Quando a Roma... Part 1!

When in Rome
**Caution: Very long post!**

This past weekend the roommates and I went to Rome for our first trip of the semester. We caught the train (the second one… we over-excitedly missed the first train) out of Perugia and arrived in Rome around 11:00. We settled in our hotel, and immediately began exploring!











First we went to the Coliseum, saw the ancient Roman ruins, and toured the surrounding area. I feel like I cannot out into words what it felt like to be surrounded by so much history in one place. This was not an American tourist spot, and it wasn’t just “a place to see in Italy.” This city – and the monuments and structures we explored – are known around the world and are one of the most coveted times in history. I have never been surrounded by so many languages and ethnicities in my life. I am going to be able to see a lot of famous places in the coming months, but I know that none of them will exceed the exposure of what I had in Rome.










Next we saw the Pantheon, grabbed gelato at Piazza Novano (Cathy’s favorite spot in Rome!) and saw the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. We then ventured down Via Condetti, Rome’s “5th Avenue”. Gucci, Prada, Armani, Escada, Dolce & Gabana lined the street and brought tourists from all over the world into their lavishly decorated flagship stores. (Mom and Dad, don’t worry – I didn’t buy anything at the above mentioned stores!) We even saw a store called “Expensive”, which set the tone for the entire shopping district :-)










Continued in the "Quando a Roma... Part 2!"