Taking a trip to Rome, whether for business or pleasure, can be stressful due to the sheer number of things to do in the beautiful, ancient city. Sure, everybody knows about the Colosseum and the Vatican, but I’m here to help you avoid the crowds and find true hidden gems the locals frequent.

© Norman Chan | Dreamstime.com

Eating
As the stereotype goes, Italy is full of pizza and pasta. It’s impossible to wander Rome without stumbling upon a pizzeria or a restaurant that offers the full gamut. While one can’t go wrong with either, I found during my time living in Rome that the sandwich options are extremely overlooked.

To me, the essence of any sandwich is the bread. Rome acknowledges this and excels in this category, but the quality of the meats and cheeses is what exceeded all of my expectations. Panino Di Vino, a mom-and-pop-style sandwich shop in the heart of the city, provided some of the best sandwich options I’ve seen to date. My favorite was its signature sandwich, the Ciro, which includes black pig cheek, caciotta, sun-dried tomatoes and chili jam.

Tourist Ideas
If you’re not looking to take a tour of the Vatican, the Colosseum or the Pantheon, one can find solace in Rome’s well-known piazzas. Piazza Navona, for instance, dates to the first century and offers an elegant fountain, street artists and bars for those looking to unwind. There are a seemingly endless number of piazzas in Rome filled with food, drink and beautiful sightseeing that one expects when visiting The Eternal City.

For those traveling from the United States, the Trastevere neighborhood sits on the scenic Tiber River and is comprised of a wealth of bars and restaurants that cater toward the tourist.

Additionally, Castel Sant’Angelo welcomes those who want to walk through a historic Roman structure without the wait and admission price of the Colosseum. This castle, located less than a mile from Vatican City, provides breathtaking architecture to go along with preserved Roman relics. A full tour will take about an hour and gives you the opportunity to take a postcard-quality picture on the top floor overlooking the Roman skyline.

To me, the beauty of Rome lies in the nonpopularized restaurants and activities. Tourists typically get a small representation of true Italian cuisine, so I would ultimately recommend spending a day purposefully wandering among the locals and stopping into any restaurant you deem fit, no matter the size or popularity.

— Chris Sager, account executive