I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the author.

Mark Tedesco loves Rome. He REALLY loves Rome. When you read this book you will find yourself loving Rome too. Mr. Tedesco’s first exposure to Rome was as a seminarian. He was a young nineteen year old in one of the most famous cities on earth. The depth of this story comes from the additional visits to Rome in later years. There is a true appreciation for the city that grows with each of his visits. He sees more than just the tourist side of the city, he dives deeply into the entire Roman experience.

This love letter to Rome reveals the culture, history and art of The Eternal City. Who better to guide us than someone who truly loves the city? Mr. Tedesco shares the stories behind the scenes of many Roman landmarks. His detailed descriptions of Nero’s, Augustus’s, and Lydia’s homes exemplify why you need to travel down that less travelled road. He takes you by the hand and gently leads you through the experience of Rome. He details breathtaking piazzas to explore, food to eat, and the must see places that have such an impact on history. There are so many beautiful descriptions of places, people, and food in this book.

The opinions of the people he interviews – expats, lifelong citizens, relocated Italians – provide perspective and absolute authenticity . All offer unique opinions and paint the full picture of Rome. Make no mistake, this isn’t a guidebook, it is a description of Mark Tedesco’s favorite place on earth and why he loves it.

There are many experiences shared in the book and one of them mirrored an experience I had while in Paris. He tells of his frustration when speaking Italian and having people respond to him in English. After asking several local people why this was happening, he discovers he appears to be a tourist. He was smiling when he spoke to people. Romans smile rarely – Americans always smile. Years ago when I was exploring Paris alone one day I noticed myself smiling at everything and everyone. I was delighted to be there. But this smile gave me away as a tourist. I learned that I could appear Parisian if I adjusted my face to a “neutral” look. Mr. Tedesco made this same adjustment while walking around Rome and the tourist treatment disappeared. Ironic to find that Americans are too smiley!

I highly recommend this book. Mr. Tedesco knows that there is so much depth to a historic location, all of it needs to be experienced and understood. His book is a beautiful tribute to a location we should all visit.

My Rating: 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Additional Thoughts: My father-in-law was born in Italy and emigrated to the United States. My husband tells me of the trip they made to Italy when he was a boy. We’ve often talked about making that trip and now I have a whole list of experiences from this book that I want to share with him. When travelling, I like seeing the places that all tourist see but I want to experience the beauty that those who live there see and this book has captured that desire perfectly.