For the last three years, one of my closest friends has invited me to join her family during their summer holidays in Italy. They’re Italian and their extended family still lives in Italy. This trip would have been nigh impossible without their generosity and hospitality.

Since I was waiting on my visa, my friends arrived a few weeks prior to my arrival. They picked me up at the airport in Rome and we hit the ground running. Having Italians guide me around Rome was unreal. They knew so much and had so many insides that only a local knows. Namely, the best places for pizza and gelato.

Between stops for food, we visited the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, St. Peter’s Cathedral, the Vatican museums, and the Sistine Chapel.  The rest we decided to save for another day in Rome. After trekking 48 hours with only 4 hours of sleep, I crashed upon arrival in Rieti. AKA the perfect start for this new chapter.

Despite staying in Rieti (my friend’s hometown), we spent the majority of the next few days exploring the small towns and sanctuaries in the surrounding region. My favorite of these was Greccio. It is currently a sanctuary for recovering drug addicts. It is also where the first nativity was created. Perched up on a mountain, the views were breathtaking and the chapel itself was spectacular.

 

We were able to make the journey back to Rome to cover the remaining sights I wanted to see: Piazza Navona, the Colosseum, some beautiful cathedrals, and capped off with a view from atop the “Pincio.” All in all, another perfect day in Rome.

 

NEXT STOP: AMSTERDAM