A Rocky Rocket Fuel Start

We woke up in the buzzing metropolis of Rome! It took a little while to fall asleep the night before thanks to the chanting of the Jubilee of Youth pilgrimage makers (more on that tomorrow), but once I did, I had a great sleep – despite ignoring the hotel’s rather creative pillow menu. One of the options was cherry stones, so… no thank you.

We had a quick breakfast at the hotel, which was a shame because the à la carte menu looked incredible (we’ll definitely try it on our last morning). But Craig did manage to get us each a glass of what we later learned was their “rocket fuel.” Luckily, Craig took the first swig – his face said it all. I had a tiny sip and nearly combusted. It was thin, savoury, spicy, and… apparently contained garlic, tomato, and onion. The waiter later laughed and confirmed it’s meant to be taken as a shot, not in the giant tumblers we’d poured it into. Oops.

Gladiators and Sponge Sticks

We caught a taxi to meet our tour group for the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. A quick note on Roman taxis: some drivers will try to pull a fast one, especially if you’re paying cash. One driver gave me far too little change just by sneakily giving me a lot of small coins and then leaving, but if use a card and you tip them just a couple of euro willingly, they’re usually very appreciative. If you can, use the IT Taxi app to avoid the nonsense.

At the tour office, things were a bit chaotic – lots of scanning tickets, ID checks (the Colosseum is strict), and rearranging of groups. While waiting, we chatted to a lovely elderly lady from Oregon, and eventually got sorted. Our guide was fantastic – he wove facts into stories, made us laugh, and knew just where to stop for the best photos. He made the place feel alive.

A Few Fun (and Gross) Facts:

• The word “arena” comes from harena, the Latin word for sand, which was used to soak up blood during battles. Over time, it came to mean the whole performance space.

• The Colosseum had a public toilet (unusual) – the Romans cleaned themselves afterwards with a communal sponge on a stick, rinsed and reused 🤢

• After the Roman Empire fell, the Church consecrated the Colosseum due to the number of Christian martyrs believed to have died there. It was later reclaimed as a national monument when Italy unified.

The whole Crown Tours experience was great- we skipped all the lines and had plenty of time to explore. Highly recommend!

Altare della Patria & Hotel Pit Stop

After finishing at the Forum, we walked to the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland), also known as the Vittoriano – a huge white marble building dedicated to Italy’s first king. It’s dramatic, imposing, and topped with winged chariots you can spot from all over the city. Very well guarded.

Then it was time for a quick hotel stop to freshen up before heading back out.

Panic Tee at the Pantheon

Our next stop was the Pantheon. We grabbed lunch nearby while waiting for our skip-the-line entry. That’s when I realised I’d forgotten to bring a cardi to cover my shoulders (oops), and the hawkers that used to sell scarves outside have vanished. We dashed into a shop called Replay, where I ended up panic buying a t-shirt – which, thankfully, I actually quite like.

The audio guide situation was, once again, a bust. Just like with the Boboli Gardens, the instructions didn’t work, and even downloading the Pantheon’s official app turned into a slow, signal-less mess. In the end, we gave up and just wandered around, reading the signs and taking it all in. Honestly, we both preferred the outside of the building – it’s beautiful and impressive, but the inside wasn’t quite what we’d expected.

Searing Heat & Sports Cars

On the way back to the hotel, we detoured through Piazza Navona, which looked stunning even in the blazing afternoon heat – though the combination of cobblestones and high temps was no joke. It was still worth the stop for the fountains and energy of the square.

As we wandered the final few blocks back, we noticed a man in a Ferrari attempting to edge out of a ridiculously tight parking spot. It was the most hilarious back-and-forth operation I’ve seen – he had about 2 inches of wiggle room in either direction and had clearly bumped the smart car in front, which was flashing its lights. So good.

Shopping, Limoncello & Cacio e Pepe (Again)

Our hotel is on Rome’s main shopping street, so we did a bit of retail therapy – picked up a few things for Jessie, and I found an outfit to wear to WOW in September (can’t wait!).

We had dinner at a sweet little restaurant lit up with fairy lights, and fun waiters. I had cacio e pepe again, because when in Rome… And the waiter must’ve liked us because he brought over a second round of limoncello on the house. Saluti!

Vatican Bound

Tomorrow is an even earlier start—we’re heading to Vatican City! Can’t wait to explore somewhere so iconic and unlike anywhere else in the world.

Ciao for now!

💛 Laus