonarella. A very busy restaurant, but worth the wait. They really push social media and reviews, so lots of great tips are available. Our meal was delicious and this was a perfect way to spend our last night in Rome. We finished every evening with gelato, which can be found everywhere. I preferred the interesting fruit flavors, while my husband and son enjoyed anything with chocolate.
Our Favorite Roman Sites
Day One
There is so much to see in Rome. I must confess, we are not the ‘book in advance’, walk through a gazillion museums, and check off a tourist checklist type of family. We wanted to hit the Roman highlights, but also wanted to wander the city and get to know it on our terms.
After checking into our accommodations, we headed to Piazza Navona to begin discovering Rome. The Fountain of the Four Rivers is beautiful. Be sure to explore the Piazza and surrounding streets. There are so many interesting shops. Enjoy wine or cappuccino. This is a fantastic place to ‘people watch’.
From Piazza Navona, we headed to the Pantheon, Fontana di Trevi, the Spanish Steps, and Capitoline Hill. WOW! That’s a lot to cover on arrival day. So many interesting things to see and lots of activity prevented any problems with jet-lag.
The Pantheon was a Roman temple, which now serves as a church. It was likely completed in 126 AD. The exterior and interior are beautiful with such ornate detail.
From The Pantheon, we headed to Fontana di Trevi and the Spanish Steps. At the base of the steps there is a wonderful fountain. We visited Rome in early August. It was CRAZY hot , so a drink from the fountain and a quick splash of water on our faces was refreshing.
Day Two
We started Day 2 with breakfast at Giselda and headed to the Sunday Trastevere Flea Market. The market was a bit disappointing, but still fun to walk through. My son bought a leather wallet and I purchased a bracelet and some beads. I enjoy making my own jewelry. The next stop on our itinerary for the day was the Colosseum. As we wandered towards the Colosseum, we stumbled upon what I would say was the highlight of our Roman adventures.
After leaving the market and crossing the Tiber, we walked north on Longotevere Aventino. We discovered another ‘Roman Refreshment Station’, Ripa, and Piazza Fiorenzo Fiorentini.
When you arrive at the top of the hill and reach Piazza Fiorenzo Fiorentini, the view of Rome below is spectacular. The church interior is worth a visit and there is also the famous ‘Mouth of Truth’ (La Bocca della Verità) marble mask. The mask can be found in the portico of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin church at the Piazza della Bocca della Verità. Legend states that if a liar puts their hand inside its mouth, they will lose it. We survived the challenge! The mask is featured in the movie ‘Roman Holiday’ with Audrey Hepburn. One of my old-time favorites.
Our Day Two adventures continued and we found ourselves back at Capitoline Hill where we discovered Piazza Campidoglio. As we continued towards the Colosseum we viewed ancient Roman ruins. On our way back to Trastevere we visited the Altar of the Fatherland (Altare della Patria). It is a tribute to the unification of Italy undertaken by Victor Emmanuel II in the second half of the 19th century and recognized as a national symbol of Italy and hosts important national celebrations.
Day Three
We wrapped up our visit in Rome with a visit to the Vatican and nearby neighborhoods. We did not book an interior tour. Instead, we walked around Vatican City, sent Grandma a postcard and walked towards the adjacent, ancient neighborhood of Borgo.
Here goes….the one regret I have for our trip is that we did not take time to tour the Castel Sant’Angelo. This round castle was built as a mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian. It is now a museum housing a grand collection of paintings, sculpture, military memorabilia and medieval firearms. The castle’s upper floors are filled with Renaissance interiors and frescoes depicting the life of Alexander the Great. There is also a terrace and cafe with views of Rome.
The scenery was breath-taking as we made our way towards Campo Marzio, Piazza del Popolo, the Pincio Terrace and Borghese Gardens. Again, these were unexpected discoveries for us and we recommend that you don’t miss out. Just be careful of the gladiators as you climb towards the Borghese gardens. They are insistent that you take a photo with them and won’t let you leave without payment.
What a wonderful visit in Rome. It passed so quickly. Great memories, but time to travel to Pompeii and on to Positano for the next leg of our Italian travel adventure.
Transer Rome – Pompeii – Positano
I investigated many different travel options for this transfer. An easy approach is to hire a private driver, but I wanted to respect our budget. The transfers I booked were as economical as possible, while allowing us to take advantage of our time in Italy to tour historic sights.
We used the ‘My Taxi’ app to book a ride from our apartment in Trastevere to the beautiful train station in Rome. I purchased tickets a few weeks before we departed from the states. Advance purchase resulted in a free upgrade (assigned seats, complimentary snack and beverage, and storage space for baggage).
We took the fast train from Rome to Naples. The ride was very comfortable and I enjoyed the scenery. Positano Tony Taxi picked us up at the station in Naples and I arranged a 2-hour stop at Pompeii. Three hours would have been ideal, but with the August heat 2-hours was more than enough. I definitely recommend a stop in Pompeii. No wonder this was a resort area for the Romans. Gorgeous!!! It was amazing to see the ruins of beautiful homes, neighborhoods and baths that were built in prior to the 79 AD Mount Vesuvius eruption. On to our accommodations in Positano.
Amalfi Coast – Positano – stair climbing, swimming, kayaking, cliff diving, hiking and more delectable seafood
Click here to read Part 2 of this Italian vacation travel series and learn about our visit in Pompeii and Positano.