Rome

Over the past few years I have done a lot of travelling, especially around Europe. I’ve seen some out-of-the-way places, and others right along the beaten track. But there was an exception: I had never been to Rome. I had been to other places in Italy along my travels, Turin, Bardonecchia and Ancona. But not those famous and amazing spots like Venice, Milan, Florence or Rome.

So when I saw a cheap hotel deal for a nice hotel in Rome right around my birthday, I put the idea to V and we booked it. She had been to Rome before but was willing to come and be my guide, and to experience the city in a bit more depth (as much as is possible in a weekend) then the stop on her European bus tour a few years ago.

I went to Rome without too many expectations. I had never been that impressed with Italy, but was mindful of the fact that I should experience this reputably amazing city. And yes, I was amazed. My expectations were exceeded by this ancient city.

The weather was stunning, hovering just below 30 during the day. The sun was shining, the tourists of the high summer season had largely disbursed, and the city was buzzing. I was surprised by how open and colourful the city was. I was expecting it to be denser, dirtier, and more cramped. But I was pleasantly surprised.

We spent much of the weekend walking, walking and walking some more, just taking in the city and sights (and gelato). Everywhere you walked, there was amazing architecture to see, whether Roman Catholic masterpieces from 500 years ago or ancient Roman ruins from 2000 years ago. Just walking along a footpath it wasn’t uncommon to see the remains of some ancient columns just lying there.

The newer part of the town involved walking between many scattered fountains, pizzerias, churches and of course the mandatory tourist shops.

Overall it was 2 days well spent. We managed to fit in a lot of sights in a short period of time (including the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Basilica, the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon and more) while still managing to find the time to spend a morning at the hotel swimming pool enjoying those last few strong sunrays, before our lives in London hit the cold, dark winter.