Viva la Roma!

Unlike Florence, Rome is a lot bigger and dates even further back in history. This city has the perfect mix of metropolitan buzz and a feeling of a city with a twinge of historical cites that take your breathe away. When I arrived to Rome,I was on my own. I explored the Spanish steps and got lost in the tiny streets. Once my cousin and aunt arrived, we found a restaurant to eat dinner and I ordered for them and helped them navigate (yes, so cool!). We walked around at night because everything in the city was still extremely lit and there were as many tourists out then as there would be in the morning.

When I went to Rome the first time, the Trevi Fountain was under construction so I never got to see it in its full beauty. This time I could see the clear blue of the water and all of the coins that people had thrown in for a chance to come back to this city and find love. We found a DIY walking tour on our cell phones and used it to walk through the city and learn about the history. This was perfect because the route it took us on took us to all of the major sites and we were able to make the most out of our weekend there. First, we made our way to the Spanish steps in the daylight. I love these steps because they were where the first historic fashion runways were held by all the major Italian designers like Dior, Gucci, etc. And even further back in history, Rome was where gladiator sandals became famous.

We walked through the Medici park and got to see the city from a different perspective. This was my favorite because I was able to see it again after years and make a new memory with my family. Our next stop was the Trevi Fountain. This fountain is even more beautiful in the light! We made a wish and made our way to the Pantheon. The Pantheon just happened to be free on the day that we went and I got to see statues and ruins from thousands of years ago. Our journey had just begun and we made it through Rome to the Vatican City, enjoying chocolate desserts and views of ruins on our way.

The Vatican City and the museum is unlike any other I have been to. The artwork dates back centuries and you can tell the detailing that went into each piece. Being able to share this with my cousin was even more special because we had never travelled far together and it was nice to share my Italian experience with her before she went back to Peru.