Travel Through My eyes

Rome

Both of my visits to Rome were squeezed into Mediterranean cruise itineraries, first as a port day and years later as a pre-cruise stop before heading to Civitavecchia. Both visits were brief, but the second gave me the chance to revisit places I had only scratched the surface of the first time while also seeing more of the city.

Why I Love Rome

Rome, Take Two

I visited Rome for the first time at 20, armed with a long sightseeing list and very little respect for transit time. It was one of the first full travel days I had planned myself, and my enthusiasm for history was doing far more work than my grasp of logistics. By the end of the day, we managed to see the Colosseum, Michelangelo’s famous frescoes, Trevi Fountain, squeeze in some shopping and gelato, with barely enough time to make it back to Civitavecchia. Years later, I returned with a much better plan. I booked a private airport-to-port transfer that doubled as a day tour, and our guide led us comfortably through the city. This time, we were able to go inside the Colosseum and visit places I had completely overlooked during that first mad dash.

Inside the Colosseum

Nearly 2,000 years after construction, so much of the Colosseum is still standing. As we walked through the interior, the audio guide and small exhibits filled in details of how the arena once worked. Diagrams showed the lifts and trapdoors used to bring animals up from below, while the absence of the original arena floor exposed the network of passageways underneath.

The Day We Almost Missed the Ship

On my first trip, our sightseeing was already running behind when my sister and I boarded a hop-on hop-off bus headed for the Colosseum. We were happily sitting alone on the upper deck when the bus stopped, and after about thirty minutes of waiting, we finally realized the driver had parked for the day without telling us. We still made it to the Colosseum for a quick photo, then scrambled to find the right train back to Civitavecchia, spending the two-hour journey watching the clock. After finally boarding, we realized the ship had been waiting for four passengers. My sister and I were two of them.

Rome from Above

At the Orange Garden on Aventine Hill, umbrella pines opened onto a wide view over the city. From that height, Rome looked almost layered, with domes and rooftops stretching toward the horizon and monuments rising between them. A few locals wandered the paths while a violinist played nearby, the melody carrying softly through the park.