Welcome to By Bernice ♡︎

A week of iconic cities and moments that made me fall in love with traveling

Before this trip, I had already traveled a bit. Enough to know I loved it, but not enough to fully understand just how big and beautiful the world really is.

Italy was different.

This was the trip that opened my eyes to the beauty and diversity of Europe; where every city felt like its own little world with its own charm. It was the first time I truly felt that sense of awe… like there was so much more out there waiting to be seen.

And somewhere between wandering through historic streets, sitting down for longer meals, and taking in views I had only ever seen online, I made a decision: I want to do this more. Not someday. Not “when the time is right.” But consistently.

So in 2022, I promised myself that I would take at least one international trip every year.

And this trip was the one that started it all.

Day 1: Arrival to Rome

Flight to FCO

We had a very short layover at CDG (Paris), and if you’ve ever been to that airport, you’d know not to book any flights with that short of a layover. We definitely had to break a little bit of sweat to make it to our flight.

From Seattle to Paris, to Rome, it took about 13 hours. Rough, especially for a light sleeper like myself.

Accommodations: Grand Master Suites

We stayed in Rome for 6 days and 5 nights, and we stayed in the same hotel the entire time. Rome is pretty central, just a quick train away from some other iconic cities, so we decided to make it our home base for this trip instead of unpacking and repacking every few days.

We booked with Grand Master Suites, only a 5-minute walk from the Spanish Steps, and about a 12-minute walk from the iconic Trevi Fountain. For a group of 4 (myself, my parents and my brother), this space and location were perfect.

Early Dinner: Ristorante Dillà

When I tell you I was very excited to finally have pasta in Italy, I was E X C I T E D.

Which made this dinner all that more disappointing.

Our first mistake was trying to eat dinner at 4:45PM. If you’ve ever traveled Europe or are from Europe, then you know that dinner time starts around 6PM, so not a lot of restaurants were open when we were hungry.

Our second mistake was choosing the first restaurant that we passed by (this was a 3-minute walk from our hotel).

The interior looked amazing and the food looked great, however once I took a bite of my most-awaited first pasta dish in Italy, aka the carbonara, aka Rome’s signature dish, my heart dropped. It was the saltiest pasta I have ever tasted. I am hoping that this was just a fluke, and that the chef had just made a mistake that day (mistaken salt for sugar? Maybe the salt shaker lid fell off?)

Now, enough time has passed (almost 4 years to be exact) for me to say this – I hope their service has gotten better over the years. I will leave it at that.

My rating: ⭐️/5 😦

The Rest of the Evening

We were exhausted from the 13-hour long travel, so we were just buying some time before we slept at a reasonable time. We wandered the streets around the area we were staying in, and to cleanse my palate, we had our first gelato of the trip (spoiler: we had gelato almost every single day).

We ended up passing by the Trevi Fountain, and it was packed. I’m sure it’s packed basically all day, but 6PM probably falls within the peak crowd hours. Seeing the Trevi Fountain in real life was breathtaking. In my head, I was singing “What Dreams Are Made Of” (if you know, you know).

By 8PM, we were so tired, we agreed to call it a night and just relaxed in our cozy hotel room.

Day 2: Exploring Ancient Rome

If I were to give you one piece of advice for your trip to Rome, it would be to book your tickets in advance. I booked everything on GetYourGuide months before this trip even started (Type A things).

Brunch: Pizza

I wish I wrote down where we went for pizza because it was SO good. We just went into one of the pizza places right by the Trevi Fountain, and got lucky! This was the perfect pizza to start my day with.

First Stop: The Colosseum

Did you really go to Rome if you didn’t go to the Colosseum?

The Colosseum is all I had imagined, and more. I got goosebumps walking in, knowing the history and what had gone on within these walls.

It almost didn’t feel real, like I had stepped into something I had only ever seen in textbooks and movies. Standing there, looking up at what is still standing after all these years, it really makes you feel small but in the best way. It’s hard to fully put into words, but it’s one of those places that make you pause.

Second (and Third) Stop: Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

When I purchased our Skip-The-Line tickets to the Colosseum, it included access to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, which were a short walk from the Colosseum. These sites were once at the center of ancient Roman life.

The Roman Forum was the heart of the city, while Palatine Hill sits just above it. Walking through them felt like stepping into a completely different kind of experience.

A stark contrast from the Colosseum, the Forum felt slower. Wandering through the ruins, I tried imagining how everything once was. It felt like moving through fragments of history.

The views from Palatine Hill overlooking the city and the Forum were unreal. It felt quieter and really helped me take in the fact that I was really there.

Together, these places made the experience feel complete.

Final Stop: Spanish Steps (not part of Ancient Rome but it was close to our hotel!)

We spent most of our day exploring Ancient Rome, and as we were still jetlagged, we opted to stay close to our hotel that evening.

Luckily, we were only a few minutes away from another iconic landmark, the Spanish Steps.

After a full day of walking through history, this was a completely different experience. The area around the Spanish Steps was very lively, filled with people sitting along the steps. It felt less like a “site” to see and more like a place to slow down and be part of the city for a moment.

We took our time wandering around the surrounding streets, which were lined with shops and restaurants. We ended the day at Antica Osteria Croce, which was a much better experience than the restaurant we went to the day before. They had good service, great pasta, and even better tiramisu. The perfect way to end our first full day in Rome.

Day 3: Day Trips to 2 Cities (Florence & Pisa)

This day was easily the most packed of the entire trip. A full day dedicated to a quick escape from Rome to Florence and Pisa.

We started early to maximize the day (luckily we are all early birds + the jetlag helped us in this case). We hopped on a train from Rome to Florence, which took about an hour and a half.

First Stop: Florence

Florence felt like it wasn’t even in the same country as Rome – if Rome felt like an open-air museum Florence was like stepping into a painting.

Everywhere I looked, there were beautiful churches and intricate details that made the city feel like art. We didn’t even have a plan, we literally just walked around and took in everything.

Second Stop: Pisa

We only had one mission going to Pisa, and that was to see the Leaning Tower. From the train station, it was about a 20-minute walk. The route that we took was also very pretty as we passed by the river.

When we got there, it was just as I had expected – tourists doing the iconic Leaning Tower poses.

We grabbed lunch nearby before heading back to Florence. Make sure to bring cash with you as some of the smaller restaurants only take cash!

Third Stop: Florence (again)

We made our way back to Florence one more time before ending the day, stopping by Ponte Santa Trinita to take in the views. We were lucky to be there around golden hour – the views were great, and even though it was crowded, it was nice to just look out into the water and take it all in.

From there, we headed back to Rome. Tired, but this was definitely one of the most memorable days of the trip.

Day 4: Vatican City & The Pantheon

And here we were in the Vatican City, a country tucked right in the middle of Rome.

We started with an open-bus tour of the Vatican Gardens, where we were able to get a peek into the Pope’s private gardens. It felt quiet and peaceful, and we got just the right amount of rest before we had to face the crowds again.

The tickets we got included access to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. So from the gardens, we made our way into the Vatican Museums. There were endless halls filled with art, history and lots of details at every turn. And then, of course, the Sistine Chapel. There were no photos allowed, but I’m sure you can find some online – the ceilings were so iconic it almost didn’t feel real.

We had planned to go into St. Peter’s Basilica after, but the reality hit us fast. It was very hot, and the line was unbelievably long. As much as we wanted to see it, we decided to call it and head out instead.

Sometimes, it’s ok to not do everything. It’s ok to listen to your body and know when it’s time to take a step back.

On our way back, we passed by Castel Sant’Angelo, which is one of those landmarks that catches your eye even from a distance. When they say that Rome is like an open-air museum, they’re not lying.

We then made a quick stop at the Pantheon. The outside feels impressive, but the inside was something else entirely. The open dome, the way the light pours in, and the scale of it really grabs your attention. 

We ended the night at Unik Restaurant, which had my favorite pasta of the trip!

Day 5: Flex Day

Our last full day in Rome was intentionally left open. There was no set itinerary and no pressure to check anything off a list.

We did try one more time to go into St. Peter’s Basilica, but it ended up being the same situation as the day before: intense heat and a long line. So instead, we slowed down.

We spent the day walking around without a destination, sitting when we felt like it, and letting the city guide us this time. After days of go, go, go, it was exactly what we needed.

I highly recommend building a “flex day” into any travel itinerary. A day with nothing planned gives you space to rest, revisit places you loved or didn’t get to, or simply enjoy the city without rushing through it.

Post-Trip Thoughts

Looking back, this trip was so much more than just visiting cities or seeing landmarks.

It was early mornings and long train rides, getting lost in history and finding beauty in every corner.

Italy and this trip overall was the moment I realized how much there is to see beyond what I already know. It made the world feel bigger and more accessible at the same time.

And even now, 4 years later, I still think about it as the trip that changed something in me – the one that made me want to keep going, keep exploring, and keep choosing experiences over waiting for “someday.”

Because if not now, when?