It’s that time again. After three months in Rome we’re packing up and moving on. We’re tending to plan our travels around the seasons, so the next stop for us will be Sicily (bellissima in May apparently) and then in June we’ll head north once more to Tuscany.

But we’ve loved Rome and, in particular, its history. In every corner of this Eternal City the past is on show, right before our eyes. Etruscan, Roman, Medieval, Renaissance – like layers of a cake, just waiting to be enjoyed.

The other day we were chatting to the man in the local Tabac (a bit like a small newsagency). We’d gone there to have the photocopying done for renewal of our residency permits (70 pages in total – don’t even ask), and we got to talking about our respective home cities (there was plenty of time for small talk).

Like most Romans we’ve met, this man was a passionate advocate for his city. He acknowledged the problems and occasional chaos resulting from poor local governance but at its heart, he said, Rome will always be a city like no other in the world. And he’s right – Rome really is extraordinary.

 

Rome - What We'll Miss