The Romehello

N9 Friends in Europe: ROME – 6 Days Around the Italian Eternal City – Rome at Night, City Walking Tour & Departure [Part 3 of 3]

In the last few blog posts [Rome Part 1 & Rome Part 2], I shared with you our first few days around Rome. My friend and I have been to a few notable places during these days and enjoyed our time in the beautiful city.

Today, I will share with you what we did on our remaining days and nights in Rome. Spoiler alert! I went around Rome at night with my uncle. My friend and I joined a free walking tour and enjoyed our last few days in the city. More information about these below.

ACCOMMODATION

Rome is one of the few key cities in Europe that is budget traveler-friendly. The city has affordable and reasonable accommodation rates far from the expensive per night rates in Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels. There are hostels available for less than €20 per night. These hostels even offer better and more-valued experiences than those from the other expensive cities.

My friend and I stayed at The RomeHello for 5 nights. We had a pleasant and memorable hostel experience with this high-rated and affordable hostel. We believe the hostel ticked all the boxes – cheap and reasonable rates, a central location, clean rooms and communal areas, friendly and hospitable staff, fun activities, tours and experiences and a traveler-friendly vibe. I wrote about our RomeHello experience in the latest Hostel of the Day feature; I hope you can check it out here.

GOING AROUND ROME

Going around Rome is easy. If you do not mind walking all day, you can practically visit all popular sights by foot. Another way to visit these spots is by taking the Metro Line A. This underground metro has stations dedicated to and near the popular Roman attractions.

Unlike in Paris where we used the Navigo card, my friend and I only bought single journey train tickets during our Rome visit. The one-way BIT Metro Ticket costs €1,50 valid for 100 minutes after the first stamp. This ticket is valid for 1 metro or train ride only. Take note that there are other available metro tickets such as the Metro Card, the Rome Travel Card and the 24-hour, 48-hour and 72-hour passes. We planned our itinerary well so we do not have to purchase these passes.

Day 4 – Rome at Night

Before flying to Europe, I messaged a priest uncle (my mom’s childhood friend) based in Rome and told him that I will visit the city. I gave him our schedule and was told that he will message me when the dates were near. I did not hear from him until our fourth day in Rome. I was in the hostel room, lying in my bed after a tiring but meaningful day at Vatican City when I got a message from him. I was asked if I was free for dinner and a night tour around the city. I immediately said yes and I got picked up at the hostel an hour after. My friend skipped this night tour with uncle.

We first drove to a residential street named Via Niccolò Piccolomini. Here, we saw an illusion where the Saint Peter’s Basilica Dome became bigger as we move away from it. It is against the usual phenomenon where something gets smaller if you move away from it. Too bad I did not take photos or videos about this illusion.

After that, we headed to Trastevere and had dinner at Hosteria Del Moro. Uncle treated me to a traditional Italian course dinner. We started with prosecco for aperitivo, fried zucchini for antipasti and spaghetti amatriciana for primi (first main course). We also had red wine on the side. Unfortunately, we were full and decided to skip secondi (second main course), contorni (vegetable side dish) and formaggi e frutta (fruit and cheese plate). We had tiramusi for dolce (dessert) and grappa for digestivo (digestive alcoholic drink). Uncle still had caffe (espresso) after dessert before the digestivo.

After dinner, we visited Saint Peter’s Square then went to outside of Castel Sant’Angelo, a mausoleum turned pope’s fortress and castle and now a museum. We continued the night tour to the Temple of the Gods – the Pantheon and Piazza Navona (again).

We dropped by Piazza Venezia (again), walked to the Trevi Fountain (Italian: Fontana di Trevi) and headed to the Spanish Steps. We passed by the Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Italian: Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore) – the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary – before heading to our final stop – the Colosseum (again). After this, uncle dropped me back to the hostel and we called it a night.

Thanks to my uncle for the sumptuous Italian dinner and for taking me around Rome during night time. The city looks and feels different at night; it has a different beauty and charm that people should aim to discover and explore.

Day 5 – Laundry DAY & City Walking Tour

We had a more relaxed fifth day in Rome. We started our day with the hostel’s buffet breakfast at The Barrel Bar and Grill by Tyler. After that, we did our laundry and waited for the clothes to dry up.

In the afternoon, we joined New Rome Free Tour’s tip-based 5:00pm City Centre Free Walking Tour. Our guide, Niccolo, toured us around the city center, shared the city’s history and politics and gave trivia about each place we visited. We went to the following places:

Spanish Square (Italian: Piazza di Spagna) – The Spanish Square is a famous square in Rome in front of the Embassy of Spain to the Holy See. It is also where the famous 135-step Spanish Steps is found.

Column of the Immaculate Conception (Italian: Colonna dell’ Immacolata) – This column is a monument that is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to our guide, the Pope visits this monument every 8^th of December and offers flowers to the bronze statue of Mary.

Via Condotti Shopping Street (Italian: Via Condotti) – Via Condotti is Rome’s most fashionable street. It is where branded shops and luxury boutiques are found; it is the perfect place to go shopping when in Rome.

Column of Marcus Aurelius (Italian: Colonna di Marco Aurelio) – This historic monument that is dedicated to the Roman victory in the Marcomannic Wars.

Navona Square (Italian: Piazza Navona) – Navona Square is a large square in the center of Rome. It used to be the place where Stadium of Domitian was built in 80 AD. It has 3 fountains – the Fountain of the Four Rivers (Italian: Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi), the Fountain of the Moor (Italian: Fontana del Moro) and the Fountain of Neptune (Italian: Fontana del Nettuno).

Pantheon – The Pantheon is an ancient Roman temple dedicated to the twelve Gods. Through the years, it has been converted into a Catholic church known as the Basilica of St. Mary and the Martyrs (Italian: Basilica di Santa Maria ad Martyres) and now as a museum. The Pantheon is known for its huge dome structure and its dome opening that allows the sunlight and rain to go inside the building. Entrance to the Pantheon is free of charge.

The Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola at Campus Martius (Italian: Chiesa di Sant’ Ignazio di Loyola in Campo Marzio) – This Baroque-style church is dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus. It also features Andrea Pozzo’s tompe-l’œil (optional illusion of three-dimensional paintings in flat surfaces) paintings in the dome and ceiling.

Temple of Hadrian (Italian: Il Tempio di Adriano) – This temple is dedicated to deified emperor Hadrian, the Roman emperor from 117 to 138.

Galleria Alberto Sordi – Galleria Alberto Sordi is a famous shopping arcade in Rome named after Italian actor Alberto Sordi. It used to be called Galleria Colonna due to its proximity to Piazza Colonna.

Trevi Fountain (Italian: Fontana di Trevi) – The Trevi Fountain is a Baroque-style fountain found in the center of Rome. Designed by Nicola Salvi, this fountain is one of the most famous around the world. It is also famous for coin throwing which they say has different meanings depending on the number of coins you throw.

The walking tour ended at the Trevi Fountain. My friend and I had dinner at a traditional restaurant named Taverna del Seminario near the Pantheon. I ordered a whole of pizza capricciosa for myself and I was super full. After dinner, we walked back to the hostel and started packing our stuff.

Day 6 – Departure

Our 6^th day in Rome was just all about departure. We woke up early, prepared our bags and checked out of The RomeHello. We took a FreeNow ride to Rome Tiburtina Bus Station and waited for our FlixBus ride to our next Italian destination – Florence.

This pretty much ends our 6 days around the beautiful city of Rome in Italy. In case you missed our first few days, please feel free to check out our Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Forum Tour, Trastevere Food Tour and our Vatican Trips in the previous Rome blog posts.

Have you been to Rome, Italy? If yes, which is your favorite spot and why? If not yet but you are planning to visit, which spot are you most looking forward to seeing in person? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? Post them in the comments or feel free to send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me and please look forward to the next Italy-related post. In case you missed it, before we explored Rome, my friend and I spent a few days around Paris and Versailles in France. You can find all Europe-related content under the N9 in Europe category.

Before you go, I hope you can visit, like and follow my social media pages – Facebook page and Instagram. These 2 accounts are the best way to stay up-to-date with the new posts in this site. Thank you; I hope to see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Hostel of the Day: THE ROMEHELLO – Affordable, Hospitable & High-Rated Accommodation That Felt Like Home

After few months ago, my friends and I flew to Europe for a 3.5-week vacation. We visited 3 countries – France, Italy and Spain. Accommodation in Europe is expensive compared to here in Asia so we decided to stay in hostels throughout the trip. We explored Rome for 6 days and 5 nights and stayed with The RomeHello. Join me in today’s hostel of the day feature as I show you this affordable, hospitable and high-rated hostel in the heart of Rome, Italy.

The RomeHello is an affordable and high-rated hostel found in the center of Rome in Italy. The large hostel is located within a 6-storey building a few minutes away from Roma Termini. It has spacious communal areas in the ground floor and private and dormitory rooms found from the ground floor up to 5^th floor.

As of writing, the hostel has ratings ranging from 9.3 to 9.6 from over 17,000 reviews in Agoda, Booking.com, Hostelworld and Expedia. The hostel staff and management deserve all the praises and good reviews they received from these sites. Let us know more about the hostel, its facilities and amenities below in the write up below.

Location & Access

The RomeHello is located at Via Torino 45 in Rome, Italy. It is 150 meters by foot from Repubblica-Teatro dell’Opera Station in the Metro Line A. It is 750 meters away or 7-10 minutes by foot from Roma Termini Station.

The hostel has a central location and is near famous Roman landmarks. It is 10 minutes away by foot to the Trevi Fountain, 15 minutes by foot to The Spanish Steps, Colosseum and Piazza Venezia and 20 to 25 minute-walk to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. It is also near cafés, restaurants, shops and even supermarkets.

Rome–Fiumicino International Airport (FCO) is 30 kilometers away and can be reached either by bus, taxi or the 35-minute Leonardo Express from Roma Termini. Rome’s other airport, Rome–Ciampino International Airport (CIA), is 15 kilometers away and can be reached either by taxi or shuttle buses from Roma Termini.

Room Options

The RomeHello is a hostel for all; it has both private and dormitory rooms. Guests who want privacy throughout their visit can stay in the private rooms while those traveling on a tight budget can choose to stay in the dormitory rooms.

The hostel’s private room configurations are as follows: double room, quadruple room, twin room, twin bunk bed room and triple room. All these private rooms feature ensuite bathrooms, mini fridge with water bottles, televisions, towels and toiletries, small tables and chairs, USB sockets in the bedside tables and cabinets.

The dormitory rooms are arranged in the following configurations: 3-bed mixed dormitory room, 4-bed mixed dormitory room, 8-bed mixed dormitory room, 10-bed mixed dormitory room and 3-bed female-only dormitory room. All dormitory beds feature bed covers, duvet, pillows, individual lamps, electrical and USB sockets, lockers under the beds and personal shelves. All dormitory rooms have in-room showers and toilets. Towels and toiletries are not included in these shared rooms.

My friend and I booked our stay with Agoda and got a bed in a 4-bed mixed dormitory room. We paid €89.26 each for 5 nights – €17.85 per night. My bank charged me ₱5,468.12 (including 1.85% foreign currency conversion fee) for this 5-night stay – roughly ₱1,094 per night.

We were assigned 1 single bed each in one of the ground floor 4-bed mixed dormitory rooms. The room had a bunk bed and 2 single beds. The room was spacious, clean and near the communal lounge and laundry room.

Guest Facilities & Amenities

The RomeHello has one of the longest lists of guest facilities and amenities in all my hostel of the day features. Check out the long list below:

Free Wi-Fi Access – All hostel guests have access to a free wi-fi connection available throughout the property.

Free Drink Coupon Upon Check-In – The hostel gives their guests a free drink coupon upon check-in. This coupon can be redeemed at The Barrel Bar & Grill by Tyler anytime during the stay.

Buffet Breakfast at The Barrel Bar & Grill by Tyler – Hostel guests can avail of a buffet breakfast at The Barrel Bar & Grill by Tyler from 8:00am to 10:30am for only €7 per person. Guests enjoy a selection of eggs, bacon, sausages, fresh fruits, cold cuts, cheese and cereals. They also enjoy a variety of drinks – coffee, tea, fruit juices and water – included in the buffet rate.

In-House Bar & Restaurant – The Barrel Bar & Grill by Tyler is the hostel’s in-house bar and restaurant. It is open from lunch until late night to cater to both guests and non-guests. Hostel guests get 10% off when they dine at The Barrel by showing their hostel access card.

In-Room Shower & Toilet – Dormitory and private rooms at The RomeHello feature in-room shower and toilet facilities. The showers are equipped with heating systems.

Air Conditioning & Heating Systems – All rooms are have air conditioning and heating systems which can be used depending on season.

Communal Lounge Area – The hostel has a spacious communal lounge area where guests can spend their idle time watching the television or talking to co-travelers. It is also the perfect place to meet and make friends with the other guests.

Shared Kitchen & Dining Area – The RomeHello has a shared kitchen for those who want to cook their own meals during their stay. They also have a dining area where people can have their meals.

Communal Shower & Toilet – The hostel has a communal shower and toilet that is open to all guests. Even guests who already checked out can still take a shower before they leave for their next destination.

Spacious Inner Courtyard – The property has a spacious inner courtyard where events are held. It is also a place where people can relax for some fresh air.

Games Area – The hostel has a ping pong table in the inner courtyard and a table football in the lounge area which guests can play with. They also have boardgames which can be borrowed and played with other people.

Snack & Drink Vending Machines – Fancy a snack or drink? You can get some in the vending machines located inside the shared kitchen or near the lockers.

Daily Hostel Activities – The hostel hosts daily activities which guests can join. It ranges from movie nights, community dinners to game nights, karaoke nights and drinking games. Do not forget to check-out the weekly activity calendar near the elevator during your stay.

Hostel Tours & Experiences – Aside from the daily activities, the hostel also hosts tours and experiences which guests can enjoy. Pasta and pizza cooking classes are held every Monday and Tuesday for €8 per person per class. They also conduct tip-based walking tours on specific days of the week. Make sure to check with reception if you are keen on joining these activities.

Luggage Storage – Guests who arrive before the check-in hours and guests who need to leave their bags after check-out can have their stuff stored at the luggage room at no extra cost. Please approach reception if you want to use the luggage room before check-in or after check-out.

Locker Rentals – Guests who cannot leave their valuables in the luggage room can rent the lockers in the communal lounge area for safe storage.

Luggage Weighing Scale – The hostel has a luggage weighing scale which guests can use for only €1.

Self-service Coin Laundry – The RomeHello has a self-service coin laundry at the ground floor. The laundry service is easy to use. These machines are mostly used during night time and are best used in the morning.

Hair Dryer & Ironing Facilities – All rooms are equipped with hair dryers. Guests who need to iron clothes can use the ironing facilities found inside the laundry room.

Computer Access – There are 2 computers in the communal lounge area which guests can use to plan their itineraries, book their next flights and accommodations.

Printing Access – Guests who need to print documents can have them printed by reception. Please reach out to them for the updated printing rates.

24-Hour Reception – The RomeHello’s reception is open 24 hours every day of the week. Check-in starts at 2:00pm while check-out is until 11:00am.

Multi-Lingual Staff – The hostel’s staff speak many languages – Italian, English, Filipino and a few more. Guests who do not speak Italian or English can still communicate with and ask questions to the staff at any time.

Daily Housekeeping – The hostel housekeeping checks and cleans the rooms and toilets daily. They make sure that the hostel facilities and rooms are kept clean and tidy.

Secured Room Access – The rooms can be accessed using a randomly-generated lock code that is assigned individually per guest.

Secured Hostel Premises – The hostel is equipped with 24/7 video surveillance system that makes sure that no outsiders go inside the guest-only premises. Also, all guests need to go past reception when they want to enter the hostel.

Lift Access – Guests who have large luggage do not need to worry about bringing them up to the higher floors. They can use the lift to go up to and down from their rooms.

Hostel Experience

I had an awesome stay at The RomeHello. I enjoyed every bit from check-in to check-out; I could have extended if my itinerary allowed me to do so.

The hostel ticked all the boxes for me but has specifically excelled in the following. First, their rates were affordable. The hostel provided more than what guests pay for per night. They had one of the best value rates within the city. Second, the hostel’s location was perfect for my itinerary. It was near Repubblica Station of Metro Line A; it was also near Roma Termini. The popular Rome spots were all 10-25 minutes away by foot. The hostel was also located in a small quiet laneway, excluded from all the city noise.

Third, the €7 breakfast buffet at The Barrel was exceptional. The buffet had a good spread of eggs, bread, cold cuts, sausages, bacon, cheese, fresh fruits and drinks. Fourth, the property had a long list of activities, tours and experiences that enhanced the guest’s hostel experience. I joined the pasta cooking class for €8; I knew how to cook the ‘real’ carbonara at the same time also met people from all over the world.

Fifth, the hostel managed to keep its cleanliness throughout the day despite all the activities and guests coming in and out every day. Lastly, The RomeHello’s staff were the friendliest and most hospitable ones I have dealt with during this trip. I met a few Filipino hostel staff and was instantly treated like their close friends. At some point, it felt home. The stay felt like I am in the Philippines because of them. Shoutout to the ate’s and kuya’s of The RomeHello – thank you for making my stay a memorable one!

On the other side of the line, I cannot think of anything which the hostel can or needs to improve on. If there is one thing I can comment on, it is the long list of activities they have. I did not have enough time to join all of them during my stay. I need to go back to The RomeHello to just join all the activities.

Will I recommend The RomeHello? YES! It is an easy 15 over 10 for me. In my opinion, The RomeHello is an epitome of a perfect hostel. The hostel has affordable rates, clean rooms and communal areas, friendly and hospitable staff, a central location, fun activities, tours and experiences to join and a traveler-friendly atmosphere. What more can you ask for? No need to think twice, book with The Romehello for your trip to Rome.

Do you have questions about The RomeHello? Feel free to reach out to them on the following platforms:

The RomeHello
Address: Via Torino 45 00184, Rome, Italy
Phone Number: +39 06 9686 0070
E-mail address: ciao@theromehello.com
Website: www.theromehello.com
Faceook: www.facebook.com/theromehello
Instagram: www.instagram.com/theromehello

Have you stayed with The RomeHello in the past? Care to share your hostel experience in the comments section below? Do you have any questions about the hostel or my experience? Feel free comment down below. You may also send these questions via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me in today’s Hostel of the Day feature. Please also take time to check out my previous HOTD features by clicking this. You’ll find my other hostel reviews about Le Village Montmartre in Paris, The Bed KLCC in Kuala Lumpur & Z Hostel here in the Philippines. Before you go, can you visit my social media pages –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.