Ciao Tutti!

(First of all I'd like to say that this post was supposed to be up a few days ago, however I was not expecting to have such a whopping amount of photos to edit, hope you enjoy!)

Fashion week had just started when I decided to trade the freezing cold and hustle and bustle of fashion week for the sunny city of Rome.

My gorgeous pint-sized babes Kharishma a.k.a Shanikwa and I decided to give ourselves a break and head to the beautiful city for some much needed rest and visual T.L.C (after having endured yet another Valentines being single - it must be a curse!) - cue some Italian 'totty' to make us all better.

We arrived in Rome on Monday evening and as soon as we set foot out of the airport I was immediately nostalgic of the European air and influences in everything around me just like back home in Portugal. 

Rome and I liked each other instantly.

We arrived at our quaint little hotel, Beldes HR, quite late after we got the coach into the city for just 5 euros (the downside being that it took an hour to get into the Center of Rome) although it wasn't all bad as we got to see some beautiful landmarks by night on our way in. The hotel was conveniently situated only a 5 mins walk away from the infamous Vatican City walls so after popping to our first real Italian restaurant for some delicious pasta we decided to head into the Vatican City and explore. We did only have 3 days there after all.

Beldes HR - the hippest hotel with boudoir-inspired decor and paintings adorning it's walls. 

St.Peter's Basilicia

Our first full day was definitely my favourite. We started by heading to the Vatican City by day to catch a tour of the entire city including St.Peter's Basilica and the breathtaking and intricate Sistine Chapel. The tour was hilarious mostly because the man leading it was charmingly playful and just down right the funniest Italian I have ever met. He took a special liking to my friend Kharishma, so much that I became quite convinced that I'd be returning to London solo. (At least one of us found their love in Rome - thank you Trevi Fountain!)

After the tour we were absolutely famished so we stopped off for some obligatory pizza (when in Rome eat as much pasta, pizza and gelato as you can possibly stomach!) Before the end of the day we had seen the Piazza de Navona, The Patheon, the Spanish steps and my favourite of all, la bella Fontana Trevi (Trevi Fountain).

Our tour guide (so hitting myself for not remembering his name right now!) 

Vatican Gardens (Beeee-yooo-tiful aren't they?)

Acorn Piazza inside the Vatican City

 

The "Sphere within a sphere"

Views from inside the Vatican

Funniest tour guide (RomeWithUs tours - I definitely recommend him!)

The lovely Kharishma

Why must I always look so goofy in pictures?

The Vatican Guards - diggin' the uniforms guys!

SPOTTED! Kharishma and her alter Ego Shanikwa talking a romantic stroll with new Italian beau. 

Ponte de S.Angelo

Fake Burberree or Loiee anyone?

Piazza de Navona 

The 'HUGE' Pantheon possessing the largest Dome in the world.

The gorgeous Trevi Fountain.
Legend has it that if you throw in 1 coin and you will return to Rome, throw in 2 and you will find your love in Rome.

The Spanish Steps - Piazza de Spagna

 Sun setting on the Gardens of Villa Borghese

Piazza de Popolo

The beginning to the second day was quite surreal. I had read something about a landmark called the 'Vittoriano' and thought I'd pay a visit as its name is the root from where my surname originates (silly I know but I was curious about this place I'd never heard about before).

The 'Vittoriano' wasn't hard to find as it's size and position were anything but remote. The very pristine and noticeably recent architecture made it stick out like a perfectly manicured thumb, dwarfing its neighbours the Capitoline Hill, Roman Forum and Palatine. The Romans apparently weren't very pleased. 

We then went on to see the Roman Forum and the Palatine which were surprisingly just as interesting as the other landmarks (i'm not too much of a history 'buff') even though the ruins didn't have as much to them as the usual landmarks, they did not disappoint. The history of Rome  is just fascinating and admirable for the mere fact that a city the romans created and built centuries and centuries ago still exists, not entirely and not on the surface, but nonetheless they remain until today.

Last of all we visited the amazing Colosseum which really cannot be described with words, it felt weird but you could almost see the battles that had happened play themselves out in your mind. 

Before we left Rome (tear comes to the corner of the eye) we couldn't leave without trying some genuine home-made gelato and so we did. 

BEST. GELATO. EVER!

I have literally never been more into my food before, my taste buds felt like they'd taken a trip to the party island of Ibiza! (Cue Vengaboys song) I could eat as much as they'd serve me but unfortunately although Rome was warm and sunny by day, the nights were bitterly cold and I have a feeling my giving into temptation in the form gelato delicioso is what led to this cold I'm fighting with right now...

Totally worth it!

Capitoline Hill

The Vittoriano

Had to pop into to a pub for the loo and look what I found! :)

Roman Forum / Palatine

 
The Colosseum

The very grounds where the 'Gladiators' fought

I apologize for the shoddy quality of the last couple of shots, my camera decided to run out of battery when we'd just left inside the Colosseum - talk about bad timing!

I really hope you've enjoyed taking a look at my trip to Rome, believe me this isn't even half of the amount of pictures I came back with on my camera, I got a little snap happy. Please share your love, thoughts and give me a follow if you like reading.

X O X O

Ana