A Blissful Weekend in Rome (feat. The Flu)

I have just arrived back in London from Rome! The city was absolutely stunning, much larger than I ever imagined, and now definitely one of my top favorite destinations. This trip was filled with quite a few highs and lows, but alas - how else would I have a story to tell?

I’ve been living in London for a little over two weeks now, and with the rainy weather (truly much worse than I thought it would be) – I knew I wanted a trip south. My ticket to Rome Cimpiano airport cost a whopping total of $201, roundtrip. It is important to note that it was 1. Ryan Air, 2. The airport should not even have the word “Rome” connected to it and 3. I’m sleep-deprived from the flight times. Moving on!

This trip was truly a beautiful, refreshing three days of reading by the river, conversations with strangers, and some quiet time. When I decided to study abroad, the one thing I truly wanted was the exact opposite of the bustle of New York. I wanted to enjoy a calmer way of living similar to how I lived with my grandparents in Albania / Greece. London was the only city available to me, and of course, I am incredibly grateful, but it feels like I left one city just to find myself in an even busier one. Rome, as well as most other Mediterranean / Baltic countries, holds dear most of the values and lifestyles I do as well. So yes, I am incredibly grateful to have begun my travels in such a beautiful place.

Thursday, September 7:

I barely made my flight. As a new Londoner, I can confidently say I do not know anything about the transportation here. I was convinced that after mastering the N.Y.C subway system, no train lines could confuse me but I have simply been stumped more than once by the Tube. I arrived at Liverpool station around 1:30 and made my way to the Stansted Express. 25 pounds to get to the airport itself. God. London transportation and I are not friends for more than one reason, the main one being it is obnoxiously expensive to travel more than half a mile here.

Finally, off the train and in the airport! Despite having paid for online check-in, Ryan Air informed me I must get a boarding pass at the desk. The VISA line took more than 45 minutes, and by the time I got through, my flight was boarding in 25 minutes. Passed security quickly and then I had to sprint over 0.6 miles within the airport to my gate. Another beautiful thing about Ryan Air…their gates are in the deepest most secluded infernos of hell!

My roommate and I touched down around 8:00 p.m. We were out of the airport by 8:07. Truly one of the most desolate airports I’ve ever seen. Once in Rome, we realized just how far we were from the main city. It would be a minimum of three buses to get to our Airbnb, averaging almost a 2-hour commute. We opted for a non-wallet-friendly option: splitting a cab. For 44 Euros, the two of us enjoyed the hilarious company of our driver Sergio, who gave us intense history lessons in his scattered known English phrases.

I was in charge of finding the Airbnb for our three-day stay in Rome and I opted for the Trastevere neighborhood. Everything I had heard about the city agreed on one point: it is truly the most stunning and picturesque area in all of Rome. With small cobblestone streets, colorful buildings and cafes dotting the streets, it sounded perfect. Yes, our Airbnb was in Trastevere, but it was about two miles south of the main piazzas and definitely in a much more residential zone. The apartment itself was beautiful and cost-efficient for three college students. We were right next to the main avenue with multiple buses running to the scenic neighborhood. Once we dropped off our bags, my roommate and I headed to a bar called R.E.M. It is a deliberately designed room and menu for you to lose track of time and stay awake. The drinks and ingredients supposedly target different neurotransmitters from different sleep stages. I can’t say I’m a believer but my martini was delicious! We enjoyed a quick walk around the neighborhood and then made our way home.

Colorful corner in Trasteverre

Friday, September 8:

Vatican City day! I have studied Art History for over three years, so saying I was excited would be an understatement. I purchased my guided tour weeks ago to ensure that I would have a chance to go. My tour began at 8:30, so after donning my long dress and sneakers, I was out the door by 7:15 to catch the first bus. Now regarding buses in Rome, it is simply a game of cat and mouse. Everyone walks onto the bus and either has a prepaid bus pass or must “tap in” with a credit card. The conductor does not enforce this. Thus, unless a cop were to come aboard and ask to see a ticket, most took their chances and did not pay. Well, I got caught on Day 1. The truth is I thought the transportation was free. I was fined 60 euros and nearly burst into tears, but I had to keep going to make it to my tour on time. During my bus transfer, I ran into a cafe for a coffee and croissant. I finally witnessed how Italians drink their espressos (like a shot of whiskey at a bar). I sipped rather slowly.

The line surrounding the walls of Vatican City wrapped more than half a mile. It was absolutely overwhelming to see a crowd of 1,000+ sitting in line at 8:00 a.m. Since I bought my tickets on the official Vatican site, I managed to smoothly walk by everyone. The tour began at 8:30 on the dot and began in the Vatican Museums. As I mentioned before, I have taken at least 3-4 college-level art history courses so I was fairly familiar with larger contextual themes surrounding the time period, and details regarding well-known artists such as Michelangelo and Rafael. But still, having the guided tour made me enjoy the art so much more because there were facts and details no amount of reading would allow me to remember. The galleries hold 2,000 years of history, and merely visiting for 2 hours was not long enough for it to register what a gift it is to see these remains. Seeing School of Athens is when

Vatican City Museums

my jaw officially hit the floor. I’d say it had the same effect on me as the Sistine Chapel. Seeing the Creation of Adam in person amidst all of Michalanegelo’s other work... I truly couldn’t believe the history in front of me.

After the tour, I decided it would be silly not to see St. Peter’s Basilica. The line wrapped across the entire square, and in 92-degree heat, I can’t say I was the most excited. Still, I waited. An hour and a half later- I was in! Again, absolutely in awe of the beauty of the church. No detail was left untouched. I had known it was the largest church in the world, but it is truly indescribable unless you go see it. Every inch of the church holds a small detail and story. Finally, once I was done, I made my way back to Trastevere for some food. I tried pasta in Italy for the first time and was not disappointed! I ended up having carbonara once a day on this trip.

I’d say the best part of “solo traveling” (even if just for the day) is the amount of people you meet. Whether it be the waiters, or the people sitting next to you at the cafe – people are truly always seeking a new connection. Later in the afternoon, I took myself to a nearby bar for my first official Aperol Spritz. I met fellow German travelers who told me their university semesters cost only $350. I nearly passed out. The students I had met who attend the American University of Rome had invited me out that night for what they said to be the “best Discoteca in Rome.” I, of course, said yes. (Yay, the new friend count is going up!) I met them nearby around 10 p.m. and we made our way downtown. It ended up being a very popular LGBTQ+ club that hosts events throughout Europe. Throughout the night, there were plenty of DJs, surprise Italian strippers, and a drag performance. Safe to say, I had a great night.

Saturday, September 9

I had been feeling quite sick leading up to the trip but I had managed to put it on the backburner for days. This day however was the first day it was unavoidable. My cough was brutal, my nose was runny, and I was practically sweating at any moment. Still, I was not going to let the day go to waste. My roommates and I decided to do some more sightseeing today above the river. I had a lengthy itinerary: Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and the Colosseum. Sadly, we started our day a bit too late to get to everything. We of course stopped for a midday coffee and some shopping. I bought the most mundane dress ever, no one would ever guess it was from Italy.

All of the sites were beyond packed. I now understand what everyone means when they say that the crowds and overwhelming masses of people take away from the beauty of these places. The steps were brimming with selfie-takers, but I still made sure to walk up each and every one of them.

Next, onto the Trevi Fountain! Again, more packed than you can ever imagine. I clutched my bag tightly and took a few photos just to prove I went. I even threw in a coin and made a wish. Absolutely stunning architecture and gold ornate details.

Pantheon: absolutely fascinating! I remember learning about the architecture and objective of the oculus in classes, but seeing it in person was still awing. Exhausted from the heat, I decided to save the Colloseeum for tomorrow and make my way home before dinner. The three of us enjoyed dinner at a local Osteria in Trastverre, I of course got the carbonara. I wish I had stopped by the lively bars that night, but I ended up going home rather early.

Sunday, September 10

We had to check out of the AirBNB at 10 a.m. and our flight was not until 9 p.m. that night so we checked our luggage into a hostel locker. One block away from our house was an absolutely massive flea market that is held every Sunday. They had every kind of knick knack and were also selling piles upon piles of clothing. I am quite the lazy thrifter so I didn’t dive in too much. But! I did find a beautiful lacy dress for only six euros. My roommates and I separated until the end of the day, so I finally headed to the Colosseum. Can officially now say I’ve seen at least one of the 7 Wonders! It was absolutely gorgeous and overwhelming. In my opinion, I found the Roman Forum to be more interesting. Walking amongst the ruins of the old city made me (and everyone else) marvel at the evolution of our civilization. I left the grounds and putzed around the area before heading below the river again. I headed for one more Aperol Spritz before I needed to start the airport commute.

The thing about Rome Cimpiano is that it is the smallest, most desolate airport ever. According to Google Maps and the kind waiter at the Osteria, there was a direct train from Termini into the underground of the airport. That was incredibly wrong. I had a horrific commute.

1. I could not find the correct platform at the Italian equivalent of Grand Central. Everyone was incredibly rude who I asked and would not tell me anything.

2. Finally found platform and it was 200 meters past the gate, and then underground. I got a random nosebleed halfway through the walk and had to ruin my new t-shirt.

3. Had a horrific coughing attack and nearly scared everyone and their mother away from me.

Once I got to the station “Rome Airport” it in fact did not lead to the airport! It led to a quaint Italian town that was a whopping seven miles away from the airport, with no running buses for another two hours. I was not the only person confused so we all decided to split a taxi. Me, a Hungarian teacher, a Swedish model, and two Italians squeezed ourselves into a Fiat for the airport.

Then to top it all off, our Ryan Air flight had us get off the plane once boarded and wait over half an hour to reboot the plane.

And here I am! I arrived back in London at 2 in the morning and woke up at 6 for another week of classes.

My daily, delicious breakfast!

Italian's definition of water