WTI Magazine #47    2014 November, 12
Author : Anna Stein      Translation by:

Rome moves to an ironic beat with an almost sacrilegiously fast-paced rhythm; as the architecture pays homage to its historic past, the buzzing traffic and insistent commotion of daily life makes time fly by. In a desperate attempt to lengthen the sensational duration of my stay in this country that I've become quite taken with, I've spent the past month getting out of the city as much as possible, seeking landscapes that foster a simpler way of life and cities that may perhaps provide slow-motioned sections. Thanks to these weekend and day trips, I've procured another tip to add to the tips I offered in my last column: Travel within Italy.

Get some fresh air atop the mountains of Abruzzo. Earlier this fall, I spent a week in the small town of Castelnuovo, a tiny country village just outside of the town of L'Aquila, in the mountainous central region of Abruzzo. My friends and I stayed in little cottages, made to combat the crippling housing crisis after a devastating earthquake in 2009, which have since been made into a motel-- the only one in the area. These quaint lodgings added to an overall feeling of awe, as we were nestled at the foot of the mightiest mountains I have ever seen. Having been raised in the Midwest, USA, I have never personally experienced mountains; I felt so moved by their awesome gigantic-ness that I truly hope to live near a range of them, somewhere, in the future.

We spent our days hiking, taking in the views of the beautiful countryside for as far as the eye could see, conquering the ruins of castles and ancient villages. It was through experiencing this side of Italy that I began to understand the very personal ties that many Italians have for their homeland, and for their particular communities. As a student studying the history of Italy, I am learning about the unification process and how its history-long struggle has been, in large, due to the extremely unique, independent senses of citizenship in particular cities and regions. Living in L'Aquila for a week, I began to truly fathom how Italians living and working in the countryside or mountains could have a vastly different identity than Italians living in Rome. Although home to hard work and hardworking people, this rural landscape offered the simple life and breezy pace that, as a tourist, I had been thirsting for.

Head up north. A couple of weeks ago, my friends and I spent a weekend checking out Northern Italy, visiting Venice, Milan, and Lake Como. Venice is a place that everybody talks about, so I'll just leave it at this: It was lovely, a bit crowded, but a must-see. Milan reminded me, in all honesty, of Chicago. Although the Duomo was absolutely stunning and authentic, much of the city center was a shopping mall-- an urban paradise nonetheless. Although Milan, like Venice, has lots of talking points, I'd like to tell you about Lake Como.

Lake Como, hands down, is the most beautiful place I've been to in my life. Situated near the border of Switzerland, it offers unrivaled lakeside mountain views. Lined by mansion lake homes of multi-millionaires and the cozy town of Bellagio, the lake itself is a postcard from all angles. Finally, as an American fish-out-of-water, I felt completely at peace in Italy, totally comfortable strolling the streets of Bellagio, admiring the swans and sailboats coasting on the lake. I am often intimidated to aimlessly venture throughout Rome; since the city is packed with vendors and pickpockets, I don't enjoy walking without a destination.

But in Bellagio, as a complete tourist, I felt at ease taking back roads, walking a street by myself, not having to cling to my friends in fear of getting separated or lost. I never felt like stopping to take a picture would label me as a target for petty thieves, which is a legitimate concern in Rome. All of this, plus the sweet surprise of Como offering the second best pistachio gelato I've tried, made for a pleasant experience-- this day was a treat, and I seriously hope to return to Lake Como and its little town of Bellagio.

But what a beautiful thing it is to return to Rome. At the end of every weekend or week away from the city, I love coming home to its warm and glowing atmosphere. The hum of the vespas and motorcycles, the chattering of a multitude of languages (almost none of them English), the street performers with their accordions; it's hard to ever take a walk past St. Peter's for granted. Although I cherish my weekends away, I couldn't imagine studying in any other city. Rome has a richness of culture, history, and art in a magnitude unmatched by any other part of Italy, and I'm glad I don't just get one weekend to explore it.