Rome was a slow burn for me. So many people fall instantly in love with the Eternal City, but that wasn’t the case for me. Perhaps it was the jarring re-entry to car and bike land (I was in Venice before getting here). Or maybe it was the bananas amount of people roaming about. Regardless, it took a couple of days for me to start liking, then loving Rome.

History is around every corner in this city. It’s almost comical how unremarkable it is that ancient ruins are scattered in average neighborhoods. A person could spend a lifetime learning about the historic relevance of every artifact.

The thing that really got me was the Trevi Fountain. It’s beautiful and deserves every bit of fame. But it’s literally just around a corner, somewhat tucked away in the intersection of a few streets. No green space around it, no grand gathering square leading up to the main attraction. Just a jaw-dropping sculpture with water on an average street. Wild.

Hot take – the fountain in front of the Pantheon is just as interesting as the interior. For me…the fountain was the winner.

I visited the Coliseum a few times, trying to get the iconic sunrise and sunset photos. Never really worked out, but the architecture is stunning nontheless!