Phone Photography Contest 112 | Montevecchio

A happy day to everyone reading this! With this post, I’d like to make my official entry into the 112th edition of Hive’s Phone Photography Contest—another one of my favorite spaces here on Hive. The photographs I’m sharing with you today were taken in the heart of Rome; we had just left the Vatican and were crossing the Tiber River right around lunchtime. I was with a large group of people—all of us quite hungry and indecisive amidst the multitude of places to eat. While everyone agreed that they wanted something quintessentially Italian, I didn't have time to get caught up in those discussions; while they walked along, getting lost in their maps, I was utterly entranced by the beauty of the city—particularly in this area, where the buildings left behind only narrow passageways and small squares to walk through.

Very narrow cobblestone streets and small white angel sculptures stand out throughout the area—and you know that is my favorite kind of art. Rome is not a city for frantically poring over maps while missing out on everything happening around you; so, that afternoon, I let the others choose for me. I truly didn't care what I ate, for this was my penultimate day in the Eternal City. There is a certain magic in photographing these passageways, where the sky seems to recede into the distance due to the towering buildings, yet always reveals its beauty high above. That is why, here, you will see photos of what lies ahead in the distance, as well as images looking upward—where the details reside that so many miss simply because they fail to lift their gaze.

And so, we finally arrived at a spot that everyone found special, tucked away amidst so many narrow alleys and small squares. This little restaurant is called Montevecchio. In the end, I can't recall what my companions ordered—whether it was an Italian dish or not 😅; in fact, I don't even remember what I ate, though the photo I’ll share at the end proves it was lasagna. Yes, once again I struggled to focus on the group, but they already know that I was simply living fully in the moment. I also took plenty of photos of the restaurant's interior design, and I remember that when our dishes arrived, everyone started snapping pictures of their food—something I don't understand in the slightest. So, I won't pass judgment on them, and it's probably best if they don't pass judgment on me, either! 🤣

I confess that I wasn't particularly thrilled about being with such a large group—it’s usually not my style. Everyone has different desires, and it takes forever for everyone to reach an agreement. So, as soon as I finished my lasagna, I made a graceful exit to continue exploring some nearby areas and places I had spotted from a distance on the way there. And yes, I have photos of all of them, which I’ll be sharing with you in future posts. I remember that right here in Montevecchio, I had one of the best coffees of my entire week in Rome. So, you might want to seek out this pleasant spot to hang out and enjoy a coffee or a delicious meal; it’s not far from Piazza Navona—which is where we were headed later that afternoon—so we tried not to stray too far. But as I’ve told you before, every little nook in the heart of Rome is special—especially if you view it with the right energy and with "Tourist Mode" switched firmly on! 🤭