It’s obvious to anyone (which in this case means everyone) who has had a near miss with a car or motorino, that Rome’s historic center isn’t meant for cars. That fact was made blissfully evident yesterday during “Domenica Ecologica” (eco-Sunday) when the centro was closed to all non-pedestrian, non-bicycle traffic. The event was hosted by Comune di Roma as the capstone event for the city’s participation in European Mobility Week.

Saturday was the official World Car Free Day but here in Rome it was Sunday when one could fully appreciate the peace and freedom of an urban center without cars. Walking through the winding medieval alleys of Trastevere with my husband and father-in-law, enjoying pistachio gelato without the noise and fear endemic to Rome’s streets made for one of the most pleasant Sunday outings we’ve had in Italy.

Separating Romans from their beloved scooters and autos was made less painful by the fact that any self-respecting Romano was watching the Roma-Juventus soccer match, with several bars taking advantage of the traffic-free zona to set up chairs and screens out in the streets.

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