Rome is Home
Rome is home.
Simplistic in words but complex if we dig deeper into my psyche (Not sure anyone should dig too far). To kickoff my travel series, I returned “home” to Rome, Italy in the summer of 2014. With help from my Roman friends, I show you why I love the Eternal City.
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I first visited Rome back in 2010; studying abroad at John Cabot University. And that’s when the wanderlust all began for me. I had two semesters of Italian language at my home university under my belt to prepare me for what would be a defining moment in my life. I lived for four unforgettable months in the charming neighborhood of Trastevere. It was my small slice of Italian paradise, just a 20 minute walk from the center of Rome. La bella vita.
Que Dean Martin’s Sott’er Celo De Roma (On An Evening in Rome) playing as you sit comfortably outside a trattoria in a small piazza drinking wine as the evening sun shines on your face.
According to a recent Business Insider report, Rome cracks the Top-20 most popular destinations in the world among tourists. Rome has generated intrigue for centuries and for those tourists fortunate enough to visit, have departed more infatuated with the Eternal City like I have.
Rome is bursting at the seams with chaotic complexity. The Eternal city incorporates architectural ingenuity, superior gastronomy, mesmerizing nightlife, and unbridled passion and beauty from the Romans who reside within the 500 square mile city. That’s roughly the same size of Manhattan!
Rigatoni Carbonara at Il Miraggio Trattoria.
Rome is an anomaly. The city manages to simultaneously incorporate a fast pace bustle and a provincial, chilled out vibe; all crammed into concentric rings emanating from its ancient historic center. This manic beauty can be found in the narrowest of vicoli (side streets) to the heaviest of trafficked thoroughfares.
My first visit to Rome ignited a childlike wonder that had been dormant inside me. I simply cannot get enough of this city! To ensure my return, I tried an old Roman tradition.
3 coin trick. I guess it works!
Italians are notoriously superstitious and Roman’s are no exception. They’ve developed a fun tradition where visitors to their city are instructed to throw coins over the shoulder into the Trevi Fountain to ensure a return to Rome. The gorgeous baroque structure has not lost its luster; year after year the fountain attracts a massive amount of tourists. So word of advice people, you’ll need to be patient to get a proper selfie (you know you want one) for your Instagram. You and thousands of other world travelers are striking a pose!
Multi-cultural friendships made possible by the wonders of travel.
At the end of the day, life is not about possessions and accolades. Sure, those are nice achievements, but it’s human interaction; the lasting relationships you make with one another that is the most important aspect to life. For a lone American, over 4,000 miles away from New York, I found a home in Rome.
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