Roman Holiday

October 11, 2026

Roman Holiday

Ciao!

After lots of celebrating in Manziana, the next day we packed up, said our goodbyes to the family, and headed towards Rome to close out the trip! Ray and I drove to Roma Termini (train station downtown), making a stop along the way at a gas station where a very friendly gas attendant charged us $50 for half a tank but gave us some free (included) tea. We had some limited city driving but thankfully not too much! (Meanwhile, there was quite an adventure as my mom, dad, and brother attempted to navigate the city as they dropped off their luggage before returning the car!) We then caught an uber to our hotel, Town House Fontana di Trevi. The receptionist was super helpful and gave us the quick spiel of where to go and what to do in Rome, and the hotel's location made that possible - most of the attractions were within a 30 minute walk.

We headed out to grab some lunch, first trying to go to the sandwich shop right by the hotels, then pivoting to La fontana di Venere instead, walking by the Trevi Fountain along the way. Back in 2014, we had visited as a family and it was close to where we were staying. Thankfully they had some room to accommodate us - however, the restaurant was super busy with tour groups! The waiter seemed a bit flustered, but we were eventually able to place our order. Ray and I split a vegetarian pizza, and a couple diavola pizzas were shared.

After lunch, we left for a walking tour of Rome. We went over towards the Spanish Steps, walking along the Via dei Condotti (shopping street with lots of fancy spots including Bottega Venetta flagship store). We hung out in the plaza looking at the steps for a moment before continuing along the Via del Babuino for a bit more shopping and sightseeing.

Eventually, we made it to the Piazza del Popolo (large open plaza with two twin churches). We then took a little break at the hotel after the couple miles of walking.

When it was time to get moving again, we wandered over to Oro Bistrot for our apertitivo reservation! We had seen this spot on Instagram and decided it was worth a try. The views didn't disappoint and we enjoyed hanging out there, and really appreciated how the staff accommodated an ask to move under some umbrellas instead of sitting directly in the sun.

Dinner was at LUCIANO Cucina Italiana - Roma, a restaurant on the Michelin Guide with their Chef Luciano Monosilio who is known as the "King of Carbonara." Chef Luciano was one of the youngest chefs to earn a Michelin star at age 27! We got some wine to share, an artichoke salad, three carbonara dishes, one cacio e pepe, the Roman Style Chicken with Peppers, and a Tiramisu. This was one of my favorite meals of the entire trip!! The carbonara was mouth-watering, the Roman Style Chicken was a surprise star, and I loved how the tiramisu had chunks of dark chocolate inside! We would absolutely recommend this spot for a dinner in Rome - and, if the weather allows, sitting outside on their terrace!

On the way back, we made our way through a few more sites, including Piazza Navona (best at night with its amazing sculptures) and the Pantheon!

The next morning, we got up early and met at the Trevi Fountain so we could all throw our coins in! Trevi really is quite spectacular and I hope the coin does its job!

We had a great breakfast at the Hotel Maalot (where my parents & brother stayed) including a lovely spread of capuccinos, sweet treats and egg dishes. We loved the fun and eclectic lobby with all the modern art as well! Next, we headed out on a walk towards Campo de Fiori for a bit of souvenir shopping. On the way, we passed through Piazza Navona in the daytime (observing some construction workers restoring some domes).

Our big attraction of the day was visiting Castel Sant'Angelo! The Castel was built between 123-135 A.D, beginning as a tomb for Emperor Hadrian, then became a fortress. It's also connected to the Vatican through a fortified passageway called the Passetto di Borgo - and at one point served as a prison of the Papal States. Earlier in the trip we also visited the Orsini-Odescalchi castle in Bracciano; at one point, the Orsini family owned Castel Sant'Angelo too. Pope Urban V in 1367 helped to formalize the Castel's role as a refuge for Popes (acting as a spot for the Popes to escape more than once in its history), as well as using the Castel as the Vatican Treasury. The highlight of the visit was the rooftop with the huge Angel statue and sweeping views over Rome!

We took a little break afterwards at Locanda Coronari close by, then wandered down the Via dei Coronari, a notable shopping street with lots of cute boutiques! After being out and about for a while (and starting early), we decided it was time to take a little break at the hotels.

When we were ready to head back out again, Ray and I met Nick near the hotel for a visit to the Pantheon! I feel fortunate as this was my third visit (!) - see this post from 2023 and this post from 2014. Nonetheless, there is always something new to learn! I had no idea that there is a built-in drainage system - the floor is convex (sloping up from the sides towards the center, the highest point of the circular floor) with 22 drainage holes, two of which are located just below the oculus. It's hard to believe that it is the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world, especially since it was completed around 126 AD during the reign of Emperor Hadrian! I also appreciated their dress code signage that anyone can understand.

We met up with my parents for an aperitivo at their hotel where I had a tasty drink called an "Italian Kiss" (amaretto and vodka with cherry liqueur). We then went over to Emporio Centrale for some shopping where we picked up some pasta cutters, helpful for our family ravioli nights. Next, we wandered to dinner at La Ciambella, a Michelin-starred restaurant that we had been to in 2014. Between the five of us, we split some wine and tried the Cacio e Pepe served "in a napkin," pasta Amatriciana, Pasta Carbonara, and rosemary-smoked amberjack. The meal was overall pretty tasty!