berlioz spent 15 months in rome. on his way there he visited his parents who seemed to have forgiven him for not studying medicine. they could now be proud because their son was so successful. in italy berlioz did not write much music. he did not like italian music or italian art, but he was inspired by the countryside, the sun, the sea, the people he met: sailors, peasants, sculptors, travellers. he did not like the city of rome, although he did like florence. he hated the villa medici, the house where he had to stay. when he travelled about he wrote some music. when he heard the news that camille now loved another man he became so furious that he left rome in order to return to paris to kill them both. however, when he got as far as nice he calmed down and changed his mind. he returned to rome.