Hi there, so about 3 weeks ago we set off for 9 incredible days to Italy. We had not been in several years and this time took our youngest with us. We started off in Rome and to me, Rome is always a magical city. Filled with such rich culture and history. On previous visits we had seen all of the major sites to be seen so we redid mini tours of them this time with our son. Fun seeing them through a young persons eyes.
We were fortunate to enjoy nice weather, it was in the 80’s while we were in Rome, though we went prepared for the heatwaves you often hear about. It was not a degree hotter than in NY! We stayed in the St. Regis Hoel in Rome which was honestly out of this world in every sense. It is absolutely beautiful, service was top notch, our rooms were incredible, food excellent, I had nothing to complain about (OK well may the prices, lol).
We enjoyed wandering through the streets admiring the architecture, stopping into boutiques and recommended restaurants and our days were chock full. When our head hit the pillow at night, trust me, we had no problem falling asleep! The breakfast bar in the hotel was exquisite and so delicious (as you will see below). So below are some of our Rome highlights. I took way too many pictures so even trying to narrow them down was not easy but here you go….
Forewarning despite my paring things down, there are a lot of pictures to take in here!
My bag trick- when I have two larger totes I want to bring, I put one inside the other, works like a charm
Our magnificent hotel, St. Regis in Rome
Public spaces of the St Regis are oozing luxury and old world craftsmanship, every morning for breakfast there would be a beautiful quartet playing…it was magical
This Murano glass chandelier was at least 9 feet wide, it was so incredibly beautiful!
Meanwhile our rooms matched the public spaces…entrance to our suite
A lovely touch to walk into
Our beautiful suite was so comfortable, luxurious and inviting, could have stayed there a month!
Fell in love with the way this etched glass was done and got an idea for my own renovation! Hard to see, but it was gorgeous (look on top) tried to capture it, love it!
Even the closets was beautiful!
And adored this chandelier in our bedroom
Was the Trevi Foundation crowned? Is it ever not crowded:) And yes son threw in a coin for good luck!
Walking and observing is my most favorite thing to do in Rome, the beautiful sunwashed buildings, the cafes, what’s not to love….la dolce vita!
Always yes to lemons!
Our incredible hotel!
First lunch in Rome and it did not disappoint one bit!
Old world charm abounds
c
One of the hundreds of incredible Murano glass chandeliers in the hotel…spectacular!
Out and about….
LOVE walking around at night…its the best, everything is illuminated and glowing especially The Pantheon
Drinks to admire the sunset and iconic colosseum
Though I was really good on this trip, I had an occasional bite of dessert that hubs and son ordered, and let me tell you…they each surpassed my expectations!
This church was absolutely breathtaking…a lot of history on it, worth looking up and reading about. I mostly took videos because I never wanted to forget being inside this magnificent centuries old cathedral.
The pipe organ in Santa Maria was the largest I have ever seen, it literally took my breath away. I could have spent all day in this magnificent cathedral
Undergoing a massive restoration, which was to be admired. They do not look to recreate the past they look to preserve it. Took many videos of it as its hard to capture in pictures but it was astounding to witness the breadth of this project in person.
Another delightful dinner!
Our breakfast room at the St Regis…they don’t get any prettier!
I wanted to take these home!!!!
The beautiful bar in the hotel
Our breakfast table every morning:)
Another insanely good meal and more walking off the meal to admire the architecture
Of course the iconic Pantheon is a must see…..
They say the colosseum gets 8,000 visitors a day…and I believe them!
I will spare you my hundreds of Vatican and Basilica pictures, because its nothing you haven’t seen before, but including a few because the shock and awe of such a historic and mindbloggling place bears sharing….
Going to a rooftop bar that overlooks the colosseum for a drink before dinner- Aroma or The Court cocktail bar (but there are MANY)
Of course you have to go to The Colosseum, Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica and pay your homage to Trevi Fountain (though once you have been 2 or more times, I think that’s enough) Going very early if you are early riser is best to avoid the huge crowds. TICKETS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALMOST ALL THE SIGHTS NOW, THEY WILL GIVE YOU TIME SLOTS. DO YOU HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU GO. OR WORK WITH A RELIABLE TOUR COMPANY
Besides the iconic Vatican Museum, if you are a museum lover, Galleria Borgehese (gorgeous gardens too) is incredible as is Palazzo Doria Pamphilj (the paintings and frescos are otherworldly)
I personally love going off grid to one of the several hundreds of churches like the Santa Maria above and so many others!
Rely upon your hotel concierge, they know it all and can be incredibly helpful
Restaurants, I will share on my last post, the ones we really loved as I have to go through my many notes and that will take a little digging! Breakfast in the St. Regis was off the charts. We had dinner there the first night, it was fine but nothing extraordinary.
Take time to wander, I am a wanderer and to me, that’s the best part about these kinds of trips, especially to Europe. Roaming the streets, taking in the cafe culture, walking into old churches and historic buildings, absorbing life in Rome as a casual bystander is such fun.
Do not rent a car in Rome! We rented one the last day from Europecar to drive to Tuscany (they were great and super easy to work with)
Bring a hat and sunglasses and don’t forget your sunscreen! A hat and glasses will be a must wear during the day, opt for light cotton or linens. Gym wear is not really seen as “day wear” the way it is here. I don’t think I saw anyone wearing it, so leave yoga pants at home! People like to dress nicely there and in restaurants, I liked that many women were wearing nice dresses or elegant pant suits. In the hotel in particular, people were very well dressed and I loved it!
The only time I observed people being on their phones incessantly in restaurants were Americans. It was a stark contrast to witness. Note to self!
Sundresses that can go day to night are really practical, they are light and easy to pack. Totes and crossbody’s are really practical bags to bring to Italy
Do not overplan, at least for me this is a killjoy. Take time to have some leisure time to engage in other unplanned spontaneous activities, to me, that’s a big part of the trip!
So that’s a recap on our 3 day trip to Rome, there were so many more pictures (and many many videos) but I realize there has to be a limited otherwise I may lose you here:) But pictures are the one treasure we have from life experiences so to me, there are never too many! Since we have been a few times before, there was nothing new for us on this trip (except the hotel) but seeing things through our sons eyes gave us a fun and new perspective. Thanks for stopping in, wishing everyone a fabulous day! Until next time….
PS If you have questions about our trip specific to Rome, ask them the comments and I will answer them there
What a treat! We used to stay at the Hassler but tried St. Regis last summer and were won over, it is amazing. Your pictures are so good! Did you use a phone or camera? I also liked your tips and agree about the dressing. Americans walking around in exercise gear is really looked down upon (as it should). Glad it wasn’t too hot for you, when we were there last summer, it was boiling. I had to take many breaks throughout the day. Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip with us.
LOVE Rome – thanks for the lovely photos! I used to stay at the St. Regis when on business travel but it was called The Grand Hotel back then (about 10-15 years ago). Before, I used to stay at the Westin (was The Excelsior) but that was across the street from the U.S. Embassy so I changed to St. Regis (was apprehensive of any terrorist attack). Best time to go to Rome is in the Fall – no tourists and you can actually get up-close-and-personal to the Trevi Fountain (LOL).
Italy is high on my list to visit. I wish my hubby liked to fly, but he doesn’t . Guess I’ll have to recruit friends to go with me. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos and tips.
Love Italy and your photos were beautiful. I saw so many elegant looking Italians when we were there last summer and there is just something about the way they dress and carry themselves that is so appealing. Look forward to your next post on your trip.
Tina,
Words really can’t describe how beautiful Rome appears in the photos. You must feel extremely blessed and also refreshed after a holiday in Italy.👏👏
Beautiful photos of your trip. To me The Pantheon is by far the most incredible and best preserved monument of Ancient Rome. It is also the largest unsupported dome on earth! I an in awe of its ancient beauty.
Thank you so much for bringing a bit of Rome to us!! I am drooling. I’ve been so many times but never to the St. Regis, one of many unbelievable places! The chandeliers!!! OMG! The Pantheon is still a marvel to our modern engineers and architects. And the churches are museums. I will never forget the Borghese Museum. You never finish seeing all of it. We try to catch Rome when the city is half empty (soccer playoffs in another city like Paris), makes a huge difference, and that’s when you can really enjoy it and appreciate its beauty all the more. Thanks for sharing your splendid experience!
Hi Tina,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful experience in one of the greatest cities on Earth!
With its architecture, scale, and statuary, Rome is like a movie set…
and you never know the amazing beauty that awaits you just around the corner!
Loved your bag tip!…Would be great to see some of the clothes…and comfy shoes you brought along too….
Thank you for sharing! Have not been to Rome in many years. Have been twice. The second time was in January. I highly recommend that month. Warmer than NY. Not crowded. Trevi fountain area was just about empty.
I love that in Europe people dress up. I hate that people wear their gym clothes so much here. I only wear it to Garden centers. We need to take a lesson from them. Also about the phones! They should only be out for pictures!
Oh my, this post makes me want to go back to Rome! The old world charm just makes me so happy. Those chandeliers in the St. Regis are swoon worthy. So glad you included those in the post. I’ve never been to the St. Regis so it was wonderful to see pictures.
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Hi there, so about 3 weeks ago we set off for 9 incredible days to Italy. We had not been in several years and this time took our youngest with us. We started off in Rome and to me, Rome is always a magical city. Filled with such rich culture and history. On previous visits we had seen all of the major sites to be seen so we redid mini tours of them this time with our son. Fun seeing them through a young persons eyes.
We were fortunate to enjoy nice weather, it was in the 80’s while we were in Rome, though we went prepared for the heatwaves you often hear about. It was not a degree hotter than in NY! We stayed in the St. Regis Hoel in Rome which was honestly out of this world in every sense. It is absolutely beautiful, service was top notch, our rooms were incredible, food excellent, I had nothing to complain about (OK well may the prices, lol).
We enjoyed wandering through the streets admiring the architecture, stopping into boutiques and recommended restaurants and our days were chock full. When our head hit the pillow at night, trust me, we had no problem falling asleep! The breakfast bar in the hotel was exquisite and so delicious (as you will see below). So below are some of our Rome highlights. I took way too many pictures so even trying to narrow them down was not easy but here you go….
_____________________________________________________________
Forewarning despite my paring things down, there are a lot of pictures to take in here!
My bag trick- when I have two larger totes I want to bring, I put one inside the other, works like a charm
Our magnificent hotel, St. Regis in Rome
Public spaces of the St Regis are oozing luxury and old world craftsmanship, every morning for breakfast there would be a beautiful quartet playing…it was magical
This Murano glass chandelier was at least 9 feet wide, it was so incredibly beautiful!
Meanwhile our rooms matched the public spaces…entrance to our suite
A lovely touch to walk into
Our beautiful suite was so comfortable, luxurious and inviting, could have stayed there a month!
Fell in love with the way this etched glass was done and got an idea for my own renovation! Hard to see, but it was gorgeous (look on top) tried to capture it, love it!
Even the closets was beautiful!
And adored this chandelier in our bedroom
Was the Trevi Foundation crowned? Is it ever not crowded:) And yes son threw in a coin for good luck!
Walking and observing is my most favorite thing to do in Rome, the beautiful sunwashed buildings, the cafes, what’s not to love….la dolce vita!
Always yes to lemons!
Our incredible hotel!
First lunch in Rome and it did not disappoint one bit!
Old world charm abounds
c
One of the hundreds of incredible Murano glass chandeliers in the hotel…spectacular!
Out and about….
LOVE walking around at night…its the best, everything is illuminated and glowing especially The Pantheon
Drinks to admire the sunset and iconic colosseum
Though I was really good on this trip, I had an occasional bite of dessert that hubs and son ordered, and let me tell you…they each surpassed my expectations!
This church was absolutely breathtaking…a lot of history on it, worth looking up and reading about. I mostly took videos because I never wanted to forget being inside this magnificent centuries old cathedral.
The pipe organ in Santa Maria was the largest I have ever seen, it literally took my breath away. I could have spent all day in this magnificent cathedral
Undergoing a massive restoration, which was to be admired. They do not look to recreate the past they look to preserve it. Took many videos of it as its hard to capture in pictures but it was astounding to witness the breadth of this project in person.
Another delightful dinner!
Our breakfast room at the St Regis…they don’t get any prettier!
I wanted to take these home!!!!
The beautiful bar in the hotel
Our breakfast table every morning:)
Another insanely good meal and more walking off the meal to admire the architecture
Of course the iconic Pantheon is a must see…..
They say the colosseum gets 8,000 visitors a day…and I believe them!
I will spare you my hundreds of Vatican and Basilica pictures, because its nothing you haven’t seen before, but including a few because the shock and awe of such a historic and mindbloggling place bears sharing….
_______________________________________________________
A few tips/observations-
St Regis of Rome (highly highly recommend)
Going to a rooftop bar that overlooks the colosseum for a drink before dinner- Aroma or The Court cocktail bar (but there are MANY)
Of course you have to go to The Colosseum, Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica and pay your homage to Trevi Fountain (though once you have been 2 or more times, I think that’s enough) Going very early if you are early riser is best to avoid the huge crowds. TICKETS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALMOST ALL THE SIGHTS NOW, THEY WILL GIVE YOU TIME SLOTS. DO YOU HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU GO. OR WORK WITH A RELIABLE TOUR COMPANY
Besides the iconic Vatican Museum, if you are a museum lover, Galleria Borgehese (gorgeous gardens too) is incredible as is Palazzo Doria Pamphilj (the paintings and frescos are otherworldly)
I personally love going off grid to one of the several hundreds of churches like the Santa Maria above and so many others!
Rely upon your hotel concierge, they know it all and can be incredibly helpful
Restaurants, I will share on my last post, the ones we really loved as I have to go through my many notes and that will take a little digging! Breakfast in the St. Regis was off the charts. We had dinner there the first night, it was fine but nothing extraordinary.
Take time to wander, I am a wanderer and to me, that’s the best part about these kinds of trips, especially to Europe. Roaming the streets, taking in the cafe culture, walking into old churches and historic buildings, absorbing life in Rome as a casual bystander is such fun.
Do not rent a car in Rome! We rented one the last day from Europecar to drive to Tuscany (they were great and super easy to work with)
Bring a hat and sunglasses and don’t forget your sunscreen! A hat and glasses will be a must wear during the day, opt for light cotton or linens. Gym wear is not really seen as “day wear” the way it is here. I don’t think I saw anyone wearing it, so leave yoga pants at home! People like to dress nicely there and in restaurants, I liked that many women were wearing nice dresses or elegant pant suits. In the hotel in particular, people were very well dressed and I loved it!
The only time I observed people being on their phones incessantly in restaurants were Americans. It was a stark contrast to witness. Note to self!
Sundresses that can go day to night are really practical, they are light and easy to pack. Totes and crossbody’s are really practical bags to bring to Italy
Do not overplan, at least for me this is a killjoy. Take time to have some leisure time to engage in other unplanned spontaneous activities, to me, that’s a big part of the trip!
____________________________________________________
And now back to reality, starting today……
CLICK HERE FOR LINENS
CLICK HERE FOR SILVER
So that’s a recap on our 3 day trip to Rome, there were so many more pictures (and many many videos) but I realize there has to be a limited otherwise I may lose you here:) But pictures are the one treasure we have from life experiences so to me, there are never too many! Since we have been a few times before, there was nothing new for us on this trip (except the hotel) but seeing things through our sons eyes gave us a fun and new perspective. Thanks for stopping in, wishing everyone a fabulous day! Until next time….
PS If you have questions about our trip specific to Rome, ask them the comments and I will answer them there
Oooohhh brings back memories (not the Regis!) We were SO fortunate to go when we could…your photos are paintings. franki
Beautiful ! A trip of a Lifetime.
What a treat! We used to stay at the Hassler but tried St. Regis last summer and were won over, it is amazing. Your pictures are so good! Did you use a phone or camera? I also liked your tips and agree about the dressing. Americans walking around in exercise gear is really looked down upon (as it should). Glad it wasn’t too hot for you, when we were there last summer, it was boiling. I had to take many breaks throughout the day. Thanks for sharing your wonderful trip with us.
LOVE Rome – thanks for the lovely photos! I used to stay at the St. Regis when on business travel but it was called The Grand Hotel back then (about 10-15 years ago). Before, I used to stay at the Westin (was The Excelsior) but that was across the street from the U.S. Embassy so I changed to St. Regis (was apprehensive of any terrorist attack). Best time to go to Rome is in the Fall – no tourists and you can actually get up-close-and-personal to the Trevi Fountain (LOL).
Italy is high on my list to visit. I wish my hubby liked to fly, but he doesn’t . Guess I’ll have to recruit friends to go with me. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos and tips.
Love Italy and your photos were beautiful. I saw so many elegant looking Italians when we were there last summer and there is just something about the way they dress and carry themselves that is so appealing. Look forward to your next post on your trip.
Tina,
Words really can’t describe how beautiful Rome appears in the photos. You must feel extremely blessed and also refreshed after a holiday in Italy.👏👏
Beautiful photos of your trip. To me The Pantheon is by far the most incredible and best preserved monument of Ancient Rome. It is also the largest unsupported dome on earth! I an in awe of its ancient beauty.
Thank you so much for bringing a bit of Rome to us!! I am drooling. I’ve been so many times but never to the St. Regis, one of many unbelievable places! The chandeliers!!! OMG! The Pantheon is still a marvel to our modern engineers and architects. And the churches are museums. I will never forget the Borghese Museum. You never finish seeing all of it. We try to catch Rome when the city is half empty (soccer playoffs in another city like Paris), makes a huge difference, and that’s when you can really enjoy it and appreciate its beauty all the more. Thanks for sharing your splendid experience!
Hi Tina,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful experience in one of the greatest cities on Earth!
With its architecture, scale, and statuary, Rome is like a movie set…
and you never know the amazing beauty that awaits you just around the corner!
Loved your bag tip!…Would be great to see some of the clothes…and comfy shoes you brought along too….
Thank you for sharing! Have not been to Rome in many years. Have been twice. The second time was in January. I highly recommend that month. Warmer than NY. Not crowded. Trevi fountain area was just about empty.
I love that in Europe people dress up. I hate that people wear their gym clothes so much here. I only wear it to Garden centers. We need to take a lesson from them. Also about the phones! They should only be out for pictures!
Oh my, this post makes me want to go back to Rome! The old world charm just makes me so happy. Those chandeliers in the St. Regis are swoon worthy. So glad you included those in the post. I’ve never been to the St. Regis so it was wonderful to see pictures.
Tina, your pictures are perfect! Through them, I traveled to Rome too! Your blog always brings much joy! Thank you for sharing.