Category Archives: Italy

December 26, 2012 · 7:04 pm

My last day in Rome

22nd June 2012

I cannot believe I agreed to go on a walking tour today – I am usually the last person to want to walk anywhere and I must have walked a hundred kilometres in Rome already – about 5 of them this morning!! I traipsed all the way up to the Piazza della Republica to the post office, bought a posting box, walked back to the hotel, packed what I wanted to send home, carried it back to the post office – 12 bloody kilos, and walked back to the hotel, again!!

Note to self – never, ever again buy so many presents for everyone when I go overseas.

Spanish Steps, Rome

The walking tour guide was a lovely gentleman by the name of Romano, he was a great guide, full of little tidbits about places and buildings that I hadn’t heard or read before. Even though I’d seen a few of the sights earlier, this time I was seeing them with Romano’s stories as well so it was a totally different experience.

Piazza Navona, Roma

Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps were a couple of the places I saw for the first time today. I’m ashamed to say I have walked past the Spanish Steps other days without taking any notice of them. Come to think of it I still don’t know too much about them or why they are so famous, I didn’t think to ask while we were there – oh well, I’ll find out some time I guess!

Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi

There are cafe’s all around Piazza Navona and it’s absolutely full of artists, or at least people selling paintings. I’m not completely convinced they all paint the scenes they sell but it sure makes for an interesting bit of outdoor “window” shopping. I think I liked the fountain in the centre of the piazza, Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi, best. It’s quite ornate and was created by Bernini in the early 1650s. They say it was so expensive that the bread tax had to be raised to cover the cost – that’s pretty amazing isn’t it?

It was a full day again today, we did a bit of shopping after the walking tour. Of course I had to buy a couple of things, as I’d sent all those kilos home this morning I had a wee bit of room to cram some more into, hehehe. Sadly I said goodbye to the pocket rockets from Sydney again this arvo, had an early dinner and headed back to the hotel to pack my bags for Athens and the Greek Islands!!

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Filed under Greece, Italy, Mid-life travel, Travel

Tagged as female, older, Piazza Navona, solo travel, Spanish Steps

December 18, 2012 · 10:15 pm

Rome on my 5th day

21st June 2012

Looking towards the Spanish Steps from via Condotti, Rome

Today was a nothing day really – pretending to be locals, sitting around drinking coffee and eating took up a big chunk of time, but I really did need a day off. It was great to catch up with my mates and we weren’t completely lazy, we meandered from my patch of turf to the more luxurious shopping areas around the Spanish Steps. Via Condotti was just for window shopping, although interesting to see the big name brands there wasn’t anything I lusted after. Some of the streets around and off via del Corso were little havens of quiet and shade which was a nice change from the hustle and bustle. I saw plenty of unique and interesting pieces there but kept thinking of the ten or so kilos of presents I already have to post tomorrow so “just looking” was the motto for the day!

Interior Basilica di San Vitale

There is a lovely little church just across the road from my hotel that I’ve been meaning to write about so as I’m having a slow news day here we go. It’s called, wait for it because it is a mouthful – Basilica of Sts. Vitalis, Valeris, Gervase and Protase or more commonly Basilica di San Vitale. I have intentionally not visited the Vatican this trip and when I found this little gem I knew I wouldn’t regret that decision. It’s a peaceful little oasis in the middle of Rome, I’d much rather sit and contemplate life for a while here than fight the crowds at the Vatican this time round. Probably next visit I’ll go there and wonder why I didn’t go earlier.

Looking up to street level from San Vitale church

The little church is about 20 or 30 steps below the current street level with awesome intricately carved wooden doors and has wonderful paintings on the walls and ceiling. Some of the wall frescos seem almost like trompe l’oeil in places. It’s hard to believe it was built in 400 AD – although it’s been restored a number of times, there’s still a whole lot of antiquity in this building. Coincidence is a strange thing isn’t it? This little place was extensively rebuilt in 1475 under the direction of Pope Sixtus IV, the same pope who donated the statues that began the foundation of the Musei Capitolini – a fact I had no idea about until yesterday.

What started out as a relaxing day actually became quite tiring in the end as we sat and talked and laughed for hours after dinner, not that I’m complaining, it’s just what I needed after my little teary last night. So once again it’s off to bed tired but so thankful to be here and happy to have spent the day with friends

: Wooden doorway of Basilica di San Vitale

: Basillica di San Vitale

: Basillica di San Vitale detail

: Roof detail Basillica di San Vitale

Oh oh, meltdown in Rome!!

20th June 2012

Had a bit of a meltdown last night, missing everyone dreadfully and feeling lonely, but this morning I got a fantastic text from saying they’ll be here for a few days, so I’m feeling better now and looking forward to their arrival.

Courtyard of Musei Capitoline, Rome Italy

Today I visited the Musei Capitolini, what a marvellous place to spend the day – utterly captivating. I was told I should make sure to spend a few hours for a good look around but I was there all day and could have stayed longer. The special exhibition was Lux in Arcana, The Vatican Secret Archives. It doesn’t matter where I turn in Rome I run into all things religious – still with mixed feelings about it too, but in saying that I was utterly engrossed with the history. The beginnings of the museum reach back to when Pope Sixtus IV donated a number of bronze statues to the Roman people in 1471. Apparently there were many donations to the museum made by popes over the next few centuries but it wasn’t open to the public until the seventeen hundreds.

Roman Forum from the Tabularium, Rome, Italy

There is just so much to take in when you visit a place like that, the paintings, the statues, the coins, the Epigraphic gallery, it was all incredible. I was blown away when I walked out on the verandah of the Tabularium and realized I was looking over the ruins of the Roman Forum. Those are the times I appreciate being on my own to just stay as long as I want doing nothing but soak it up (and take a hundred photos), but at the same time I wish I had someone to turn to and just know they were thinking the same thing – we’re so fortunate to have this experience. I also loved the courtyard where the pieces of the giant statue of Constantine are placed along with slabs of reliefs and other statues. There was just something about that courtyard that gave me a good feeling, it might have been the colour of the walls or the way the sun was falling on the statues but it felt peaceful.

I had a lovely lunch at the cafeteria looking over the rooftops of Rome and at the end of the day I wandered around the forum for a little look before heading back to the hotel totally footsore and tired but oh so happy. I still can’t believe this is me having all these great experiences but don’t pinch me, I’m not ready to wake up yet!!

: Courtyard wall, Musei Capitolini, Rome

: Courtyard, Musei Capitolini

: Statue in the Gardens, Musei Capitolini

: Roman Forum from the Tabularium, Rome, Italy

: Tabularium walkway, Musei Capitolini, Rome

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Filed under Italy, Mid-life travel, Travel

Tagged as female, mid-life traveller, Musei Capitolini, older, travel

December 10, 2012 · 6:50 pm

A week in Rome – Day 3

19th June 2012

Piazza della Republica, Rome

I started out this morning with no plan or destination in mind. I took the smaller streets behind via Nazionale and came out at the Piazza della Republica. It’s not one of the really famous piazzas but I quite liked the semi-circular symmetry of buildings. I found the very pretty Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs by accident just near there as well. I just had to stop for my morning coffee and chocolate brioche before doing any serious sight-seeing, I really am addicted to them. The hoho bus got me around near the Circo Massimo again where I spent some time before heading back towards the Ponte Palatino. I passed by the interesting round Temple of Hercules Victor. It was located with-in the cattle market at one time and I read somewhere that flies and dogs won’t enter the temple because of this – bit far-fetched but I’ve heard stranger things I suppose.

Isola Tiberina and Ponte Rotto, Rome

I took tonnes of photos as I crossed the bridge towards Trastavere, mostly of the remnants of the Ponte Rotto and the Isola Tiberina – very cool, both of them. The markets were a bit of a let down because I had heard from a few people that I should try to see them but maybe I just wasn’t there at the best time. I sort of got a bit lost in the maze of little streets but found a great little café for lunch, although none of the staff spoke much English I managed okay. I’m really enjoying trying out my patchy Italian – it’s really very patchy, but listening to Italian lessons on cd’s and podcasts over the last twelve months has paid some dividends, yay.

It took me a VERY long time to make my way back to the hotel today. I crossed back over the Tiber at the other end of the island and meandered through the most enchanting places. I’m a little disappointed in myself for not knowing what it is I’m gawking at most of the time, even though I’m loving every minute. But I’ve promised myself that when I return I’ll have the time to remedy that problem.