European Adventure 2025 | Rome, Italy | GCP by Nicole

This summer, we had an epic European adventure, a sequel to our 2023 trip! We explored Rome, the stunning Amalfi Coast, Sicily, Montenegro, Croatia, Venice, and Ireland. If you’re curious about our journey, buckle up!

Day 1 started with a late morning arrival in Rome. We hit the ground running, choosing a centrally located hotel with easy access to most places. We learned from our past European travels that most hotels are super tight on space for families of four so we booked a suite at the Cosmopolita Hotel Rome. To our surprise, it had two separate bedrooms, a tiny common area, and even two bathrooms! It was so nice not being cramped together.

Here’s a little tip for Rome travelers: transportation was pretty straightforward from the airport, but we recommend taking a taxi or Uber next time. The train leaves right from the baggage claim area, but we had to buy tickets to take a tram after we got off of our train stop. Our hotel was about a half-mile walk from the nearest tram stop, which doesn’t sound far, but when you add in 7 pieces of luggage, cobblestone walkways, and heavy foot traffic, it was quite a challenge. If you travel lighter, it would have been much easier.

Luckily, our room was ready when we arrived, so we quickly changed and headed out to explore. We visited the iconic Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and the magnificent Pantheon.

Another hot tip: even though their pizza prices are super affordable, the pizzas are huge! We thought we’d each get a personal pizza for the price, but one pizza would have been enough for the four of us!

We called it a very early night and hit the hay by 5:00. We slept until the next day, feeling refreshed after a long day of travel and walking.

I told you the pizza was huge!!

The second day, we woke up early and headed straight to Vatican City! We booked a small group tour through “Get your Guide” to skip the crazy lines.

Before we left, we found a cute little cafe near the meeting point and had the most delicious chocolate (and pistachio) croissants we’ve ever had!

It was a Jubilee year at the Vatican, so it was even busier than usual. I’m so glad we had an early morning tour, especially with the scorching heat. When we started the tour, they told us the Basilica was closed that morning, but guess what? After we grabbed some lunch after the tour, it opened up for the day! I was bummed they didn’t let us take photos inside the Sistine Chapel, though. It was such an incredible experience to see it.

It was over 100 degrees with the heat index that day, so we headed back to our hotel for showers and a nap before a late dinner when it finally cooled down. But let me tell you, it never really cooled off while we were there.

Best croissants at Caffe Dei Papi

On our third day in Rome, we had a tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine. Another early morning was worth it because of the heat and the crowds entering the Colosseum. It was truly a breathtaking sight to behold. I felt like I was in awe the entire time we were walking through there. After a bite to eat nearby, we realized we were close to Circus Maximus. So, we headed over to see where chariot racing used to happen. Honestly, there wasn’t much left to see, but it did look like they were planning some renovations.

Back to the hotel for showers and power naps And one more stop at Trevi Fountain because, well, “when in Rome.”

My Dad had told us about a restaurant called La Tavernetta 29. It was supposed to be famous for its carbonara pasta, and it was Father’s Day that night. Carbonara is Mike’s favorite, so we decided to head out on an adventure to find it. When we arrived, there was a massive line of at least 30 people. We were torn between waiting or not, but then a waiter approached us, looking for a party of four. We were so lucky! And guess what? The carbonara was absolutely incredible – and it was one of the best vodka pasta I’ve ever had. We highly recommend La Tavernetta 29 if you ever find yourself in the area!

Gorgeous sunset crossing the Tiber River on the way to La Tavernetta 29

Carbonara and a more “normal size” pizza for one