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Published: January 2nd 2017
We are pleased to wake up to a beautiful sunny day. Breakfast at the hotel. You will remember that the plan today calls for a tour on the hop-on, hop-off bus system. We buy our tickets from the hotel desk and proceed to the pick-up point in Piazzo Termini, one block away, again glad that we picked a hotel close to the transportation hub.
The bus is equipped with a pre-recorded tour narration accessed by using single earbuds. The bus's route is basically a long clockwise circle through the heart of ancient Rome. It visits the seven legendary hills upon which Rome was originally built.
Our first stop is the iconic Roman Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amplitheatre. Completed in 80 AD, it sits at the foot of Palatine Hill. We first pass through the Arch of Constantine, built in 312 AD. The lines to enter the Colosseum are long, and we decide to explore the site by ourselves on foot. Everyone has seen pictures of the Colosseum, but seeing it in person is a revelation. It is huge, a massive ellipse 188 by 156 meters, and 50 metres high at the highest point. Its original three storeys
topped with a facade have been reduced to two storeys most of the way round with about one quarter showing the original height. As is well known, hundred of thousands of beasts and gladiators died here to provide amusement to the citizens of Rome. Its interior is large enough that, when flooded, it could host naval battles.
After circumnavigating the structure, we proceed west towards the ruins of the Roman Forum. Many different buildings have stood here over the centuries, including the Temple of Venus and various palaces that served as the residences of Roman emperors. Leaving Violet behind, I walk the circuitous path that winds to the top of Palatine Hill. At the summit, I am surprised to find, not some magnificent monument or building, but a modest little church called the Chiesa di San Bonaventura. I slip in the entrance and find what appears to be a family baptism ceremony under way. It is a reminder that even in the heart of one of the most famous sites in one of the most famous cities in the world, ordinary life goes on.
We rejoin the bus and hop off next at Capitoline Hill. At the foot
of the hill are two immense staircases. I take the stairs on the right first. Known as the Cordonata, they lead to the Piazza de Campidaglio. At the top I am greeted by imposing statues of Castor and Pollux on either side of the stairs. A bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback dominates the centre of the piazza. At the far end of the square is the Palazzo Sanatorium. The piazza and staircase were both designed by our friend Michelangelo, by the way. My guide book tells me that the buildings around the square are not-to-be-missed museums, but we don't have time today.
Back down at street level, we bypass the other set of stairs and proceed west. We're in need of washroom facilities. A word about pee management in Rome. There are websites devoted to this issue (no kidding). The problem is that there basically are no official public restrooms in the city. Typically, one must enter a commercial establishment and buy something before being granted access to the facilities. The problem is aggravated by the constant splash of the ubiquitous fountains. However, one can also try begging and grovelling in a pinch. By the way, the
words "washroom" and "bathroom" are not necessarily understood; better to use "toilet" or "WC". On this occasion, we enter a small museum and give grovelling a try. Violet plays the "disabled" card and it works. We are led to a beautiful modern washroom in the interior of the museum.
We proceed along the foot of Capitoline Hill. Turning a corner, we are struck dumb by the sight of the Vittorio Emanuel II Monument, which is more a gigantic building than a monument. Built around 1900 to commemorate Italian unification, it houses the tomb of the unknown soldier, among other things. One could easily spend several hours at this site along to admire the many statues and carved decorations. I climb to the top and am rewarded with a lovely view of the city.
Back at street level, we retrace our steps to the second staircase we passed earlier. This provides a steep climb to a relatively modest-looking church at the very summit of Capitoline Hill, called the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracocli. I enter through an unassuming door and find a gorgeous interior, highlighted by a gold ceiling. To my left is a beautiful painting depicting the
Statue of Marcus Aurelius
Piazza de Campidaglio, Rome, ItalyMadonna in Aracocli. She is treading on the head of a serpent as she rapturously gazes skyward. The sun is now low enough in the sky that its beams shine directly through a west-facing stained glass window, creating some beautiful illumination effects on the interior splendour. I take a second look at the stained glass window; it features honey bees! Must be a story there.
Back on the bus, we proceed to the Via del Corso. The targets here are the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. We're not quite sure which direction to go, so we just follow the flow of the crowd. And sure enough, the northerly current washes us to the Piazza di Spagna, dominated by the broad, serpentine Spanish Steps. As is my wont, I gamely trundle up the steps. The trickiest part is actually avoiding the other climbers and the many people who are sitting randomly in your way. At the top is the Church of the Trinità dei Monti. Somewhat bizarrely, an Egyptian obelisk stands in front, presumably transported there by some victorious emperor. I take a quick peak inside the church; it is beautiful, of course, but I am already getting jaded.
There is another great view of the city from here.
I return to the piazzo below. We rest for a while by an interesting fountain known as the Barcaccia. It has stepping stones allowing one to step through it, which the children find amusing. It's already mid-afternoon, and our tummies are complaining. We had noticed on the way here a restaurant with a chef making fresh pasta in the window (hopefully a good sign), so we head there. The restaurant is called Sugo d'Oro, and we enjoy some excellent pasta and prosecco.
We return to the bus stop and plunge into another current of tourists flowing south. It unerringly leads to the famous Trevi Fountain. I find it a bit curious that this magnificent fountain is for once not in a spacious square but instead nestled at the back of a building. The result is that it is extremely crowded, with tourists jockeying for position for the perfect selfie. I have to admit that the crowds are really annoying, particularly since many of these people are oblivious to other people as they ogle the sights. The selfie sticks waving around are menaces.
Given that it is already
late in the afternoon, we switch to the final phase of our plan, which is to ride the bus one complete circuit. And we score the front seats on the top deck! We very much enjoy the ride and the narration. We pass by so many sights that we wish we could take a closer look at. Notably, we view the Circus Maximus, a huge oblong depression not far from the Colosseum that was used for chariot and other races.
The full-circuit ride underscores that in our time here in Rome, we have barely scratched the surface of the magnificent history of this amazing city. It's a bit like our all-too-brief visit to Istanbul. The first visit serves merely to whet one's appetite.
We arrive back at the hotel and pack for our departure tomorrow. After a bite to eat at the hotel, we retire. This memorable trip is over.
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