THE VATICAN
Today we went to the Vatican. We reserved our tickets about a month and a half previous and chose the earliest time to have a tour. We did this for a few reasons. First off, we heard if you book one of the first tours, they take before the Vatican opens to the general public. Once the general public is let in, all bets are off and it will be crowded! We also wanted to go early because it was extremely hot and having to cover-up mid-day could be a potential nightmare. We also just wanted to have the afternoon free to explore some other sites!
We ordered directly from the Vatican website (https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home). We booked the “Vatican Museums – Guided Tours for Groups Museums”. The total per person was € 39. The breakdown was: Ticket- € 20.00, Tour guide- € 13.50, Reservation Fee- € 5.00 and Headphones- € 1.50. (Ticket price for anyone under 18 or student up to age 25 was only € 10.00).
Our tour included the option of the Tour Guide speaking and it being translated into English through our headphones. I highly recommend this tour, as there is SO much to see. The tour guide was sure that we did not miss anything important and gave great historical background and information about many of the pieces of art. Although we went early, it was still super crowded, but manageable. Italy was in the middle of a heat wave, so we definitely moved through the museum a bit quicker than if it was cooler, so be prepared if it is warm out. It was so warm that many were moving about in shorts and without their shoulders covered, which we were told was a big no-no!
The tour was 1.5 hours long and then we were able to explore on our own. The good thing about this portion is we were able to pause a little longer in some areas and move a little quicker in others. The Sistine Chapel is part that is toured independently. We arrived at the perfect time when a priest was saying a short blessing, which was nice, however, we did not stay in there long, as it was extremely crowded with very little spots to stand. It was beautiful though, but you’ll have to take my word for it, as there was no picture taking!
At the exit, there are two areas to buy gifts, which I felt had very reasonable prices. We purchased some rosaries, between 10 & 15 Euros, a commemorative Pope Coin (5 euros) an ornament (10 euros) and some postcards. There is another shop, Mondo Cattolico (https://www.mondocattolico.com/?srsltid=AfmBOop3plnPXyrS78JvXD2SqfJxOVDUyIgScTMgkyAGeVzjJxw6Pfv9) directly outside with higher end souvenirs, but the “shop” located within the hallway at the exit had the best deals (unfortunately, no online shop)
PIAZZA NAVONA, THE PANTHEON & THE TREVI FOUNTAIN
The remainder of our afternoon was spent exploring Rome. We traveled through Piazza Navona (https://romesite.com/piazza-navona.html). There are a number of shops, cafes and two churches throughout the square. However, it is the three fountains that are the biggest draw.
The first one, La Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi meaning Fountain of the Four Rivers is located in the center of the square and the biggest. It is an unbelievable fountain with a spear jetting up, surrounded by marble Gods, rocks and aquamarine colored water. The Fountain of Neptune, is located in the north part of the square, depicting cupids, horses and Neptune fighting with an octopus. On the southern part of the square is Fountain of the Moor, which depicts a nautical scene with tritons, dolphins, and a conch shell.
We then set out on our quest for the grandest of fountains, The Trevi Fountain. It was about a 10 minute walk from Piazza Navona to Palazzo Poli (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Poli), the building just behind the Trevi Fountain. It is a lot of winding little alley’s filled with shops and outdoor markets, but Google maps led us right there! On the way to Trevi fountain, you also pass The Pantheon (https://www.pantheonroma.com/en/home-eng/). The Pantheon is a temple built around 25 BC! It is the only ancient Roman building that has stayed relatively intact. The do have options for tours, however, many seem to prefer the photo-op outside.
The area around the fountain was very crowded, but orderly, as there are metal barricades set up so security can control the number of people directly in front of the fountain at any given time. This area was always free of charge, but as of February 2026, it will now cost 2 euros to get close and up front. Definitely worth it in my opinion!
The legend of tossing coins: An ancient Roman practice of throwing into water (mostly rivers and oceans) to gift and request from the Gods safe passage. You must stand with your back to the fountain and toss the coin over your left shoulder. 1st coin: Ensures you will return to Rome in the future 2nd coin: Ensures you will meet the love of your life 3rd coin: Ensures you will marry the the person you met (preferably an Italian!)
LUNCH & SHOPPING IN ROME
We had a great lunch at Antica Osteria di Pietra, (https://www.booknbook.it/en/restaurant/antica-osteria-di-pietra/profile) a quaint little restaurant, which was about a 4 minute walk from the fountain. There are so many small eateries to choose from, and this was the perfect atmosphere with very friendly staff. The food was excellent. We kept it simple and got Caesar Salad, Polpette di Manzo (meatballs) and Filetto alla Griglia (beef filet). Everyone enjoyed their meals, and the prices were very reasonable. And the best part was we were hemming and hawing about getting another drink and our waiter was happy to provide us with a second drink in to-go cups! Grazie!!!
In terms of shopping, the pop up shops along the streets seemed to have the best deals money-wise. So for cheap souvenirs, visit these little street vendors. We purchased some posters, calendars, ceramic art pieces, and other random souvenirs.
Some shops in the area that were a must, would be Trevi Galleria Roma (http://www.trevigallery.it/) . We purchased some beautiful necklaces with Murano glass charms for only 15 euros! We also got some bracelets, BEAUTIFUL ornaments and my son got a purple Murano glass bar set. There was something for everyone and it was at this shop we purchased most of the gifts we were bringing home to others.
We also went to The Duck Store (https://www.romeduckstore.it/) which had literally hundreds of ducks of any theme you could possibly think of. Another great souvenir shop was Gran Cafe Marcel (https://mindtrip.ai/attraction/rome-lazio/gran-cafe-marcel/at-UxBSbTnt). Here they sold the cutest, most colorful prints, postcards, canvas bags and other merchandise with various landmarks from Italy. Great prices too! And lastly Souvenir Roma (no website) had unbelievably low prices and any souvenir you could think of. Reminded me of the souvenir shops in NYC. They had everything from t-shirts and sweatshirts, to ceramics and espresso cups, to key chains, jewelry, figurines, bags, ornaments and literally anything else you can think of.
After such a long day and given that this was our last night of our vacation, we decided that we would stay at the Airbnb, clean up, pack… and of course have a dance party, a few drinks, play games and order some traditional Roman pizzas! It was a great way to unwind and just enjoy each other, sharing our favorite moments of our trip, sharing pictures and of course lots of laughs.
DAY 11~ARRIVEDERCI!
The day has come for our departure from Rome. We needed to be out of the Airbnb by 11:00 for them to clean, but they were great enough to let us keep our luggage in the entryway until our transportation arrived at 2:30 to get us for the airport. Transport was arranged by the Airbnb. It seems that most in Rome have some sort of option for transportation, which we found to be Extremely helpful!! If you’re staying in an Airbnb, be sure to ask! One last thing for us to have to worry about. Once we were packed we went for our final exploration and breakfast.
We were so lucky that out Airbnb came with daily breakfast at a local place, The Bulldog (https://thebulldog.com) that was a 2 minute walk. It was a cafe by morning, dance club by night! Each morning we could have an Espresso, Cappuccino or Americano coffee. We also could choose from a variety of pastries. Everything was excellent, so highly recommend this place for a bite to eat!
ST. AGNES IN AGONE
We then chose to head back towards the Trevi Fountain area and Piazza Navona (https://romesite.com/piazza-navona.html) for last minute souvenirs and gifts. One thing that I really wanted was some holy water from a church in Italy. Some churches sell them directly, but they can be a bit expensive. Some were over 12 dollars for a small bottle. I purchased some empty bottles before we left, so all we needed to do was fill them at a church (be sure to not enter in the middle of an “after funeral” celebration as you will e asked to leave, oops!). If you are looking for holy water and did not bring your own bottles, go to St. Agnes in Agone (https://www.santagneseinagone.org/en/), right in Piazza Navona. The church is beautiful and they have bottles of holy water for any donation you are willing to give. They also sell lots of other religious items including rosaries that were only 10 euros. Be sure to stop by this church if you have the time!
We arrived begrudgingly at the airport about 3:30 for our 7:05 flight back to NYC. Once there, Rome–Fiumicino International Airport “Leonardo da Vinci” (FCO) had endless shops to purchase all of the last minute things that we really did not need… but don’t worry, there is anything you need there as well, including simple gift shops, but if you have enough money leftover you can shop at Cartier, Prada, Fendi, Gucci and even Ferrari duty free!
My Italian Adventures 