30/03/2025
To say that Rome is an extraordinary city wouldn’t quite do it justice, would it? The sheer intensity of its 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙚-𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙮, 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙢-𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙪𝙢 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩, the eclectic twists in its ancient architecture, and the overwhelming weight of history truly make it a place like no other. Every ancient street, every piazza, every ruin seems to be hiding stories of glory, ambition, scheming, vanity, greed, grandeur and grandiosity, but also of art, engineering, philosophy, lifestyle, religion, literature, and – perhaps especially – politics and warfare.
Rome is a living chronicle of human civilization in all its brilliance and contradictions – a true cradle of the best and the worst we're capable of, both collectively and as individuals. When you think about it, we don't seem to have changed that much since, as irony would have it.
For anyone passionate about , , or , like me, Rome can be an endless source of fascination. It can probably make you tired, annoyed and disappointed just as easily. But if you give it a little bit of patience, planning and good will, it will likely reciprocate your kindness. Just bear in mind that no well-researched book – let alone a social media post – could ever do the Eternal City justice 🧐 It has an almost mystical power of forcing you to reflect on countless aspects of human civilization all at once, almost to the point of mental overload.
I’ve spent the last three days walking its labyrinth of streets, piazzas, churches, basilicas, parks, and museums – covering nearly 45 km on foot. Not to mention all of those necessary public-transport transfers in between.
It’s still early spring, but Rome very much feels like it's taking a final, deep breath before the inevitable shockwave of millions of visitors arriving from all over the world hits it really, reallllllly hard...as always.
Among my pre-booked tickets was one for the legendary Musei Vaticani, consistently ranked among the world's top three museums.
It's Thursday morning, 9 AM, and the queue outside already stretches ca. 200 meters, with large groups of Asian tourists dominating the scene. Entry costs €25, plus €8 for an audio guide. Multiply that by a modest daily visitor count of 20,000, and you’re looking at ca. half a million euros in ticket revenue alone – per day. To put things in perspective, Musei Vaticani reputedly employs about 700 people.
Finally, here's something that might sound a little blasphemous to those of you who are passionate about art. There were several places during this 4-hour, single-museum exploration that I found (a lot?) more interesting than the legendary Sistine Chapel. But then, again, never underestimate the power of a good story, right?
