Flying into Ciampino airport just outside Rome on a warm day in the beginning of December, I stepped out into the sunlight and was immediately assaulted by a mass of cab drivers, all attempting to offer me their services. I declined politely, and inquired at a nearby desk what the best way to get to my hotel was, in my extremely broken Italian, which was, in truth, just Spanish spoken with an Italian accent. Fortunately, although the transportation information guide did not know English, she spoke competent Spanish, so we were able to muddle through until she had informed me that I should take a five Euro shuttle bus into the city and then hope another bus back out to the hotel (I suppose it was technically a camping hostel, for this was one of my budget trips as a student) where I would be staying for the next three days. I did as she told me, and about an hour later was standing in what looked like a cabin, with three bunk-beds and a bathroom with tile on the floor, ceiling and walls which doubled as a shower cubicle. All in all, for 11 Euro per night, it was more than worth location and the non-luxurious setting. Plus, for all of Rome’s beauty, no one can deny its bustle and relative dirtiness compared to other European capitals (which I would rank from personal experience as London, Warsaw, Dublin, Belfast, Rome, Paris in order of cleanest to dirtiest) which actually made me glad that I was staying somewhat outside the city anyway.

After settling into my hotel and a quick nap, I took a bus to the closest metro station and grabbed the train from there to the city center. A quick note about transportation in Rome: although you can purchase relatively cheap tickets for the metro and bus at any of the stations, I spent several days there and no one ever checked to see if I had one. Because of this, it isn’t necessarily cost effective to buy a full pass for several days, rather, it is easier to buy a few single route tickets to make sure, if you are checked, that you have one, but it is almost a certainty that you won’t be asked for your ticket. Anyhow, by the time I made it into the city, it was already getting dark, so I headed for the first “big name” I found on the map: Piazza di Spagna. This is one of Rome’s most well known plazas that features a beautiful square surrounded by old, old buildings and flanked my a massive staircase leading up to an excellent view of the city from the hilltop. Coming out of the metro station just behind the Piazza, I stopped by a little gelato stand and bought myself a cup of traditional Italian chocolate gelato. The intense chocolate flavor was backed by a spicy cinnamon and some other flavor that I was unable to place, and was so rich that I was almost unable to finish it…almost. As I ate, I walked out into the open square and halfway up the steps, where I sat watching street vendors attempt to sell roses and lighted, spinning discs that shot high into the air. The crowd in the piazza moved with a relative evenness, surprising me with its regularity. From where I sat, I could see a street lined with lights that seemed to be drawing a crowd, so after exploring the piazza a moment more, I headed for this street.

From the first moment I stepped into this street, I was aware that I’d accidentally ended up on the fashion boutique lane that runs through this area. Gucci, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, as well as many other Italian fashion lines I’d never heard of, all of them lining the street and glowing with brilliantly lit displays that were fascinating to see. I wandered down to the end of the street, took a few turns and suddenly the most beautiful sight I was to see in Rome burst upon me, although I heard it before I saw it. The Trevi fountain, whose construction was begun in the 1600’s, stands in the middle of a small plaza and is, when viewed at night, one of the most entrancing sights in Italy. The basin is surrounded by rough stonework that seems to be a reflection of sea-cliffs in nature that move slowly into beautiful sculptures of gods, horses, and men that all look lifelike enough that I could have sworn at times that they were moving. The swirling, pouring water rushed like a mighty river, and reflected the light and stonework around it creating a surreal environment like none I’ve ever experienced since. It is my recommendation that all travelers to Italy see this fountain, for no trip to Rome is complete without it. And of course, I did toss a coin in before I left, for, as the myth goes, if you toss a coin in the fountain you’ll be sure to return one day.

Besides these things, I spent a day in the Vatican, which was so full of art, experience, and history that a full description of it would take forever. St. Peter’s Cathedral was an incredible sight, and the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s masterpiece kept me busy for almost an hour. Vatican City is a recommended stop for any tourist, as it holds more art per-capita than any other place on earth. Finally, my journey to Rome ended with a visit to the Forum and Coliseum. Stunning in its breadth and expansive yet ruined grandeur, the ancient Forum of Rome is older than a majority of the rest of the city, is being restored slowly, carefully, and accurately, piece by piece, and is flanked by the Coliseum, where gladiators fought each other and wild beasts for the entertainment of the populous. While inside, I could see in my minds eye the crowds in the stands shouting support or derision at the men in the ring, the sand and earth that once covered the floor, and the trap-doors from the under-croft where beasts and men were kept until ready for action. I saw the imperial court sitting in their special box, and the bodyguards standing nearby to break up any possible disturbance. In short, being inside the coliseum was like going back in time, and fortunately for me, I was able to convince the ticket salesperson that I was indeed an EU citizen from London who’d forgotten his passport and was given a half price ticket!

Of course, there are many other places to visit in Italy other than Rome, but with all there is to do in the capital, many people don’t make it far outside. If you do have extra time in Italy after seeing Rome, try to make your way south toward the wine country, where small family vineyards are just as prevalent as large-scale operations. One small wine community in particular is an outstanding choice, which I visited later in my journey: Multipulciano. The wine is incredible, the people are friendly, and the cost of living is cheap.