After a six-hour overnight flight with a layover in Dublin, we finally landed in the Eternal City. We arranged a ride to our guest house in Trastevere- a quaint authentic Roman neighborhood on the other side of the Tiber River. After enjoying an espresso on the balcony we headed out to explore the area. We decided the best way to start our trip was to climb up Gianicolo Hill where you can glimpse amazing views of the city. We stopped at a small bar to enjoy a refreshing drink at the top of the hill. It was very hot walking around, so we decided to go back to the hotel and shower before going out to dinner. We walked through the square where Santa Maria Basilica stands in Trastevere and ate at Cajo & Gajo and shared a bottle of the Vino della Casa. That night we decided to walk around the major monuments at night where we could see the lit-up Colosseum and the Trevi fountain (which was packed with people!) The next morning after a light breakfast of croissants and espressos, we headed out early for our timed tickets to Vatican City and the Sistine Chapel. Unfortunately no photos are allowed of Michelangelo's masterpiece, but seeing it in person was breathtaking, especially how vibrant the colors were after all this time. After changing into shorts and a tank top (Vatican requires shoulders and knees to be covered, so I had opted for a long flowy black dress in the 100+ heat!) we walked to the Colosseum for our evening tour time. Thank goodness for the water fountains placed strategically across the city because the heat was almost unbearable. The Colosseum and The Roman Forum stand on opposite sides of the street, but the tickets were eligible for both sites. It was amazing to stand among the fallen columns and arches filled with such great detail. Seeing the bustling modern city in motion around centuries-old remains of the Roman Empire was surreal. As it began to get dark, we just barely made it to the Pantheon before the building closed where we could see the sky all the way up through the center hole in the lava-rock dome, so perfectly engineered. On the walk back to our hotel we happened upon Torre Argentina- the Roman archaeological site that is said to be the site where Caesar was brutally stabbed to death- and now fittingly is home to an empire of rescue cats! I stopped to pet a blind elderly black cat who purred as he laid down on top of the broken columns. The next day we had planned an excursion to Pompeii in Naples so we were up before the sun to catch an early train and beat the sweltering heat. Pompeii was enormous and sprawling, I felt I could have lost myself in the labyrinth of ruins for weeks. We walked through the Villa of Mysteries which is so beautifully preserved that I could have been walking into a modern Italian hotel. It is amazing that had it not been for Vesuvius, many of these things would have been long looted and destroyed if left in the open rather than being buried in ash and debris. We had fantastic Naples pizza and of course more Vino della Casa before taking the train back to Rome. Once showered and refreshed we had an appertivo-style dinner at Bir & Fud, pasta with anchovy and marinara sauce, arancini with a variety of dipping sauces and "meatballs" which were made of shaved steak breaded and fried. The following day was our last day in Rome so we wanted to see all the leftover things that we didn't make it to. We finally slept in to remedy our jet lag and we headed to the Capitoline Museums above the Roman Forum. We saw the famous sculpture of the she-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus, the statue that signifies the beginning of the Roman Empire according to legend. We stopped for some gelato and headed to the Capuchin Monk Crypt underneath the Santa Maria Della Concezione. Out of respect for the dead, photos were not allowed inside the crypt and just like the Vatican, shoulders and knees needed to be covered. I pulled on a light kimono over my shorts and tank top and we walked into the cool crypt where the skulls and bones of the Capuchin Monks were artfully arranged on the walls and ceilings. We ventured to the Spanish Steps and then back to Vatican City to see the inside of St. Peter's Basilica which had a line snaking around the piazza the day we went to Vatican Museums. (the Basilica is free, but the security line still makes planning ahead essential) Fortunately it was later in the day and we were able to get in without much of a line. Our last meal in Rome was at Ombre Rosse, an outdoor Trattoria in Trastevere. I tried the Cacio de Pepe (delicious!) and Brad ordered the Bolognese Ravioli which was equally delicious. We also had thin Foccacia bread lightly glazed with olive oil.
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AuthorI believe that travel is essential to exist in this world and that it is the perfect medicine for staleness. Archives
August 2022
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