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Driving in Rome is Crazy! – Backpacking Europe
What it's like seeing Rome by Car
I’d like to start this off by saying driving in Rome with a little Mercedes hatchback was a great decision. Not only do you get to travel on your own time, but you have the added thrill of dodging pedestrians and mopeds. Also, who can say that they’ve been able to drive right up to Trevi Fountain like a boss?
The Road Sistuation
I’m 99% positive I was not on an actual road when I made it to the fountain, but it was all in the spirit of the “convenience factor.”
From the previous post about Wiki Hostel, this was still the same morning. Well, actually it was more like noon since no one wanted to leave Zagarolo. However, the show had to hit the road. Finally with everyone in the car, we made our way to Rome before ultimately going to Montespertoli.
To be blunt, Italian drivers were something else. And we’ll leave it at that! I found sharing the roadway, both highway and alleys, equally concerning and thrilling. It was almost like a fun little challenge seeing if you could not hit something. I rate it 10/10 – would go driving in Rome again.
Rome: The Colosseum
Moving onto the agenda for the day, the question was – how many things can you see while driving in Rome with roughly 4 hours to spend? Well, the answer is about three. I zipped on over to the Colosseum while dodging everything in sight and found some parking (I think).
The Game
With the short time in Rome, we quickly developed a trend. There was super aggressive driving, not knowing if your car will be ticketed for parking and seeing how quickly we could we could get to all the spots.
The Colosseum was the fastest stop. A few pictures from the outside and a hike up to the top of a nearby hill for better views did the trick. No tour was needed.
Rome: Trevi Fountain
Back in the car, hunger was setting in. Determined to get to the Trevi Fountain next, I used the trusty Google Maps to take the wheel. Before we knew it, we were on some back alley streets FULL of people. I don’t think it was drivable, but for today, let’s pretend it was.
Nug LIfe
There was some added motivation while snow plowing people out of the way. The double arches were spotted, so I could get my nug fix. As a bonus, Mc D had these spinach parmesan bites. I’m not positive, but it felt exclusive... Clutch.
The third and final stop was Vatican City. On the walk over, I picked up some gelati to keep me company.
The Gelati Records
Side note – this was my first gelati while in Rome. It was caramel and hazelnut. Throughout the remainder of the trip, I kept accurate logs of every flavor for nostalgic purposes. I now understand the obsession.
Rome: The Vatican
The Vatican was an expansive place. Once walking through the entrance pillars, the area opened up. There were multiple fountains, an obelisk at the middle, and St. Peter’s Basilica was prominent on the side. Fortunately, because it was around late afternoon, the lighting was great for some photos.
With our driving in Rome experience ending with 3/3 complete, we headed back to the whip and booked it double time to Montespertoli (3 hour drive). I’m not going to act like the strategy was ideal, because it was far from that. But, with the limited time, I think we did damn well!
The Most Underrated Stop while Driving in Rome
One thing I can’t leave out is how amazing the rest areas are off the highway. There was one in particular called Chef Express that was the go-to. I’m dead serious, these stops served up some excellent full dinners.
After finally making it to the Airbnb in the small Tuscany town, the night ended early. We almost had a full week here, so there was a lot of down time, but also some ridiculous moments. Stay tuned!
Recap of Places
- The Colosseum – No description needed
- Trevi Fountain – Go ahead, flip that coin
- The Vatican – The holiest of lands
- Chef Express! – I’m serious, it’s awesome
Michael Lakus
IT professional, athlete, musician, ponderer of many things... Born and raised in Florida, I began traveling internationally after college. I created this site primarily to remind myself of where I've been and to share my experiences on traveling with a quirky, stress-free, travel attitude.
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