Rome. The city to where all roads leave.

Rome. The place I’d always dreamed of going.

Over one year after this pandemic has struck, how has impact of the pandemic affected my travel experience?

 Honestly, travelling to Rome during the pandemic was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I travelled to Rome in July 2020, as lockdown restrictions across Europe were beginning to ease. Living in Greater London and watching the city, country and world shut down around me, I was surprised to be on a near-full flight from London (Heathrow) to Rome (Fiumicino). The weather was beautiful, a warm 33 degrees, and after spending months in England I’d forgotten what true sun felt like.

 This was my first time visiting Rome. As we rode in a (thankfully air conditioned) taxi from the airport to our hotel, I was astonished by not how beautiful, but clean the city was. The wide streets lined with trees bursting with foliage, the beautiful stone architecture permeating throughout the city and the copious amount of restaurants and most importantly, gelaterias!

 Our hotel was a mere few hundred metres away from the Vatican, and we were spoiled by a balcony view. Not many restaurants were open due to the decimating effects the lockdown had on the touristic population, so we made the most of our unparalleled view by lunching and dining on our balcony.

 We visited Rome’s oldest and most famous spots: the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, Castel Santo’ Angelo, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and of course the Colosseum. If you’re wondering what my favourite site was, the theology in student in me has to answer: The Vatican. The best part about the trip was the lack of tourists visiting this wonder of a city. We literally walked into the Vatican, strolled into the Sistine Chapel, taking our time to marvel at Michelangelo’s ceiling. It truly was a once in a lifetime trip.

Overall, how would I rate my trip to Rome during a global pandemic? One of the best trips of my life. And the best part about it? I’m headed there next month.