Roma If You Want To: Feeling Roman

“Tre cappuccini?”

The barista at the café just down the block from our apartment already knows our order.

Starting each day with a cappuccino (and nutella-stuffed croissant) with my roommates, Liz and Marissa, is one of my most favorite parts of Roman life. I’ve become more addicted to the buzz I get from the overwhelmingly cheerful atmosphere of the café than from the actual caffeine.

The first week of classes was a success. Mondays and Thursdays are packed with class hours for me, but the long hours of free time between classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (and no class on most Fridays!) makes up for it. In just one week I’ve already learned so much about this city, but I’ve also realized how much I really don’t know about European history.

Our cartography class, taught by Allan Ceen, a map wizard who can tell you anything about everything in Rome, consists of weekly walks along ancient paths through the city. This week, we retraced the Via Aurelia Vetus, a road that used to run straight from the Tiber River to the top of Janiculum Hill, one of the tallest hills in Rome, learning about the churches, piazzas, and sites along the way. The walk ended at a park that overlooks the city where everyday a cannon is fired at noon, a tradition that began as a Pope’s attempt to get all of the bell towers on the same schedule.

On Friday, we took a field trip to Villa Adriana, Hadrian’s Villa, located in Tivoli, about 30 minutes outside of the city. Once a retreat for Hadrian and thousands of his bureaucracy ‘friends’, the enormous Villa complex was made up of a series of connecting buildings and courtyards, most of which were designed by Hadrian himself. The blend of styles and building techniques implies that Hadrian was greatly influenced by the architecture he saw in countries he visited during his reign. While some of the excavated buildings had been reconstructed, it was amazing to see how much was still standing after almost 2000 years.

Aside from cappuccino breakfasts and classes, I booked a trip to Viareggio, Italy with some of my friends to see the Carnivale parades and celebrations in February, and I look forward to planning more weekend trips and booking my spring break travels…any suggestions? I want to see it all!