Rome 2016 (Day 1)

Biggest trip of the year checked! Spent 11 really fufilling days in Europe and finally got myself to turn on my laptop to write. Never easy but before my memory fails me, I want to get them all down so I can turn to my blog in the years to come and look back at these precious memories!
Looking at these pictures really make me miss the trip so much, the great company, good food and 11 days without work!

Started the vacation with some yoga poses in Vivre's new wear at the airport!

Checked in, went to the lounge which wasn't fantastic. I only had a tomato and cheese sandwhich while love had laksa which he said was very good.

Current passport holder from SummurCo!

Boarded, Etihad Business on their 787 was great!

Second time flying with Etihad, the first was to Abu Dhabi for a conference.

After we arrived at Fiumicino Airport, we quickly went to get tickets for the train from the Airport to Roma Termini. Check out for sign boards for the train station and you can buy tickets at the airport which takes only 32min to Roma Termini, the main railway station of Rome. The train ticket is €10 (SGD15.50) per person.

After we checked into our apartment, The Independent Suites, (which happens to be my favorite hotel of all the hotels we resided at), we quickly headed to Basilica of St. Peter for the Holy Door of Mercy.

Lunch!! We had wanted to eat at I Pizzicaroli which is highly rated on Trip Advisor, but after we finally found the place, it served only meat and cheese which wasn't too practical for us. We wanted something more filling like pizza. So we headed to a highly recommended pizza place, Pizzeria Baffetto, which was just a few stalls away!

We ordered 3 freshly baked pizza and 1 mixed greens to share. The meal set the expectations really high cause it was so good!! I love thin and crispy crusts and definitely going back! The meal wasn't expensive too and we were lucky that there wasn't a queue when we were there!

Pizzeria Baffetto

Address: Via del Governo Vecchio 114, 00186 Rome, Italy

Tel: 39 06.6861617

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 12:00 - 15:00 18:30 - 00:30

The sun was scorching and we knew we needed gelato immediately! We didn't look for any popular place, I reckon they are all just as good! Here's my rum and raisin gelato from Gelateria Frigidarium Roma. After I came home and do up this post, I found out that this lucky find is ranked #8 of 723 Dessert in Rome on Trip Advisor yay!!

Frigidarium

Address: Via del Governo Vecchio, 112, 00186 Roma, Italy

Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10AM–2AM

Tel: +39 338 180 0220

Went on to visit Pantheon, Spanish Steps and Piazza del popolo. Didn't capture pictures there becuase I have visited these places before in 2014. The only difference was Spanish Steps no longer allow people to sit on the steps. I remember how hard it was to take a nice shot because there were too many people there but somehow, it doesn't look and feel the same now that it is condoned off.

Dressed in weather appropriate outfit from Hollyhoque!

Dinner was at Taverna Flavia, it was a 15 minutes walk from our apartment. Again it is one of our best meals in the whole trip! Ranked #855 of 9,290 Restaurants in Rome in Trip Advisor.

The bread in Rome is really bad. Cold, stale... They always serve a big basket of bread choices but hardly something good. These don't come free, it is covered in your cover charge.

Pineapple and Prawns with Rocket Salad. We were amazed by how generous they are with their prawns!

Seafood Risotto!

This picture doesn't show how generous the seafood were! There were truly more seafood then rice after you mix the plate! Everyone loved the rice but I didn't like it too much becuase I do not take "seafoody" taste too well. But if you love your seafood, it is a must order!

Carbonara which was very generous but a little too salty.

My funghi tagliatelle

I love homemade pasta, it was super good. I always love my pasta al dente! Just one downside, it's too salty too.

Big slab of steak which was good too

Our dinner of 5 mains and 2 sides was about €130 for 5 people.
Taverna Flavia

Address: Via Flavia 9/11, 00187 Rome, Italy

Opening Hours: 18:30 - 00:00

Tel: +39 06 474 5214

Love's itinerary for the day ended with desserts which was about 5 minutes away from Taverna Flavia. I joked about having gelato 3 meals a day since we are in Italy. Haha!
Gelato at Gelateria Come il Latte is #1 of 150 Coffee & Tea in Rome on Trip Advisor and they serve tiramisu, ice cream biscuits and gelato!

We chose the dark chocolate on a cone! The chocolate is really rich!! So rich i felt that I would get a sore throat the next morning (which i surprisingly didnt! hahaha!)

Gelateria Come il Latte

Via Silvio Spaventa, 00187 Roma, Italia

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11:00 - 00:00

The night ended at about 9 odd and we headed to bed at 10am cause it was a long day! More exciting day begins on Day 2 in Rome!