When In Rome

This past weekend, I ventured from the Renaissance to the earliest times of the Romans; that is, Florence to Rome. Although most people I spoke to prior to leaving for told me that I would absolutely love Rome, there were a couple of people who told me that Rome just wasn’t their cup of travel tea. I quickly realized that I would have to make up my own mind about the city.

 Right away I noticed how vastly different, yet somewhat similar Rome and Florence are. Rome is nicknamed the "Eternal City" for a reason. Alongside the epic ruins of the Roman Empire lies a city with a pulse like none other. It's fast paced, diverse, and vibrant. And not to mention the massive amount of green space and trees! (Something Florence unfortunately doesn't have enough of)

The traffic jams and crowded tourist attractions overwhelmed me with exhaustion. Aside from the chaos of the city, Rome’s famous attractions were stunning. It was hard to comprehend the ancient history as I walked through the Roman ruins. 

The beauty and immense size of the Colosseum was captivating. 

I visited the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Petersburg Basilica.

 

 I people-watched on the Spanish Steps and saw the Pantheon.

I tossed my coin and made my wish into the romantic Trevi Fountain.

I ate delicious Italian cuisine, explored sights I’ve dreamed about for so long and spent time with some pretty wonderful people.

 Rome is a mix of predictable and unexpected. A beautiful city caught in a mess of traffic and Vespas. Rome’s history is thousands of years old and I only got a small taste, but it was enough to make me want to return again someday.