Walking tour of Rome

  While living in Rome for a month, I have seen many beautiful streets and buildings. It is true what they say "you never know where the streets of Rome will lead you." This quote was proven right to me many times when I got lost at the beginning of my trip. Seriously, being lost was terrifying, but taught me so much about how important it was to remember my surroundings. So on my path to school, I became so familiar with the surroundings, it helped me understand some of the layouts of the city. 

 I decided to write this blog on the walk I took to school because it was the path that I became most familiar with while traveling. While walking almost two miles in the dry heat of July, I still was able to admire something new on every walk. My walk began at 8 am leaving Giovanni Bettolo and going one street over to have a cappuccino and croissants before class. The bistro De Saint Bon is something I will miss so much about Rome. The food was great, and the service made everything better. Our waiter was so sweet and helpful in understanding Rome. She not only helped us with translation; she also told us so much about local shops and activities. After our breakfast, we walked on Via Otranto, which took us straight through the busy streets of Prati. We passed many beautiful stores (seriously great shopping in Rome) (that's another blog for later) once we passed through that area we would be closing in on the walls of the Vatican. (Side note- walking by the Vatican every day was so unreal! Seeing it on the news and being so baffled by it being here and being so close in proximity to where I live and walk every day was so unreal) Once we got passed the Vatican and the annoying people who were trying to direct us to the Vatican or sell us frozen water, we would pass over the Ponte Saint Angelo bridge. (My friend and roommate Emily (Emily I love you!!) did her poster project on the sculptures of the bridge it's so crazy how everything in Rome has a story behind it.) After the bridge and after the annoying people selling weird things no one wanted (no one wanted those Mickey Mouse jumpy toys that played that god awful music I still can't get out of my head) we finally were close to school! (Seriously the home stretch praised god every time I got there sweating bullets) We would wait at the crosswalk for our time to pass. A great thing about this wait was watching people pass by on their Vespas going so fast weaving through traffic while being on their phone. So that was safe. Once we crossed (again, thanking god), we were in one of my favorite parts of Rome, Ponte. The shops in this area were also so amazing the shoe stores were my favorite part. AS98 quickly became a class favorite! Hannah and I tore up that store!! Once we passed AS98, we were at the gates of school! A 31minute walk I will miss taking every day!

Outside my window. Prati! Where I begin my walk

Giovanni Bettolo

St Peter's Basilica

Castle Saint Angelo

people at the crosswalks

school entrance