Rome: The Art of Noticing
I bought a ticket to Rome rather spontaneously - I had some money left from my birthday gift and an immense desire to escape Paris for a while. Somewhere warm, sunny and beautiful, and this is definitely a good description of Rome.
I was right about my choice. The city welcomed me with perfect weather to explore, incredible light for taking photos and, as always, amazing food.
My first day started with the visit to the Trevi Fountain and I could not believe how incredible it was seeing it with my own eyes. This place has some inexplicable magic to it - being there feels like the whole world just held its breath for a second. It’s not even about the grandeur of it - more about the details you start noticing when you stop and really look. Smaller statues, the way marble shines in the sun, light blue water.
I spent almost an hour there, just taking in the magic of the moment, not only admiring its beauty but also thinking: how often do we pay attention to what is happening around us? Not in a global way, but rather in a day-to-day, ordinary moments. How often do we get out of our heads and out of a constant thinking process to just… observe? Smells, sounds… the taste of that first sip of coffee, birds singing in the early morning. The more you notice, the more you realize that life is not happening in the grand moments but rather in an endless sequence of small, ordinary moments, which, when noticed, become extraordinary. They are life itself.
With these thoughts in mind, I kept exploring the city… The historic center of Rome felt like a huge open-air museum with hidden gems around each corner. Wandering around aimlessly, without looking at the time or the map, felt like the greatest gift. During this trip I truly felt like Audrey Hepburn in «Roman Holiday» - leaving my daily routines (or running away from them?) for the magic of exploration.
I left Rome feeling grateful, inspired and a little sad. I guess sadness always creeps in when you are saying goodbye to something beautiful. The good thing is that you can always return…
A presto, Roma!
Here is a little itinerary for a perfect 3 day visit
Day 1: Trevi fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Chiesa di Sant’Ignazio di Loyola, Chiesa del Gesù
Day 2: Colosseum, Roman Forum, Giardino degli Aranci, Trastevere
Day 3: Pantheon, Castel Sant’Angelo, Vatican City, Villa Borghese
My favorite spots
Best souvenirs & postcards: Booktique, Gran Cafè Marcel, Otherwise Bookshop
Best pizza al taglio I had: Pizzeria la boccaccia
Gelato to try: Gelateria la Romana, Grom
Where I had breakfast twice: Riccardo Taliani - make sure to get their freshly squeezed orange juice, it is insanely good
Neighborhoods to explore: Monti, Regola, Trastevere
Best sunset spot: Pincio - come here on Sunday to sing «Sara perche ti amo» with Italians - it became my core memory. It gets crowded so come a bit earlier to secure the best spot
Hidden gem museums: Villa Medici, PM23
Must-do: climbing on top of Vittoriano during the golden hour for the stunning views of the city
Rome, Italy, February 2026
