I was able to go on an amazing trip to Italy in December 2009. I traveled with three friends, and we journeyed quickly through Venice, Florence, and Rome. Stopping in countless churches, historical landmarks, festive shops, and beautiful parks, we had a number of incredible experiences I treasure. But if I could only pick out one memory, it would be the night we watched the sunset in Rome.
During our first full day in Rome, we walked throughout the whole city, taking in many of the popular destinations. Our route was designed geographically only; we didn't research where we should go at different times of the day. So when we arrived at the Spanish Steps, it just coincidentally happened as the sun began to set. We climbed to the very top and perched ourselves on a comfortable ledge to watch the show.
The Spanish Steps are situated perfectly for the sunset. They face west, with multiple churches in view including St. Peter's Basilica. The sky continually changed colors, transitioning from pale blue to light pink to dark red to vibrant orange. At each stage of the sunset, I thought we had reached the peak of beauty, but I was surprised to see it surpassed within five or ten minutes. I had to control my urge to constantly take pictures so I could sit back and enjoy.
Finally, as twilight emerged, we heard a piano start playing at the bottom of the steps. We had noticed the area roped off as it was being set up for something, but we didn't think much of it. Yet as we peered down the steps, we saw that people had prepared a small concert for the people. After a few minutes of piano introduction, a man and woman broke out in a breath-taking opera duet of La Traviata. We moved closer down to the staging area and soaked in this completely unexpected free concert. After such an amazing sunset, the Italian music created a magical atmosphere we could never have imagined.
