Rome, Florence, and Paris Recommendations

Finally ready to get the recommendations out to you guys! In the beginning of June I went on a 29 day trip to Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, and New York. I love my research especially because I want to see as much as possible and of course eat the best food available. For me, I have found that one of the best ways to explore a new place is by simply walking around. I like to gather a list of places I want to see and what is close to each other and then walk from place to place. I will never turn down an hour plus long walk, but I know most people don’t enjoy that so I have plenty of options for whatever type of person you may be. 

At the beginning of the trip, Istanbul, Cappadocia, Mykonos, and Paros, my siblings, my sisters boyfriend, and I were with my parents. For the second part of the trip, Rome, Florence, and Paris, we went without my parents. Then, we met up again in New York. I highly recommend this way of traveling especially for a graduation trip because it allowed me to spend time with my whole family and then have a little bit of freedom. At the beginning we went fancier whereas the second part we were trying to save our pennies a bit more. 

Now for the kids trip. We stayed in nice hotels or apartments that were good for what they were. Obviously, it was quite a change from the first part of the trip, but none of the hotels were bad by any means. 

For this post I am going to give recommendations for Rome, Florence, and Paris. The next post will include Turkey, Greece, and New York.

Rome: 

This was my second time visiting Rome and I truly love the area. We stayed at the Condominio Boutique Hotel which was the perfect location and super cute and clean inside. I honestly loved the decor and found it to be modern and cutesy. Breakfast was included which was nice for the budget. If you have never been to the Colosseum I would recommend getting a skip the line tour on trip advisor or a similar site because I do think it is something you need to experience. However, since we had already been inside, we just walked around it and took pictures. It is a beautiful monument and has tons of other monuments near it. When we went to the Colosseum we didn’t plan out where else we were going we just walked around. The Roman Forum is right near the Colosseum but a view from far away is enough in my opinion or you start to get into too many crowds. There are lots of close Basilicas, Temples, Arches, etc. Therefore, depending on what you want to see you can look on Google Maps and see if you are interested. The Trevi Fountain is a must and yes it will be packed if you don’t go early in the morning or late at night. If you don’t care about a solo picture by the fountain it doesn’t really matter what time you go at. The Spanish Steps were gorgeous and there was a garden somewhat close by.  The Piazza Navona is pretty close to the Pantheon so you could visit both at the same time. It did rain a good bit while we were in Rome, but that didn’t stop us. We went into a cute shop and bought cards and went back to our hotel to engage in a serious battle. I don’t think you need more than 3 days in Rome. The main things we did in Rome were walk around, eat, go to Vatican City, and take a cooking class. 

Controversial opinion on Vatican City coming up. We bought the skip the line tickets and I serpent ages trying to make sure we were seeing everything in Vatican City and for the best value. Unfortunately, it was so insanely crowded (like more than Disney) and hot that it made it somewhat unenjoyable. I am not one to complain about museums or tours in fact I am obsessed with history and want to visit every single important and unimportant site in a new location. I found myself wanting to get out of the crowded, muggy area as soon as we stepped inside. If you are wanting to do it which I totally understand, make sure you bring water, wear flow clothes (because you have to be covered), and prepare yourself for an influx of people. Also of course make sure to get the skip the line tours! Nonetheless, it was so so so beautiful.

One of my favorite things we did on the entire vacation was the cooking class and wine tasting. We did this class in a small region of Italy just a short train ride away from Rome called Frascati. We were met as soon as we got off the train by an enthusiastic guide and we joined with the other people in our group. The wine of Frascati is one of the best and is a family run business. The guide was one of the family members and before we got to cooking we got a small tour of the gorgeous area right as the sun was setting. Our cooking class was at 7:30 pm and it couldn’t have been a better time. Once we got to the kitchen we had a small appetizer, conversed with the others, and tried their red and white wine. They walked each of us through the process of making pasta and then, individually, we picked whether we wanted to make cacao e pepe, carbonara, or amatriciana. We got a tour of the wine cave which was awesome and enjoyed our scrumptious pasta before heading back on the train. The amount of laughing endured was insane! Here is the link to reserve the class: https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g229462-d15884271-Pasta_Making_with_Wine_Tasting_and_Dinner_in_Frascati-Frascati_Province_of_Rome_La.html 

Now let’s get into the good stuff… the food. Besides our cooking class we went to a few other restaurants as well. A MUST visit is the pizza and pasta place called Mariuccia. OMG. Best pizza of my entire life (not kidding). My sister and I split a pizza with a mozzarella ball on top and added prosciutto… do it!! They had side salads which were simple, yummy, and a good portion. We loved this place so insanely much that we went back a second time. Next, Osteria Da Fortunata. If you are on TikTok Im sure you have either heard or seen it, but in my opinion it was worth the wait. Depending on what time you get there you may not have to wait too long. They definitely turn tables quickly. We waited for maybe 20-30 minutes. I of course got carbonara and it did not disappoint. Then, for dessert we went to Mr. 100 Tiramisu. They have 100 tiramisu flavors so something for everyone. If you like tiramisu or honestly even if you don’t I’m pretty sure you will like it. If you are looking for a quick lunch All’Antico Vinaio is a great choice. Once again you may have to wait in line, but it also his very quick. This place has amazing sandwiches on focaccia, but I would recommend knowing what you want before you get inside or else ordering may be a bit stressful. Also, definitely get some sort of sauce or mozzarella so its not too dry. Bets thing I ate in Rome was the pizza from Mariuccia and second place is the pasta from the cooking class. 

Florence:

 Such a fun place to rent an apartment and be without parents. We stayed at the Lilium elegant apartment which yet again was an awesome location. The night life here is super fun and there is always a bar or club to go to. Loved the XO Club and Babylon but there are a ton more in that area. Get tickets to the Duomo and to see David very far in advance because the lines go for hours and hours. If you don’t want to go inside the Duomo is still awesome from the outside. Florence is another great place to just walk around and see what you find. While the rest of the crew was chilling in the apartment I walked all around, even 40 minutes for just kombucha. Now, I don’t really just walk for kombucha because there is so much to see on the way. Make sure to go to the Mercato Centrale either just to look around, a meal, or a pastry. There are so many options and be sure to go upstairs as well. 

I went to a yoga class at V_Room which was so so fun. The teacher spoke both Italian and English and the class was very hands on. The door doesn’t open until right before the class so don’t worry if you feel like you are at the wrong place. I also went to a workout class at Evolution called Total Body. It was sort of like a dance workout class and I actually had so much fun I kept laughing to myself. It was all in Italian so I had no idea what was going on, but that added to the fun. Scooters can also be a fun way to explore the city and they are everywhere. 

If you want something cheap, go to the grocery stores they have tons of options for a very reasonable price. 

Tuscany can be a day trip (or more) close to Florence. Tuscany is one my my all time favorite places so if you can get over there I highly recommend.  

For our first night we went a small restaurant called Parione which I really liked. At this point in the trip I was tired of heavy food and wanted something lighter so I got the fish and it was very very delicious. I think this restaurant has tons of options for everyone. The famous truffle pasta is at Osteria Pastella, but if you want to go make a reservation or you will be waiting for awhile. The portions are small, but it is pretty rich. We didn’t have a Florentine steak here because we were eating so much food we weren’t in the mood lol, but I would recommend finding a good place for steak and share it with your group. We didn’t get to try Salumeria Verdi for sandwiches but our study abroad friends said they are the best. For dessert you have to go to La Strega Nocciola and grab the best gelato. The trick to good gelato is no mounds of ice cream and no crazy colors. Another good option for gelato is vivoli. We popped into Trattoria Verdi and it was some of the best pasta I have had.

If you are in Florence you have to go to the wine window! We went to the one near the restaurant Babae.

Paris: 

I am obsessed with Paris. This place has my heart. My stayed in the gay neighborhood away from the tourists at 1er Etage Marais. It was very very small, but it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. I loved walking around our neighborhood and felt very safe. I would find little bakeries to pop into or random people would break into song on the streets and everyone would stop and watch. Make sure to grab a baguette and some pastries, bring them back to your room, and play cards while enjoying. 

Of course go to Arc de Triumph and I recommend going up to the top. We didn’t buy tickets before and didn’t have to wait very long, but if you can buy tickets early I would. Another must is the Eiffel Tower. It really is so gorgeous and fun. The first time I went to Paris years and years ago we did lunch at the Michelin restaurant in the tower. AMAZING! If you are willing to drop some money on that experience I would do it. However, this time I had so much fun grabbing a salad at a grocery store and sitting in the lawn near the tower enjoying a peaceful picnic. Do a picnic. You won’t regret it. Go to the street Rue de l’Universite to get a great view of the Eiffel Tower. Make sure to see the Eiffel Tower during the day and when it sparkles. 

We also went to the Dior museum which was even better than I expected. The museum was gorgeous and gave me so much more of an appreciation for the company and Christian Dior himself. 

I literally could tear up at the thought of the Louvre. You could spend weeks and still wouldn’t eat through the whole thing. If you buy tickets early for anything let it be here. I hate to say it, but you are not getting in without tickets. The line was the longest line I have ever seen in my life. Probably a mile long. We came here and explored for most of the day and then went to Angelina inside the Louvre for lunch and the famous hot chocolate. Don’t miss that experience! Sit outside and you will be in awe of the view. I was also dying to try Carette to see how it compares to Angelina, but we didn’t have the opportunity. I’ve actually heard it is better than Angelina, but the fact that Angelina was in the Louvre made it that much better. We got a package that included the Louvre and a boat cruise on the Seine which was very relaxing. 

Opera Garnier is another ornate and elegant monument to visit. Grab tickets last minute and you’ll have no problem. Notre Dame is fun to walk around and might as well hit Shakespeare and Company, the famous bookstore nearby and the Tullieres Garden. 

Last time we were in Paris we did a Macaron making class and I remember it being one of the best things ever. If you don’t feel like making them grab some at laduree or pierre hermes. They are expensive but delish. 

We had some GOOD meals in Paris. First off, L’entrecote for salad and unlimited steak frites. My mouth is watering just thinking of it. The line is so worth it. The steak is cooked perfectly and the sauce that comes with it is actual heaven. They only serve steak, fries, salad, bread, and dessert so make sure that’s what you are in the mood for. 

I had a reservation for Arnaud Nicolas which is in the Michelin Guide, but we didn’t end up going because it was mostly patê and terrines which I didn’t think the rest of my group would have wanted. 

We went to On the Bab for greta Korean food and a chill vibe. 

Now for the real deal! The two best places we went for dinner were Le Colimacon and Les Parisens. I got rabbit leg wrapped in bacon at the first place as well as the French toast and at the second restaurant I got saddle of suckling lamb in pastry crust. At both places we got escargots. 

Another fun hotel with a great view of the Eiffel Tower and literally two steps from the train is First Hotel Paris Tour Eiffel. The bakery right next to it is called Maison Landemaine and is absolutely insane! Best croissant ever. I had also been dying to try Maimiche for baked goods but I didn’t get the chance. 

Paris is known for their fun bars/ speakeasies and here is my list: Little Red Door, Lavomatic, L’Epicier, Bar Sotto, and No Entry. If you are really wanting to go crazy go to the four story club called Pachamama. I also highly recommend going on Google Maps wherever you are and searching for a nearby bar, chances are it’s gonna be good.