Ancient and beautiful: Rome is the city of all cities, and with its ancient ruins, medieval church towers, and baroque palaces, it is the greatest treasure of our Western culture – but that doesn’t make it a museum. Rome is alive! Like many German Romans before her, Birgit Schönau strolls through the largest old town in the world and indulges in the local passion for bread and circuses, football, and the love of food. She navigates through the ever-roaring traffic and shares her experiences in the search for an apartment. She praises the joy of Romans in philosophizing, introduces us to a distinguished evening gathering, and reveals the soul of Rome amidst the weight of history, the casual present, and the desire for tomorrow.