when in rome.

Well I must admit, I am one lucky lady. Even though I am privileged to live in the thrilling city of Barcelona, I get to spend my Spring Break exploring some of the most beautiful and exciting cities in the world with none other than my lovely mama.

The adventure began on March 13th, where we met up in Rome, a city that I have always dreamed of visiting. I have studied its art, culture and history for years...and it was incredible to finally see it all for myself. Our first day was mostly spent settling in to the hotel (conveniently located just near the river, within walking distance to most of the sites) and catching up...lots of that to do since we had not seen each other in over two months. We ventured over to Piazza del Popolo and found a cute cafe where we drank tea and admired the scenery, and later enjoyed a relaxing dinner in a trattoria near our hotel called Vito's, where we ate DELICIOUS spaghetti, sipped chianti and chatted the night away. Perfection.

Then it was time for lots of sightseeing. The following morning we woke up bright and early for a tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica. Wow. First of all, thank God we pre-booked a guided tour. I would HIGHLY recommend doing this if you are interested in visiting the Vatican. Not only were we exempt from waiting in the horrendous line, but having a guide direct us and offer endless bits of interesting background information was simply wonderful. Our guide was, in my opinion, the quintessential Italian man...plump and animated with a great accent as he tried to relay all kinds of information to us in English. The kind of guy I picture feasting on generous amounts spaghetti and meatballs while singing "Bella Notte." Anyways, he led us from room to room of the vast museums and I must say I was shocked at how much art this place held. We finally made our way into the famous Sistine Chapel. Well, to be honest, first I got lost from the group because I needed to go to the bathroom and was unable to find them after. Cool Lis. It was a little unnerving not knowing where I was, so I just waited in the Sistine Chapel hoping I would eventually see my mom again. Haha, anyways...they eventually made it there too. Michelangelo and the other artists who contributed to the Sistine Chapel truly created a collective masterpiece. Michelangelo has always been one of my favorite artists and it was surreal to finally be gazing upon his famous Sistine ceiling. One thing that definitely stood out in my mind was the colors he used, so bright and vivid...I loved it. Also, there was a panel left in the corner of the ceiling to show what the artwork looked like before the recent restoration...let's just say that the difference was unbelievable. After our tour of the Vatican a small group of us continued on to visit St. Peter's Basilica. Luckily we planned to see the two together because not only did we avoid another unsightly line, but we got to go from the Vatican to St. Peter's via a type of "secret passageway." This route allowed us to see where the papal apartments are, the tomb of St. Peter as well as many former popes. Mind you this whole time it was surreal to be standing in a place of such profound history and significance, I mean...the tomb of St. Peter!! I must admit St. Peter's Basilica was so much more impressive than I expected it to be. First of all, I cannot believe how massive it is...apparently the largest basilica in the world...I believe it. Inside there are approximately 6 chapels in addition to the main chapel/altar, hundreds of gorgeous sculptures, mosaics and paintings, and one of my favorite works of art of all time....Michelangelo's "Pieta". The Basilica is spectacular, and St. Peter's Square just outside was breathtaking as well. I honestly cannot fathom how people were able to create such stunning architecture and artwork in an era when the technology was far inferior to our own. Truly a mystery.

After the tour we were definitely in need of some lunch, so we found what was to become one of our favorite little cafes in Rome, Passetto's. Not only was the food delicious and the atmosphere splendid, but our server Marcello was hilarious and made the experience unforgettable. Since we ate rather light lunches and were skipping dessert he insisted that we try his homemade 'limoncello'. Limoncello is made by placing lemon rind, sugar and alcohol in a bottle and letting it sit in the sun until it is just right. It is yummy and dangerous...even my mom was drinking some, which is awesome. Limoncello from Marcello...ring a bell anyone?! If you have seen the movie 'Under the Tuscan Sun' you might find this little coincidence amusing, if not..well, no worries. Anyways, Marcello was charming and made us promise to come back to try "the best Tiramisu in Rome" before we left (we did)...and then he asked me to out on a date with him...Italian men....

Next we boarded the Ciao Bella bus for a complete tour of Rome. This is a great way to get a better perspective of a big city, and it was really nice to be able to sit down and relax while still seeing what Rome had to offer. We dined at an adorable trattoria in the main part of the city that evening...more wine and pasta! All in all our first full day in Rome was delightful and BUSY, and might I add that the weather was incredible!

The following day began early with a tour of the Borghese Gallery and Villa. Ok, the Borghese family must have been loaded. The Villa consisted of acre upon acre of lush landscape, parks, fountains, etc. Since the weather was so nice lots of people were outside exercising, having picnics and playing with their kids...it was truly picturesque. It seems to me like every city has some place like this for people to escape the hustle and bustle and get back to nature. The art collection in the Gallery also might clue a person in to the Borghese family's wealth. Room upon room absolutely filled with lavish artwork...every inch of this place was ornately decorated, and some rather prestigious pieces reside there from artists like Bernini, Caravaggio, and more. Just go see it for yourself, trust me.

That night we made our way over to Piazza Navona to see the excitement and find a place to have dinner. The Piazza is lined with restaurants and the host from each is just waiting for people to pass by so he can attempt to convince them to dine at his restaurant because obviously it is better than all the others and his is the only one that uses fresh food. Yea....they ALL say that. Nonetheless, we chose a place called Dolce Vita and endulged in yet another scrumptious meal. After dinner we walked by the Pantheon and then to the famous Trevi Fountain. Ok, whenever I read something about Trevi Fountain I always thought "oh that must be neat"...NO, i was mistaken, it is phenomenal! Soooo much bigger than I would have ever imagined and the design is simply enchanting. I honestly think this was one of my favorite things in Rome.

For our last full day in Rome we were sure to fit in as much as possible, and unfortunately this was somewhat challenging thanks to a citywide marathon that was taking place (lots of roads were blocked off). And it was Palm Sunday. Even so, we ventured over to see one of the most famous attractions in the world...the Colosseum! I honestly didn't know what to expect it to be like...and I was somewhat surprised at what I saw. The seats from which people once relished in the entertainment below no longer exist...most of the stone was removed to be used in the construction of the Vatican and St. Peters. Interesting huh? This is also true of the Palatine, which we toured next. Apparently this is where Rome true origins began. There is a lot of mythology behind it, I won't bore you...but it is kind of interesting. At this point the hill primarily consists of ruins from the Flavian Palace as well as a rather pretty garden area. The Palatine Hill overlooks the Roman Forum, which contains the ruins of various temples, churches, arches, etc. Also there are the remnants of the house of the Vestal Virgins...which has a truly interesting background that I would recommend looking into. The history of Rome is unbeatable, and because I am huge nerd...I loved hearing about it all. However, after LOTS of touring we were kind of burnt out and in need of wine, so we relaxed at La Baguette (a great cafe with lots of tasty food and drinks...go there!).

Sadly, today we are leaving Rome. I must confess that this lovely city truly exceeded my expectations....and I hope to go back soon! For now we are off to Florence!