My first destination wedding and it’s in Italy. We first started the trip lounging around Nice; with a side quest to Monaco and Eze. Then met up with some friends to explore Rome and the Vatican City. Took a train to Florence and ate some delicious foods before joining wedding crew. After a White Lotus experience, we attempted to stay cool in Pisa and Florence.
Nice was a really nice surprise that set up our excitement for our next stop- Rome, Italy. We’re a bit conservative on airport time in new areas so we arrive at NCE about 3 hours before our departure. We killed time at the VIP Lounge which had a buffet, self-serve bar, and a pool table. Landing at FCO hella tested my patience. We flew on Air Italia and boarding was easy, but landing? Damn, not sure if it was the airline or just general attitude but everyone on the flight rushed to exit as if the door instantly opened when it landed. Seemed like every person tried to squeeze through whatever gap was available. Definitely triggered my anxiety.
We stayed in the Trastavere neighborhood in Rome, which was about 40 minutes from FCO by train. We met with friends that were already there and it was pretty much nonstop from that moment. We had reserved a private tour of the Museo e Cripta dei Cappuccini. The tour guide walked us through the museum and pointed out some interesting artifacts and his favorite pieces. We forsure learned a lot about the friars (he explained there were closer to friars thank monks). The second half of the tour is through the crypts with art pieces made out of the bones of deceased friars. The crypt was left us feeling a mixture of somber and peace. Like accepting death is inevitable and shouldn’t be feared. This museum is worth a stop in every Rome trip.
After the museum we walked towards the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain. We got routed to the top of the steps, which was pretty cool but it was blocked off. I think they were filming in the area. Lowkey I was hella excited to check out the Trevi Fountain. But when we got there, the water was shut off. Lame. Of course, did the tradition of throwing a coin behind your shoulder. I’m not sure, and really care, if the coin made it in the fountain, I’m definitely coming back to Rome. And there better be water in the fountain. few blocks from here is Cantina dei Papi where we had a nighcap of porchetta ,
The next day we hit up the Vatican City to climb La Cupola in the morning and visit the Sistine Chapel in the afternoon. It was the Jubilee this year so we expected it to be packed. But that saying the Vatican City was packed is understatement. To me it straight looked like that scene in World War Z where the zombies started climbing up the city walls.
It took about 1 hour to get into St. Peter’s Basilica from the timed entry (definitely make sure to buy tickets beforehand because there’s another long ass line for that). We prioritized La Cupola to beat the crowd and so glad we did- there was a longer line when we were heading back down. The climb up wasn’t too bad other than the cramped spaces. The view up top is worth the effort.
The St. Peter’s Basilica is much bigger than I presumed. Even the marble statues were huge. It’s pretty crazy seeing these art pieces in real life because I had only seen them in history books. Seeing the Pietà in person was really cool.
Like standard Americans we had lunch at McDonald’s. No lie, it was pretty good. Fast food cost just as much as going to any other restaurants- so this was the one time. We took a bus to The Pantheon afterwards. We couldn’t buy tickets online so we had to wait in line which was hella confusing. There were multiple lines for buying tickets and entering the building but there weren’t any clear signs on which lines were what. In total, it took about 40 minutes to buy the tickets and enter. We then noticed another line in which you can buy the ticket and walk right in -__-. The building itself was really cool- literally. The heat was starting to get to us, so chilling in The Pantheon was a godsend. The Mcdo was starting to wear off, so we walked towards Osteria Da Fortunata for second lunch. This was the first pasta bite in Italy and the al dente texture is noticeably apparent. You don’t know al dente until you’ve had it in Italy. It was something to get used to, but it definitely works. We ordered amatriciana, carbonara, cacio e pepe, meatballs, and fried zucchini blossoms. All dishes hit.
When we arrived at Vatican City we tried to head to the Sistine Chapel first before checking out the rest but eventually got caught in the wave of people- the Sisti. Once you’re in the wave, you pretty much become part of the Sisti- you go wherever the group goes. I wish there was more freedom to explore the rest of the Vatican Museums. My favorite was the Map Room but the Sisti told me to keep moving. Close to the Sistine Chapel is another museum, and this room was much needed for me. There wasn’t a single person here. It offered a respite from the Sisti.
Inside the Sistine Chapel is filled with beautiful frescos. I had read that you couldn’t take a picture in the Sistine Chapel but i saw multiple people obviously recording and taking pics. Not sure if the rules changes, but I snuck a few pics just in case. Here the Sisti stops and you become free to explore. Granted you are packed like sardines in the room but at least you can stand and admire Michelangelo’s work.
We lucked out by seeing the new pope while on the bus. I swear he’s there if you zoom in. I truly enjoyed the tripe to Vatican City. The Vatican Museums had great art, the pieces in St. Peter’s Basilica is awe inspiring, and climbing up the Cupola gives one of the best views of Rome. But it’s always going to be packed here so I’m not positive I would return.
I wish we more time in Rome. On the way to the train station (heading up to Tuscany , Florence specifically!) we passed by the Colosseum and I felt tinge of regret not adding it to the itinerary. So much of the history I enjoyed reading about is here and I barely scratched the surface. Call it historical blue balls. I definitely want to come back and spend more time in the Eternal City.
| Flights, Lodging, Other Redemptions | Cash Price (at time of booking) | Out of Pocket Cost | Points Used | Cents per Point (CPP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines SAN>PHL>NCE | $2,345.00 | $401.02 | 63,000 AAdvantage | 3.0857 |
| Airbnb Nice | $282.91 | $282.91 | n/a | n/a |
| ITA Airways NCE>FCO | $213.24 | $213.24 | n/a | n/a |
| Airbnb Rome | $957.25 | $957.25 | n/a | n/a |
| Airbnb Florence 1 | $540.24 | $540.24 | n/a | n/a |
| Airbnb Florence 2 | $611.22 | $611.22 | n/a | n/a |
| KLM FLR>AMS>SAN | $1,894.00 | $340.42 | 70,000 Flying Blue | 2.2194 |
| Hyatt Place AMS Airport | $192.46 | $192.46 | n/a | n/a |
Kicking Twigs 
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