Rome, Italy - Day 2 - An evening of Fountains

After a hot day of walking through the Coliseum and the Forum we decided it was time for a beer and a snack. The last major site on our list was the Trevi Fountain, so we started walking toward that area of town and happened across a pub. Snacks and beers all around!

In the cool of evening we were able to visit the Fountain, but everyone else had the same idea. It was packed! There were tourists clambering up and down the steps right in front of the fountain, and vendors selling wares all across the square. The cacophony of sound was almost overwhelming, but exciting too. We managed to steal a seat just to the right of the Fountain to sit and take in the elaborate design.

The Fountain was completed in 1762 and is made from Travertine stone (from Tivoli about 22 miles east of Rome). A restoration in 2015 led to additional lighting to improve nighttime illumination.

The Fountain appeared in the movies La Dolce Vita and Three Coins in the Fountain. The latter describing it to be good luck to throw a coin in the fountain by using your right arm and tossing it over your left shoulder. Of course we had to do this - for good luck and a return to Rome, right?!?!

To get away from the crowds we wandered down some side streets and came across the Pantheon. The square was busy but not as crowded at the one by the Trevi Fountain. Although the Pantheon did not make it on our "must see" list it was a pleasant surprise to be confronted by it late at night.
Completed in A.D. 125 it has stood the test of time.

A terrible pic, but apparently the only one I took at the Pantheon.

While sitting in the square and people watching we ate one of many scoops of gelato - a must have in Italy. I am sure that frequent travelers can tell you where to get the best gelato, but we just ate it every chance we got. If you're unsure, just check to see what type of ingredients are used to make it - artificial colors or flavors are a big no-no - look for fresh ingredients. TripAdvisor has good recommendations for further review.

Rome, Italy - June 2016 Day 2 - Et tu, Brute?

Feeling the effects of jetlag, we were sure to sleep a lot the first night in order to accomplish the sites on our list for Day 2.

To start off we visited the Roman Coliseum. For the second site, again, we were sure to pre-buy our tickets before we left the States. This saved us standing in line for the second time, but today we made it on time! We met up with a group of about 12 people and had a guided tour. Afterwards, we had plenty of time to explore on our own.

It officially opened in A.D. 80 and was used consistently for four hundred years. The "basement" of the Coliseum is open to the air, it is thought that there was a covering but it was movable. Fighters or animals could be raised on elevators through openings in the floor for ease of movement.

Each level of the Coliseum was reserved for different castes of people. Nobility were allowed to sit the closest while those that were poor could observe from the highest levels. Very similar to today - your seats in a stadium are mostly based on where you can afford to buy tickets (yep, upper level for me!).

There are a few shops and restaurants surrounding the Coliseum. If you can walk a few blocks away it will save you some money. We stopped at a little place for lunch and sat outside in the shade (at least there was a bit of a breeze). Of course we had to order pizza, but we also tried an interesting appetizer made of pumpkin flower. It was deep fried and tasted delicious - if you get a chance, try one!

Fried pumpkin flower

After lunch we walked over to the Roman Forum. This is where the people used to live and interact with one another. Rick Steves also offers an audio guide of the Forum, so we popped on our headphones and took a self-guided tour.

Some of the buildings have served multiple purposes over the centuries. A temple built for a wife by a grieving husband stood at much higher ground. Later, when the building became a church and the street level had been lowered a set of stairs was added to provide access.

Temple of Antonius and Faustina, later on became a church.

Julius Caesar lived and died at the Forum. His funeral pyre is preserved and many people have left offerings of money.

Caesar's funeral pyre - many have left offerings.

The Forum also contains the House of the Vestals and the Temple of Vesta. This classic story of the Virgins that kept the fire burning to Vesta. Young aristocratic girls were chosen (aged 6 to 10) to serve in the temple for 30 years and were required to stay chaste for the entirety of their service. In A.D. 394 the temple was abandoned when Theodosius I, a Christian emperor, ordered it.

Temple of Vesta - the Vestal virgins lived behind the temple in an elaborate house.

Rome, Italy - June 2016

Thickblackglasses and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in June 2016 and decided we would take a trip to Italy - along with a Mediterranean cruise - to celebrate!

We started off with 2 days in Rome, you know, to see the most important sites first - ha! There's so much to see and 2 days just doesn't do it justice, but here's a summary of Day 1.

After many delays just to get out of the States we finally landed in Rome at midnight. We were supposed to arrive at 9 pm or so and the hotel said they would just leave a key at the door. Well, due to the delays there was no one around. Tracking down the phone number we made an international call from our US phones in order to find someone to let us into our room. Thankfully there was someone out and about only a few blocks away so she came to our rescue!

The hotel, Residenza Santa Maria, was a little place tucked in some back streets in the Trastevere neighborhood. The area is not real close to all the sites, but it was worth the extra walking and bus riding as it was quaint, quiet, and beautiful. There is easy access to the tram, the bus and taxis.

Due to our late start we missed our appointment to tour the Vatican Gardens (that included a pass to the museum). Unable to get a refund, we were told to re-book. Since we were able to get inside the Vatican without standing in line for 3 hours, we decided just to re-purchase the tickets for the museum. Yes, you heard that right, we by-passed a huge line of people waiting to get inside, so buy your tickets ahead of time!!!

One thing we did not know was how much there is to see in the museum before reaching the Sistine Chapel, the piece de resistance. So don't linger too long in the other parts, but don't forget to take it all in! Download Rick Steve's audio tour of the Chapel in order to get a closer look at the intricacies of Michelangelo's work. It is forbidden to take pictures inside too, so keep that in mind.


Luckily we visited during a Jubilee year for Catholics, so extra doors were open in St. Peter's Basilica. If you are Catholic I am sure you understand the significance but for me I was unsure what exactly that meant. For sure it means that more people than normal were visiting the Vatican during 2016.

The alter inside St. Peter's Basilica

Please note that Italy is very hot and humid during the summer months. If you can avoid traveling during that time I highly recommend the fall. If not, bring a water bottle. Rome is full of fountains to fill your bottle and keep you hydrated.