I have a love – hate relationship with Roma. Sometimes love, sometimes hate, but mostly somewhere between toleration and like. If I was in a facebook relationship with the city it would definitely be “it’s complicated.” The first time I came to Rome I loved it – the history, the beauty, the vastness. The second time I came to Rome I still loved it; I wasn’t in middle school and there was so much I could truly appreciate. The third time I came to Rome I was not too thrilled. It was too hot, too many tourists, too much traffic, and just too big. After living in Rome for a month last summer I found a sort of happy medium with the capital city.

Rome is one of those necessary cities to see in Italy. There are some amazing sites that are absolutely worth the trip. (Hellooo…the pantheon anyone?) There are great opportunities in Rome and in this city you will never be bored or run out of things to do. Every time I return, there are new things I haven’t experienced yet. On the flip side Rome is probably the most touristic city in Italy. Want to practice your Italian? Forget about it…everyone speaks english. Want to buy a gelato? You’ll probably walk into at least four stores before you find one that isn’t charging ridiculous prices. Want to visit a place outside the small city center? Good luck figuring out the buses. Or you could get on the right bus going the wrong direction…twice.

(I am taking this moment to introduce Georgio…the nicest bus driver in Rome. After a long day of traveling, he let me 1. use his phone to find directions 2. gave me air conditioning and 3. provided a narrated tour of Rome when he realized I got on the bus going the wrong way. Our 1.5 hour friendship was the highlight of my Sunday.)

If it had been up to me, I probably would not have stayed in Rome for three nights. However, with Patrick on the trip, there was no way to not see the wonders of Rome. In the end, I am very glad we did. Not only did Patrick get to see some of my home from last summer but I was able to reminisce and catch up with old friends. Rome you have been oh so good to us. Grazie 🙂

Seeing the sites of Rome:

– Piazza Navona

– San Pietro (Vatican)

– Castel Sant’Angelo

– Fontana di Trevi

-Colleseo

-Roman Ruins

-Gian Nicola

-Villa Borghese

Seeing the people of Rome:

Patrick and I were very lucky to stay with an Italian family while we were in Rome. Angela is an old friend of my grandmothers and she let us stay in her sons’ old room. Angela is a genuine sweetheart. Our first day in Rome, Patrick and I didn’t make it back from the airport until 11 PM at night. Not only did she have her son pick us up from the train station, but she cooked a traditional full course Italian meal for us. Every morning when we would wake up she would have an amazing breakfast waiting for us. She was a dream come true. 🙂

In addition, her two sons – Giovanni and GianCarlo – were just as great. Both of them work and live in Rome. They took time out of their schedules to meet us for dinner one night in the city center, take us to some hidden treasures of Rome and walk around Trastevere (an area of Rome). After paying for everything (despite our requests to pay) they drove us all the way back to Angela’s even though it was out of their way.

Finally, we were able to hang out with Matt – the program director from my study abroad last summer in Rome.