Why I want to make Rome my Home

I’ve made no secret of my love affair with Italy. I first went in 2005 and it was everything I’d hoped it would be. I stayed in a typical Tuscan villa near a town called Montespertoli and visited Florence (swoon!), San Gimignano and Sienna. I loved the place so much, I went back a year later.
It wasn’t until 2012 that I went back to Tuscany to stay with my parents whilst they were there. Cue another week-long stay in a perfect villa, drinking amazing wine for less than 3 Euros a bottle and eating some of the best food I had tasted. After Tuscany, I took the train to Rome, my first time in the Eternal City.

I can’t really explain what happened, but stepping off the train at Termani in the scorching July mid-afternoon heat made me feel at home. I didn’t feel like I was visiting or on holiday, there was more of a connection than that. The city was intense, hot and rich. I was in love.
I have been back 3 times since my first visit in July and have seen many sides to the city, and I have fallen even deeper in love. There is a strange comfort to be found on the cobbled streets, walking past church after church. There is something almost movie-set like about Rome, it’s exactly as you would imagine, and more.

So, I figured I would compile a list of the things that have helped me decide that Rome is the home for me…

1. The sunsets
I noticed this first when there in July. The sun setting over the city creates a rainbow of colours in the sky that you can sit and watch til they fade.



2. The cobbled streets
There is something almost energetic about negotiating the cobbled streets. As a girl who was practically born in 4in heels, it makes a scary yet refreshing change to have to spend the majority of my time walking about the city in flat/sensible shoes. I have observed many an Italian fashionista strutting across the cobbles with the grace of a figure skater and I guess that is something I will develop over time.



3. Nuns
I’m not religious and make no illusion that I am, but there is something very comforting about the constant reminders that Ave Maria is never far away. It seems like I cannot step off a plane or train in Rome without seeing one her her loyal representatives. It’s humbling and funny to see them, in groups, enjoying the gelato of the city!



4. Graffiti
I see a lot of graffiti in the UK, but there is something about the graffiti in Rome that always brings a smile to my face. I think its the combination of the modern work and the centuries-old walls it adorns that makes me realise the true beauty of Rome; it is old and new, modern and traditional.



5. Water Fountains
These are everywhere in the city and something that always captures me when I pass one of them. They range from basic to elegant and I was delighted to discover one 30 feet from the front door of my own palazzo.



What are your reasons for loving Rome?
Ciao for now,
Nina xx