Dreaming of Rome

I spent one day and two nights in Rome last summer.  I had just been in Madrid for four weeks doing urban design research thanks to the amazing Metropolitan Design Center in Minneapolis.  I decided that after my research was over, I wanted to visit at least one more place as long as I was already in Europe anyway. When I thought of where I would want to go, only one country continually came to mind.

Italy.

Images via

Upon arrival in the city I was completely enchanted.  Well first I was lost.  But when I finally found my hostel I was enchanted.  Everything about Rome was magical.  As an architecture student, I was just blown away by all of the history in the city.  I can vividly remember turning a corner and seeing the Pantheon right in front of me for the first time.  It may seem ridiculous, but it literally took my breath away and I could not stop smiling.  There were so many buildings and plazas that I had studied in class after class and in lecture after lecture and now I was finally seeing them face to face.  I can't wait to go back again someday.