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The Colosseum
The most iconic structure of Rome - and I love it! Wow! I finally get to go to Rome!! I had heard so much about Rome from so many sources that it’s probably the one place in Europe that I wasn’t physically allowed to leave without seeing.
I was especially lucky to have my very own Italian guide, Carlo, plus his girl friend, Francesca who actually lives in Rome and was our chauffeur for the weekend. After checking into our B&B we went straight into Rome’s city centre for some dinner. By the end of the evening I left like I had already seen half of Rome!
We wandered through numerous narrow cobbled stone streets to pop out into Piazza della Rotonda, the square in front of The Pantheon, one of Rome’s many famous buildings. The original temple was built in 27 BC (rebuilt in 125 AD) and still holds the record for the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world.
We had dinner in one of the restaurants of the edge of the piazza, soaking in the atmosphere. Francesca took us on a tour through the city centre to see Via de Corso - Rome’s central street; Piazza Colonna, with one of the famous columns: Column of Marcus Aurelius,
Amici Italiani
Hannah, Carlo, Francesca at the Trevi Fountain from 180 AD and then carried on to see the Spanish Steps and the amazing Trevi Fountain.
You could sit for hours looking at the water, the statues, the people… and seeing it for the first time all lit up at night was even more spectacular.
Carlo gifted me a coin to fulfil the tradition of throwing it in the fountain, over my shoulder, to ensure my return to Rome.
Well it worked, because I’ve just booked a flight out of Rome for a trip through Southern Italy with James in September!
I got a sneak peak at the Colosseum all lit up at night on the way back to the B&B, so was very exciting the next day when we went and explored it properly!
It was everything I expected: big, impressive and old! Very old actually, dating back to 72 AD, and of course is well known for its use for gladiator combats. With the ruins that remain on the inside of the Colosseum, you can actually see where the animals were kept in stone rooms before being brought up on to the fighting stage.
We spend a number of hours walking through the Roman Forums,
Trevi Fountain
All lit up at Night they were very extensive with lots to see: including a great stadium, the ruins across Palatine Hill, the imperial forums and of course the Circus Massimo that was used in Ben Hur. All of this and more, right in the centre of modern day Rome.
We wandered through Piazza del Campidoglio, designed by Michelangelo himself and also home to Rome’s Town Hall, on our way to the massive Vittorio Emanuele II Monument. When I first saw the white marble structure, I said ‘wow want an amazing building!’ but was quite shocked when I was told it was in fact a monument!
We climbed the many stairs, just in time to see the change of the guards for the Tomb of the Unknown Solider at the front of the monument, which is manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Not high on my list of most desired jobs.
The large statue of King Vittorio Emanuele on his horse in the middle of the monument is one of the world’s largest, even thought the monument is meant to actually be about the celebrating the unification of Italy, rather than the King. What ever it was for, I was impressed!
The Pantheon
Oldest standing domed Structure in Rome! That evening Francesca took us out for dinner with a group of her friends, all Italians of course, to a vibrant area called Trastevere on the west side of the River Tiber. We were taken through a maze of narrow cobblestone streets full of people until we decided on a restaurant. I was totally immersed in Italian culture. No one spoke English around me, and was forced fed Italian delicacies, while sipping Italian wine…. oh, what a hard life.
Even late at night Rome is a bustling place, with people everywhere (including those guys selling fake Gucci bags and other junk you don’t want) but for us it was time to think about heading back: we’re off to see the Vatican tomorrow!
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