Italy - Day 2 Rome

My typical Italian Breakfast

Next morning, we started Day 2 in Rome.  There is so much to see...I was in a tizzy to get the rest of the guys up and at it.  Our hotels were fabulous in that our breakfast included the usual American fare, but while in Italy, I ate like the Italians, with the exception of espresso or cappuccino and standing up at the cafe bar.  I opted for the Caffe Americano, and had cornetto with fruit and parma ham (sitting down) almost every day.  YUM!  What a delightful way to start a beautiful day. 

Vespa parking outside our hotel

Small cars and vespas line the street

Once breakfast was done, we headed out the door.  The streets were lined with very small cars and vespas.  The streets are much smaller and the traffic is...well, I will get into that in a later post. 

Buildings like this are the norm

Our mode of transportation in Rome was walking.  And we did a lot of just that.  Around every corner was something spectacular to see.  Each building is a work of art that was built many, many years ago.  It is breathtaking to behold, and I was filled with awe just imagining how something so intricate and beautiful could have been created during that time.   Yes, I was the typical tourist with my phone taking shot after shot, because each step was yet another masterpiece.

Close up view

Further back you can see the size of these carvings

 My goal for this day...to see the Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon.   It was bit of a trek from our hotel, but a beautiful one.   We walked street after street just taking in the sights, and then...we reached a square and I saw the Vatican City in the distance.  

My first glimpse of the Vatican City in the background

St Peter's Basilica in the back

This was an unexpected surprise and of course we had to pause for a moment and I had to pinch myself again. 


With our maps in hand, we found our next stop.  Fontana di Trevi is a marvelous sculpted fountain that was started in 1732 by Salvi and finished in 1762 by Pannini.  The fountain is at a junction of three roads (tre vie) and marks the endpoint of one of the aqua ducts that supplied water to ancient Rome.  

Fontana di Trevi

If you go to the fountain, you are supposed to throw a coin over your left shoulder.  This is to assure you will someday return.  I read somewhere that it has been estimated that around 3,000 euros are thrown into the fountain EACH day!  That's a lot of people returning.

Fontana di Trevi

Fontana di Trevi

Fontana di Trevi

I threw my coin in and just lingered to view the magnitude of this piece.  It is huge.  I also read that the majority of the stone was quarried in from about 35 kilometers away. 

While I would have loved to stay there longer, it was time to head to the Pantheon.  

 

Pantheon

 At first glance, I couldn't quite see what all the hype about this place was.  While it was grand in its outside appearance, it did not take my breath away.

Inside the Pantheon

Oh but once inside, I was wowed!  This place is amazing!!! 

Apparently, the original building was burned down, and was rebuilt, then to be destroyed again by fire.   The exact age remains unknown, but the building as we know it today was built in 120AD.   It still has the world's largest unsupported dome. 

The top of the Pantheon

The oculus at the top is the only source of light.  Rain occasionally flows thru the oculus but is drained through the floors that are slanted into underground Roman pipes. 



The Pantheon became a church in 609AD, but was originally built for pagan worship by the ancient Romans. 

Inside

Inside, niches throughout hold frescoes, paintings, statues, sculptures and tombs.  The famous artist Raphael is buried here.  Each Sunday the building continues to hold mass and has the occasional wedding ceremony held here.  

 

You could literally spend hours in this building.  If visiting Rome, it is a must see.  But our time in Rome was short, so we had to move on.  We strolled through Piazza Navona and ate gelato.   The weather was absolutely gorgeous and I was in heaven.

Piazza Navona

 

Fontana di Fiumi by Bernini

 During my research for this trip, I read that the district of Trastevere was not to be missed.  To get there, we needed to cross the Tiber River.  Not a hassle as there are several bridges.  The easiest for us from where we were at the time was to cross the footbridge Ponte Sisto. 

After a fantastic morning of incredible sights and marvels, we stopped in Trastevere for a late lunch.

My first glass of Prosecco from this region

Lunch - Bruschetta with parma ham

Captain's pizza with anchovies

Inside our quaint restaurant

Another view inside

We refueled and headed out again.  I wanted to walk up Janiculum Hill for a scenic view of Rome.  It was an upward walk but well worth it once we reached the top.

 It took most of the afternoon to get this walk in and back to the Trastevere district.  Of course we had to stop to rest 😉 and have a glass of local wine.

After more walking and sightseeing, we opted to join the locals for an evening for an evening aperitivo.  In Italy, after work people meet together for a drink and light meal in order to hold them over until dinner, which is typically later than we eat.  But it was such fun.  A lot of the local restaurants will offer drinks that are usually about 10 euros each but along with your drink you get appetizers or other light fare.  For free!  It is wonderful.  

  

However, I will have to say this.  I read so much about suppli.  Everything I read stated "you must try the suppli".  So I tried the suppli.  It is a fried risotto ball that may or may not have cheese or ham.  This is the one I tried, and I can say I was not a fan.  Maybe I did not get the right one.  Oh well.  It was an experience and we ate the whole thing anyway.  But that was the one and only for the whole trip.

Suppli

But the other aperitivo offers were fabulous.  Great drinks with great food.  I was so HAPPY!

Beautiful plates of yumminess

By this time, it was getting late, and we needed to walk back to the hotel which was about an hours walk away, but once we got to the bridge we noticed a group of performers and had to stop for a concert of good music and lots of laughs.

This place is wonderful!!!  So we sat on steps that were probably hundreds of years old and listened to rock and roll under the stars.  Unbelievable.  

We stayed until the end of their show and headed for the hotel.  It was a beautiful night, a bit of chill in the air but clear and calm and absolutely breathtaking. 

A view from Ponte Sisto

Vittoriano

Columns

By the time we reached our hotel, we were elated over our day, but truly exhausted.  So much packed into one day.  It was remarkable.  But it was time for some much needed sleep.  Needed to get rested for Day 3!

Until next time...

Enjoy!