Many times over the years, I have reminisced about the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and, of course, the gelato. When movies or TV shows reminded me of that summer 58 years ago, I knew that coin toss meant I was destined to retur

My daughter, a college professor, shared her plans to see the city for the first time over Thanksgiving break; she had friends who had moved there recently. I, of course, took that as a sign and invited myself along.

I arrived a few days earlier, giving me a much-needed refresher on the city’s layout and its incredible history. I hopped on a tour bus that encouraged such “hopping” and circled around, listening to the detailed descriptions and trying my best to take photos. However, the bus was never able to stop adjacent to the famous sites, and the crowded sidewalks were intimidating enough to make me stay put on the bus.

Thankfully, my daughter’s friend was a gifted navigator, and a few days later, I was finally able to see those famed monuments up close.

While the weather was iffy—one day beautiful, the next stormy—the food was always fantastic.