After a lovely four days in Florence, we woke up at the crack of dawn to begin our new adventure in Rome, and the surrounding Castelli Romani region. We boarded our standard bus, and drove three hours south to the capital of Italy. Along the way, we were treated to stunning vistas of the Italian countryside, however many of us caught up on some much needed rest after several hectic days in Florence.
We arrived in Rome excited to learn and see the many famous sights that the city has to offer. We unloaded from the bus and were introduced to our tour-guide for the next few days. From the moment we met Irene, she was quick witted, extraordinarily knowledgable, and completely sincere. She was a great fit for our group, and guaranteed that she would make the most of our time in Rome.
Our first day in Rome was long, however one of the most interesting of our trip. We visited the "Wedding Cake" (Altare della Patria), the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and the Piazza Navona. We stopped for many photos at each of these historical landmarks, and were given some time to get lunch in one of the many cafes and "ristorantes" that border the Piazza Navona.
Later that afternoon, we drove to St. Stephen's School in Rome, and performed a concert for the students there. It also happened that two former Pomfret English teachers, Stephen Morison and Emily Allen, taught here. It was also a nice treat to meet their daughter, Talia who is good friends with Melissa Browne '17. After the performance, we enjoyed refreshments with the students before heading to the Opening Ceremonies of the Peace and Brotherhood Festival. From there, we went to our new hotel, and settled in for a good nights rest before the next day's visit to Vatican City.