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Rome, Italy. That wasn’t even a sentence, but what else could possibly be said about the Eternal City? Since this is a blog post, I suppose I will have to try my best to find the words.
This was the year I finally decided to do it — to take my first hop across the pond. It had been a long time coming, and I had dreamt about this day for years. I was finally going to Europe.
After weeks of researching, learning, planning, and listening to everyone’s unsolicited advice about how to wear my crossbody bag, it was finally time to say goodbye to North America for eight days.
I happened to be in Toronto for Caribana, and I decided to take the trip with my Aunt, Jan. We departed from Toronto Pearson International Airport on a massive Air Canada Boeing 777-800ER. I love planes. The bigger, the better, and in my experience, the bigger the plane, the smoother the flight and more importantly, the smoother the landing.
My grandfather, Uric, was a pilot and head of air traffic control at Piarco International Airport in Trinidad and Tobago, and most of my family on both sides has worked for the airlines in some capacity. Unfortunately, I never knew my grandfather since he passed away when my mother was 18, but I grew up hearing stories about him flying a small Cessna-type plane over our family home in Trinidad with my mother and aunts aboard. They looked down and saw my grandmother hanging clothes on the line below. I love stories like this.
Now that I am a traveler, I can feel that innate passion for airplanes, airports, and the excitement of hurtling toward new destinations, and I know it comes from my family.
We left on a late-night flight and arrived at Rome Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci International Airport around 9 a.m. I ♡ that name. Since this was the dog days of summer, the airport was crowded with international arrivals. Italy is a dream destination for people all over the world, and summertime is always busy.
Regardless, we navigated customs and immigration very easily thanks to the airport’s efficient and advanced scanning technology. One thing I noticed — among many others — was just how advanced the technology was throughout Italy. From the airport scanners to the hands-free bathroom amenities, the level of innovation was exceptional.
Once we arrived, we had a car waiting to pick us up. The owner of the apartment we rented had arranged transportation for us. We enjoyed a lovely ride from the airport through modern Rome and, ultimately, into the streets of ancient Rome. The drive was the perfect opportunity to observe the Italian street signs and people-watch as locals went about their daily activities, no differently than I would back home — just on the other side of the world..in Italy ♡.
I couldn’t help but think about the saying, “the grass is always greener.” As I looked at the people around me, I wondered: What are they thinking? Where are they going? What are they doing today? Are they eager to leave town and experience somewhere new? Do they long for change, or are they perfectly content in Rome?
We made it to the apartment at 143 Via Rasella, very close to the Piazza Barberini, which had a nearby taxi stand that made getting around town very easy. Romina, our contact, met us at the door. We struggled to open the apartment door at first. Thank God my aunt was able to figure it out because I simply could NOT get it open. The key was long and looked like it belonged to a treasure chest filled with gold.
Thankfully, that was the only struggle we had with the apartment. It was truly lovely and could not have been more comfortable. I wanted to live more like a local rather than do the typical hotel experience. I second-guessed myself at first, but quickly realized it had been the perfect choice.
The apartment had a TV, couch, kitchen, bedroom area, and loft. The bathroom was smaller, but we made it work just fine. Bidets (bi-day) are customary in Europe. We did not use them, but I’m sure they are wonderful :).
The street outside our apartment, filled with restaurants and leading to the market, Supermercato Tigre.
Just down the street was a supermarket called Supermercato Tigre. Everything we needed was there. My favorite item? The water.
Europe has one of the most advanced water systems in the world. The water felt incredibly pure. You could genuinely feel the difference — mineral-rich water flowing straight from the Dolomites.
After we settled in, we went across the street for a nice dinner in a small restaurant. We decided to relax for the rest of the evening and adjust to the time change.
The next day, we attended Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica and took a tour of the Vatican Museums. I am a practicing cradle Catholic, however, visiting the Vatican was not necessarily a must-do for me from a religious/faith perspective, since my emphasis is not on the Pope or religion itself, but on my personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who is the leader of my life.
Nonetheless, visiting the Vatican is definitely a must-do, in my opinion.
Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica
Our tour guide, Leonardo, was very informative. I was part of a very geographically diverse group from Vienna, London, Chicago and Australia. When Leonardo asked me where I was from, I said “Atlanta” and everyone became so wide-eyed. “Atlanta?! Wow, cool!!” they said. I was like, “Whaaa???” We’ve got people from Vienna and London, AND we’re standing INSIDE Vatican City surrounded by Italy and you’re excited about Atlanta?! Don’t get me wrong, I love home, but perspective is so fascinating. LOL.
At any rate, Leonardo led us through the seven kilometers of museum galleries, beginning with a view of the Basilica’s dome and the famous Sistine Chapel chimney that emits white smoke when a new Pope is chosen. From there, we ventured into the Borgia Apartments, the Raphael Rooms, and finally the Sistine Chapel.
Oh my gosh — the Borgia family. They were a mess. The Borgia Pope was a mess. This family was filled with lust, greed corruption and dishonesty. As Pope, why did even he have a family? Having watched The Borgias on Netflix, seeing their apartments in person felt heavy and a bit gross.
The Sistine Chapel was marvelous, but I have to say, the Raphael Rooms were absolutely stunning. Every space was filled with tremendous creations by masters of their craft.
The following day, I decided to take an e-bike night tour across the city. A daytime tour would have been scorching, and there was no way I was going to be able to do that.
My aunt opted out of the tour and stayed back at the apartment to relax.
That bike tour through Rome was the start of something beautiful.
It was truly a remarkable experience, especially at night. The piazzas, or town squares, were bustling with people, and the entire city glows at night. Somehow, the cars, pedestrians, and bike riders all knew how to comfortably and respectfully coexist. Everything flowed so naturally that I wanted to ride for three more hours.
At dusk, we saw all of the major landmarks — the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps — and after dark, we rode through piazzas and side streets filled with life and hearty conversations.
We listened to stories about the history of Rome, and I had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world, including a fellow American family. The ride was invigorating and started a new travel tradition that I have continued to this day.
After the ride, I walked with a few fellow riders toward the Colosseum to hail a taxi. We couldn’t find one and ended up walking the entire circumference of the Colosseum, which turned out to be pretty incredible.
Ironically, the taxis had actually been lined up where we originally started, but none were available at the time. Honestly, I’m glad they weren’t.
Walking around the Colosseum at night was an unexpected treat — one of those rare “no words” moments. I hailed a taxi, returned to the apartment and slept like a baby.
View the E-Bike Tours post to view more photos from my bike tour.
The following day, I booked an evening golf cart tour for my aunt and me. During early August, many Romans leave the city to escape the extreme temperatures. Choosing a nighttime golf cart tour turned out to be a total game changer. Since my aunt couldn’t take the bike tour, we were able to enjoy this experience together. The great thing was that I got to hear even more history than I had on the tour the day before.
In addition to revisiting the major landmarks from the e-bike tour, we rode through Trastevere, saw the historic Jewish Ghetto from World War II, stopped for gelato, and drove past the Largo di Torre Argentina, the site of Julius Caesar’s assassination.
One thing I found interesting was that our tour guide told us that Americans are often more fascinated by Julius Caesar and his death than Italians are. LOL.
Another surprising sight? The area where Caesar was killed was completely overrun by cats. Crazy.
The following day, we took a bus trip to Tuscany and visited Montepulciano and Pienza. I graduated from Kennesaw State University outside of Atlanta, and the Fine Arts Department has a study abroad program in the very areas we visited. My sister was a fine arts major at a certain point and almost enrolled in this study abroad program. I couldn’t believe I had traveled to the other side of the world only to find my school so prominently represented in the middle of stunning Tuscany.
The views and landscapes were exceptional. The vineyards and Tuscan-style homes made for the prettiest picture. We stopped at a restaurant called Fattoria Pulcino, owned by two sisters, and had homemade pasta. It was marvelous.
We returned to Rome, and stopped for something to eat….at McDonalds! McDonald’s in Italy is basically the same as McDonald’s in America, except for a very high-tech self-service order station.
On the homestretch of our trip, we flew to Trapani, Sicily, for a few days at the beach. As a side note, (I learned this after the trip) Trapani has deep historical roots and ties to the Sicilian Mafia or Cosa Nostra. I didn’t see any of those guys walking around, so it turned out just fine :).
My only regret was that we didn’t stay longer in Trapani. There is a level of relaxation along the Mediterranean Sea that feels completely different from the beaches back home. It is difficult to explain, but I suspect it comes from the more laid-back, European way of life. There seems to be a greater emphasis on relaxation and enjoying life in Europe rather than the constant “work all the time” mentality that plagues us in America.
For some reason, I can never spend an entire day lying on a beach in the States. But in Sicily, we stayed on that beach until everyone else left, and it was perfect. We wandered through the streets afterward and enjoyed pizza, the freshest salad I have ever eaten and gelato before heading back to Rome.
The pounds are adding up by the gelato.
We took a day to rest before returning to Toronto and had a last dinner, which was wonderful.
The next time I go back — God willing — my plan is to use the train system and snake through the country from top to bottom, visiting as many towns as possible, especially the ones off the beaten track. I would also like to try more of the cuisine than I did on the first trip. Hopefully, by then, I will have learned more of the language, as one of my goals is to become fluent in Italian.
To the Eternal City, Rome, I am eternally grateful for my time with you.
Buonanotte,
Jennelle