Submitted by Annalisa Carmosino on the 2013 spring semester study abroad program in Rome, Italy…
This past week I continued my mission to make sure I see all the amazing things Rome has to offer. I did a ton of sightseeing because it has FINALLY stopped raining! I wanted to take advantage of the week of sun and see as many of Rome’s outdoor attractions as possible. I went to Castel Sant Angelo, which was originally a mausoleum built by the Roman emperor Hadrian, but was later converted into a fortress with an underground tunnel connected to the Vatican so the Pope could safely evacuate. I also went to the Colosseum and the Forum, which were both amazing. My friend and I also went to the Borghese Gardens, which are the beautiful grounds of the Borghese Villa that overlooks Rome. The Villa is now a museum with a huge collection of Bernini (the artist who made the Trevi Fountain) sculptures, but we decided to save that visit for a rainy day. To top it off, my roommates and I spent an evening strolling around Via del Corso, which is a very long street that’s sort of Rome’s version of Fifth Avenue. It was fun to look at all the designer shops, and we were able to find some places that were friendlier to our student budgets. Life here continues to be a whirlwind of amazing things to see and great food, and I’m really enjoying learning about Rome through my art history and Italian classes.