ROME

It has been a week or so since my return from Europe. I spent 17 days enjoying Italy on land and the Eastern Mediterranean by cruise ship. I love Italy and will be going back soon because the Trevi fountain told me so! (When I threw the coin in) I will be submitting my reviews in various blogs so they won’t seem so long. I started planning the trip in January and we traveled in early June. I guess you can say I worked on it for 6 months. First, we picked out the cities we wanted to visit and then the cruise itinerary and ship that would work with our dates. Next, I looked for hotels that were located near the train stations and between $150-$250 per night. Rome’s main station is called Termini. Through different websites and reviews, I found the Roman Residence on the main street of Via Cavour and we loved this hotel/B&B. We flew nonstop from Philadelphia and the hotel set us up with a driver that met us at baggage claim with our names on a sign. The driver, Guido, drove us to our hotel in Rome for 65 euro. Rome passed a law that certified taxis can charge no more than 40 euros for airport transfers to the city. We paid more because we had 4 people with luggage and had a specific company pick us up instead of queuing outside for a taxi. The Roman Residence is located in an old building (imaging finding an old building in Italy) and there were hotels and offices located on the various floors. We were on the 2nd floor (which is the 3rd floor because the 1st floor is always 0). There was a tiny elevator that would allow for two people or one person with luggage. Massimo is the owner and he was there to greet us. The hotel consists of a small hallway with five separate rooms. His office has a small kitchenette that is open to guests 24/7. He gave us an orientation of the hotel, gave us maps and discussed the city, transportation and restaurants, gave us our keys and we were on our way. He keeps a fridge in each room stocked with water, Coca-Cola, Prosecco and birra-aka beer. He has a supply room where we can refill the fridge as needed-no charge. The rooms were very clean and comfortable. They had a modern décor with large fresh flowers, a flat screen television and a large bathroom by European standards. They had a fancy Italian coffee maker and I loved the Marocchino. A continental breakfast was served in the hallway buffet area. We loved Roman Residence and would definitely stay there again! Massimo recommended la Gallina Bianca for lunch and this was around the corner from us on a side street. We loved their pizza and pasta and ended up eating there two more times because it was so good! On the first day we followed Rick Steve’s walking guide by taking a bus to Campo De Fiori and exploring the square and market. We walked down the street to the very large square called Piazza Navona. We loved the fountains, the artists, the people, and the ambiance. Next we walked by two Obelisks on quiet side streets arriving at the Pantheon. After we explored here, we walked to the Trevi Fountain and then to the Spanish Steps. These last two locations are very touristy and, thus, very crowded. We didn’t spend a lot of time at these places. Overall, we could easily manage this walk. The roads and pedestrian areas often consist of uneven stones with gaps between them so it make take longer for people that have injuries or poor balance to walk around Italy. We took the metro back from the Spanish Steps to Termini station and walked to our hotel and asked Massimo for a good local dinner spot. He gave us another suggestion and we walked a couple blocks away and sat outside and enjoyed the cool breeze and delicious Italian food while we talked and people watched! (I must add that we were in Italy from June 8-16th and I wouldn’t go any later because it was extremely hot and humid on the 16th and that’s how it was for the following week. Luckily we were on our cruise with a nice breeze but we talked to people at the airport and they were miserable in Italy during this hot spell.) On our second day we walked to the Colosseum.

We pre-arranged for a group tour participating in the special Dungeons and 3rd tier tour. It was worth every penny. The Colosseum is spectacular. Take as many tours as you can when visiting sites with ruins in Italy and beyond because it is easy to wonder around and just look at concrete remnants and have no idea what you are looking at. I saw a lot of people following their guidebooks or downloaded audio guides. After the Colosseum, we had lunch across the street at “Al Gladiatore”. For a touristy location, they sure offered up some amazing cuisine. All I am going to say is that lasagna, tortellini and pizza in Italy are superb! After a long lunch (when in Rome), we used our Colosseum ticket to enter the Roman Forum and Palatine grounds. These are ruins that are spread out and enclosed for you to explore. We did not have a guide and if we go back, we will have someone walk around the Forum with us! The large beautiful street out in front of the Forum was closed to traffic and we walked the beautiful large road toward a very large beautiful white building that had a large gate. It resembled the White House. There were soldiers by a burning fire out front memorializing the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This massive and awe inspiring building is the National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II- The first King of Italy. After our long day of exploring, we took a taxi back to our hotel and ate, again, at the la Galllina Bianca. On Monday, we took the metro to the Vatican area and entered the Vatican. With our group tour tickets in hand, we again by-passed the long line and got right in. Our tour guide was wonderful. She is one of 200 people that live in the Vatican walls because her husband works there. The Vatican has many, many rooms and hallways that you WILL get lost in! The walls, floor, ceilings and space in between are all a work of art. These hallways and rooms are the museums. Famous artists have their work on display throughout the rooms and hallways. You really cannot see all the art work in one day!

After two hours or so, our guide walked us to the Sistine Chapel. It is here that it is a bit dark and the very large rectangle cathedral showcases Michael Angelo’s famous ceiling and paintings on the walls. His story is so interesting, and I don’t have room to write it all here. There were two guards at the front of the chapel on a stage saying “no photos” and “shhhhh” and “quiet” repeatedly. No one seemed to listen to them. I did, but I felt like I was being scolded the whole time I was in there. The Vatican is a busy place for tourists and if you don’t have a guide, you may get lost, and you might as well have the added value of knowing the art, the stories, and the secrets! After the Sistine Chapel we went to Saint Peter’s Basilica. Our guide took us there by a short cut and spoke to us for about 30minutes and then we ended the group tour. The Basilica is free and there is a very long queue to enter. I’m glad we had our group leader. We stayed in the Basilica for another hour exploring. It is too big to explain and too beautiful to put into words. We found a hidden staircase, which is not really hidden, and it led to the catacombs beneath the Basilica where Popes and dignitaries are buried in marble and wooden tombs. At the center, and open to the decorated alter above, is the tomb of the Saint and Apostle Peter. Leaving the Basilica, we saw the Swiss Guard, and headed for the post office and gift shop. We purchased some jewelry, post cards, and stamps and then mailed the post cards from the Vatican! We walked into the square and looked around in awe. We realized that we were starving and I had written down a restaurant in a nearby neighborhood in Travestere where the locals hang out. We found a taxi, showed him the address and asked how much. He said 15 euros and drove us to some alley about five minutes away, pointed down the alley, collected his money and drove off. Needless to say, he ripped us off! After going on a wild goose chase for this restaurant, we stumbled upon an open restaurant in an alley/road/pedestrian walk way/eating area. So confusing. But, the food was delicious and the wine hit the spot!

After a couple hours here, we walked across the Tiber River into downtown Rome. We did a little shopping and got some gelato and then found a taxi to take us home. This 15 minute ride was 8 euros. We got cleaned up, packed and woke up the next morning for breakfast and walked to Termini to catch our train to Florence by 9:30 am. I love Rome. It was cleaner than expected. There is so much to see and do. I will be back to explore!! Here is a helpful website: roninrome.com