Eating Our Way Through The Mediterranean

I mean where do I even start! We just returned from a one week cruise to the Mediterranean and 5 days in Rome. We went with our neighbors/BFF’s and my sister-in-law. Then we met up with our Ukrainian facilitators that helped us when we adopted our boys back in 1999 and 2000. It had been 23 years since we had seen them and we ENJOYED every second that we spent with them!!!

Our cruise took us (in this order) to Santorini, Greece Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey, Mykonos, Greece, and Naples, Italy. I had been wanting to go to the Greek Islands for as long as I could remember! Finally, I went and it was beyond GORGEOUS! The food, the architecture, the ocean, the people… everything! Ephesus, took us all by surprise. I’m not sure what we were expecting but the city has breath-taking ruins and significant historical and religious significance. You definitely feel a sense of peace while you’re there. Our last port of call was Naples. Once we arrived, we immediately got out of the city and took a day trip down the coast to Sorrento and Amalfi. This area deserves more than a day trip, but when you’re short on time like you are when on a cruise, you take in the stunning views, do a little shopping, and eat a gelato! This is why I’m not too keen on cruising! Don’t get me wrong, there are perks to going on a cruise! I love dressing up, sipping on cocktails while listening to live music. Al’s jam is the casino. And let’s not forget there’s no packing and unpacking involved!!!

Now Rome! When I tell you we ate our way through the entire city, I’m not even remotely exaggerating. It was every bit as delicious as I wanted it to be. For someone that’s not crazy about white creamy sauces, I could not get enough of the Cacio e Pepe and Carbonara. Somehow, I managed to have one or the other every night!

Day 1 (prior to the cruise)

We checked into our hotel, dropped off our luggage and went straight to Il Matriciano for lunch. if I had to pick a favorite restaurant from the trip – this would be it! The Cacio e Pepe and the Tiramisu was to die for! Then we walked to the liquor store bought some wine for the cruise, and decided to take a little stroll around the city to walk off the gazillion calories that we had just consumed. Needless to say, that by the time we got back to the hotel we were hungry again! Jet lagged and all, we went to our cute hotel rooftop for pizza and spitz’s!

Day 1 (after the cruise)

Walked to the Jewish Ghetto of Rome- one of the most atmospheric and ancient neighborhoods in the city (only 4 blocks on the banks of the river Tiber). We had lunch at Giggetto’s. The Carciofi alla Giudia (fried artichokes) was FREEAKING incredible along with the carbonara- my mouth is watering thinking of that meal! We then visited Campo de Fiori, the Pantheon, Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Venezia, and Spanish Steps. We wandered back to our hotel, took a shower and went to a cute little café / wine bar / restaurant for drinks and snacks.

Day 2

This is where we did some major walking! We toured the Roman Forum / Colosseum / Vatican City / Sistine Chapel / Vatican City / St Peters Basilica all in one day! We went with a private guide and wouldn’t have it any other way! All the tickets were purchased by the guide in advanced and we skipped all the LONG lines! It was an exhausting day but managed to have a sit down lunch at Caffe Celio before heading over to Vatican City. Later on that night, we had dinner reservations at Antica Pesa and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I had tuna poached in extra virgin olive oil served with pickled onions, white beans and celery- so darn delicious!!!

Day 3

Walked to the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, and Roscioli for lunch. This is a must- reservation required! Half restaurant / half wine bar and they have a prosciutto sampler that we devoured (3 of them to be exact!). Stopped at Pompi for tiramisu, strolled a little longer, went back to the hotel took a nap, and met our friends for a couple of small dinners that evening!

Day 4

Spent the morning walking and exploring around Castel Sant’Angelo and Villa Borghese / Borghese Gardens. We rented a golf cart and rode around the gardens it was the perfect way to spend a leisurely morning. After the Borghese we walked to the Spanish Steps area and stopped in a café for our daily carb overload! That night we went to the rooftop bar at Hotel Barberini for cocktails, cheeseboard, and magnificent views throughout the city! The perfect spot for our last night in Roma!

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