Roaming Around

We had lunch at a restaurant called La Taverna dei Monti which is known as a favorite by locals in Monti and for its old-fashioned Roman cuisine. It is located on one of the side streets adjacent to Via Nazionale, and is run by an sweet old Italian man who provides great service to his customers. We ordered a margarita pizza, salad, and a salmon dish (had to take a break from the pasta for a day). Everything, including the salmon, was fresh and delicious!

After lunch, we booked a tour bus through our hotel's concierge. I know, tour buses may seem touristy and unappealing, but in all honesty it is a smart way to get around while traveling to a big city, and even though we had already visited a few of the landmarks on the tour, the tour provided us with further explanation of the significance of each site, which I found to be really interesting. Another pro to booking a tour on one of these hop-on hop-off buses is that you get an opportunity to see neighborhoods you might not otherwise have visited. This allows you to get an idea of sites and areas you feel require further exploration, and areas you feel aren't worth your travel time. The bus also provides great views for photo ops throughout the ride!

Bus Stops

1. Termini Station

2. Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

3. Colosseo

4. Circo Massimo

5. Piazza Venezia

6. Vaticano

7. Fontana Di Trevi

8. Piazza di Spagna

9. Piazza Barberini

Later in the day, we traveled to different hotel rooftops to get views of the city. We went for dinner near the Trevi Fountain where I had pesto pasta and Jocelyn had fettuccine with a cream sauce, we also shared some focaccia bread that was seasoned with sea salt and rosemary. Afterwards, we sat on our spot on stairs across from the Trevi and watched the sun set on the fountain. 

Some tips regarding tour buses & more

1. Book your tickets through your hotel

2. After certain times the tickets are cheaper, ask your concierge about this before booking

3. Go on a tour on one of the first days of your trip. This way you can get an overview of the entire city, and plan your trip around which sites stood out to you the most.
4. Be cautious when eating at restaurants surrounding the major tourist sites, many will be overpriced and unauthentic
5. If the restaurant serves spaghetti and meatballs, it isn't authentic (this is an American dish, the Italian alternative is spaghetti with meat or bolognese sauce)

Views of the Eternal City

The Colosseum!!