This summer in Rome has been a weird one; we are never 100% sure what the travel restrictions are, or even just the rules to enter a restaurant. Even now, you have to be vaccinated or you have to have gotten a COVID test within the last couple of days to enter a public facility. That being said, with a little research, it is possible and surprisingly easy to travel around Italy and to most parts of Europe right now.
The time has come, ladies & gentlemen. Italy has opened its borders to American tourists for the first time since March 2020!!!
Since we haven’t been able to travel between regions in Italy for quite some time now, I have been spending a lot of time on Airbnb.com and other booking sites looking for a potential “staycation” spot — see my post on planning your ultimate staycation here! While I have done a staycation here and there over the past year, I have accumulated quite a few really intriguing places to stay in Rome that I just had to share with you!
We have all had plenty of time over the last year to daydream about what we are going to do when life goes back to normal. After moving to Italy a year and 5 months ago, I have longed to explore Europe and take advantage of my time here. Luckily, I was able to explore Italy and see so much of its beauty, but all of this time in and out of quarantine has lead to the creation of a long list that I have dreamt up over the past year!
I would like to start this by saying I really advise you to stay in one place until all of this is figured out a bit more, but for me, staying in one place wasn’t really an option. I live in Rome, Italy, but my permanent residence is in the U.S. That being said, I hadn’t been home in 1 year and 3 months — long story short, I have to take a one-month break from my job once per year and go back to my country. So in December, I hopped on a flight and flew to the U.S.!
Experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic in a foreign country away from everything I’ve ever known has been an adventure, to say the least. I remember in February there was talk at the office that people would start to work from home, but it would probably be no more than a month because it “wasn’t that serious” — HA. I even remember people joking about it. Little did we know this was going to be a life-changing event that put a major halt in all of our lives.
As someone who has lived in Rome for a year now, it was definitely trial and error when figuring out the best ways to explore the city, but I think I now have it figured out. I remember the very first day I was here, I hopped on a random city bus and sat by the window to see all of the sights and to get a feel of the city – I will never forget this moment for many reasons; 1. After we had gone through the entire city I had to figure out how to get back and I ended up getting on the wrong bus and going completely in the opposite direction all alone! 2. The roads in Italy are insane. I mean like hold-on-to-your-boobs-because-you-are-going-to-lose-one-of-them kind of crazy. So, while that was an interesting experience, let me tell you some of the better ways to get around so you don’t end up like me 😉
Ladiesss, this one is for you! If you are like me, you have a different pair of shoes in mind for every outfit you want to pack. For weekend getaways it can be so difficult to pack light! Sometimes when I travel with my boyfriend, Francesco, I don’t know how we are getting around and it makes the most sense to only bring a backpack. For example, when we went to Ischia, we were traveling around the island by scooter so there was no way I would have been able to bring a rolling suitcase. But I still wanted to look CUTE! So how do you pack for something like this?
Living in Italy used to be scary and a bit of a culture shock, but once you know the Italian way, it becomes much less intimidating and a lot more fun! I have lived in Italy for a year now (I cannot believe it has been a year) and I have learned a lot about myself, life, and culture. I definitely don’t live exactly like an Italian, though: I work completely in English, I work with people from all over the world, and so far, I have lived in 3 different apartments…going on 4.
Hey! It’s been a while! Hope you are doing well during these crazy times — hang in there, friend. A lot has happened since I last posted. I want to start back up and keep up this blog even with the virus among us and I want to still be able to share my adventures and experiences with you! I also promise to post more Italian recipes as well in the near future 🙂
Redhead, Set, Go 