Travel Photo Diary: Rome

The city of Rome holds a very special place in my heart.  I spent a summer in Rome during college for a study abroad program and it was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made in my life.  I think I really was able to grow up and find my footing by travelling alone to a city I had never been to.  I had studied abroad before during high school at Magdalen College, which is part of Oxford University in Oxford, England, but this was a completely different experience.  In high school, I chose to do a program with a good friend.  We flew abroad together, took the same classes and hung out together.  For Rome, I went alone.  While terrifying, I really learned how to be independent and trust myself.  This was huge considering I don’t normally like doing anything alone.  In the end, I made some of the best friends, felt like I experienced the city like a true Roman and travelled all around the great country of Italy.

Rome itself has so much to offer.  Yes, there are the big tourist attractions like the Coliseum, the Vatican and the Trevi Fountain but really even the smallest side streets held so much history and beauty.  The little street that I lived on, Via dei Capocci (shout out to all of my Capocci roommates), is actually shown in the first picture above.  It was a dream driving by the Coliseum on the bus to and from school and walking down that cute little street.  One of the pictures of the Coliseum was a secret spot I found where the Coliseum basically looks like it did in its hay day, a full structure.

For this Travel Photo Diary, I really wanted to feature Rome since it is one of my absolute favorite cities in the world.  I realized looking back at my photos that I barely took enough pictures.  I feel like I say this all time! At least not enough to show the true beauty of this city.  I think living in Rome is completely different than travelling there as a tourist.  I was definitely more worried about stopping by the grocery store every other day or finishing up homework from my classes than taking pictures more frequently.  C’est le vie.  Oh wait wrong language.  That’s what I get for taking French and then Italian.  Sometimes I think in one language instead of the other.

If you do have the chance to visit Roma (as the Italians call it), try to experience all the city has to offer.  Head to Trastevere for dinner one night.  It is the cutest little area.  Or walk from the Coliseum to Piazza Navona or the Pantheon.  You’ll get to see way more of the city that way.

Yours Truly // Shannon