Wandering the streets of Rome

 

This blog is all about Saturday 27th April, I’m writing it very late after a day of travelling from Rome to Santorini. We just watched the Spanish MotoGP on TV in our room - the one we had planned to go and see, looks like it was hot and they had a record crowd not to mention a brilliant race. 

Our full day in Rome was a busy one and our first 25,000+ step day too. It started with an extensive breakfast (bottom right) which seems to be the thing our accommodation is known for. 

First up we headed for the Spanish Steps which was, like everywhere we went all day, fully of Tourists - although we were patient and managed to get these photos in quiet moments. 

Kim we saw so many colourful Fiat's I had to take a photo of one for you. 

After walking up and taking a few photos we started our aimless wandering along past the Villa Medici, taking photos from the many viewing points along the way of the city from above, to a garden full of busts of old people. 

From here we navigated our way down to the Piazza del Popolo which is a curious mix of Roman and Egyptian statues, btw dotted all over Rome are Egyptian columns which we assume were plundered. In this Piazza there are more statues of men including another Neptune, this time with modesty leaves. There was also a tennis court being erected on one side of the square. 

From the Piazza we decided to walk to Piazza Navona which took us down a maze of tiny streets, past many many churches and museums. Being Saturday and the holiday weekend it was pretty crazy people wise - we didn’t even stop it was just full and impossible to move - the fountains here are incredible and I know we got good photos with Don 8 years ago. 

The thing we loved about this city wandering is you walk around a corner and there is an ancient ruin or a basilica dome or a tiny plaza filled with cafe’s. Like Florence when you are walking a pedestrian street, it’s cobbled (smaller ones here in Rome) street that’s all uneven, and all of a sudden a taxi or motorbike appears trying to wade through the crowd.

By now it was warm - probably 20ish degrees - and lunchtime so we stopped for salads and I got to try a Hugo spritz (Sophie I agree a tad sweet but quite yum). 

During lunch we saw people walking past eating limoncello sorbet in a lemon skin so set off to find ourselves some. We chose chocolate lemon gelato and limoncello sorbet and tried to eat it before the melted in the sunshine (photos below, top right). Next destination was the Parthenon - OMG was lovely to remember 8 years ago wandering straight on in with Donovan and taking photos. Today the queue snaked around the square packed with people. So our stop was brief. 

Left - Steve with his salad for lunch in a cute wee square. One of the many buildings you just come across and another skyline scene of the city. 

As it was mid afternoon we decided to walk back for a week nap stopping in the Nags Head Scottish bar for a beer and cider. 

Nap time done and we headed out for dinner and an evening stroll to the Colosseum. First stop was a reconnoiter at Termini to find which platform the airport train leaves from as we have such an early start in the morning. 

Again taking a wander through random streets we found some awesome parks and recreation spaces, it was dusk and people were out enjoying the city. I do love the fountains everywhere like this one bottom right. 

The Coliseum was closed for the day but it’s still a wonder from the outside, we took a lap around before heading back into the streets to find dinner. 

It was a long day with lots of walking but we are pleased to have had no set plan and been able to just explore. Sunday’s blog will be all about our trip to Santorini but here is a taster pic - the view from our deck!