A few months ago, MacKay realized he needed to go to Rome for work. While he usually travels around the globe often for work, this time was different. MacKay grew up in Rome, spending his high school years there. He moved back to the states for college after graduation and hadn’t been back since. So this was a very special trip for him.

We’ve been talking about a trip to Rome for years, but between having kids and the craziness of life that comes with it, we just haven’t had the chance. When we realized he was going and that MacKay’s parents could come up to watch the kids, we jumped at the opportunity to go. We hadn’t been on a vacation together since our honeymoon nearly 12 years ago, so this was long overdue for so many reasons.

One of my favorite things about Rome was the architecture. There was so much character and history to the buildings. We spent most of our first day just walking around and I couldn’t stop taking photos of all that was around me. These photos above were outside of our hotel room. One was looking out at the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) while the other looked at a nearby building with contrasting colors I loved.

Because I’d never been to Rome, our first few days were filled visiting all of the must-see locations. We saw the Foro Romano (Roman Forum), Colosseum, Piazza Navona, Sistine Chapel, Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain), Pantheon, and Piazza del Popolo. We did a TON of walking, but with the gorgeous views, it made it well worth it.

Because MacKay grew up in Rome, we didn’t feel the need sign up for any group tours at all of the more tourist places (although we did do a guided tour of the Vatican). If you really want to spend more time than just walking around and seeing from the outside, I’d suggest spending the time and money booking a proper tour. We were trying to pack it all in in a few days (before MacKay had to work,) so it was a lot of walking, spending about an hour at each spot, and then onto the next spot.

We also had the chance to go back to MacKay’s high school while we were there. Some of his teachers were still there and it was so cool to see this place he’s spoken of so fondly for many years.

One of the very best parts of Rome was the food. I planned on eating very well on our trip and not feeling guilty about it at all. That meant plenty of gelato and pasta. Here are a few of my notable spots:

Gelato: Giolotti : I am proud to say I frequented this spot multiple times a day. I knew exactly how to get there from our hotel and how to order in Italian by the time I left. I got so good at ordering my gelato that the guys behind the counter thought I was fluent in Italian. P.S. My favorite combo? Frutti di Bosco (mixed berries) and pistachio. If I was feeling really daring, I added caffè (espresso) to the mix.

Pizza: Trattoria Pizzeria Arancio d’Oro: We didn’t eat as much pizza as I would’ve thought, but we did go here one night and the pizza was incredible. A quaint little neighborhood spot filled with locals.

Pasta: Matricianella: This was our very first meal in Rome. It was off a side street (we realized that those were the best spots) and had the very best pasta with truffles. I couldn’t stop thinking about this meal the entire trip.

La Vecchia Locanda : This was another delicious meal. If you go here for dinner, definitely make reservations as it is very small and quaint. We sat downstairs in the wine cellar and the ambience was amazing. They only served food in season and the staff made really great wine pairing recommendations as well. I had the pasta with truffles again this night (you can never go wrong with truffles) and it was incredible.

Colliane Emiliane: I stumbled across this place accidentally as I was exploring Rome by myself. I had lunch here alone (which is totally doable as most people speak English,) but recommend getting reservations for both lunch and dinner as they fill up quickly. I first went in and they asked me to come back in 45 minutes because they had to tables at the time. It was worth the wait. You can see them making the pasta in the window and all of the handmade desserts sitting out. I opted for the specials that weren’t on the regular menu ( it was asparagus with pasta) and it was incredible.

Coffee: Caffe Grecco While you can’t go wrong with espresso in Italy, this place is the oldest coffee shop in Rome. It’s nestled on via Condotti with many high-end fashion designers’ stores. We stopped and has an espresso at the bar and it was delicious.

Leather Goods: While not food related, I did want to point out a great leather shop if you’re looking for a great handbag or wallet while you’re in Rome. I was determined to come home with a great Italian leather bag, but not one I could pick up on Fifth Avenue. I found this shop, Del Giudice, who hand makes all of their leather goods. It’s a family run business and their bags are amazing! Really something you can only buy when you’re visiting Rome!

Traveling around Italy is pretty simple. We took the train for a day trip to Florence. It was pretty rainy that day, so we opted for shopping and walking around the Uffizi. It took up most of our day and was well worth the day trip.

The last day of our trip was spent in Frascati, just an hour drive from Rome. MacKay had his meeting here, so I took it upon myself to visit a local vineyard. I went to Cantine Santa Benedetta, which is the oldest vineyard in Frascati. Such a fun thing to do by myself as the owner of the vineyard gave me a tour and shared which wines to pair with what kinds of foods.

We returned back to Rome for our last night and it was magical to walk around and get one last glimpse before we went home. It was such an incredible trip for both of us.

Where to stay: Due to this trip being a little bit of personal and business (for MacKay) we had the opportunity to stay at four different hotels. Of those four, I would hands-down recommend you stay at Elizabeth Unique Hotel Rome. Not only was the hotel amazing and in a great location, the staff could not have been more accommodating. My luggage was lost by the airlines for the first four and a half days of our trip. The staff at the hotel was constantly calling the airline for updates. The rooms are also equipped with a mini bar that is you are welcome to eat at no charge during your stay and it includes a bottle of wine each night. They had the best views and the rooms were so cozy. We want to stay there again when we go back.