Rome
“Rome was a poem pressed into service as a city.”
I left my heart in Rome.
I first traveled there at the age of 14 with my A.P. European History Class. That’s when I fell in love with the eternal city. There’s something about Rome that just makes me feel so small. Something momentous. It’s the beauty mixed with the history. The combination is intoxicating… like a cold gelato piled sky high on a warm summer night.
So I stood at the age of 14 at the Trevi Fountain, tossed a coin over my shoulder, and told myself that the next time I would stand in that very same spot I would be with the love of my life. And so, like out of a storybook, the next time I stood there was with Shane, exactly five days before our wedding.
Rome.
Since this was Shane’s first visit I tried to cater the itinerary to things he would enjoy and things we would both enjoy as a couple.
I booked a night tour of the city which ended in a private tour of The Colosseum. We literally stood where gladiators stood, fighting for their lives. Staring up into the stands I could almost hear the ghosts of onlookers scream as blood splattered and limbs were torn from bodies. It was chilling and incredible all at once.
During this tour we also saw The Roman Forum all lit up, cloaked in darkness. As well as The “Wedding Cake” Monument (which the romans and tastemakers of the world view as a giant marble monstrosity but which I personally love… call me garish).
We strolled through The Borghese Gardens.
We ate more pasta than we could have ever imagined and learned that if you want to eat really authentic Italian food, you must travel to The Trastevere District.
And we actually stayed in an Air B & B for $140 a night that was right in the middle of it all. We felt like we were true romans rather than tourists ending the day in our little apartment after spending hours roaming cobblestoned streets.
We chose to forgoe The Vatican, the myriad of museums, The Spanish Steps, and The Pantheon. (I had visited them all before and hubby’s not one who relishes museums). But those are all must-sees if this is your only opportunity to travel there.
So there I found myself once again, standing on the steps of The Trevi Fountain, only this time five days before my wedding, with a coin in hand, knowing deep within my soul that the next time I would return would be with my children.
“Italy has changed. But Rome is Rome.”