Rome

With Rome being such a tourist hot spot to begin with, I thought that the city would be especially crowded because of the recent happenings at the Vatican.  Other than news vans outside of St. Peter's Basilica, I surprisingly never noticed a commotion.  After a long weekend soaking in the sites, I now know why it is one of the most popular tourist spots in Europe.  Between ancient ruins, pretty piazzas, sweeping views, and crazy good cuisine, Rome has something for everyone.

St. Peter's Basilica is the gateway to Vatican City for good reason.  I was blown away by the amount of detail throughout the stunning interior.

We walked down the cutest cobblestone road on the way to Piazza Navona.

I had the most incredible spaghetti bolognese for lunch at a quaint and classy eatery.

We stumbled upon a gourmet gelato shop, tucked away in a courtyard, that just so happened to be featured in Lonely Planet and the LA Times.  The apple cinnamon sorbetto was like eating a fresh baked apple pie.

The Trevi Fountain was enchanting.

Since Romans like to eat late, some restaurants offer a dinner happy hour before seven.  We found an indoor/outdoor restaurant, and were able to people watch and enjoy our 5 euro meal al fresco.

After a while, some of the ruins started to blend together, but the Colosseum caught my attention and left me speechless.  

Close to sundown, we headed over to Trastevere and made our way to the highest point in central Rome, Janiculum Hill.  The breathtaking view at sunset was well worth the steep climb.

For my last meal in Rome, I ordered bruschetta and another plate of spaghetti bolognese.