A few weeks ago I was finally able to check off one of the cities that has been on my travel bucket list for some time now, with 4 days in Rome, Italy. Me and my Mum couldn't wait for what would be our very first package holiday together, with everything from the flights to the hotel and even breakfast during our stay booked with Jet2CityBreaks.
I've always wanted to visit Rome. You can blame The Lizzie McGuire Movie for that. And it did not disappoint. So here's what we got up to on one of Jet2's city breaks to Rome;
Flying with Jet2
It was our first time travelling with Jet2CityBreaks from Glasgow but I cannot recommend them highly enough. With 22kg checked luggage included, plenty of leg room (I was actually shocked with how much there was, in a very good way) and the friendliest staff we've ever encountered at an airport or on a flight, it started off our holiday in the best way.
Flights to Rome with Jet2 are only around three hours and it went in so quickly.
As we were only going for four nights and didn't intend on buying much once we got there, we tried doing hand luggage only. And it really is a game changer, if you can do it. It meant no waiting at the baggage carousel and a much easier journey to and from the airport. Let me know if you'd like to see my hand luggage only packing tips, which involve some strategically used packing cubes, Glossier pouches and a well picked personal item.
Having the option to pay for guaranteed cabin luggage, particularly after there was no room for all four of our cabin cases when we flew with Delta a few weeks earlier (and the stress that that created), was a real luxury.
How to get from Rome Fiumicino Airport
There are a few different options available to you when travelling from the airport into the heart of Rome. But one thing you quickly learn in the Italian city is that traffic is rather manic. You can take a bus or taxi, however, I'd already done a bit of research and found that the best option was by train.
The Leonardo Express train is a non-stop journey that takes you directly from the airport (the train station is located inside the airport) to Rome Termini for 14 euros. It takes about 35 minutes, runs every 15 minutes and makes the journey incredibly stress-free.
Where we stayed
There are a wide range of hotels available from Jet2holidays but we stayed at The Independent Hotel which was such a fantastic choice. We stayed for a total of four nights and I'd say that was a perfect amount of time to see and enjoy the city.
Our stay also included breakfast, with it being a highlight of our stay. The 'help yourself' breakfast had a brilliant amount of choice, from regular breakfast food staples through to Italian specialities. You could also eat it out on the rooftop, which was a lovely way to start the day.
And in the evening the eighth floor terrace transformed into a restaurant as well, which was really handy. There's also a gym in the basement. But with the amount of walking we were doing and the relaxed vibes we were aiming for on this holiday, we didn't use it during our stay.
Let's just say, I'm already missing my daily breakfast of pain au chocolat, the most incredible hot chocolate and tasty cakes and fruits.
We stayed in the Superior Room with Balcony and we could not have been happier with it. Sitting out with a glass of wine and our books every evening was another big highlight for us. It was so nice to put our feet up and enjoy the fantastic views and the last of the warmth of the day.
Seeing the sights
There are lots of different public transport options in Rome, such as the Metro, buses, trains and trams. There's even electric scooters, bikes and vespas that you can rent. But to make life easier for ourselves, particularly in the 35 degree heat, we decided to opt for a hop on hop off open top bus tour. I'm not normally one for being too touristy on holiday but it made seeing the main sights so much easier than travelling to each one ourselves.
There were a few different tour bus operators, with each of the buses stopping at the same eight bus stops on a loop. However, we ultimately opted for IOBUS as they were 20 euros for a full day, which was a bit cheaper than some of the bigger names. And it was definitely nice to take a tour of the city from the comfort of the open top bus, which thankfully also had a retractable roof to offer some shade.
The Colosseum
The Colosseum was the first stop that we got off at, after getting on at stop A just outside Rome Termini. And much like the rest of Rome, I truly couldn't believe that I was really there. The Colosseum truly was awe inspiring and it was great to walk right around it and see it from a higher perspective when travelling past slowly on the bus.
Because they were still limiting the numbers allowed inside due to COVID restrictions, the queue was insanely long when we were there. We actually weren't too fussed about going inside and instead decided to explore sights such as the Domus Severiana, Stadio Palatino and Palatine Hill, all of which are located within walking distance nearby.
You could easily spend hours looking at all the ruins and buildings that have stood for thousands and thousands of years. I felt so lucky to be able to see them in person.
There were just so many gorgeous buildings and obviously I had to get a shot of the trees and bushes in bloom.
The Spanish Steps
Our next stop was the famous Spanish Steps. As you can see, it was pretty busy but you could still get a nice shot if you were quick enough.
I will say, there were quite a lot of individuals trying to get you to buy roses, bracelets and CDs, etc., with them being particularly pushy even after saying 'no thank you' several times, which was a little bit off-putting. It was the first time that we felt a bit awkward, particularly after a man started braiding a bracelet around my Mum's wrist that she literally tried to shake off but he wouldn't allow us to keep walking.
It is obviously one of the main tourist areas but it was the only place that made us feel intimidated during our trip. Just something to keep in mind and as always, be sure to keep your wits about you.
The Trevi Fountain
Next up and within walking distance of the Spanish Steps, we have the one sight that I was the most excited to visit; the Trevi Fountain. And it did not disappoint. It was even larger than I could have imagined, easily taking up what felt like a full city block. And the fountain itself was truly breathtaking.
If you saw my Instagram Highlights, you will have seen just how busy it was. But as long as you were prepared to wait or slip into a free spot, you could definitely get the iconic shots that almost everyone was keen to take.
Also, cue me singing 'hey now, hey now, this is what dreams are made of' for the rest of the day.
The basilicas
Instead of doing the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican, especially as we're not religious, we actually stumbled across some beautiful basilicas while wandering around near our hotel. Both the Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri and the Basilica del Sacro Cuore di Gesù are absolute must-sees in my opinion. They were also free to enter and really quiet.
We were simply wowed by the grandness and scale of everything. I even got my Mum to stand in to let you see just how large that incredible organ is.
I shared a lot more snaps from the basilicas we visited on my Instagram Highlights if you'd like to see more of the details.
Visiting in June
Now, the most unexpected thing was the weather. When I was trying to plan what outfits to take with me a few days before we departed, I checked the weather app and could not believe my eyes. I thought that surely there was a mistake when I read that the coolest day when we were there was going to be 35 degrees. Especially when 28 degrees in Orlando a few weeks earlier had been pretty intense.
We had originally booked to visit Rome back in April of 2020, when everything started to kick off with COVID, particularly in Italy. And if I'm totally honest, April might have been a little more bearable weather-wise. Don't get me wrong, we were so lucky that it only rained on our very last day. But the heat and humidity was a lot for this pale, freckly redhead, especially when out walking in the direct sun. However, saying that, it was a holiday that we won't forget.
(The view from our balcony during the day and at night.)
We had an incredible 4 days in Rome. So much so that we're already thinking of where we can go next in Europe. And we will definitely be booking another package holiday with Jet2 very soon.
Have you ever visited or wanted to visit Rome? Where would you want to visit in Europe first? And are you a fan of package holidays?
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