When in Rome...
Italy has always been on the top of my bucket list of places I would like to visit one day. As proud as I am of being Hispanic, I always secretly wished I was also Italian. I know that sounds weird, but I was just always fascinated by the culture, the food, the history! I even took 2 semesters of Italian in college because I really wanted to master the language (I never finished). When the opportunity arose for me to take a week long trip to Rome, you know that I was going to do any and everything to make sure I made it there! One thing I've made a conscious decision to do is always travel. I will go anywhere I am invited especially if I have never been there before. This goes for any trip small or large. I will go 4 hours or 14 hours away. I just want to see the world and everything it has to offer. I am not satisfied just knowing that beauty exists in the world. I want to drink it in through my eyes. I want to know I've placed my foot on the same path as many before me. My trip to Rome was more than I could have ever imagined.
Shantece G.
Stay/Travel
As most travelers are doing it these days, my family and I got an Airbnb in Rome. It was a great apartment near the Vatican with a clear view of St. Peter's Basilica from the bedroom balcony. Our host Maria was incredible. She was so helpful even though there was a slight language barrier. I felt so comfortable even though I was 5,000 miles away from my own bed (the thing I miss the most when I'm away). I think from the research I had done, Airbnb is your best bet for a quality living space and more than reasonable prices. A hotel would have cost us 10x's the amount the Airbnb did. The flights to Italy from the US are quite long, but I can say that I have never been treated better on a flight that wasn't first class. They constantly bring you food, and drinks, they have pillows and blankets and you don't feel squished like on a regular flight. I honestly thought it was going to be a pain in my ass and back to have to sit on a flight for 8+ hours, but it was surprisingly delightful. Once in Rome, I recommend taking the metro (train) around. It was pretty cheap, clean and will get you almost anywhere you want. After a $30 Uber that took 15 min, I humbled myself to the metro and realized it was the way to go. Being from NYC, I have a thing about the public transit system which was part of my early avoidance of the Rome Metro. It's nothing like NYC. Even traveling to and from the airport using public transportation was a cinch (trust me I had to make several trips to retrieve my lost luggage). All in all, you can tell that Rome was definitely not built in a day! The transit system, the streets everything there was made for walking around and sightseeing.
Food/Drink
The food in Italy was exactly what you expected.... AMAZING! Now I thought I would be eating myself into a carb happy coma the entire week, but there was something I learned about American vs Italian culture. In American culture we tend to engorge ourselves like a puppy who just got into a fresh 50lb bag of kibble. Although the food was to die for, the servings made sure there was always room for dessert. At first site I sometimes thought I was going to stay hungry but realized that I was just satisfied, which is something I need to learn to do more often. Everything was so FRESH... like EVERYTHING. I can't even tell you how tantalizing something as simple as a cherry tomato felt to my mouth. I also learned that what we think is Italian food in the states is NOT Italian food in Italy. I ate so many different kinds of pizza, and if I ever hear the word gelato again I might faint lol. I was also surprised by the price point when it came to dining out. All of the food was so inexpensive, even on our last night when we went to a "fancy" place. The most expensive meal I had cost around $15 which you could easily spend at a fast food restaurant back home. Also, there really is no tipping over there. The waitstaff get a fair wage and tipping is not encouraged but of course always welcome. If you happen to be in Italy just know that you will leave every restaurant with a full belly and wallet!
Rome/Florence
Everyday I was on this trip I felt like I was dreaming. I've been to a lot of other places in the world (Dubai, Singapore, Australia...) so I didn't feel like I was coming into this trip as someone who has never left their little bubble. I thought maybe I had hyped Italy up all these years and that I might be disappointed when I finally got there. I was dead wrong. Italy was more beautiful than I could ever have imagined it. The richness of the culture and history bombards you from every corner. You are walking through a time line of history with every step. I felt like I was overwhelmed with beauty every where I turned. The details in the architecture, the painstaking trouble gone to preserve ancient and holy sights. I honestly felt as though I was waking up in a dream for the first time every single day. Could this be real life? Was I on the "Truman Show", was this all an elaborate set? The breathtaking atmosphere, the cobbled streets and winding alleys, everything was inviting and picturesque. Personally I fell in love and left my heart in Florence. We only got to spend a day there, but I will have to go back and retrieve my heart again. The city was so peaceful, the people so humble and kind. I only had the chance to experience these two beautiful ancient cities but I will be coming back for more. Italy you did not disappoint. If anything, I left more enamored, enthralled and obsessed with you.
