Rome: The city that is probably in the top 3 must see destinations for every tourist!

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One of my best friends, Bianx, met me at the crazy Rome Termini train station from where she and her cousin took me to Nettuno, a small town about an hour out of Rome. We stayed there with her Zia Patricia and her family for the next few days and made day trips into Rome from there. Getting to stay with a real Italian family for the time there was great. I realized that the Italians, like most other Wogs, plan their day according to food, which is justifiable because the food is actually very good. But the highlight in terms of food for me was the marathon evening of home made wood fire pizza. Before this, I thought tomato paste was a mandatory and crucial for all pizza but let me tell you, not a single pizza had the tomato paste on it! Instead they had topping I had never seen on pizza before such as zucchini flowers and potatoes :O. And the food was of course accompanied by a team of emotional and loud Italians 😊!!!

As for Rome, 3 days in Rome is basically the minimum time that you can allow yourself to see all the main attractions of Rome so those three days were jam packed seeing all the sights in the photos below and more. (And it was great having someone to share the sights with!)

However, a disappointing aspect of Rome was the definitely fashion! Bianca and I were both prepared to shop and spend plenty on fashion in Italy. We both had these grand ideas of buying great quality Italian shoes and great outfits but we have both decided that fashion is another thing that Australia beats much of Europe in. (Yes, we can all hear your outrage as you are reading this, but if you have been to Italy recently we are sure you will agree with us!!)

And as for the city itself, two words: HOT & CROWDED! Everyone knows I like the heat but its really not cool when everywhere you go you are having to push through swarms of tourists. And I had to keep reminding myself that I am lucky with the crowds because I was there mid week in non peak season!! I think 3 days in a city with as much to see as Rome is pushing it a bit thin, but I think that with more than say 5 days you would go crazy with the crowds and the guys on the side of the road trying to sell you stuff.

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Photos

We’re in Italy!!!!
We were excited to have seen each other after 6 months and even more excited about the fact that we had met up in Europe!!

Bianx's ‘Mob’
This is how you make wood-fire pizza the traditional way, and I have to admit it did beat La Porchetta’s pizzas ;)

Bianx & Me at beautiful Fontana di Trevi
The story (or the most common one I heard) is that you should throw coins into the fountain over your left shoulder: 1 to make sure that you come back to Rome, 2 to find love in Rome, 3 to get married in Rome. Can you guess how many I threw in?

Fontana di Trevi at Night
b.t.w. I threw in no coins b/c I’m more than satisfied with what I saw on this trip to Rome and don’t feel a need to see it again.

Monument of the Unkown Soldier
The Lonely Planet guide sure did let me down this time! It did not include this impressive monument anywhere in the Rome guide. Not only is the Monument impressive but the views of Rome are amazing, just take a look at the next photo ->

View of Rome
The view of the Colosseum and the ruins Palatine Hill from the Monument of the unknown soldier

Me with some Roman Soldiers
OK I know this is a fairly lame shot but I just couldn’t help myself when the chance to dress up presented itself!

Colosseum Interior
Probably one of the world best known monuments. From all the hype surrounding it I expected it to be much bigger, however, it was still as impressive as I expected it to be

Colosseum Interior
Did you know that the Colosseum was cannibilised to build St. Peter’s Basilica because it was easier than mining and bringing over the raw materials needed

Ruins
View of the Ruins on Palatine hill from the Colosseum

Castel Sant' Angelo
Bianx & Me on the Bridge leading to the Castle of Angels. It is here that the fireworks were fired to signify the completion of St. Peter’s Basilica

The Spanish Steps
One of the more popular tourist sites in Rome, but while Bianx & I thought they were cool, we were not as impressed by them as most tourists.

The Spanish Steps
This is the typical dense crowd you can expect to see everywhere in Rome and be warned, it was not even peak tourist season when we went!

The Pantheon
The interior of this place is amazingly well preserved

The Pantheon
You cannot help but wonder just how they managed to create that impressive cement dome roof.

Piazza Nevona
Out of the numerous piazzas in Rome, this to me was most like what I pictured an Italian piazza to be.