Ritorno Al Passato

On our first day in Rome, we headed to the Pantheon and enjoyed lunch in the the piazza there. While we knew we would pay more because of the location of the restaurant, we decided the "You Only Live Once" philosophy was the best plan for our trip.

So, we chose Ritorno Al Passato, which had plenty of outdoor seating with great views of the piazza and the Pantheon. We were seated at a table for four, where both of us could sit facing the piazza and have views of the Pantheon.

We ordered a bowl of the tortellini soup and the prosciutto pizza. The pizza was perfect sized for one person and had just the right amount of cheese, sauce and prosciutto on it. The soup was served piping hot, perfect for a cool November day in Rome, and loaded down with delicious tortellini and a wonderful chicken broth with tomatoes.

We also enjoyed a glass of wine and enjoyed watching the hustle and bustle in the piazza.

Ciao Di Statuto Marco Sas

About 3 blocks down Borgo Pio from the walls of Vatican City is a lovely, warm restaurant that is a great option for dinner after a day of touring the Vatican. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating and a friendly wait staff.

We ordered the sausage with potatoes and the gnocchi with meat sauce. The sausage patties were delicious, with nice grill marks and a smokey flavor. The potatoes were soft and well seasoned, the perfect accompaniment to the sausage.

The gnocchi was light and fluffy and the sauce rich with ground beef and sprinkled with cheese.

Bar Tavola Calda

We stopped here for dessert more for the view than anything. It's not everyday you get to have tiramisu with the Colosseum in front of you.

We ordered tiramisu, espresso ("coffee") and a cappuccino and sat at one of the tables along the street. The tables are situated that they face the Colosseum.

Our waiter was very friendly and understood when we sat side by side at the table rather than across from one another. The tiramisu was also very good. It was the Italian style - a pudding style tiramisu with a layer of soaked cake on the bottom. The coffees were also made well.

This was a nice place to have a sweet treat.

Pastarito

Pastarito, a small chain with locations in Italy and throughout Europe, was a perfect stop for us on a rainy day in Rome. We ordered the bufala pizza - made with buffalo mozzarella and cherry tomatoes; and the build your own pasta bowl, and chose the proscuitto tortellini with vodka sauce.

Both were good and the pasta was a huge portion - we could have simply split that dish among the two of us. The pasta was made for sharing, it came out in a bowl with a serving spoon and our waiter brought us two small plates.

The pizza was also a decent size and the cherry tomatoes added a nice pop and zing to a relatively safe choice.

La Bottega Del Caffe

This restaurant, located in a small piazza near the Cavour metro stop, was always very busy at night. The restaurant was always full and at night they opened up a take out bar next door, and most patrons took their drinks into the piazza to socialize. To us, that sounded like a good thing, so we tried this for dinner one night. As always, they were busy and did not have a table outside available, but they did have tables indoors, so we were able to be seated inside immediately.

We ordered the caprese salad and a pasta dish so unimpressive I don't even remember what it was. The caprese was delicious - the tomatoes fresh and crisp and the mozzarella was incredibly fresh, you could see and taste it. The pasta, however, was under cooked and the sauce unimpressive.

I would recommend this spot for a drink and a quick bite - the caprese is good - but not for a meal. If you can get a table outside, it is a beautiful square and a lovely spot to enjoy a glass of wine in the evening.

Ristorante Gli Angeletti

This restaurant was right around the corner from Hotel Duca d'Alba, the hotel we were staying at. A couple of nights we came back to the hotel to find the outdoor seating area crowded and stopped to look at the menu. Our last night in Rome, we decided to eat here for dinner.

We ordered the classic lasagna, and the spaghetti with pecorino and pepper. We also ordered a liter of the house white wine, which was mildly sweet and bubbly.

The lasagna was delicious. Meaty and cheesy, without feeling heavy the way American lasagna feels in your stomach. It was a nice sized portion and perfect for sharing between two people. We also shared the pecorino and pepper dish, which was perfectly cooked; fresh pasta - a thicker spaghetti - which was tossed in cheese and pepper, then topped with shaved cheese. Again, perfect. The combination of the hard cheese and the al dente noodles was a perfect match. And the pasta was definitely fresh, not dried or pre-packaged.

The staff we interacted with during our visit were friendly. We would recommend this to travelers and locals alike.

The restaurant is about a 2 minute walk off the Cavour metro stop.

Mouth of Truth

The "Mouth of Truth", a marble carving of a man-like face at Santa Maria in Cosmedin was made popular in the movie Roman Holiday. The face and the church are both free to enter, however, a very long line forms to take photos with the Mouth of Truth. Even in the off season, we waited approximately 30 minutes to see the statue, and there was a guard monitoring guests so they would keep their photographs to a minimum (to keep the line moving).

Pantheon

Built over 2,000 years ago, the Pantheon has a rich history. It was originally built as a place to worship multiple Gods, but has seen itself converted into a Christian church and then into a memorial chapel over the centuries.

It is free to enter and you can even see the tomb of Raphael inside. The inside is spectacular and the view of it from the plaza outside is breathtaking. When in Rome, this is definitely a top place to visit.

Cripta Capuccini

The Cripta Capuccini is probably the most unique place we visited in Rome. While the top floor is a museum that goes through the history of the church and monastery that is also on site, the basement is the reason to visit, and something you will never forget.

There, you'll find rooms that are ritualistically decorated with human skeletons (not fake, but real ones) as a way to bury the dead. It is very artistic, but creepy at the same time. Pictures are not allowed inside, but we can safely say that a picture wouldn't do this place justice.

Viator's Vatican City Tour

For our visit to Vatican City, we decided to go on a tour with Viator on their "Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Walking Tour including Sistine Chapel, Raphael's Rooms and St Peter's" tour. This allows visitors to skip the gigantic line that can form in the high season.

Our tour guide was very friendly and spoke excellent English. He was very informative throughout the tour, told interesting stories, some fun jokes, pointed out some interesting things about the paintings and buildings -- overall it was worth it to pay for his guidance during our visit.

When in Rome, a visit to Vatican City is a must. During the high season, a tour like this definitely is worth it. If you're visiting during the off season, it isn't as necessary as there isn't a long line to enter, but it's still something enjoyable and educational.

St. Peter's Basilica Dome Tour

While visiting St. Peter's Basilica is an excellent experience, going on the dome tour makes it ten times better. Yes, it costs some money (7 Euros) and you'll need to climb over 300 steps. However, the view at the top inside the basilica, as well as outside the basilica is well worth it. You'll get a great view of Vatican City and Rome from this vantage point that you can't get anywhere else.

Be aware, if you have health issues climbing stairs though, this is not something to do.

Capitoline Museums

The Capitoline Museums are an excellent collection of artwork in the center of Rome. If you're a fan of artwork, especially sculptures, this is the place to visit in Rome.

The collection includes a number of famous works, including the She Wolf sculpture, which is the symbol of Rome; as well as the bust of Medusa, to name a few. Definitely take some time to walk through this museum and enjoy the works.

In addition, in the Tabularium portion, you get an amazing view of the Forum Ruins that you won't find anywhere else, which in itself makes it very worthwhile. The Tabularium is a portion of the ruins that you can only access from the museums, and you get to stand in a portion of Caesar-era building. From the Tabularium, you get beautiful, sweeping views of the ruins in front of you.

Victor Emmanuel Monument

Also known as the "Wedding Cake" because of its shape, the Victor Emmanuel Monument is grandiose in the center of Rome. The building itself is quite a sight to see from the outside. However, the highlight is taking the glass elevator for 7 Euros (per person) in the back  of the building to the top. This offers excellent views over all of Rome, including the Forum Ruins and Colosseum in the back. Definitely plan to make a visit here during your trip to Rome.

Basilica San Clemente

The highlight of the Basilica San Clemente isn't the present day church itself, but what it was built on top of. A first century pagan temple is in the basement of the church, as is part of a 4th century church. It is fascinating to see the evolution of this location and what it was like 2,000 years ago.

The spaces down in the basement can be a bit tight, so be aware of this on crowded days.

Colosseum & Forum Ruins

Not much really needs to be said about the Colosseum and the Forum Ruins. Their history and stories are legendary and they are must visit places when in Rome. A ticket for one includes the other, which is convenient.

However, be aware the line to get tickets can get extremely long, even in the off season. We highly recommend getting tickets online prior to coming to expedite the process. We were able to purchase the tickets on our phone while waiting in the line for the Colosseum.

There are signs in the in the queue with a QR code that takes you to the ticket website, however, you are charged a nominal fee for the convenience. That said, the extra couple of Euros was OK with us to not have to stand in the very, very long line. Tickets can be bought in advance and printed at home as well so you're not fumbling on your cell phone while in line.

Rome Shuttle Limousine

When going from the airport to your hotel in Rome (and back), you really have three options. The first and cheapest is the train. For some, this may be best, but it can be a pain if you have a lot of luggage. The second is a taxi, which surprisingly is probably the most expensive. The third is to hire a private shuttle service. We did this through Rome Shuttle Limousine, which was actually cheaper than a taxi.

When arriving at the airport in Rome and passing through customs, our driver was waiting there with a sign with our name on it. Our flight was late arriving by two hours and I sent an e-mail to the company before we arrived to let them know this. Even with this, the driver was waiting for us with no issues. In addition, when we had to go back to the airport, the driver was at our hotel at the exact scheduled time.

Both drivers we had were courteous and the cars were clean and comfortable. Credit cards were accepted for payment after the journeys were completed.

When visiting Rome, this is the only way we'd travel to and from the airport.

Hotel Duca D'Alba

There are a ton of hotel choices in Rome. We found Hotel Duca D'Alba to be an excellent choice for our needs. The room we received was very spacious for European standards and came with a King sized bed. It also had a nice balcony to relax with some wine. The room was very clean when we arrived and housekeeping did a good job daily of keeping it clean.

The breakfast served each morning was very good and included coffees, pastries, roasted tomatoes, scrambled eggs, yogurts and other traditional European breakfast options. The servers we interacted with were very friendly and quick to provide cappuccinos and coffees when requested. The front desk staff was also very friendly. One thing that we found a bit odd was we needed to turn in our key card to our room each time we left and pick it up upon our return. We've never had to do this anywhere else in Italy.

The wi-fi in the room was a bit slow, but it was manageable to use. There was a separate wi-fi connection for the hotel's third and fourth floors versus the ground floor and first and second floor.

The hotel's location is excellent for walking to the Colosseum and Forum Ruins, as well as most places in Rome. There is also a metro stop (Cavour) that is less than a 2 minute walk from the hotel. There are also a number of restaurants and bars in the near vicinity that were good choices for a drink or dinner.

We'd definitely choose to stay at this hotel again if staying in Rome.

Antica Bottega del Vino

I had searched for recommendations for restaurants while we were in Italy. The one that kept repeating, on New York Times, in Frommers, in DK Eyewitness books, Trip Advisor...everywhere was Antica Bottega del Vino in Verona.

And, apparently, I wasn't the only one who found out about this lovely restaurant, tucked just off the main drag in Verona. The first night we stopped by this restaurant for dinner, every table was full! The next two nights (Sunday and Monday) the restaurant was closed. When we did finally get to eat dinner here, we got here shortly after they opened, and still had to sit by the bar as all the tables were reserved for dinner. (They were telling people it was a 45 minute wait for a table!)

Sitting in the bar area wasn't a problem - we actually enjoyed it. Locals hang out here drinking wine and just talking. Also, you can watch the chef make appetizers and tapas, which I found fascinating.

We ordered the specials - pumpkin ravioli and noodles with duck sauce. Both were excellent and cooked perfectly. If you ask for the wine list, you're going to be handed a menu the size of a book! Order a local wine (clearly). We tried a wine from Soave (also the name of the wine) which was delicious.

Casa di Guiletta

The city of Verona has made itself a tourist destination around Shakespeare enthusiasts, as well as lovers.

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

Flocks of tourists making the pilgrimage to Verona to honor Juliet, stand on her balcony, write love letters to her, and walk through her family home.

You can enter the home, where it is sparsely decorated in items of the period, as well as a few women's dresses of the period.

Not your forte? Too many tourists? Head over to Tomba dei Guiletta, where the town has the church where Romeo and Juliet are said to have held their secret wedding ceremony, as well as the tomb that Juliet laid in.

Castel Di Bounconsiglio

In the middle of downtown Trent is a castle. While it stands out among the clay topped homes and businesses, it definitely adds character to the town, and a lot of history.

The castle is the location the Council of Trent was held (whoa, flash back from history class, huh). It is also the most beautiful castle we toured while in Italy. Unlike many of the other castles, which were built at the top of mountains for military benefits and therefore very sparse and militaristic, Castel Di Bounconsiglio was beautifully decorated and clearly was a residence for someone of much wealth in the Austrian-Italian border area.

While many of the rooms have been turned into art gallery rooms and a story of items used during the time the castle was is use, we found the castle itself much more interesting.

Follow along the route on the guide map. While the map doesn't tell you what to expect in each room, it does give you information on the castle itself.

We were disappointed that this castle, while very interesting with its galleries, didn't talk about the Council of Trent at all.

That said, it is still very much worth the visit, especially if you have visited other castles, because this one is very different.