Two days (and a long run) in Rome

Recapping my time in Italy (back in April) has truly been a slow burn. Having young kids and running a company does leave little free time for leisurely writing but Rome was our last stop on our trip and far too special not to share. Every city we visited during my trip to Italy absolutely exceeded my expectations. Not only does Italy have the food, wine, and culture as a whole, but each city has its own flair and identity. 

Florence was cobblestone streets and sunsets over the river, tile buildings and affogatos in the piazzas. Venice was a maze of canals, beautifully colored houses by the sea, a carless city where ferry boats are the mode of transportation and it is a sort of magic to be buzzing around the twinkling city at night. 

Rome is different. Rome is time traveling, it’s walking down a road and turning the corner to see the Colosseum so casually framed between two buildings. It’s walking through a park that used to house hundreds of thousands of Romans watching chariot racing. It is living and wandering around an ancient city where everything is out in the open, a lesson in the Roman Empire that isn’t blocked behind a paywall. 

Parco Cafrella

We only spent 2.5 days in Rome but was able to experience a lot of the city in 2.5 days. We spent our first afternoon getting our bearings and exploring the northern end of Parco Cafrella. It was a Sunday evening and on a Roman Sunday, the city slows down and everyone soaks up the Italian sun at the park. Picnic were packed, trail runners were out, dogs ran around the fields and Italians lounged in the evening air. The birder in our group was happy to scout out new species, while I was eager to see what Rome was like from the local standpoint. After our evening in the park I planned to spend the next day soaking up some of the history of Rome. 

8 Mile route through Rome

Long Run Around Rome - Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Castel Sant'Angelo, Tiber, Colosseum, and Roman Forum

I knew that the center of Rome is famous for its crowds, with the Colosseum being the most visited spot in Italy. I knew that if I wanted to find some solitude, I would have to be willing to get up early; easier said than done with the jet lag and time change. Nonetheless, I did some research and mapped out an 8-mile route from our Airbnb outside the city, to some of the major sites through Rome. 

Trevi Fountain

Pantheon

Roman Forum

Piazza del Campidoglio 

At 6;30, I laced up my sneakers and left our tiny house behind, running past the ancient walls that defined the city limits and into the heart of Rome. I stopped at a light, waiting for the light to change and quickly got a taste of just how beautiful the city is and how easy it is offered up to anyone lucky enough to visit. A beautiful historic fountain greeted me as the light changed and I headed northeast to explore the city. The first stop on my running tour was the spot that I knew would be busiest, and truth be told, the most overrated. By 7am, the Trevi Fountain was busy with influencers posing behind cameras, boyfriends snapping photos in front of the fountain, and a ton of other tourists trying to get a glimpse of the fountain before the madness descended. I sat for a few minutes on a bench, catching my breath and taking in how impressive the sculptures are and the size of the fountain. 

I quickly left the fountain and headed to the Pantheon. I almost thought I wasn’t in the right spot, as I got to the empty square and just had a clear and quiet view of one of the city’s famous structures. Again, I sat on a bench and imagined what the city was like so many lifetimes ago. From there, I went to see one of Rome’s famous piazzas, Piazza Navona, and enjoyed the actual quiet of the square. I nearly had the area to myself, save for a few dogs and people milling around. Next, I headed west, eager to see the famous river that runs through Rome and one of the beautiful bridges that was quickly building with chaos of the morning traffic. 

From there, I headed back into the main part of the city to head towards the forum and the ColosseumColosseum. I finally reached the edge of the Roman Forum and had a view of it completely empty, with just a few people with me on the sidewalk. Lastly, it was time to head to the coliseum and it was truly surreal to turn a corner and there she was, framed between two buildings. I got closer and closer, finally sitting on a bench off the sidewalk in the absolute quiet of the sunny morning, taking in the view with just a few people walking around. 

Following the Tiber River

As I sat there at my last stop and major historic site,  I knew that I had seen something special, a long run I would probably never be able to beat. 8 stunning miles around ancient ruins, soaking up pieces of historic Rome, getting to see so many famous sites in solitude as the city is waking up. Truth be told, I wasn’t going to be able to truly understand how special this was until I saw the Colosseum in the middle of the day, at max capacity, with the streets so thick with people you can barely move. It wasn’t until I experienced the afternoon scorching sun and needy vendors that I realized just how special my morning run was. 

After my run, I showered and relaxed in the AirBnb while I waited for Corey to return from her birding adventure. We had plans to meet at the Colosseum for our tour inside and resume our wandering around the city. We booked the highly rated gladiator entrance tour and while interesting, it did not feel necessary. You get a good sense of the Colosseum from the outside in the early morning hours and seeing it from the inside didn't feel truly worth while. 

Bridges over the Tiber River

Piazza Navona

For our last day in Rome, we decided to head to some of the parks and open spaces in the search of birds and solitude. At some point, we ended up taking the bus to the Via Appia Antica (Appian Way), one of the oldest roads in Rome. This afternoon was such a highlight of my time in Rome and for an area I had actually never heard of, it is the one area I want to go back and explore more of. We walked around, wandered in and out of cafes, and just enjoyed how beautiful this area is. You can walk, hike, or bike, with the most amazing scenery guiding you as you go. There are bike rental shops, museums, cafes, stores, bus stops, and even catacombs along the way. I would love to spend the day (or days) here exploring how beautiful this area is.  

Piazza Navona

Colesseum

Colesseum

Colesseum tour

Rome was the perfect ending to our trip. It was the cherry on top of a girl's week, spending time with a friend and exploring somewhere new without the stress of the kids and their needs. As much as I love being a mom, a wife, a business owner, and all the other hats I wear, there was something sacred about stepping away from it all for a little while. While I love to travel with the kids and explore the world through their eyes, I really needed some time to myself on a schedule that was my own. I tackle mornings by myself every day of the week and the beauty of waking up slowly and on my own schedule was a gift of its own. I love Italy and I loved exploring it through famous cities and with someone I truly loved traveling with. Corey and I spent time together but also our fair share of time apart. Our easygoing nature made everything so much better and this was such an amazing way to explore somewhere new. 

Appia Antica

Appia Antica

Gelateria dell'Angeletto