Americani in Italia: Rome via Paris and Our First Taste of Italy

I told my husband, Dee, for years that we were going to Italy someday. He thought I was joking. When I specified that I wanted to go for our 25^th wedding anniversary, he realized I was serious but still doubted we would have the means to go. At some point, he either said “maybe” or I became more determined. Either way, I started planning and made it happen.

I explored travel packages, but mainly for ideas, because I did not find one that was exactly what I wanted. We decided to spend two weeks away, which allowed us time to explore a few areas in Italy on top of a 7-night Mediterranean cruise. Rather than book a package deal or work with an agent, I coordinated our travel plans. I am sure we could have saved money with a package deal, but I had control of the itinerary, and I thoroughly enjoyed planning our special anniversary vacation.

Our flight to Italy included a layover in Paris but not so long that we could venture out of the airport, especially considering how seriously they took their customs and security process. We had never obtained passports before, so we were excited to have the Paris stamp among our many blank pages. The only sampling of France we experienced was the unexpectedly fresh, flaky, and delicious croissants we enjoyed in the airport. I was also excited to snag two copies of a free magazine that featured a sophisticated but edgy model on the cover. I figured our girls would enjoy the unique souvenir, regardless of the content, just for the “Frenchness.”

I had arranged for a private driver for our arrival in Rome. He spoke English, which I knew was not unusual. He was tall, dark, and handsome, and a wild driver ... in other words, exactly what I expected. He pointed out a few landmarks along the way and delivered us to the front door of Hotel Isa, which was our home base for our first three nights in Italy.

We opted for a basic room, which was small as we anticipated. That stay was our first experience of having a hotel room with a bidet. Fancy! Dee was intrigued, but I had no interest in it. I was surprised to find they had an electrical outlet that was compatible with my curling iron without the need for an adapter. Bzzzzt! Scratch that. I thought it was like ours at home. So, on day one, I threw away my fried curling iron and tucked my burnt lock of hair behind my ear.

Hotel Isa’s lobby was simple but classy, with a narrow stairway that wrapped around the tight elevator. With a lower-level room, we often used the stairs. I chose the accommodation for its proximity to a hop-on hop-off bus stop. The hotel’s best feature was the rooftop terrace where we started each day with a magnificent breakfast buffet. The food was displayed beautifully and it tasted as good as it looked. We could sit at a small bistro table and look up the street to see the Vatican dome, just over a half mile away.

A hop-on hop-off bus was the best way to go for us as city explorers without a vehicle. Considering the hassle of finding and paying for parking, I am often an advocate of the bus option. We knew we wanted to visit the Colosseum and the Roman Forum; the ruins hold stories and a whole historic vibe. And, of course, Vatican City was a must. Otherwise, we made decisions on the fly as to whether we would “hop off.” We happened upon Trevi Fountain while just walking. Suddenly we saw hundreds, if not thousands, of tourists, so we knew something good was nearby. We tried to take a good “ussie” photo with the fountain behind us, but the crowds of people posed a challenge. The Spanish Steps, another site we stumbled upon, was equally packed. Still, it was cool to have been there.

Dee and I both loved taking photos, he with his camera and fancy lenses and I with my smart phone. We took a laptop with us that I needed for the first couple of hours on our arrival to finish a project for work. The rest of the time, we mainly used it to store his high-resolution images and free up space on his SD cards. Now his masterpieces decorate our walls at home, while mine live on social media.

While we took advantage of our bus tour passes for the two full days we were in Rome, we also walked. A lot! When our feet needed a rest, we would choose to stay on the bus a while, just taking in the sights. I was not architecturally savvy, nor was I a big history buff, but I appreciated the ornate structures. At times, Dee and I both snapped photos and then researched later what we had seen.

Besides the awe of being in Vatican City, my most memorable experience there was seeing the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo’s work took my breath away. We saw a very long line of people waiting to enter St. Peter’s Basilica, so we decided to pass. In hindsight, I regret not making it a priority, but honestly, with limited time, we had to make hard choices about how and where we spent our precious minutes.

I would love to say we tried all kinds of Italian food in Rome, but if I recall, we had mediocre pizza one night and, for some odd reason, Chinese food another. I think we ate more gelato than anything else, especially since we found a tasty gelateria within an easy walking distance from our hotel.

Also nearby was one of the three ATMs we visited during our short stay in Rome. The first two gave me the option to choose English, but not the last one. Even though I had once imagined I might learn Italian before ever making the trip, I had not. But my years of studying Spanish gave me a chance to shine. The similarities between the Italian and Spanish languages allowed me to make my way through the instructions on the ATM. I was proud of myself. Occasionally, I opt for Spanish on the ATM here at home, just to prove I have retained enough of the language to get by.

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My next “Americani in Italia” story will start with our unexpected adventure as we set out to leave Rome and will include lessons learned on our once-in-a-lifetime Mediterranean cruise. Stay with me.