Rome

In the last post I wrote (here) I promised that I would dedicate another write up to our holiday in Italy. However, as I go through the photos and memories, I realised that it is going to have to be two entries. To maintain interest, I do want to streamline the posts to some degree, but these are just as much a way of recording memories for us as entertaining readers. As I look back through previous blog posts, it is amazing to be able to remember the events as I remembered them then and it already feels like a long time ago that we arrived in London, visited Sidmouth and Dorset and had friends and family to stay in our own little flat. This trip to Italy was our first European holiday and I don't want to forget any of it!

The main part of our holiday was planned for the Amalfi Coast, near Naples, but as we started to look into flights and train rides, we decided to start our trip in Rome and spend two nights there, and we are so glad we did. I will write about Amalfi soon but we'll focus on Rome this time. 

Staying in Rome was a surprisingly special experience, albeit extremely exhausting. We planned not to put too much pressure on ourselves to see everything and spent most of the two days walking the streets and taking in the sights that we came across, and even this took its toll on our feet. 

Our map of Rome, provided to us by our trusty local, Rich, formed the outline of where we decided to go. But it was the app called Rick Steve's Audio Guide Europe, also suggested to us by Rich, which really brought the city to life for us. If you are ever travelling a city in Europe, take the time to download this free app. There are options to listen to podcasts about a city or country around some themes, but even more useful are the walking tours of certain sites. This proved invaluable when we were at the Pantheon for example.

We stayed in an amazing AirBnB hotel between the Roma Termini station and the Colosseum which was the perfect mix of local suburbia and tourist attractions. From here we walked everywhere we went in the city. After two days in Rome, we caught a train to Amalfi and continued the Italian adventure.

The classic Rome street where our hotel was situated

A charming park, Parco Del Colle Oppio, between where we were staying and the Colosseum.

These stone pine trees are everywhere in Rome and create such a regal atmosphere. They are so tall and deep green.

Our first sight of the colossal Colosseum

Colosseum in the background and the Arco di Constantino in the foreground

As you are wandering through the city, you stumble across places like this. Circus Maximus, the green space in the foreground, is an ancient chariot racing stadium which would have been used as long ago as 700BC. In the background, Palatine Hill and ancient imperial palaces. 

at The Monument of Giuseppe Mazzin over looking the Cicus Maximus we had the obligatory tourist couple photo when we could request a kindly stranger to take one. And return the favour of course, as is the way in very tourist areas. 

The Victor Emmanuel II Monument, also known as the Altere Della Patria is a relatively new building (completed in 1925) that dominates the skyline of Rome. It is built with bright white marble, contrasting with the generally brownish and terracotta colours of the city.

The Victor Emmanuel II Monument is visible from most parts of the city. Many Italians dislike its ostentatiousness and it is referred to as la torta nuziale (the wedding cake)

At night the Victor Emmanuel II monument is lit up and still visible from almost everywhere.

What struck us about the river Tiber was how much lower it is than the city. It is much less conspicuous than the Thames in London because of this.

We found somewhere high to have sundowners on our second evening in Rome

This inconspicuous brown brinck church crouches behind the enormous  white marble Victor Emmanuel II Monument and is easy to miss. We went inside while exploring the area and were awestruck by the amazing baroque decor inside. 

The characteristic domes of Rome

There are spectacular fountains everywhere in Rome. This is just one of the encrusted statues in the Fountain of Naiads in the Piazza Della Repubblica

Classic modern Roman street

We had lunch overlooking the Bernini Triton Fountain in the Piazza Barberini 

Overlooking the Piazza del Popolo and St Peter's Basilica on the skyline

The spectacular Trevi fountain. It is hard to believe that this huge and dominating structure is tucked away in the regular streets of Rome.

This is to show how many people had come to see the same Trevi fountain. In this picture, it is possible to see the streets around the fountain and how it is tucked away among regular buildings.

Our favourite attraction was the Pantheon. We used the Rick Steve's Audio Guide Europe here and it made the experience unforgettable. 

Using the audio guide and hearing fascinating information while gazing upwards at the incredible domed roof of the Pantheon meant that we could appreciate the more than 2000 year old architecture without competing with the thousands of other tourists in the building.

Originally built as a temple to the multiple gods of the Roman times, the Pantheon is now dedicated to Catholic worship and a few noteworthy Italians