Submitted by Claire Houghton on the 2024 Winter HLTH program in Italy…
I cannot believe I only have a little over a week left in my program and will be heading back to the States soon. This week we had the opportunity to travel to Rome, and I absolutely loved it. Our hotel was steps away from the Colosseum. Aww even got to tour inside of it, which was unbelievable. We had an amazing tour guide who gave so much valuable information about the history of the Colosseum as well as Rome. The same day we got to see the Trevi Fountain, which was absolutely beautiful. That area was definitely my favorite, because of both the beautiful sight and the amazing food. We got to see the first Hospital in Italy with running water which was really cool to hear about. We also got to visit an ancient pharmacy that was kept in place since it was closed almost 100 years ago. Our last day in Rome was spent in Vatican City, which was amazing. We started by going through Saint Peter’s Basilica. While I have seen many churches here in Italy, this was by far the biggest we have seen. It was absolutely stunning. Afterwards, we went to the Vatican Museum. This left me speechless. We got to see many famous artists’ works including Michelangelo, Picasso, and Van Gogh. We ended the tour by seeing the Sistine Chapel. While we were not allowed to get picture, I will forever have the image of the ceiling in my head. Michelangelo’s work was breathtaking. While I am very sad to be leaving Rome, I am excited to see what Florence has in store! (Submitted on January 17, 2024)
