Top Rome Unique Experiences

This was a great experience overall. It was our first trip to Rome and we were trying to pack a lot into this visit in 1.5 days on the back end of our Italy trip. Obviously the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and Basilica were top of the list of must do's! I would absolutely NOT visit the Vatican etc. without a small group timed entry! We heard people in line got there at 5:30 am to line up and will wait 3-4 hours to get in! Our guide Oskar was excellent. The weather was perfect which made the waiting and standing around much more bearable. There was a good 30-40 minutes before we actually got into the Vatican. Oskar did a great job explaining what was ahead and where we should focus. Our tour started at 8:20am and I think it was 9:30 before we sat down to breakfast which is before the actual tour starts. It seemed like lost time. They allowed about 30 minutes for breakfast which was plenty. The breakfast exceeded our expectations. It was in a lovely courtyard next to the Vatican, not crowded and waiters served each table eggs, meats, cheeses, breads, pastries, pancakes w/ maple syrup, coffee and juice. The spread was actually more than the 2 of us could eat and quality was quite good. It was not a buffet as was mentioned in the reviews I read before I booked and I would say half the tables in the cafe were empty. The tour itself was excellent. Inside the Sistine Chapel was crazy packed. Literally shoulder to shoulder with tons of people. They clearly let way too many people in at a time but it is absolutely amazing. Oskar explained everything about it before we went in and gave us a pamphlet with the key parts of the ceiling numbered and explained for reference. We had about 15 minutes to weave our way through before being shuttled out. You could spend hours in there alone examining all of the details of the various sections of the frescos! And "The Last Judgement" is unreal to see in person! We finished the tour in the Basilica but this is when Oskar left us and we were on our own to explore it. Before he left, he walked us through the key areas we might want to visit and again referenced the flier for more information. I wish this part had been guided as well as I am sure we missed learning about so many details. My husband and I spent about another 90 minutes in the Basilica. We did go downstairs to visit the tombs of the Popes and the short wait was worth it. There are so many alcoves to explore so take the time there if you have it!

Take the pizza and tiramisu class with Lori. Lori was AWESOME and you could tell she had a passion for cooking and teaching. Her recipes were so good and we enjoyed her class so much. Will take another class with Lori when we come back to Rome! Thank you Lori, Ellen (wife of manello) :)

Our truffle-hunting experience with Matteo was absolutely wonderful and definitely one of the highlights of our Italy trip! Matteo gave us very clear instructions for getting from Rome by train. From there, he drove us into the beautiful mountains to begin our truffle hunt. Along the way, he was incredibly personable and knowledgeable, sharing so much about truffle hunting and the area. The forest was absolutely beautiful, and hunting with his two dogs, Wendy and Leilo, was so much fun. They were adorable and clearly loved their job! I was also very glad I chose to wear sneakers because we spent a good amount of time hiking through the forest as we searched for and collected truffles. After our hunt, Matteo took us back to his property, where we got to meet his other dogs. Then came one of the best parts of the experience: a beautiful lunch that was prepared for us right there on the property. Everything was absolutely delicious, and we left very full and very happy. We especially appreciated Matteo’s warmth and hospitality. He made the entire experience feel personal and authentic rather than like a typical tourist excursion. If you’re visiting Italy and have the opportunity to go truffle hunting with Matteo, do it! It was such a unique experience, and one that we’ll remember as one of the very best parts of our trip.