We (Americans) all know Italy, and I am assuming that we all have heard of Rome--that beautiful, enchanted city full of wonder and amazement. Well having been there for three months, I can say assuredly that it is all that and more. I spent many days “roaming” around this historical city finding each turn and nook leading deeper into its heart.

I absolutely loved the architecture. There were massive, intricately constructed cathedrals that glistened in the sun light. There were artistically carved fountains made of marble or stone around every bend. It is true that the postcards do it no justice. Seeing the height, width and breadth of these buildings was breathtaking. I was constantly getting lost just to get “lost."

I became very familiar with the Metro in Rome, and was able to get off on any stop I pleased around the city. I remember, one day, I stopped at Circus Maximus (one of the oldest, chariot race tracks) and walked the length of it all the way to the river and crossed that into the quaint, adorable town of Trastevere.

This town embodied to me the visions that people have of an old, Italian town. It boasted uneven cobblestones for streets, and little pastry shops brimming with goodies. I stopped in one candy shop and grabbed three different kinds of mouthwatering chocolates, all eaten before I walked out. Girls, I know you understand me on that one! I couldn’t help it, the homemade taste was amazing.

I then walked into the Piazza Di Santa Maria and saw a beautiful fountain complete with crested shields (the architect’s family emblem). There were steps surrounding the fountain, and I remember taking a seat and basking like a cat in the warm, Italian sunshine. I was the epitome of a wanderer, but it was also exactly where I wanted to be. I looked around me and saw the Basilica Di Santa Maria and was in awe with its intricate architecture and ancient clock sitting atop it high and proud. I felt like it was saying, “Look at me. Yes, I have been here hundreds of years and I will continue on long after you take your simple sit on those steps!”

The town was really everything that I had expected “old town” Italy to look like. Maybe that is what brought me back to it over and over again. I couldn’t get enough of the way Trastevere looked, and the new history it revealed every time I crossed the Tiber River onto its cobblestone streets. I was instantly transported to perhaps the same atmosphere that people saw and experienced hundreds of years ago. It is an amazing feeling, and I still become nostalgic when I think of walking up and down those streets. So, I tell anyone who asks, and wants to get an authentic feel for old, Italian culture, “When in Rome, do Trastevere!”