Four Nights in Rome
Nov 22nd, 2016, 09:06 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Four Nights in Rome
Four of us are off on a quick jaunt to Europe in what has become a new Thanksgiving tradition started two years ago. Our destination this time: Rome.
We will be in the Eternal City for four nights. During this time, we hope to experience some of its sights, sounds, smells, and flavors. We look forward to ancient ruins, artwork, yummy Italian food, and hopefully some holiday festivities (I understand that there won't be any Christmas markets on display during our time in the city even though we had hoped to participate in one).
Our rough itinerary:
Wednesday - evening arrival
Thursday - the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Pantheon
Friday - St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums
Saturday - Galeria Borghese, the Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain
Sunday - morning departure
With any remaining time, we intend to wander and absorb what the city has to offer.
We leave tonight. You are invited to follow along for the journey.
We will be in the Eternal City for four nights. During this time, we hope to experience some of its sights, sounds, smells, and flavors. We look forward to ancient ruins, artwork, yummy Italian food, and hopefully some holiday festivities (I understand that there won't be any Christmas markets on display during our time in the city even though we had hoped to participate in one).
Our rough itinerary:
Wednesday - evening arrival
Thursday - the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Pantheon
Friday - St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums
Saturday - Galeria Borghese, the Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain
Sunday - morning departure
With any remaining time, we intend to wander and absorb what the city has to offer.
We leave tonight. You are invited to follow along for the journey.
Nov 23rd, 2016, 03:31 AM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 7,959
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Please do let us know how it goes. It wouldn't be my kind of trip either, but we're not all alike. It's more my father's kind of trip, but he would have skipped the museums!
It's too early for any Christmas holiday festivities, but it doesn't look as though you have much leftover time, anyway.
It's too early for any Christmas holiday festivities, but it doesn't look as though you have much leftover time, anyway.
Nov 23rd, 2016, 02:30 PM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Willit and Bvlenci, I hear you. I suppose that differences in travel styles is one of the things that make travel unique. I believe that there is no right way or wrong way to travel and that we each get out of our trips what we try to make of it (usually). My favorite aspect of these travel forums is the ability for all of us to share our experiences, sometimes of the destinations that touched us in one facet or another – through various eyes. I enjoy reading about these travels as it enriches my own knowledge of the places I’ve had the fortune to visit – to see it from various perspectives – and to gain an understanding of places that I’ve not reached yet. You are correct that we typically travel faster than some would prefer, partly due to the limited paid time off we receive as Americans. Even so, we do enjoy and cherish the opportunities to linger in places that catch our attention or make impressions on us; we usually find ourselves returning to those places on multiple occasions.
Arrival in Rome
We traveled from Washington, DC, to Rome via London Heathrow on British Airways. There are two flights a day from Washington Dulles to Heathrow, and we traveled on the later flight, departing DC at 10:55 P.M. and arriving in London at 11:00 A.M. Given its convenience (we can easily leave work at the end of the day, go home, freshen up, and head to the airport with plenty of time to spare), we are finding that the late-evening BA flight to London has become our go-to itinerary for our transatlantic travels.
Our flight from DC to London was fuller than expected for a Tuesday evening, although I suppose it was not unusual in that it was right before Thanksgiving. We were fortunate enough to have been provided with free upgrades from economy to premium economy, which we have never experienced on a British Airways flight in the past. The seats seemed identical to those of economy class, although the meal service was better. We also enjoyed the little touches such as linen and cutlery during mealtimes.
Our flight arrived on time, and our connection could not have been smoother. We arrived in Rome at 6:00 P.M. as scheduled. We stopped by the visitors’ office to purchase Roma Passes for our three full days in the city and hopped on a train into the city.
We are staying at the Relais Teatro Argentina, a small, centrally-located hotel just blocks away from the Pantheon.
After dropping off our bags and freshening up, we took a short walk in the neighborhood in search of dinner. We came upon Fortunato, which I remember reading about in Rick Steves’ guidebook. Other than the restaurants immediately in front of the Pantheon, Fortunato was the only one that was busy with customers, which we equated to quality. We had a very enjoyable meal before walking back to the hotel.
It’s off to bed now. Our first full day in Rome awaits…
Arrival in Rome
We traveled from Washington, DC, to Rome via London Heathrow on British Airways. There are two flights a day from Washington Dulles to Heathrow, and we traveled on the later flight, departing DC at 10:55 P.M. and arriving in London at 11:00 A.M. Given its convenience (we can easily leave work at the end of the day, go home, freshen up, and head to the airport with plenty of time to spare), we are finding that the late-evening BA flight to London has become our go-to itinerary for our transatlantic travels.
Our flight from DC to London was fuller than expected for a Tuesday evening, although I suppose it was not unusual in that it was right before Thanksgiving. We were fortunate enough to have been provided with free upgrades from economy to premium economy, which we have never experienced on a British Airways flight in the past. The seats seemed identical to those of economy class, although the meal service was better. We also enjoyed the little touches such as linen and cutlery during mealtimes.
Our flight arrived on time, and our connection could not have been smoother. We arrived in Rome at 6:00 P.M. as scheduled. We stopped by the visitors’ office to purchase Roma Passes for our three full days in the city and hopped on a train into the city.
We are staying at the Relais Teatro Argentina, a small, centrally-located hotel just blocks away from the Pantheon.
After dropping off our bags and freshening up, we took a short walk in the neighborhood in search of dinner. We came upon Fortunato, which I remember reading about in Rick Steves’ guidebook. Other than the restaurants immediately in front of the Pantheon, Fortunato was the only one that was busy with customers, which we equated to quality. We had a very enjoyable meal before walking back to the hotel.
It’s off to bed now. Our first full day in Rome awaits…
Nov 24th, 2016, 07:20 PM
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Paule, I am only aiming to experience the highlights on my short visit. With 8 days, you will be able to enjoy a more leisurely pace and perhaps a day trip or two. I hope that I will be able to give you some ideas.
Runwaycat, thank you for following along with me.
Ancient Rome with a Dash of Modernity
Our blockbuster day began at a corner cafe about a block away from our hotel. When in Rome do as the Romans...we enjoyed a quick cornetto (croissant) and cappuccino before setting out to experience the best of Ancient Rome.
We intentionally started our day early - at 7am - to give us the opportunity to take an introductory morning walk and still make it to the Colosseum in time for the opening. From our hotel we walked past the ruins of Largo Argentina to the monument to Victor Emanuel II and up Capitoline Hill. Near the museums are a few breathtaking viewpoints overlooking the Forum; what an amazing way to open our visit to this city! After lingering for a bit at these viewpoints we continued on Via dei Fori Imperiale towards the Colosseum. Not only were we lucky enough to walk past some of Rome's blockbuster sights without crowds, the ability to see the ruins basked in the dawn glow made the early start worth it.
We circumnavigated the exterior of the Colosseum before getting in line for a visit to its interior. At about 8:15 we only saw a handful of visitors in line; at opening (8:30) there were about 50 total. Given the large size of the arena we were able to get away from others and feel like we had the place to ourselves. And the Colosseum was magnificent! This is exactly the Rome we came to visit.
We spent about 45 minutes inside the Colosseum before moving on to the Forum and Palatine Hill, but not before admiring the Arch of Constantine along the way. There were also no crowds to speak of during our 90 minute Forum visit. Without going into step-by-step detail of our time in the Forum that several guidebooks do its job on, the site packed with ancient temples, remnants of buildings political and commercial, squares, and alleyways is a history lover's delight. It's easy to just pick a spot, sit, and take it all in.
From the Forum we ambled up to Palatine Hill to visit the ruins of the complex that used to make up the imperial palace. The site is vast. We were surprised by the scale of what remains, and could have easily spent more time than the 90 minutes we devoted to our visit (I don't know about you but we are only typically able to handle up to 3-4 hours at any museum or historic site before everything begins blurring together). The footpaths are gentle and the architectural details on several of the structure remain highly preserved. The western and northern ends of the complex also offers expansive views of the surrounding city, with remnants of the ancient Circus Maximus, the nearby Colosseum, the Forum directly below the hill, and the many church domes that dot the landscape. On a longer visit, we would have enjoyed coming back for a second visit. Guess this will be our reason to return to the Eternal City.
It's now nearly 1 in the afternoon and our feet needed a break and it felt like a good time to get some food into our stomachs. We walked across Via dei Fori Imperiale from the Forum and into the Monti neighborhood looking for sustenance. We settled on a street side restaurant that had a few patrons and had what turned out to be an entirely missable lunch. The pizza at Delizie e Sapori was very chewy and the pasta didn't taste fresh. The service was a tad better but just barely. After such a meal we needed a bit more and soon had our fill at a nearby gelateria.
We continued onward via the remains of Trajan's Forum to the Monument to Victor Emanuel II. In spite of what seems to be numerous critics of the site, we liked the grandiose building. We did not spend time in the museum located inside the building but did visit its terraces for a panoramic view of the city.
From here we made our hotel to drop off our purchases and quick showers before heading back out into the city. We spent the late afternoon and early evening visiting the Pantheon and browsing a few nearby shops before a much better dinner at Osteria di Agrippa just steps away from the ancient temple. What a delicious way to end our long and exhausting but fabulous day in Rome.
A visit to the Vatican is next on our agenda. I hope you are enjoying the journey with us.
Runwaycat, thank you for following along with me.
Ancient Rome with a Dash of Modernity
Our blockbuster day began at a corner cafe about a block away from our hotel. When in Rome do as the Romans...we enjoyed a quick cornetto (croissant) and cappuccino before setting out to experience the best of Ancient Rome.
We intentionally started our day early - at 7am - to give us the opportunity to take an introductory morning walk and still make it to the Colosseum in time for the opening. From our hotel we walked past the ruins of Largo Argentina to the monument to Victor Emanuel II and up Capitoline Hill. Near the museums are a few breathtaking viewpoints overlooking the Forum; what an amazing way to open our visit to this city! After lingering for a bit at these viewpoints we continued on Via dei Fori Imperiale towards the Colosseum. Not only were we lucky enough to walk past some of Rome's blockbuster sights without crowds, the ability to see the ruins basked in the dawn glow made the early start worth it.
We circumnavigated the exterior of the Colosseum before getting in line for a visit to its interior. At about 8:15 we only saw a handful of visitors in line; at opening (8:30) there were about 50 total. Given the large size of the arena we were able to get away from others and feel like we had the place to ourselves. And the Colosseum was magnificent! This is exactly the Rome we came to visit.
We spent about 45 minutes inside the Colosseum before moving on to the Forum and Palatine Hill, but not before admiring the Arch of Constantine along the way. There were also no crowds to speak of during our 90 minute Forum visit. Without going into step-by-step detail of our time in the Forum that several guidebooks do its job on, the site packed with ancient temples, remnants of buildings political and commercial, squares, and alleyways is a history lover's delight. It's easy to just pick a spot, sit, and take it all in.
From the Forum we ambled up to Palatine Hill to visit the ruins of the complex that used to make up the imperial palace. The site is vast. We were surprised by the scale of what remains, and could have easily spent more time than the 90 minutes we devoted to our visit (I don't know about you but we are only typically able to handle up to 3-4 hours at any museum or historic site before everything begins blurring together). The footpaths are gentle and the architectural details on several of the structure remain highly preserved. The western and northern ends of the complex also offers expansive views of the surrounding city, with remnants of the ancient Circus Maximus, the nearby Colosseum, the Forum directly below the hill, and the many church domes that dot the landscape. On a longer visit, we would have enjoyed coming back for a second visit. Guess this will be our reason to return to the Eternal City.
It's now nearly 1 in the afternoon and our feet needed a break and it felt like a good time to get some food into our stomachs. We walked across Via dei Fori Imperiale from the Forum and into the Monti neighborhood looking for sustenance. We settled on a street side restaurant that had a few patrons and had what turned out to be an entirely missable lunch. The pizza at Delizie e Sapori was very chewy and the pasta didn't taste fresh. The service was a tad better but just barely. After such a meal we needed a bit more and soon had our fill at a nearby gelateria.
We continued onward via the remains of Trajan's Forum to the Monument to Victor Emanuel II. In spite of what seems to be numerous critics of the site, we liked the grandiose building. We did not spend time in the museum located inside the building but did visit its terraces for a panoramic view of the city.
From here we made our hotel to drop off our purchases and quick showers before heading back out into the city. We spent the late afternoon and early evening visiting the Pantheon and browsing a few nearby shops before a much better dinner at Osteria di Agrippa just steps away from the ancient temple. What a delicious way to end our long and exhausting but fabulous day in Rome.
A visit to the Vatican is next on our agenda. I hope you are enjoying the journey with us.
Nov 24th, 2016, 08:50 PM
#8
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Agreed...after a few hours of museums, my eyes just roll back in my head. It's wonderful, but the brain just shuts off from overexposure. I will note your lunch restaurant to avoid when we visit in March. Sleep well!
Nov 25th, 2016, 01:17 PM
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Runwaycat, Maitaitom, and Zoecat, thank you for following along and responding.
A Day at the Vatican
Similar to yesterday our second day in Rome began with an early start - at 5:30. We walked from our hotel along Victor Emanuel II towards the Tiber River and the Vatican. Along the way we stopped at Sugar, a street side coffee shop for our morning pick-me-up. The coffee and pastries were cheap and the guy working the shop could not have been nicer.
Fortified and awoken by the coffee we continued on Victor Emanuel II, over the bridge of the same name, and onto Via della Conciliazione. Standing before us down the monumental boulevard is St. Peter's Basilica, the most important house of worship in all of Christiandom. The beauty of the building, bathed in light and capped by what may be the most perfect of domes, against a still dark night sky exclaimed heaven on earth to me. "God is indeed infallible" I thought to myself as I walked towards the cathedral.
The doors promptly opened at 7 and inside we went along with about 35 others, almost all of whom were there for early morning prayers. We had most of the church to ourselves and we enjoyed it thoroughly.
As we were getting ready to leave St. Peter's at around 8, the sky opened up and it was pouring rain. Sans umbrella, we waited for about half an hour before making our way around the Vatican walls to the Vatican Museum. We ambled its galleries for about three hours and took in as much as we could. The art is exquisite and the building itself one of the most opulent we've ever visited. However we found the Sistine Chapel to be somewhat anticlimactic. Sure the room was very beautiful and we considered ourselves lucky to have had the opportunity to experience it. Yet after gallery and gallery of guided splendor the Sistine Chapel felt more subdued. (My apologies if I offended anyone with my description of the Sistine Chapel, as I intend no disrespect. I simply want to share my honest opinion of how I experience the sights, which is in part why I wanted to post it live.) In spite of my feelings of the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museum ranks among the best of the best art museums I've visited.
After taking in all we could take at the Vatican Museum (You could easily spend an entire day at the museum although I'd rather visit over several days.), we made our way back to the Basilica, but not before a tasty gelato break. By now (around 12:30) the lines to enter the church were huge; fortunately it moved quickly. We reentered St. Peter's, this time to climb to the dome. We opted for the stairs all the way to the top and it was easier than we had anticipated; the stairs were less steep compared to some of the other churches we've visited. Up top we were treated to wonderful views of the city, although not the best; those will come later. More than the views I had appreciated the opportunity to see the domes up close and personal, as well as the saints lining the top of the church.
From St. Peter's we exited via Via della Conciliazione and headed for Castle Saint Angelo. The castle-fort-museum was more enjoyable than we had expected. I had fun wandering its dark corridors and high walls and ramparts. Here we were treated to the best views over the city. We took some of the most panoramic photographs of nearby St. Peter's Basilica and the bridges spanning the Tiber River from the castle's terraces.
From Castle Saint Angelo we made our way back across the Tiber and to Piazza Navona, where we had a tasty late afternoon lunch of pizzas and Italian street food (fried zucchini flowers, fried salted cod, and suppli) at Ristorante Pizzeria Pasquino. We had the most delicious food so far during our time in Rome and the quality of the food is exactly what I remembered eating in Venice and Florence during a prior visit to Italy. I highly recommend a meal here.
Stomachs happy we spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening wandering Piazza Navona, nearby Campo di Fiori, and the surrounding streets. We did some window shopping, bought some souvenirs, and purchase some cookies at Il Fornaio for a late-night treat tonight.
We headed back to our hotel for a shower and rest before heading out for dinner. We tried Renata e Luisa and Armando al Pantheon, but both could not accommodate walk-ins on this evening. As a result we returned to Fortunato for another fabulous meal.
Tomorrow will be our third and final day in the Eternal City. Join me for what is in store...
A Day at the Vatican
Similar to yesterday our second day in Rome began with an early start - at 5:30. We walked from our hotel along Victor Emanuel II towards the Tiber River and the Vatican. Along the way we stopped at Sugar, a street side coffee shop for our morning pick-me-up. The coffee and pastries were cheap and the guy working the shop could not have been nicer.
Fortified and awoken by the coffee we continued on Victor Emanuel II, over the bridge of the same name, and onto Via della Conciliazione. Standing before us down the monumental boulevard is St. Peter's Basilica, the most important house of worship in all of Christiandom. The beauty of the building, bathed in light and capped by what may be the most perfect of domes, against a still dark night sky exclaimed heaven on earth to me. "God is indeed infallible" I thought to myself as I walked towards the cathedral.
The doors promptly opened at 7 and inside we went along with about 35 others, almost all of whom were there for early morning prayers. We had most of the church to ourselves and we enjoyed it thoroughly.
As we were getting ready to leave St. Peter's at around 8, the sky opened up and it was pouring rain. Sans umbrella, we waited for about half an hour before making our way around the Vatican walls to the Vatican Museum. We ambled its galleries for about three hours and took in as much as we could. The art is exquisite and the building itself one of the most opulent we've ever visited. However we found the Sistine Chapel to be somewhat anticlimactic. Sure the room was very beautiful and we considered ourselves lucky to have had the opportunity to experience it. Yet after gallery and gallery of guided splendor the Sistine Chapel felt more subdued. (My apologies if I offended anyone with my description of the Sistine Chapel, as I intend no disrespect. I simply want to share my honest opinion of how I experience the sights, which is in part why I wanted to post it live.) In spite of my feelings of the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museum ranks among the best of the best art museums I've visited.
After taking in all we could take at the Vatican Museum (You could easily spend an entire day at the museum although I'd rather visit over several days.), we made our way back to the Basilica, but not before a tasty gelato break. By now (around 12:30) the lines to enter the church were huge; fortunately it moved quickly. We reentered St. Peter's, this time to climb to the dome. We opted for the stairs all the way to the top and it was easier than we had anticipated; the stairs were less steep compared to some of the other churches we've visited. Up top we were treated to wonderful views of the city, although not the best; those will come later. More than the views I had appreciated the opportunity to see the domes up close and personal, as well as the saints lining the top of the church.
From St. Peter's we exited via Via della Conciliazione and headed for Castle Saint Angelo. The castle-fort-museum was more enjoyable than we had expected. I had fun wandering its dark corridors and high walls and ramparts. Here we were treated to the best views over the city. We took some of the most panoramic photographs of nearby St. Peter's Basilica and the bridges spanning the Tiber River from the castle's terraces.
From Castle Saint Angelo we made our way back across the Tiber and to Piazza Navona, where we had a tasty late afternoon lunch of pizzas and Italian street food (fried zucchini flowers, fried salted cod, and suppli) at Ristorante Pizzeria Pasquino. We had the most delicious food so far during our time in Rome and the quality of the food is exactly what I remembered eating in Venice and Florence during a prior visit to Italy. I highly recommend a meal here.
Stomachs happy we spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening wandering Piazza Navona, nearby Campo di Fiori, and the surrounding streets. We did some window shopping, bought some souvenirs, and purchase some cookies at Il Fornaio for a late-night treat tonight.
We headed back to our hotel for a shower and rest before heading out for dinner. We tried Renata e Luisa and Armando al Pantheon, but both could not accommodate walk-ins on this evening. As a result we returned to Fortunato for another fabulous meal.
Tomorrow will be our third and final day in the Eternal City. Join me for what is in store...
Nov 25th, 2016, 11:46 PM
#13
I'm enjoying the report very much, but I getting tired reading, let alone doing it!
My first trip to Rome was 15 years ago, and we spent a week there. By day 4 I couldn't cope anymore - we had seen and done too much. We spent much of Day 5 sitting in a park having a picknic, just to try and regain some sanity.
I'm not at all offended by the description of the Sistine Chapel. My experience was almost the opposite - we had been told so many times that it would be a disappointment, that we were pleasantly surprised when it wasn't.
My first trip to Rome was 15 years ago, and we spent a week there. By day 4 I couldn't cope anymore - we had seen and done too much. We spent much of Day 5 sitting in a park having a picknic, just to try and regain some sanity.
I'm not at all offended by the description of the Sistine Chapel. My experience was almost the opposite - we had been told so many times that it would be a disappointment, that we were pleasantly surprised when it wasn't.
Nov 26th, 2016, 03:46 AM
#14
Following along and enjoying your report! Your energy level is about twice that of mine, so perhaps our trips won't be that different, even though I'll be there for about a week! Though our trip in March will be our second visit (last was more like 17 years ago), we do plan on returning to many of the same sites. It's great to read your report and feel your excitement -- now I can't wait to go back!
I do remember visiting the Vatican and having similar reactions to the Sistine Chapel -- we enjoyed it, but the rooms leading up to the chapel were so spectacular that the experience was anticlimactic. Especially with the crowds.
I do remember visiting the Vatican and having similar reactions to the Sistine Chapel -- we enjoyed it, but the rooms leading up to the chapel were so spectacular that the experience was anticlimactic. Especially with the crowds.
Nov 26th, 2016, 07:55 AM
#15
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm enjoying your report. I just booked a three night solo trip for January. I've been to Rome twice before years ago and I just loved it! I found an amazing deal for a quick getaway and couldn't pass it up. Now I'm reading up on everything I can to get reacquainted with the city.
I know many people would never travel so far for a long weekend, but for me, I feel life is too short to not see as much of the world as possible. My job makes it difficult to take long vacations so I take what I can get. A few years ago, my sister and I visited Moscow for three nights and it was phenomenal. Looking back it feels like we were there much longer because we have so many fun memories.
Looking forward to more of your report. Also curious to know your thoughts on the hotel. I am planning on staying in that area.
I know many people would never travel so far for a long weekend, but for me, I feel life is too short to not see as much of the world as possible. My job makes it difficult to take long vacations so I take what I can get. A few years ago, my sister and I visited Moscow for three nights and it was phenomenal. Looking back it feels like we were there much longer because we have so many fun memories.
Looking forward to more of your report. Also curious to know your thoughts on the hotel. I am planning on staying in that area.
Nov 26th, 2016, 07:58 PM
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Denisea, thank you for following along. Hope you make it back someday soon.
Willit, thank you for sharing your impressions of the Sistine Chapel. On longer trips, I am with you on slowing down, usually at least once every five days or so.
Paule, the crowds at the Sistine Chapel were smaller than we expected. Sure the place was full but there was enough room for us to walk around without bumping into others. However much or little you do though, you will have a grand time.
Sherlyn72, I hear you on the short trips. Doing whirlwinds like these is what has allowed us to see as many places in the world as we had the fortune to experience.
Art, Fashion, Food, and Loads of Walking: La Dolce Vita, Our Style
Our third and final day in Rome started with another quick breakfast of coffee and pastries, this time at Il Delfino across the street from our hotel. The croissants were the best we had as it was baked fresh in small batches.
Fortified and awoke we traveled by city bus to Termini, the main train station, for the start of our self-constructed walking tour that will take us all over the city.
Across the street from Termini is the National Museum of Rome's main branch. We spent a good hour here mostly admiring the sculptures and mosaics; it's a very pleasant visit with almost no other visitors in sight, which was refreshing in its own way.
From the National Museum we visited Diocletian's Baths on the other side of the street. We spent about 45 minutes here. We had hoped to visit some of the remnants of the actual bath along little is left of it except for the large outdoor swimming pool. We did enjoy the two interior courtyards; it's a good way to get away from the noise of the outside world to sit in these courtyards and just enjoy the surroundings.
From here we made our way north along Via Victor Emanuel Orlando passing by several pretty churches. We continued on Largo Santa Susanna and Via Barbarini with its beautiful citrus trees lining both sides of the street. Via Barbarini ends at a plaza with the same name. Here we turned onto Via Veneto, one of Rome's high-end boulevards. Via Veneto reminded me very much of some of the streets in New York's Upper West Side. Via Veneto runs to the U.S. Embassy from where we turned left towards Villa Borghese, but not before stopping at a bakery / cafe for some pizzas and coffee.
We made reservations for a 1pm visit to the Galleria Borghese and arrived just a few minutes before to pick up our tickets and wait for us to be allowed in. The former mansion turned art gallery is among the best of the best I've visited and ranks among my personal top three favorites. The building itself is exquisite and there are no superlatives to describe its art. The first floor sculptures just took my breath away and the second floor paintings matched the appeal of the downstairs. I enjoyed every nook and cranny of the museum down to the details on the paintings on the doors from room to room. If I had to choose one work of art that made the most impression on me it would have to be the sculpture of Apollo and Daphne; just magnificent! An additional treat was a special exhibit on Caravaggio's works which we were pleased to see. Needless to say we spent our full two allotted hours inside the galleries.
Filled with artful wonders that will last us a long time we took a nice stroll through the adjoining park, exciting at Piazza del Popolo after admiring the fine views of the square from above.
By now it was about 4:30 and locals and tourists alike were coming out for their Saturday evening stroll. We did not mind the crowds at this point as it simply added to the ambiance. With gelato cones in hand we strolled down Via del Corso, one of the city's main drags, towards Piazza Venezia and the Monument to Victor Emanuel II.
We made two detours: one to the Spanish Steps and another to the Trevi Fountain. We enjoyed seeing these two sites, walking around the surrounding areas, and doing a lot of window shopping of the many stores. At the Spanish Steps we managed to make it to the top of the steps and back. The floodlit Trevi Fountain was quite the sight even with the crowds.
We made our way back to Via del Corso to continue our walking tour, by now of the floodlit monuments. We walked around the Monument to Victor Emanuel II and up Capitoline Hill to one of the viewpoints overlooking the Forum. The lights give the architectural detail of the buildings a different quality. We continued on along Via dei Fori Imperiale to the Colosseum. We spent a good amount of time at the Colosseum just taking it all in before heading to Monti for dinner.
We settled at Wanted, on Via Cavour, which was packed at 9ish. The food, everything from the fried snacks to the pizzas and pastas to the meat dishes and desserts, were perfect. What a wonderful way to end a very full but rewarding day.
Relais Teatro Argentina
We called the Relais, just off the square of Largo Argentina, home for four nights - and it felt very much like home. We rented two of its six rooms, occupying one floor inside a larger building. The rooms were spacious and the beds comfortable. We appreciated the high pressure showers and well laid-out bathrooms. Our only critique was the lack of on-site staff even on a part-time basis. To make up for it the staff were very responsive to requests over email. The hotel is better than some of the 4-star establishments we've stayed at on other trips. It's also very conveniently situated among the major attractions and public transport. We would stay here again.
With that, our short but very memorable trip to Rome concludes. We are flying home again via London. Thanks for joining us on this journey. Until next time...
Willit, thank you for sharing your impressions of the Sistine Chapel. On longer trips, I am with you on slowing down, usually at least once every five days or so.
Paule, the crowds at the Sistine Chapel were smaller than we expected. Sure the place was full but there was enough room for us to walk around without bumping into others. However much or little you do though, you will have a grand time.
Sherlyn72, I hear you on the short trips. Doing whirlwinds like these is what has allowed us to see as many places in the world as we had the fortune to experience.
Art, Fashion, Food, and Loads of Walking: La Dolce Vita, Our Style
Our third and final day in Rome started with another quick breakfast of coffee and pastries, this time at Il Delfino across the street from our hotel. The croissants were the best we had as it was baked fresh in small batches.
Fortified and awoke we traveled by city bus to Termini, the main train station, for the start of our self-constructed walking tour that will take us all over the city.
Across the street from Termini is the National Museum of Rome's main branch. We spent a good hour here mostly admiring the sculptures and mosaics; it's a very pleasant visit with almost no other visitors in sight, which was refreshing in its own way.
From the National Museum we visited Diocletian's Baths on the other side of the street. We spent about 45 minutes here. We had hoped to visit some of the remnants of the actual bath along little is left of it except for the large outdoor swimming pool. We did enjoy the two interior courtyards; it's a good way to get away from the noise of the outside world to sit in these courtyards and just enjoy the surroundings.
From here we made our way north along Via Victor Emanuel Orlando passing by several pretty churches. We continued on Largo Santa Susanna and Via Barbarini with its beautiful citrus trees lining both sides of the street. Via Barbarini ends at a plaza with the same name. Here we turned onto Via Veneto, one of Rome's high-end boulevards. Via Veneto reminded me very much of some of the streets in New York's Upper West Side. Via Veneto runs to the U.S. Embassy from where we turned left towards Villa Borghese, but not before stopping at a bakery / cafe for some pizzas and coffee.
We made reservations for a 1pm visit to the Galleria Borghese and arrived just a few minutes before to pick up our tickets and wait for us to be allowed in. The former mansion turned art gallery is among the best of the best I've visited and ranks among my personal top three favorites. The building itself is exquisite and there are no superlatives to describe its art. The first floor sculptures just took my breath away and the second floor paintings matched the appeal of the downstairs. I enjoyed every nook and cranny of the museum down to the details on the paintings on the doors from room to room. If I had to choose one work of art that made the most impression on me it would have to be the sculpture of Apollo and Daphne; just magnificent! An additional treat was a special exhibit on Caravaggio's works which we were pleased to see. Needless to say we spent our full two allotted hours inside the galleries.
Filled with artful wonders that will last us a long time we took a nice stroll through the adjoining park, exciting at Piazza del Popolo after admiring the fine views of the square from above.
By now it was about 4:30 and locals and tourists alike were coming out for their Saturday evening stroll. We did not mind the crowds at this point as it simply added to the ambiance. With gelato cones in hand we strolled down Via del Corso, one of the city's main drags, towards Piazza Venezia and the Monument to Victor Emanuel II.
We made two detours: one to the Spanish Steps and another to the Trevi Fountain. We enjoyed seeing these two sites, walking around the surrounding areas, and doing a lot of window shopping of the many stores. At the Spanish Steps we managed to make it to the top of the steps and back. The floodlit Trevi Fountain was quite the sight even with the crowds.
We made our way back to Via del Corso to continue our walking tour, by now of the floodlit monuments. We walked around the Monument to Victor Emanuel II and up Capitoline Hill to one of the viewpoints overlooking the Forum. The lights give the architectural detail of the buildings a different quality. We continued on along Via dei Fori Imperiale to the Colosseum. We spent a good amount of time at the Colosseum just taking it all in before heading to Monti for dinner.
We settled at Wanted, on Via Cavour, which was packed at 9ish. The food, everything from the fried snacks to the pizzas and pastas to the meat dishes and desserts, were perfect. What a wonderful way to end a very full but rewarding day.
Relais Teatro Argentina
We called the Relais, just off the square of Largo Argentina, home for four nights - and it felt very much like home. We rented two of its six rooms, occupying one floor inside a larger building. The rooms were spacious and the beds comfortable. We appreciated the high pressure showers and well laid-out bathrooms. Our only critique was the lack of on-site staff even on a part-time basis. To make up for it the staff were very responsive to requests over email. The hotel is better than some of the 4-star establishments we've stayed at on other trips. It's also very conveniently situated among the major attractions and public transport. We would stay here again.
With that, our short but very memorable trip to Rome concludes. We are flying home again via London. Thanks for joining us on this journey. Until next time...
Nov 27th, 2016, 04:12 PM
#17
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for sharing your adventures! We will spend 4 nights in Rome in March as part of our 3-week Italy trip for our 25th anniversary, and I just love how you organized your time to see so much. Safe travels home!
Nov 28th, 2016, 01:41 AM
#19
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 7,959
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm enjoying this report, too, although I wouldn't want to keep up the pace, myself. I try to plan one major thing a day, and one minor thing, and leave lots of free time in case I want to linger somewhere, or take a detour.
I think the Sistine Chapel is a bit oversold. If you're not a big art lover, or if you're an art lover but not passionate about late Renaissance and early Mannerist art, there might be other things in Rome you'd enjoy more.
I think the Sistine Chapel is a bit oversold. If you're not a big art lover, or if you're an art lover but not passionate about late Renaissance and early Mannerist art, there might be other things in Rome you'd enjoy more.
