#PinkTutuRome Wednesday 2017-03-15 exploring Rome Italy

Ciao bella!

It's Wednesday, which means it's time for another installment of Pink Tutu Rome, fresh from the Eternal City! This week I'm bursting with excitement because I finally made it to Rome, my heart beating like a double pirouette.

I travelled here by train, of course - it's the only way to properly soak up the beauty of Europe, and you can bet your bottom dollar that I looked the part in my pink tutu, complete with a flowing floral skirt and a perfectly coordinated pink cardigan (it’s a little chilly in Rome in March, darling!).

Now, I know what you're thinking - “Emma, why Rome?”. Well, let me tell you, my lovelies, it’s like stepping back in time! I mean, the architecture? The Roman Colosseum! It’s practically a set for a ballet performance! Every building is like a stage set – so dramatic, so opulent. I could picture myself whirling around the Roman Forum, my pink tutu swirling in the breeze, surrounded by the history of empires. And yes, of course I’ll be dancing on all the historical landmarks, because that’s how I travel the world, babes!

My mission in Rome, you ask? To see every show, every statue, and to wear my pink tutu everywhere, spreading my love of the color pink and tutus across the globe, one step at a time. Honestly, if you ever need some serious inspiration in life, you just have to come to Rome! It’s like being transported into a historical ballet. The streets are cobbled and the piazzas are simply divine and the architecture is the stuff dreams are made of. I can’t wait to bring you all my top picks next week, so keep checking back!

So, how's a girl to even begin to experience Rome, let alone document it for all my fellow tutu enthusiasts?

Here's a sneak peek at my Rome adventure:

• Fashion First: A walk through the shops of Rome! Oh darling, the dresses here! I'm dreaming of silk and velvet. Rome has to be one of the best shopping destinations for a girly girl like me!

• Food Glories: An essential stop at a quaint trattoria for the most divine pasta - I have to find one pasta dish I can recreate when I get back to Derbyshire. Oh darling, let’s just say it involves a generous serving of truffle, and my dear little tummy did the happiest of happy dances. It’s a good thing that I work hard and am incredibly fit with my ballet, so I can enjoy these culinary adventures.

• Sights & Sounds: I had my first view of the Roman Forum while sitting at a lovely cafe sipping a creamy, caffeinated drink with a dusting of cocoa on top - perfection! As you'll see in my next few posts, I am so very inspired. Rome will definitely have to feature in my next show when I return to Derby!

• More Shopping: Darling, you simply can’t not visit the boutiques near the Spanish Steps in Rome. So, after a delicious breakfast of freshly baked croissants and espresso at an amazing local cafe, of course I had to add to my shoe collection (another favourite thing, I mean come on - a ballet girl’s got to look the part and every day is a special occasion! )

• Artful Inspiration: The Vatican Museums were a revelation - like a fairytale come to life! Of course I spun around like a ballerina at the centre of Michelangelo’s ‘The Creation of Adam’, I couldn’t resist!

• Gladiator Dreams: In the evening, it was time for a truly special event: the Roman Colosseum lit up by a breathtaking ballet performance, with dancing under the stars – absolutely magical! The dancers were like mythical creatures moving with grace and poise. It really made me think about the Romans - the ancient battles, the stories and legends of gods and goddesses, they were literally leaping and twirling in my imagination before my very eyes! I even had a quick spin on the stage before heading back to my hotel - you just have to seize the opportunity when it presents itself! The world is my stage!

• Walking & Wishing: Walking the charming streets of Rome with a beautiful little book of Roman history tucked inside my purse (because even a ballerina likes to expand her mind and be culturally aware), watching the sunlight on the marble architecture - pure perfection. I took time for some wishes, tossing coins into the Trevi Fountain (which definitely reminded me of the Trevi Fountain scene from ‘Roman Holiday’!) – with the best intentions, of course. You’ll see why next week when I announce what I really wish for when I write about my dream performance at La Scala – which, as I said before, always happens. It just takes time, my lovelies, just time and believe. I’m determined that my tutu’ll be ready to go!
• Finding Serenity: The Vatican Gardens are a must-visit for those seeking inner peace! So green, so calm - they’re a wonderful place for a peaceful stretch, or maybe a quick plié to energise! Of course, I also stopped to see the Pope in St. Peter’s Basilica. You can’t not feel his power!

The end of the day had to include one more special touch. After the magnificent spectacle of a street show performance (it really got the audience going) there was only one place for me: to dance, to swirl, to lose myself under the night sky! The beauty of the Eternal City! Oh darling, what an evening!

I'm leaving you, my fellow tutu-lovers, with these images, filled with pink tutus, delicious gelato and the unforgettable scent of jasmine blooming in the warm Roman breeze - it’s that incredible.

Remember, keep your dreams close and wear your pink tutu with pride.

And as always…: See you next week!

P.S. You can find me on www.pink-tutu.com where I blog about ballet shows and all my exciting travels (including those in my pink tutu!). Follow me for daily updates, dance inspirations, tips for travelling, and all things fabulous! Don't forget to subscribe and follow my #pinktuturome posts, because my little dancers, this is only just the beginning of a whirlwind adventure across Rome. There’s plenty more to come, including my next trip to Tuscany for the grape harvest and truffle festival – a little Pink Tutu heaven right here on earth! I'm so excited to share it all with you, my lovelies.