Road-tripping Italia V

Drive to Roma

The drive from Genova to Roma was… enlightening. In Italy, you quickly learn to stay in the right lane unless you’re packing some serious horsepower. I discovered, rather uncomfortably, that if you’re overtaking a slower car and a faster one comes up behind, they’ll flash their lights, expecting you to vanish instantly. And, if that doesn’t work, they’ll tailgate dangerously close. Quite the welcome!

Arriving in Roma

I finally made it to the city and arrived at Osteria Fratelli Mori to meet my friend, which was the sole purpose of this trip. After circling the block three times, I pulled over by the restaurant and, using my broken Italian (with a side of Google Translate), asked the waiter if I could park where I’d stopped: “Posso parcheggiare qui?” I pointed to my car, awkwardly parked near someone’s driveway. The waiter made a “maybe” gesture and said it should be okay. Good enough! “Va bene, grazie!” I said, and headed inside. I greeted my friend with a big hug, ready for a cold beer and a solid plate of carbonara.

After dinner, I dropped my friend off at her hotel—though I may have briefly gone the wrong way on a one-way street, possibly (definitely) earning myself a traffic ticket in the process. After that little adventure, I headed to Santa Marinella, where my hotel was . The next day, I opted to take the train back into Rome to avoid the hassle of parking and to fully enjoy the scenic journey.

When in Roma

I could tell you that Rome feels like an open-air museum, but that’s been said a million times. So here’s where we actually went, starting with the Trevi Fountain. It was packed with tourists—us included.

After checking out the stunning sculptures, we escaped the crowd by stepping into the nearby Church of Saint Vincent and Anastasius for a breather.

Next, we stumbled upon the Column of Marcus Aurelius with its intricate carvings and the Agonale Obelisk.

Ho Fame!

With our tourist radar on high, we braced ourselves for a potential tourist-trap meal. Surprisingly, we found a gem—Cucina del Teatro. Great food, fair prices, and good vibes. Satisfied and recharged, we were ready to keep exploring.

Visit to the Vatican

We crossed into Vatican City to see the Swiss Guard and experience the grandeur of the Cathedral. We even caught a bit of mass in Italian

One Last Meal Before Goodbye

After the Vatican, I was craving an aperitivo and maybe some pizza. We headed to Naumachia Ristorante for just that. We laughed, reminisced, and enjoyed the bittersweet moment of an old friend’s farewell.

The next morning, I hit the road and headed to Mola di Bari to reunite with my wife and explore Puglia. I left Roma with one known souvenir—a shiny new Bialetti for my wife—and a hidden one: a traffic ticket that would surprise me months later. The drive was, uneventful—except for a surprisingly tasty gas station meal. Italians really know how to do food right!

Hey Siri, how do you say "I'll take one of each in Italian"?

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Next stop: Mola di Bari.