Friday 18 November 2011

All roads lead to Rome...

From the mouthwatering vibrancy of home-made gelato, to the multicoloured swirls of fresh pasta; where politically charged Italian graffiti clashes with Michaelangelo's 16th Century chapel ceiling. Whether you're an art enthusiast or not, you cannot help but appreciate the art that saturates Rome.

I became instantly immersed in the Renaissance and Baroque art, but also in the contemporary pieces that many of Rome's historical walls have been branded with. The phenomenal architecture of the Colosseum and the stunning beauty and aura of Rome's Catholic churches sit amongst fashionable boutiques and trendy cafes. Display windows by the Spanish Steps masterfully marry fashion couture with forgotten paintbrushes and easels dressed in splatters of oil paint.

As Massimo, the hotel owner, had stated on the very first day: "you not need to pay a lot of the money in Rome, in Rome everywhere you go, every street you go...is a museum", over the next few days Massimo's words revealed themselves to be very true!