Rome, Honestly? It's a Whole Thing.

okay, so rome. i didn't plan on rome, it just…happened. a cheap flight, a friend bailing, and suddenly i was wandering around trying to figure out where the actual *colosseum is (it's bigger in pictures, obviously). i just checked and it's…damp, perpetually, like someone's constantly misting the city. not rain, just…presence of moisture.

my airbnb was…an experience. the walls were paper thin, and my neighbor, signora elena, apparently conducts opera practice at 6am. it wasn’t bad opera, just…early. if you need a break from the city, i heard that florence is just a quick train ride away.

so, the weather report i saw said 8.2 degrees celsius, but it feels like 4.27. which, honestly, is a mood. the humidity is insane - 93 percent. you walk outside and immediately feel like you’re wearing a scarf made of air. pressure’s normal, sea level’s normal, ground level’s a little lower, probably because of all the ancient stuff weighing everything down.

someone told me that the best carbonara isn’t in a fancy restaurant, it’s from this tiny place near the vatican run by a guy named marco who yells at you if you ask for parmesan.

that’s…mostly true. i went. he yelled. it was amazing.

gear-wise, i’m keeping it simple. i’m a freelance photographer, so i’m lugging around a lot of stuff anyway. but if you’re just hitting the streets:

comfortable *shoes. seriously. cobblestones are evil.
a *water bottle. you’ll be walking a lot.
a portable charger. for your phone, obviously. and for your existential dread.
a phrasebook. my italian is…developing.
a small *backpack. to carry all the things.

people keep recommending the trevi fountain, and yeah, it’s pretty. but it’s also…a mob scene. i overheard someone complaining that it’s just “instagram bait.” i think they had a point. i preferred getting lost in the trastevere neighborhood. it’s got this cool, slightly gritty vibe, and the food is incredible. check out reviews on Yelp.

apparently, there’s a secret speakeasy hidden behind a bookstore near the pantheon. you have to know the password, which changes daily.

i haven’t found it yet, but i’m determined.

my biggest tip? ditch the itinerary. seriously. just wander. get lost. eat all the pizza. talk to the locals (even if you can only say “ciao”). rome isn’t a city you see; it’s a city you feel*. and it feels…complicated. but good. mostly good. you can find more info on TripAdvisor and Romeing. i also found a helpful forum on Reddit.

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