After a nine hour flight from Atlanta to Rome, my family arrived in Italy around 9 a.m. (that would be 2 a.m. in Orlando). We tried our best to sleep on the plane so we could hit the ground running and really enjoy our first day in Rome.
The time change was a bit of an adjustment, but I think that after a good night’s sleep this evening, we should be good to go! It felt so weird eating “breakfast” at 2 a.m. when I wasn’t hungry in the slightest.
I then found myself snacking on peanut butter M&Ms and Combos that my mom brought along just to keep my energy up.
After meeting up with our Globus tour group, we made our way to our hotel where we quickly changed and headed out onto the streets of Rome. Today is a “free day” from the tour group because everyone is arriving at different times.
Our first mission was to get some authentic Italian food in our bellies.
We bought pizza from a little café outside of our hotel and inhaled it!
My dad and I both commented on how we really enjoyed how this pizza seemed to really put the emphasis on the tomatoes, vegetables and spices rather than the gobs of cheese. Now I’m not saying that a ton of cheese is a bad thing, but this pizza tasted so incredibly fresh and flavorful and not heavy and overly greasy like the pizza I am used to eating.
I can’t wait to try some other flavor combinations. I saw one pizza that looked like it had thinly sliced potatoes on it and another topped with artichokes that were calling my name.
After our bellies were full of pizza, we walked toward the Vatican. Though we will be enjoying a full tour of the Vatican tomorrow, we couldn’t resist exploring and beginning to see what Rome is all about.
En route to the Vatican we stopped for some gelato.
Guys, I don’t even know what to say. I think I found my mother ship. This stuff is unreal. My family and I sampled a ton of different flavors before ordering our own cups and every single one we tried we loved.
My personal cup included a combination of panna cotta and Nutella gelato and I practically licked my bowl clean.
I plan to eat 5,000 cups of this stuff throughout the next 12 days. Thank goodness I packed my elastic-waist pants and flowy dresses.
After eating our gelato and walking a couple of blocks, we stumbled upon St. Peter’s Square…
and the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica.
We waited in a brief line before entering St. Peter’s Basilica where we were blow away by the beauty inside.
The ceilings, the detail, the marble… everything was incredible. I can’t wait to learn more about it tomorrow!
Oh! And great news, Ryan! I found the place where we can renew our vows in a few years…
The feeling in this church was truly unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. People were walking around with their mouths open and their eyes wide trying to understand how much time, detail and talent was required to make the most amazing Christian church in the world.
I am so excited to absorb as much information as I can about this church and its history tomorrow!
After spending quite a bit of time inside, we wandered outside and out of the square toward Castel Sant’Angelo, the building there the Pope retreated during times of danger. It was quite the site!
We then walked a ways until we reached Piazza Navona, Rome’s most popular piazza, originally built for raceway chariots!
We also have plans to return here tomorrow!
Now we’re relaxing back at the hotel before we join with our tour group for a four-course dinner in Rome. I am beyond pumped for this and am planning on calling in my second stomach!
Ciao for now! 
P.S. The Fashion page was updated!
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
one pizza combination I tried in Rome had a sweeter cheese and honey drizzled on it. it was UNREAL.
Also, gelato? it’s impossible to eat enough of it. in my glory days of high school latin class trips to Italy, I dominated our class contest to see who could eat the most scoops of gelato over the course of the trip. the boys didn’t stand a chance against me.
My mother in law took a trip to Italy last October and it is kind of neat to see your pictures because her pictures are so similar! Very cool.
That gelato looks amazing. Enjoy!
I didn’t realize you were doing a tour! That’s great because the history is so rich that you’ll really appreciate having all that background. The tour of the Vatican is amazing..so so good.
Enjoy!
I agree! I think tours are one of the best ways to travel… plus, you meet *so* many neat people, from all over the world! I did a 18day tour in New Zealand when I studied abroad in Australia, and I was one of two American’s on the bus! I still keep in touch with a lot of the people I met to this day, we’re like family! Can’t wait to see how you like it. Oh, and i had no doubt you’d love gelato… it’s amaaazing!
I’ve always wanted to know what a real pizza from Italy would taste like. It sounds incredible.
You’ve seen so much already and it’s only for one day.
Pizza and gelatos, yummy!
I had my honeymoon trip to Rome 3 years ago. The pizza is AMAZING! Mine had sliced boiled eggs and olives. OMG… so good. I’ve tried recreating it with the Flatout bread, very yummy!
I too ate my weight in Gelato. I literally ate it EVERY day we were there. And we were there a week!
We rented a flat/apartment instead of opting for the hotel. The rates were actually VERY reasonable and we were a 3 min walk from Piazza Navona. It was really neat to wake up and step out onto the street like the “locals” were. Having a kitchen in our flat it was really neat to be able to step out to the street market and buy fresh stuff to make a few meals ourselves.
Have a great time!
WOW Julie, what an experience! It looks like you guys are having a blast so far! I’m really not much of a cheese fan, so that pizza looks like it would be just right for me. Enjoy the rest of your day – I bet you’ll sleep well tonight!
You make me want to go back so badly! Isn’t the Basilica amazing?!
And gelato – seriously. Nothing compares. Nothing. drooooolllllll
Julie!! Wow, you already seem like you’re having the time of your life!!
I thought maybe I’d have to wait a couple posts to see you eatin’ some gelato. I was wrong 😉 Believe me, I won’t be waiting that long either!!
Ahhhh, so awesome!
This post makes me so jealous:) Just fyi, potato pizza is the jam. I’m Italian and my mom makes it often:) There is usually an onion-y surprise under the potato, depending on where you get it lol.
1. The gelato looks amazing! And I love that they put a pizzelle in it!
2. There’s a great restaurant in Piazza Navona, on the east side right past the fountain that has some of the best pizza I’ve ever had.
3. Something you may learn tomorrow at the Vatican: In St. Peter’s the sun shines for at least 1 second on every fresco and sculpture in the entire place!!! I learned that the last time I was there in 2008!
Sooo jealous! I love gelato – fell in love last year when I visited Costa Rica where there was an little Italian pizza place that had gelato – ever since I have not found a place that has come close to how good it was! My friend just visited Italy though and confirmed it gave the CR gelato a run for its money 🙂
Have a great trip and eat lots of gelato for us all!
Amazing Julie! Love the recap!!
You have me so excited for my upcoming trip!
I *love* the Piazzo Novana. I really hope you read Angels and Demons!
Waow that’s beautiful!
The gelatos! The weather! The paintings! Enjoy it all ^^
Rome looks gorgeous!
WOW! is all I can say! Have fun!
Rome looks absolutely beautiful! So jealous right now! That gelato looks incredible too!!! Mmm..I think I would taste every single flavor too! Enjoy your dinner tonight! 🙂
You’re pictures look fantastic Julie!! You all look so refreshed despite the fact of flying for the previous 9 hours. I can’t wait to hear more about your trip 🙂
an italian family used to run an amazing gelato shop in the lake eola area, but they closed it a few years back 🙁 it was definitely my high school hang out! i’m surprised orlando hasn’t had any new gelato places open since then!
That gelatto looks amazing! I love that you’re blogging from Rome. Have fun!
You are feeling the same way I did when I was there! Our entire trip, in each palace, cathedral, etc..I’d think, ‘HOW the heck did they DO this?!’ It’s remarkable and there’s so much to learn!
Ahhh so jealous, I love Rome!! I haven’t been there in years, but it’s just as beautiful as I remembered. And I’m sure the gelato is just as good 🙂
Oh dear, I miss the gelato from Italy so much!! :)) That pizza also looks amazing.. I generally don’t like pizzahut style pizza’s ( american way of eating pizza) but I love thin crust Italian one.. You must try one with artichoke or aubergine.. amazing!
Love that you’re blogging from across the world!!
And you and the fam travel well- yall look well rested and fashionable!
Have fun 🙂
Living vicariously through your blog posts as I study for finals! Hope you’re enjoying it 🙂
Fun fact: look up when you’re in St. Peter’s tomorrow, the letters that wrap around the entire basilica which look quite small from the ground are actually over 6 foot tall each — food for thought & something I found pretty wild
oh my gosh, that’s crazy!
Nutella gelato?! I’m so jealous. LOL. It’s weird seeing your pictures because my parents got back from 11 days in Rome, Florence, and Paris the same day you flew there. hahaha. Have fun!!
Oh and thinly sliced potatoes are a traditional pizza topping in Rome! Local favorite!
I lived in Rome for 6 months and my favorite gelato shop (besides Giolitti’s) was Old Bridge, right next to the Vatican. I used to walk 45 minutes from the Trastevere neighborhood just to go there!! You must try it! Hope you have the best trip ever! You will adore the food.
-Maddie
p.s not sure if anyone has told you about aperitivo? You buy one drink (about 8 euro) and get a buffet of delicious food for free! My favorite places in Rome for this “happy hour” deal were Freni e Frizioni and also Pepato, both in the Trastevere neighborhood. It is a foodie’s delight, seriously. Aperitivo is also popular in Milan and Florence. Golden View is the best one I found in Florence and right on the river.
Enjoy! xox
everything looks so amazing and beautiful! The gelato looks awesome too. Thanks for sharing!
Looks like you are all having a great time so far! 🙂
Ahhh I am SO jealous!!!! I studied Ancient Roman History/Art/Arcitecture in University (got my degree in it actually) yet have never been!!! I’m DYING to get there one day when we have the money!!!
Enjoy yourself!! 🙂
Yay! I am doing a Globus tour in September with my hubby- Italy too!! I cannot wait to see the rest of your trip and hear how the tours were.
I learned how to photograph with a DSLR camera in dim lighting in St. Peter’s Basilica on my honeymoon. It was an amazing trip I’ll never forget. 🙂 Have fun!
Just curious but why didn’t Ryan come on the trip?
Maybe instead of being lazy you should actually look at past posts where she already mentioned why.
Wow, Maybe she missed the posts and didnt realise it was already explained. you could have just said ‘look at other posts’
Obviously I just didn’t see it. Not lazy. Just don’t have time to go through a bunch of old posts.
hey amanda, he couldn’t come b/c (long story short) he couldn’t get the time off work.
I remember going to Rome and literally SITTING in St. Peters Basilica just staring at the ceiling. It’s breath taking and you really can’t understand its beauty or it’s massive size unless you’re there! So glad you’re having a great time!
xo
Hehe, I’m going to be the European snob here and say that I’m so glad you get to experience the amazing flavours of real food for the first time 😉 Enjoy it while you can!!!! Can’t wait to see how the rest of your trip goes! HAve fun!
Sighhh so nice. I was in Italy almost exactly 2 years ago for over a week as well. The gelato is incomparable. Mmm. ENJOYYYY!
Looks AMAZING!!! Yay mother ship!
pizza? gelato? the vatican?
i love it all! i feel like i’m on a mini vacay w/your updates 🙂
AHHHH i am loving these updates! i didn’t think we’d here from you much while you were on vacation, but i’m so impressed with the stories and pics you have already provided on your first day there! it’s like we’re traveling with you girl! how fab! have a GREAT dinner 🙂
how exciting! I absolutely love traveling. Too bad I have to read about it in the states….haha
The pizza looks delicious! When I was in Poland last summer I loved gelato! It is so fresh and like nothing I had ever had before. Enjoy soaking in the culture and food ^_^
Wow is about all I can say right now! I’m sure pictures can’t do seeing these sites first hand but still, wow! LOL Thank you for sharing the pictures and your experience on your blog!! Can’t wait for more Rome posts!
Holy mother of ice cream! Is this your first time having gelato? I have never had it and I’m DYING!! It looks amazing! I am seriously way jealous! it looks so fun!
Seriously?? The combo of Nutella and gelato is like better than, well, better than anything I can think of right now. I’d probably skip the Vatican and hang out in the gelato shop for the rest of the trip.
Ahhh the sights, food, everything is making me want to go back! Nutella gelato is the best! and the Pizza is for sure fresh and not greasy like American pizza! lol Have so much fun!
oh my goodness i’m so jealous!!! looks like you’re having a blast so far!
BTW there is an awesome gelato place in downtown st. petersberg called pacuigo! so if you’re still craving gelato when you get back to florida, you’re in luck! 🙂
Ah! I want to go to Italy so so bad :)! Have fun!
wow! so awesome – looks like you and your family are off to a wonderful start!! can’t wait to see more! have a lovely vacation!!!!!