Rome, where the soul of stone meets the poetry of light
My dear,
They say we are drawn to places that remember us. For me, Rome feels familiar—not just in its beauty, but in its layers, its contrasts, its quiet echoes.
As someone born in the heart of the Eastern Roman Empire—Istanbul—I feel Rome not as a destination, but as a distant sibling. Both cities are built on stories, shaped by empires, and softened by time. They teach you to look deeper: behind a weathered door, down a narrow alley, into a mosaic where history still flickers.
In Rome, every neighborhood holds a treasure. A chipped column in Trastevere, a café in Monti where the espresso is served with a knowing smile, a shop window filled with pigments that once colored frescoes. The buildings whisper. The food awakens. The people carry a kind of timeless spirit—rooted yet alive.
This city reminds me that beauty is not always loud. Sometimes it’s hidden in shadow, in scent, in silence. Sometimes it asks you to slow down and pay attention.
Wherever you are, I hope you follow what feels familiar in your bones. It may be a place. A color. A feeling. It may be calling you home.
With love from Roma,
Madame Malachite
