When in Rome!

By: Kirk G.

When in Rome… Do as the Romans do! But what do the Romans do? Tour the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Vatican City, and venture to the notorious Mount. Vesuvio all in three days? Maybe not, but we did!  On the first day in Rome, we exited the bus only a few streets away from the towering stature of the Colosseum following a scenic ride from Chianti, Tuscany. The sheer scale of the Colosseum (il Colosseo) invokes astonishment that can only be experienced by seeing it in person. The ability to casually glance over your shoulder and see the largest amphitheater in the world and perhaps Rome’s most distinctive landmark was incredibly surreal. The interior of the Colosseum only added to the feeling of “heaviness” that it emanated, both from the gravity of the events that took place there routinely, and the scale and mass of the Colosseum itself.  

The Roman Forum, however, was completely different. The Roman Forum (Foro Romano), being a mostly open space lush with greenery and marble columns, gave an atmosphere of near weightlessness. The Forum, being the location where many political speeches pivotal in Roman history were performed by influential people such as Julius Caesar, Cicero, and Mark Antony, felt lively despite being left abandoned after the 6th century A.D. Once the center of the Roman Republic, the Roman Forum now serves as a reminder to locals and tourists of the building blocks of one of the most formidable, and important cities in human history, Rome.   

On day two in Rome, we visited Vatican City, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. Vatican City, the smallest country in the world, is seemingly set in an entirely different century. From the incredibly well-preserved halls of the Vatican Museum, and the sanct Sistine Chapel, to the awe-inspiringly large volume of Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican exudes a feeling of timelessness. Whereas the Colosseum and Roman Forum are currently undergoing restoration efforts, the white marble and tens-of-meters long paintings of Vatican City gleam as pristine as the day they were created.  

The city of Rome truly is a walk-through time. From each street, fountain, or plaza to the next, Rome tells you its story. The city is adorned with marvelous statues, architecture, views, and structures seemingly sporadically placed to surprise you, without ever breaking the continuity of the city. Visiting the city of Rome was a captivating, life-changing experience that I will cherish in my memory for a lifetime.