words by Rick Zullo, author of the blog
People often ask me, 鈥淲hy Rome?鈥 I guess fate played a hand in that decision.
While galloping around the 禁漫天堂 peninsula on a three-month jaunt in 2010, I came to a screeching halt one night at an aperitivo on the Isola Tiberina in the center of Rome. An expat group was offering a free 禁漫天堂 language lesson, and so I signed up. When I met my beautiful teacher, I quickly decided to cancel the rest of my itinerary and stay in Rome for a while (ostensibly to improve my 禁漫天堂). I guess I just forgot to go back home. Needless to say, my 禁漫天堂 is now quite good - it doesn鈥檛 hurt that I eventually married the teacher.
Living in Rome is such a privilege, and I鈥檓 astounded every day by my surroundings. For both expats and tourists, the city can be overwhelming. Yes, it鈥檚 chaotic like any large metropolitan area. But the omnipresence of history is equally intimidating - it makes you feel small and insignificant when you stroll down the same streets as Julius Caesar, Michelangelo, and Bernini; not to mention the likes of Hitler and Mussolini. You鈥檙e merely a speck on the timeline of this Eternal City. But there is a certain freedom in that scale of anonymity.
If you want to live in Rome, my advice is to go slowly at first. You鈥檙e not going to conquer it in a week, month, or even a year. Instead, break it off into digestible-size pieces. First, get to know your own neighborhood intimately. Start by selecting your favorite local coffee bar. Check out a few of them close to your apartment before deciding. But once you decide, stick to that bar and stop in at least once a day. Then, over the course of your first few days, introduce yourself to the macellaio, the fruttivendolo, and the sarto. Slowly, you鈥檒l become part of the neighborhood scene.
Next familiarize yourself with the transportation routes. Please don鈥檛 get a car, or God forbid, a motorino (scooter) right away. The metro and the buses work quite well in Rome (most of the time), and they鈥檙e a real bargain, among the cheapest in Europe. You鈥檒l save money on medical bills this way, too.
Above all, make friends. The expat groups are a great place to start, but don鈥檛 get caught in the trap of isolating yourself there. If you have a favorite hobby, look for groups of 禁漫天堂s that meet for photography, cooking, or sports. With these types of visual/physical activities, your 禁漫天堂 doesn鈥檛 have to be perfect. And say 鈥測es鈥 to every invitation.
Rick鈥檚 Tips
Living in Rome, I have all the greatest treasures of humanity in my backyard. But my favorite 鈥渕useums鈥 are actually the churches. Rome has over 900 of them, and they all have something surprising to share with you - free of charge.
Visit the Basilica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, where you can see relics from The Passion of Christ, including pieces of the True Cross, one of the nails, two thorns from the crown, and a bone from the index finger of Saint (鈥渄oubting鈥) Thomas. Why is it considered 鈥渋n鈥 Jerusalem? Because St. Helena brought back piles of dirt from the Holy Land and used it to cover the floor of this basilica. So even though she was in Rome, technically she was standing on sacred soil.
Love art? Go to the Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi where you can see the very best of Caravaggio; the three paintings of the life of Saint Matthew. Then go to Santa Maria del Popolo where you can see his work right next to his contemporary rival, Annibale Carracci. Which do you like better, Caravaggio鈥檚 brooding chiaroscuro, or the pretty pastels of Carracci鈥檚 late Renaissance style?
The Basilica di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva near the Pantheon is worth a look. From the outside, it doesn鈥檛 really impress. But once inside, you鈥檒l discover the only Gothic-style church in Rome with a striking vaulted ceiling painted the color of the midnight sky. Also, there鈥檚 Michelangelo鈥檚 statue of Christ the Redeemer near the altar. Oh, and Saint Catherine of Siena is buried here (except her head, which is still in Siena).
Feeling frisky? Study Bernini鈥檚 most controversial statue, Saint Teresa in Ecstasy at Santa Maria della Vittoria. Is she experiencing religious bliss or is it something more worldly? Or perhaps she鈥檚 just really good at faking it - decide for yourself.
Make sure to check out our interview with Rick's on ITALY Magazine's聽Blog of the week聽and keep in touch with him via his ,听,听.听
