After 10 days in Rome, we reflected on what we loved in the city. I can see why it is one of the top cities to visit in the world. Here is our list of top things to do and eat in Rome!
Our recommendations are sometimes skewed toward family travel but many places or food spots can be enjoyed by anyone.Table of Contents
Best Restaurant (and pizza) in Rome: Tonnarello
Tonnarello was hands-down the best meal we had in Rome. It boasts 4.8 stars on Google with 3,500 reviews so we aren’t alone. We ordered spaghetti and meatballs and Pinse, a oblong pizza leavened for 48 hours with four different BIO flours and extra virgin olive oil (Leggera e Saporita). The Pinse was next level and we’ve had tons of different pizzas in our lives. I would put it in the top 5 pizzas I’ve had in my life. Their Tiramisu espresso “Tonnarello” was also the best we had in Rome. The price was very good for the standard of food as well!
Best Neighborhood in Rome: Trastevere
Tonnarello is located in Trastevere, so you can hit two birds with one stone 🙂 Many friends and followers recommended this neighborhood and it did not disappoint. It feels like a small Italian town inside of Rome. Narrow alleyways, small piazzas and quaint restaurants spilling out onto the roads.
Get directions to Trastevere Neighborhood in Rome
Most Unusual Tourist Site: Capuchin Crypt
I wrote about our visit on another blog post. It was by far one of the most unusual things I’ve seen in my life. The Capuchin crypt houses thousands of human bones arranged in decorative and symbolic ways. I wouldn’t recommend this for families with young kids.
Get directions to Capuchin Crypt in Rome
Best “Traditional” Tourist site: The Vatican Museum
We weren’t planning on visiting the Vatican with kids, but then we were invited by a priest-in-training to the Vatican (thanks Fernando!). Visit one of the most beautiful museums art-wise and architecture-wise in the world—and hit another country to boot! We knew it would be a long outing with our kids (4-9 years old). It took us about 2 hours to make it through Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel briskly. The good thing is many areas are big open spaces even inside. Our kids loved the hall of busts and carved marble. By the end, our kids were tired and ready for some gelato recovery eating 😉 Luckily our friend brought us to the best gelato we had in Rome (just outside of the Vatican walls).
Best Gelato in Rome: Old Bridge Gelateria
After hours of the Vatican we wanted a little treat before taking the metro to our Airbnb. The Old Bridge Gelateria had the look of quality gelato and not the fake artificial flavors you can find in other Gelaterias. The look lined up with the flavors. We took turns trying each others gelato and all were really winners! I’d recommend trying: Ricotta e pistacchio.
Get directions to Old Bridge Gelateria
Best Morning Treats and Croissants: Gastromario
This one is a bit off the beaten path, but it was close to our Airbnb and after passing it a few times we decided to try their croissants and treats before our train out of Rome. We are kind of croissant-snobs after living in Barcelona and trying the amazing croissants in France. These croissants had that crispy, moist, sweet, buttery combo that we love in a good croissant. The cream and chocolate treats were also the best we had in Rome.
Best Burgers in Rome: Fonzie The Burger’s House
Maddox and I try to burgers in most every city or country we’ve been in (our favorite burger was in Peru!). For Maddox’s birthday outing we tried Fonzie The Burger’s House by the Spanish steps. They were great burgers and the staff was really friendly. They also have a small selection of beer. I tried one from Sardinia called Ichnusa. It paired really well with the burger!
