Rome, Italy
We traveled to Rome, Italy in March of 2021. This vacation was our first international trip together, exactly 3 months after our Wedding and both our first time visiting Italy.
Needless to say, we were very excited, also this was our first big trip since COVID. Before that, we only traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico in February 2020, the Dominican Republic in July of 2021, and then Cabo, Mexico in December of 2021 for our Honeymoon.
For this trip, we were still required to get tested for COVID and show a negative test upon arrival at the airport, along with our vaccination cards. We were also been asked to test 24 arrivals before departure and to show negative Covid test results upon arrival at the airport on their way back. As I am typing this, I can honestly say, I do not miss those more strict travel requirements at all and am glad we are now required to only show proof of vaccination in various countries.
Our trip was 5 days, and in hindsight, it definitely should have been longer. More time was needed, not specifically for Rome, but to explore other cities in Italy such as Venice and Capri.
But hopefully, on our next trip to Italy, we will get to explore those places.
Nonetheless, our trip to Rome far exceeded our expectations.
On our first day, upon arrival and hotel check-in, we walked immediately to the Coliseum. The Coliseum and Trevi Fountain were both within walking distance from our Hotel, The Domus 21 Luxury Suites, which I highly recommend. (Hotel Room pics below ) After walking around the Coliseum, and taking pictures, we walked a couple of blocks over to a Gay Bar in Rome, called Gay Street. It was small but very charming and was a nice end to a long day of travel.
The following day, we visited Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and The Pantheon. One of the highlights of the trip was the day trip we booked to Pompeii and Positano on the Amalfi Coast through TripAdvisor. Pompeii is such a well-preserved volcanic site, and the history lessons told by our tour guides were 10x better than the ones most middle school teachers deliver.
The highlight of the Day Trip was undeniably the visit to Positano. The entire town is majestic and romantic, and I am so grateful we went during the off-season because it becomes overcrowded during the summer months, making it more difficult to take in the magnitude of its beauty and serenity. And although we had Limoncello and Gelato in Rome, the best we had of both was in Positano. Praise God for the photos because our trip to Amalfi as newlyweds often still feels unreal. The unique design of the Italian countryside homes, affixed on cliffs, in vibrant colors surrounded by the beach and clear waters, is something you have to see yourself, and even then you may not believe it’s real.
Upon returning home, we had an overnight layover in Copenhagen. Now, this is the part of the trip where it got a little sketchy lol. Our overnight stay in Copenhagen was perfect. It allowed us to see the downtown area in the evening and in the morning before departure, and now have an interest in returning. It is incredibly clean, and the people were surprisingly welcoming and cordial, even though Copenhagen did not appear to be ethnically diverse.
Upon arrival at the airport in Copenhagen, we were informed that our return flight was canceled. After waiting in the Help desk line for an hour, we were eventually rescheduled to another flight, but that flight was not until 18 hours later. To make matters worse, instead of flying us directly back to Dulles International Airport, we would be flying through Oslo, Norway, to Amsterdam and then from Amsterdam to Dulles International Airport.
Although the layover only pushed our arrival time back, 24 hours to be exact, because of the many unplanned stops, and the additional night in Norway (where I had to book a hotel), it felt as if the trip was extended almost 3-4 days. We came back exhausted.
Hindsight is always 20/20, and there is a lesson in everything. What we learned from that trip was to always research hotel lounge access in advance (which we do now) and always pack a change of clothes and underwear in our carry-on (which we also do now).
Also, due to to 24-hour delay in return, we take off an additional 48 hours after a trip before returning to work to allow for any potential travel delays. This was something we never did before these unforeseeable delays when returning, but I recommend it to any travelers who have vacation time available. And if you end up not needing the time, because all your flights run exactly on schedule, then the extra 48 hours will be spent reminiscing on an amazing trip, unpacking, cleaning your home, and mentally resetting before returning to work.
Happy Traveling Friends, until our next adventure!
Recommended Food
Osteria da Fortunata-Landmark Roman Kitchen (Be prepared to wait, no reservations,line around corner but went here TWICE)
Osteria da Fortunata – Pellegrino
Tonnarello (I still Dream about this Pasta!)
Homepage – Ristorante a Trastevere – Locanda Tonnarello
Recommended Excursion
Pompeii, Amalfi Coast and Positano Day Trip from Rome
2024 Pompeii, Amalfi Coast and Positano Day Trip from Rome (tripadvisor.com)
Recommended Hotel
Domus 21 Luxury Suites (Walking distance to Coliseum, Trevi Fountain and Pantheon)
DOMUS 21 | Luxury suites in the heart of Rome (domus21suites.com)
Recommended Nightlife
TRASTEVERE
Recommended LGBTQIA Lounge
My Bar, Rome – Restaurant menu and reviews (restaurantguru.com)
Recommended Photographer
The SIMS IRL 
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