We flew out of RDU with a connection through JFK, where the delays were long enough to make us question all our life choices. Since JFK currently looks like it’s under construction with no open restaurants, we decided the safest move was to hide out in the Admirals Club the entire time with some light food and drinks in the Rome Itinerary
Our flight finally touched down in Rome around 9:00 AM, just two hours behind schedule, which feels like a win until your pre-booked airport driver doesn’t show up!
I had arranged a private driver through Welcome Pickups. They assured us (multiple times!) they were tracking our flight. Around mid-flight I got a text saying they canceled because… our flight was delayed. Apparently tracking your flight means until it’s inconvenient for them, so I never reached out to them again while in Italy.
We joined the long taxi line. It was about 30-45 minutes of sweating and we finally reached the front of the line and we were quickly on our way. . .
We arrived at A.Roma Lifestyle Hotel. The lobby screamed luxury spa vibes.
When I booked the hotel, I knew we must have a pool. Because sightseeing is fun, but poolside lounging with a drink in hand is my kind of vacation!
After a quick nap to recover from our flight, we freshened up and grabbed a taxi to Trastevere, the cobblestoned neighborhood all over TikTok minus the graffiti (which is everywhere in Rome and took me by surprise).
We wandered around and we dined at La Tavernetta 29. No line at opening time and the food was amazing. We debated ordering one of everything.
Pro tip: get there at 6:00!
Then came the highlight of our first night: a Rome by night golf cart tour, booked HERE. It was every bit as amazing as it sounds and much cooler.
Our driver zipped through traffic and the moonlit streets of Rome. The city glows at night, the crowds are a little thinner, and the heat takes a break. We saw all the major sights — Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, and our absolute favorite: the Trevi Fountain around 10 PM, still bustling but magical under the lights.
And of course, we ended the night the only way you should in Rome — with gelato. We hunted down the last open shop and demolished it before it had a chance to melt. Naturally, when we got home from our two-week Italy trip, and ordered this gelato machine. It cranks out the creamiest gelato that tastes like it flew straight in from Italy. We start it up almost every weekend — because, well, our new family tradition!
By 11:30 PM, we were cruising back to the hotel, wind in our hair, finally cooling down. We couldn’t wait to see what the next day in Italy would bring.
Day 3: Vatican Tour + Tiramisu
We fully embraced vacation mode this morning and slept in. Eventually, we made our way to the massive breakfast buffet at A. Roma Lifestyle Hotel. And when I say buffet, I mean everything from pancakes to prosciutto to pastries that looked too pretty to eat. We sat outside, sipping cappuccinos while overlooking the rolling hills just outside the city center of Rome, soaking in the vibe.
Full and happy, we went back to the room, changed into swimsuits, and dipped into the pool for a few hours. By mid-morning, the Roman sun was blazing hot, so pool lounging was a requirement.
At 1 PM, we had a tour booked with Maria Claudia Tours HERE – if you read reviews online you’ll know she is the queen of Roman tours. We ordered a taxi using the Free Now app (highly recommend), arrived at the Vatican Museum entrance around 12:50, and waited in a shady spot by the white door. There’s actually good shade there during early afternoon.
We only had photos of our passports on our phones, that worked perfectly — no paper printouts or actual passports required for entry.
Our guide, Simona, was fabulous. She was funny, smart, and truly wanted us to enjoy and learn something — even while we slowly melted, the tour lasted about three hours and ended at St. Peter’s Basilica, which was jaw-dropping. Despite the Vatican’s dress code warnings, we didn’t see anyone being stopped for exposed shoulders or knees — probably because even the security guards were too hot to care.
The only real rules were in the beautiful Sistine Chapel: no photos, no hats, and silence. (You know, unless you’re whispering about how your neck hurts from staring at the ceiling, like my husband who still complains about his neck issues.)
Simona played a game parents vs kids and guess who won!
We walked through the Holy Door, only open to the public for a Jubilee Year. Traditionally held every 25 years.
Afterward, we were completely drenched in sweat. We cabbed it back to A. Roma, had lunch at the hotel bar with the AC on high, and then headed back to the pool.
That night, we cleaned up, tossed on our dinner outfits, and took a Free Now taxi to Piazza Navona. We grabbed dinner right in the middle of the square like the total tourists we are. The pasta and pizza were incredible – and the limoncello, refreshing!
The grand finale of Day 3 — we walked over to 100 Tiramisu for dessert. It is around the corner from Piazza Navona. They serve tiramisus in every flavor imaginable. We settled on one each. I went with pistachio — a theme for me this trip — and it did not disappoint.
Day 4: Colosseum + Roman Forum
We kicked off the day at the glorious breakfast buffet. If it’s included with your room, you best believe we’re maximizing that!
At 9:30 AM, we met up with Simona again, you can find her HERE — this time outside the Roman Forum. And it was hot. The Forum was fascinating but felt like a walk through the world’s most historic desert — lots of ancient stones, lots of dirt, and zero shade. Dress accordingly.
Thankfully, once we moved over to the Colosseum, there was some relief. It was still warm, but we weren’t sizzling in the direct sunlight.
Stopping for a cool down at the famous water fountains. The freshest water there is! They are all over Rome. You can use the Drinking Fountains app to locate them all.
After the tour wrapped, we headed to Ristoro Della Salute for lunch with great food and misting fans, directly beside the Collosseum. These little overhead sprinklers were saving our lives from a heat stroke.
We spent the rest of the afternoon back at the hotel pool.
For dinner, we took a stroll from the hotel to a local restaurant Bistrot Luce, a cute dinner spot with great vibes and even better food. We followed it up with gelato from the place next door surrounded by locals, who were also sitting outside to enjoy their daily dose of gelato in this summer heat wave.
We began our last morning in Rome again at the breakfast buffet at A. Roma. We dined outside cappuccinos in hand, overlooking the Italian rolling hills, enjoying these views one last time in Rome. We headed to Roma Termini and jumped on a train to Florence. Follow us to Florence HERE. Our drive through Tuscany HERE and Cinque Terre HERE.
We loved our time in Rome with the kids. My son’s going to be studying the Roman Empire in history class this coming school year, and after four days of gladiators, emperors, and enough ancient ruins to last a lifetime, I’m pretty sure he could just skip the textbook and teach the class himself.
Drop me a line if you decide to go to Rome. I would love to hear from you.
Check out our post on the Best Hotels in Rome.
If you love exploring the world’s most amazing stays, don’t miss our guide to the 10 Best Family Hotels in Exuma Bahamas for a tropical escape after your Italian adventure.
