ROME, ITALY
29 DECEMBER 2019 - 2 JANUARY 2020
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| Rome from Parco del Gianicolo |
After a fun Christmas skiing in Saas Fee Switzerland, we bid farewell to our friends and made our way to Rome from Visp, Switzerland via Milan. The train trip takes 4.5 - 5 hours with a transfer in Milan. We love the trains in Europe. It gives you time to catch up on some Monopoly Deal/cards, reading and/or to just sit and watch the countryside.
Arriving in Rome late afternoon we caught a taxi from Roma Termini to our apartment. We stayed at the Pellegrino Luxury Apartment. Perfect for the four of us and on the border of rione Parione and rione Regola neighbourhoods, it is close to the Campo di' Fiori and just south of the Piazza Navona. So, surrounded by lots of shops, bars and restaurants.
Eager to stretch our legs, we headed out to see the Welcome to Rome experience held at the museum on Corso Vittorio Emmanuele II. If you have never been to Rome before, then I suggest making this your first stop. The spectacular video projections on the walls and floor accompanied by a narrative voice, showcases the history of the city and gives you an understanding of how Rome came to be Italy's capital city. The show lasts 30 minutes. In other smaller theatres there are holograms, projections and interactive exhibits that tell the story of important monuments. Tickets can be booked online where you can select a show time.
The Piazza Navona is one of the busiest and famous public spaces in Rome. Here is where the ancient Romans went to watch games and it is surrounded by highly significant examples of Baroque Roman architecture. Piazza Navona has a convex shape and with the three fountains dominating the square, it could be flooded and turned into a swimming pool, where nobles and socialites could cool off themselves and their horses during the hot Rome summer evenings.
Around the Piazza there are plenty of places to eat. We had dinner at Etabli. The hip wine bar offers everything from cocktails, dining and live music. The atmosphere is cosy and welcoming. The food was simple and elegant. Be sure to book ahead as it is popular with both locals and tourists.
We loved Rome. It's a fabulous city to walk around, however make sure you have a really good pair of walking shoes as the cobblestones are hard on your feet and if, like us, you are walking 10-15km a day then your feet need to be happy!
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| Make sure you have good walking shoes |
Campo de' Fiori is probably the oldest produce market in Rome. The markets are on every day except Sunday and Public Holidays. It is surrounded by eateries and here you find the Roma Beer Company touted to be one of the best pubs in Rome.
The Pantheon is a former Roman temple. Now a church, it is free to enter and is open every day except Christmas and New Years Day.
Walking on we were due to meet our tour guide at the Vatican Museum, so we walked through the Piazza Navona (now in daylight) and over the Ponte Umbertoi which offers spectacular views down the river Tiber (or Tevere in Italian) to St Peter's Basilica.
The Castel Sant'Angelo was originally commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle. In fact, there is a secret passageway leading out of the Vatican to an underground area inside the castle, should the pope ever be in danger. Today it is a museum.
Walking along the western side of the river, you walk through the neighbourhood of rione Borgo. The narrow cobblestone streets lead you up the Passeggiata del Gianicolo for the most breath-taking views of the city. The Parco del Gianicolo is a popular wedding proposal spot.
I booked our private walking tour of the Vatican and St Peter's Basilica through Nancy Aiello Tours. We had previously toured with Nancy Aiello in Venice and had a wonderful experience, so there was no question as to why we wouldn't use them again.
Everything was booked prior to our arrival, so all we had to do was meet our guide Franz at the designated spot, jump the queue and go through a quick security check - easy! Franz was exceptional. His knowledge of the history, art and architecture had us intrigued the whole three hours.
NOTE: The Vatican has a strict dress code. Men, women and children must have their shoulders and knees covered at all times. Access to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica will be granted only to appropriately dressed visitors. Sleeveless and low-cut garments, shorts, mini-skirts and hats are not permitted.
Guests must present a valid identity document prior to entrance (copies of passports or ID are allowed). Ensure that all members of your party have a valid ID on them on the day of the visit.
The Vatican reserves the right to deny entrance to any individual not adhering to their entrance rules and restrictions.
Guests may only carry small handbags inside the Vatican (smaller than 40cm length x 35cm width x 15cm depth). Anything bigger than this, or any umbrellas or camera tripods, must be checked into the Vatican Museums cloakroom.
The cloakroom service is free of charge. However, the cloakroom is located approximately 20 minutes' walk from St Peter's Basilica and closes at 4pm therefore, you may not be able to collect your belongings until the following day. It is recommended that visitors travel light and leave any unnecessary belongings at home.
The Sistine Chapel was jaw dropping as we maneuvered the crowds and made our way to St Peter's Basilica, where again, Franz impressed us with his knowledge.
On to meet the Swiss Guard on our way out, we learnt about the history of their uniforms and how and why the Swiss came to be the Papal protectors.
Dinner was at Sacro & Profano II in the rione Trevi neighbourhood. The restaurant is housed in an old church and offers a traditional Roman cuisine. For dessert on the go, gelato stores are a plenty and always good.
The Colosseum is a sight to behold and a must when visiting Rome. Even now that we have been and done a tour, we will return and do the underground dungeon tour.
Meeting Franz prior to the Colosseum opening for the day, it gave him an opportunity to tell us about the history of the building, the surrounds and an insight into the lives of the people who would attend. Again, Franz had an iPad and pictures in order to show us how it would have looked and explained the hierarchy system of seating. Once inside there are archaeological finds on display and access to the first and second tiers.
Nero - the Colosseum cat
NOTE: Visitors must present a valid identity document prior to entrance (copies of passports or ID are allowed). Ensure that all members of your party have a valid ID on them on the day of the visit.
Heightened security at the Colosseum, along with the recent decision to impose a ceiling on the number of visitors allowed to enter at a given time mean (even for visitors with booked entrance tickets) that all visitors must pass through metal detectors at the security checkpoint.
Carry a small bag. It is strictly forbidden to enter the Colosseum and Roman Forum with backpacks and luggage/trolley. There are NO storage facilities at any of these sights. If you come with a bag that is too large, you will be denied entry.
Ladies' handbags are allowed, however must be screened. They must be opened and visually inspected by the security. This means that ALL visitors, including those with skip the line access, are obliged to join the line for security checks.
The Arch of Constantine is located between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill. Visible from the Colosseum, the arch spans the route of ancient triumphs taken by emperors when they entered the city in victory.
As it was new year's eve the streets of Rome were being set up and blocked off for the evening festivities. We stopped for lunch on Isola Tiberina near the Roman Ghetto. The Jewish community of Rome is likely the oldest in the world dating back to the 2nd century BC. We managed to grab the last of the sun-drenched tables at Tiberino Ristorante located just over the bridge in the square.
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| Deep fried artichoke - the leaves are like chips |
Circus Maximus is an ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue. There are the remains of a stone and marble arena that could seat 250,000 Romans. Today it is a park and still used as an entertainment space. On New Year's Eve, music stages, fireworks and food vans were being set up in order to deal with the vast crowd who gathered there to celebrate the beginning of the new year.
The Baths of Caracalla are one of the largest and best-preserved examples of an ancient spa complex. The building was finished in 216 AD. The spa was not only used for bathing, sport and health, but also as a place of study and relaxing.
The Baths aren't so popular with tourists, so we didn't book a tour, however we did queue for 40-60 minutes (this is regarded as a short queue). One couple in front of us were discussing how they had queued for 2.5 hours at the Colosseum just for a ticket. They then had to wait another hour or so before they could enter due to the entry capacity limit. If you book a "skip-the-line" ticket, you are still affected by the entry capacity limits and you only skip to the front of the ticket line, you don't skip to the front of the security check queue. For the popular tourist destinations, spend up and book a tour!
New Year's Day in Rome and our last. Anticipating that a lot of places would be closed, we'd left the day to walking and visiting outdoor venues.
Galleria Sciarra is located in an office building, however the courtyard is open to the public. It's not easy to find, however the artwork is worth stopping in to see.
The Trevi Fountain, is so popular with tourists it's hard to find a spot to take a selfie!
Up the hill, behind the Trevi Fountain is Quirinal Palace in the Piazza del Quirinal. The palace is one of the three current official residences of the President of the Italian Republic. The Piazza boasts views over Rome, so well worth the hike up the stairs.
Our next stop was Quattro Fontane. The four fountains were commissioned by Pope Sixtus V and installed between 1588 and 1593.
Unfortunately, the Opera House or Teatro dell'Opera di Roma wasn't open on New Year's Day, so we will have to put it on our list for when we return. I gather that even if you aren't going to the opera, it is worth having a look at the magnificent interior.
With tiring feet, we headed for a planned stop at Hotel Eden. You don't have to be a guest to stop in for a drink and enjoy the views at the rooftop bar Il Giardino. What a perfect way to toast the new year and soak up the ambience.
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| Hotel Eden is located behind the Spanish Steps |
Finding it hard to get going again (not sure if it was the sparkling wine or sore feet), we descended the Spanish Steps. Built in the 18th century at a French diplomat's bequest, the irregular butterfly-shaped staircase was covered by people soaking up the afternoon sun.
We missed walking through the gardens of the Villa Borghese and visiting the Borghese Gallery (another for our bucket list) as the new year parade was gathering momentum.
On the first day of each year, the Rome New Year Parade starts at 3.30pm and showcases an International Festival of Music. Cheerleaders, High School Marching Bands and other musical acts start at Piazza del Popolo and follow a route lined with locals and tourists.
The Piazza del Popolo is the largest urban square in Rome and lies inside the northern gate in the Aurelian Walls. This was the starting point to the most important route to the north. It was also, prior to the age of railroads, a traveller's first view of Rome upon arrival and until 1826 was the place of public executions.
The Flaminio obelisk located in the centre of the Piazza once stood as the centrepiece at Circus Maximus. It was brought from Egypt to Rome in commemoration of the conquest of Egypt by Augustus.
Our last evening in Rome was spent bar hoping around rione Trastevere. The hip, bohemian neighbourhood is popular with the young and clings to its working-class roots. It's known for traditional and innovative trattorias, craft beer pubs and artisan shops. We had a delicious dinner at Enoteca Ferrara.
There were so many places in Rome we just didn't have time to visit. We will just have to return again and again. From Rome it was on to Florence.
There were so many places in Rome we just didn't have time to visit. We will just have to return again and again. From Rome it was on to Florence.
Continue the journey:
