I’ve been to Rome at least ten times in my years as a corporate flight attendant, but this trip was so much more special. It was my first time experiencing Rome with my family and loved ones. I couldn’t wait to see Rome through their eyes, to watch their faces light up at the sights I’ve fallen in love with over the years, and to share the places, flavors, and little hidden gems that make this city so special to me. And now, I can’t wait to share my love for the city with all of YOU!
9 years ago, two bffs/moms had a dream – to build a career that would allow us to pursue our passions while providing a beautiful life for our babies. From where we started, no one could have imagine the life we would build. 📸: @milesogden_
Photo Credit: Various photos x @milesogden_
My Rome Travel Diary
Day 0: Arrival
We arrived safely to Italy!! I’m calling this “Day 0” since we didn’t have an official itinerary, just a mission to get adjusted to the city and survive jet lag. We walked around the Colosseum and explored our Airbnb neighborhood.
We also found Trattoria Vecchia, the perfect, yummy restaurant for our first (early) dinner. Highly recommend if you want reliable, delicious Italian food. “The kids” fell in love with their spritzes and gin lemon. If you decide to check it out, be sure to make a reservation because it’s a pretty popular local spot. After dinner, we stocked up on groceries and water for our stay, then called it an early night so we’d be ready to hit the ground running the following day. Day 0 was a success!!
Day 0 Top Visited Spots of the Day:
- Trattoria Vecchia
- Colosseum
Day 1: Vatican Day
It’s Vatican day!!! I’ve been to the Vatican many many times and it never ceases to amaze me.
This time, we toured the museums and the Sistine Chapel. Both are an absolute must-see! You just can’t fully grasp the scale and magnificence of the chapel through photos. You have to be there in person for the full, pick your jaw off the floor effect. Pro Tip: Take a peek into St. Peter’s Basilica. It’s full of so many hidden gems you don’t want to miss. Oh, and if you’re coming to Rome before the New Year, you’re in for something special as 2025 is Jubilee year, which means all the Holy Doors are open and won’t open for another 25 years!
After the Vatican, we ate lunch at one my favorite restaurants in Rome, Lo Zozzone de Maria! A family friend, Father Hank (a local Vatican priest) first introduced me to this local restaurant all the way back in 2018 and now I can’t come to Rome without dining there.
The restaurant is absolutely charming and the food is truly special. My go-to order is hands-down their puttanesca pasta, full of yummy olives and capers – my absolute fav! I’ve been home for weeks and still can’t stop thinking about it. You also have to try their anchovy pizza, it’s so special! For dessert, be sure to order the seasonal strawberries with fresh cream, it’s light and refreshing! And their house wine is the BEST (at least that’s what my BFF says)!
Finally to end the day we went to the Pantheon, another Roman marvel and truly an architectural feat! The building looks unassuming from the outside, but the interior is beautiful and features a perfect half sphere ceiling. Its history is just as impressive as its architecture. Like how did they even build this incredible structure nearly 1900 years ago? Another must-see for your visit to Rome!
Day 1 Top Visited Spots of the Day:
- Vatican City (via Get Your Guide Tours)
- La Zozzone de Maria @lo_zozzone_da_maria
- The Pantheon
Day 2: Florence Day
Florence, the city of art! For our Florence day I really wanted to show my family my favorite museums. We pre-purchased train tickets via Trenitalia, boarded a train at Roma Termini, and nearly 2 hours later we arrived in the Renaissance capital.
We started out our day in Florence with breakfast at Melaleuca Firenze Bakery Bistro located on the river. You better believe I’m going to find the one spot in Florence that has matcha. Well technically, May found it – but I’m gonna get my matcha fix nonetheless! And babes, it was delish. So much so that I found my way back there right before closing to get a 2nd matcha. I had to babes, it would be my last matcha for weeks to come. Melaleuca is actually an Australian/American owned brunch spot. All of the ingredients tasted really fresh and everything was locally sourced. Chefs kiss for this one babes – our food was so yummy.
We came to Florence prepared with a Firenze card (cost: 85€), which gave us entry to pretty much any of the museums in the city. Pro Tip: If you are traveling during peak tourism season (even with the Firenze card), you’ll want to go to each museum at the start of your day to make a reservation and come back at your assigned time. If you’re limited on time or only want to see a few museums, I personally recommend visiting Galleria dell’Accademia (aka “the David museum”) and the Uffizi Gallery (home to Boticelli’s “Birth of Venus”). These museums house some of the most influential and iconic art in the world. Trust me, you don’t need to be an art connoisseur to be in awe.
In addition to all the art Florence has to offer, it’s also a shopper’s paradise, with a mix of luxury stores and charming local stores. While I didn’t really do much shopping, I did treat myself to perfume from a local Florentine shop called Profumeria Invicta. Florence is famous for their perfumeries and now I see why. The scents I purchased are AMAZING and so unique. I’m so happy for my new found love of fragrance.
For dinner, we had a reservation at Trattoria ZaZa. My daughter, May found this one on TikTok and this place lived up to all the hype! It’s super popular, so book well in advance – we made a reservation months in advance, and the line for non-reservations was INSANE. While it was a bit touristy, the food more than makes up for it. I had some of the best pasta of my life here. I recommend ordering their lobster pasta for the most rich flavor, that isn’t overtly fishy but really savory and delicious. I also really enjoyed their spaghetti with clams and Carol swears you’ve got to try the rigatoni with sea bass sauce. Honestly, we still can’t stop talking about how this was one of our favorite meals of the entire trip.
A little art, a little shopping, and ALOT of pasta later, I’d say this was a successful day trip to Florence!
Day 2 Top Visited Spots of the Day:
- Uffizi Museum
- Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze
- Profumeria Invicta @profumeria.invicta
- Trattoria ZaZa
Day 3: Appian Way Bike Tour
For my third day in Rome, we traded in our walking shoes for the most magical-adventure bike ride via Eco Bikes Roma.
We booked a full-day tour along the historic Appian Way, with multiple stops at ancient sites along the way. I’ll be honest, I was really nervous for two reasons:
- The heat (Summers in Rome don’t play)
- I hadn’t ridden a bike in almost 10 years, and have never ridden an electric bike
Once we got started, all my fears melted away. We somehow lucked out during our week in Rome and it was only mildly hot and totally manageable. As for electric bikes – totally easy to ride and so much fun!
We began at 10 am and didn’t finish until around 5 pm but the day was so fascinating that the hours flew by so quickly. Along the way, we passed ancient ruins and visited small museums built into the ancient structures and sites. It was the most magical Roman history lesson. I don’t want to spoil all the surprises but you definitely have got to see it for yourself!
On our ride back, we happened upon a very special restaurant, Hostaria Antica Roma. It was set in the most beautiful garden property and even though we arrived right at closing time, the owner Paolo Magnanimi graciously welcomed us for a late lunch. His recipes are rediscovered ancient recipes that have been re-imagined for a modern palette, including his white lasagna. Paolo shared that the first versions of lasagna actually had no tomato sauce, as tomatoes did not exist during the Roman Empire. Tomatoes didn’t arrive in Italy until the 1540’s. Paolo’s knowledge, passion, and sense of humor were truly infectious. If you want to eat like Roman’s did, you’ll need to visit Hostaria Antica Roma. I personally can’t wait to come back!
Day 3 Top Visited Spots of the Day:
- Eco Bike Roma- Appian Way
- Hostaria Antica Roma @hostariaanticaroma
Day 4: Shopping Day Near Spanish Steps
4 days in and you know what that means…SHOPPING!! I hadn’t really done much shopping yet, and by this time I was ready to treat myself. And I’m not talking Zara and Aritzia type treats – this was a full blown, I’m gonna need to get to the airport early and get my VAT refund kind of shopping day. Can you blame me though – I’ve come all this way, how could I not take advantage of the great deals and the VAT?! We headed to my favorite shopping area, which can be found at the bottom of the Spanish Steps. Within a few blocks you can find all types of shopping but this area is truly known for the designer flagship stores – e.g. Bottega, Louis, YSL, Chanel, Gucci and more – all calling my name! Carol and I headed for the designer shops and the kids split off for their own shopping adventures.
You know me babes, I had very specific shopping goals for this trip and boy did I score! My haul? My dream Bottega Veneta bag, a pair of sunnies my bestie told me I needed, and a sleek little cardholder, a Louis Vuitton scarf, and all the super sold out Chanel makeup I’ve been dying to to try. I felt like such a spoiled girl, but every single purchase felt like a celebration of the hard work that got me here.
We toasted our shopping day success over high tea. It was a laid back day overall but sometimes the best travel days are the simple ones.
Day 4 Top Visited Spots of the Day:
- Spanish Steps
- Babingtons Tea Rome @babingtons
Day 5: Porta Portese Flea Market
My last day in Rome, and we were ready for some treasure hunting. That’s right babes, we went to a flea market! We headed out bright and early to get all the best deals. The flea market we went to was in the Porta Portese area, and babes, it was MASSIVE. It easily could have been the same size as the Rosebowl Flea in LA or perhaps even bigger!
It was a little bit overwhelming at first, but totally worth it. I scored some amazing deals but my favorite treasure finds of the day were some vintage clutches that are so perfectly me. They’re going to pair great with so many of my outfits, I can’t wait to share with you. And the prices did not disappoint! Tons of clothes, jewelry, and other treasures for under 15 euro.
Honestly, we could’ve spent a whole day there but hunger got the best of us. After eating at a local spot we headed back to the Spanish Steps for the most memorable souvenir – matching Italian charm bracelets!
We went to Nomination, an Italian jewelry brand known for their interchangeable charm bracelets. Each link features a different design – anything from letters and flowers to travel icons – you can really personalize it to make it truly special to you. The charms with designs range in price depending on the material and design but started at around 20 euro and up. The base links for the bracelet were 1 euro per link in silver or 2 euro per link in gold.
For my charms, I picked a lipstick, a T, and flower. I love that I can keep adding to it over time. And since we all got one, I also love that we can gift each other charms for special occasions (think stocking stuffers!). It’s a wearable souvenir that feels so personal and timeless. We had so much fun designing our bracelets in-store as a family, but you can also purchase them online and they ship worldwide.
Day 5 Top Visited Spots of the Day:
- Porta Portese Flea Market
- Nomination
Day 6: Leaving Rome
It’s moving day! We said goodbye (but see you later) to our Roman penthouse. After years of traveling to Rome as a corporate flight attendant, none of those trips will ever compare to the experience of sharing the city with my family and loved ones. This trip has been filled with laughter, beautiful adventures, and memories that I’ll cherish forever. I love you, Roma – you’ve been amazing!!
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