Europe 2024: Rome, Italy

October 28, 2024

I just landed in Rome and all I can think is "It's time for good pasta and wine". I'm proud to say that I have successfully navigated my first public transportation system in Rome! I made it to the Airbnb and now it's time to meet my friend, Meg, for dinner. She's a fellow American living in Rome for work. We are meeting at one of her favorite restaurants in Rome so I'm sure it will be delicious. I'm excited to see a friend and catch up. She is my little piece of home here in Italy.

I made it to the Airbnb and unpacked a bit, got a shower, then wandered across the street for some groceries. Now I'm waiting for Meg. I'm in a cute little part of town, with restaurants at every corner. After navigating the streets of Paris, I'm far less intimidated by Italy. I feel incredibly safe here.

... I just had the BEST dinner and evening with Meg. It was nice to see a friend, share a meal, and have really good conversation. She gave me all her tips and tricks to enjoying Rome for the next few days, including the secret to navigating Italian public transportation. Tomorrow, the Roman adventure begins!

October 30, 2024

It's Wednesday and I just finished walking through the Colosseum and Roman Forum. I didn't book a tour, but I walked through and my oh my, it was beautiful. It's amazing to see it all in real life. This place is filled with rich history. My legs are tired but I'm continuing to move. I calculated my mileage so far and I think I have walked close to 60 miles on this trip.

The Colosseum was stunning. To see how much of the ruins have been preserved really gives you a picture of what this space looked like in its prime. If I could make one recommendation, it would be to book a couple of English-speaking tours. There's so much history here, it has felt overwhelming at points.

Yesterday was a really fun day. I was able to get in touch with the company I booked the Paris tour through (that I sadly missed) and was able to rebook for a makeup food tour in Rome. I left the Airbnb, stopped for an espresso, and made my way over to a large piazza where the group was supposed to meet. I easily found my group yesterday and we had a fantastic time with your tour guide. It was great to get a taste of Italy, see what foods they are most proud of, and learn a little bit about the history of Rome. We tried several kinds of pizza, artisan meats and cheeses, cannoli's, pasta, wine and finished the tour with gelato. I highly recommend booking a food tour with Secret Food Tours! They have tours all over the world (even on right here in Seattle).

... I'm sitting outside the Roman Forum, drinking white wine and waiting for... (you guessed it) a pizza. I'm not sure what the rest of the day holds. It's 1:30pm and I've seen everything I intended to see here in Rome. I quite enjoy just walking through the streets and gazing up at the architecture. I think when I come back, someday, I will dive into the rich history of this city. I'd like to see more museums and book a couple more tours through the historical places so that I can really understand more about the story here.

October 31, 2024

It’s Halloween. I ventured over to Ostia, on the west coast of Italy today to see the beach. It's about a forty-minute train ride from Rome. The weather is incredible here. It’s easily 75 and although I didn’t really pack for summer weather, I’m enjoying the tank top weather. 

It’s the last day before I hop on the train to Florence. I didn’t really have anything planned for today... I wasn’t really sure what to expect from Rome. Everything is much closer together in Rome than in Paris. It’s a pleasant surprise but now I think “Gosh, I could have done so much more here in Rome, had I known”. The extra day at the beach is a nice escape from the city.

I’ll likely start heading back to the apartment soon. It’ll take about an hour to get back. Then tonight I’ll pack all my stuff and get the plan laid out for traveling to Florence tomorrow.  I’m cooking dinner at home tonight. Since it’s just my last night in Rome and not Italy, I don’t feel the need to eat out. I have pasta to make at home and it’ll still be delicious. Tonight will likely consist of YouTube videos while I pack. Oh the wild life I live here in Rome. Still, I am blessed to get this opportunity and going to enjoy it while I have it. 

Rome... you have captured my heart. I think I have fallen in love with Italy because of you.

I'll see you soon.