Day 25 - Rome
Day 2 in Rome, but our Day 1! We started with breakfast at our hotel which was included in our price. Lots of options to choose from and plenty of espresso and cappuccino for me to drink.
With full bellies, we walked the half hour to the Colosseum. The time flew by as we passed tons of monuments, shops and places to eat. There is so much to look at. Sam, our Navigator for the day, said as we descended a large hill that right around the corner we should be able to see it. I am a sucker for a big reveal, and we got one!
As we rounded the corner, I literally gasped. I clutched my husband and friend and said "Guys! We are in ROME!" It was amazing to see. The ruin and the beauty. We followed the signs and worked our way through the dozens of peddlers trying to sell us cheap jewelry or selfie sticks - which trained us for the many more we will see on this trip. (Side note: we had a man literally put a bracelet on us and then ask us for money to give to his baby and saw many other sellers doing the same thing. Also there lots of people trying to sell tickets and things like portable chargers and they will pursue you even if you say no. Just be firm and walk away. And buy your tickets ahead of time or from a verified vendor.)
After passing through security and picking up our audio tours, we started to explore the amazing Colosseum. I recommend getting the audio tour or trying to find a free one online. Find more tips on Rome Sightseeing here. The enormous structure holds so much history in its corroding walls, a lot of it gruesome, but being there standing where these things happened is a very surreal experience. We took an hour and a half walking around, listening to our guides and taking pictures.
Our tickets came with entrance to the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill as well. Both situated right across the way and a can't miss experience. We walked through ruins of the once most powerful city in the world. There were remnants of buildings, statues, gardens and roadways. We couldn't believe how big the place was. I loved walking around and looking at everything.
After our fair share of sightseeing, it was time to eat. We wanted to try and find a rooftop bar but couldn't find any and decided to just try our luck walking around until we see something that looked good! We stumbled across this tiny place with a nice little patio and pulled up a chair. We ordered the bruschetta again and I needed to eat something green so I opted for a salad along with Gabb and Sam ordered pasta Carbonaro. Everything was fantastic and fresh. I don't think a bad meal is possible here.
After that nice sit down meal we realized how close we were to the Trevi fountain, so we decided to check it out! It was huge! And so beautiful. We tossed our coins and sat down for a while, people watching and taking in the beauty of the fountain. Right next to the fountain are a number of shops and gelatierias - which normally overcharge and the real stuff, but we found one right around the left corner of the fountain with fair prices and REAL gelato (fake stuff looks like unnatural colors - think electric yellow or cotton candy blue and super fluffy). We got our piccolo cones - I ordered Straticella and Orange Chocolate, which were to die for - and sat down again.
Nice and relaxed and full to the brim, we made our way back to the hotel to call it a night. The sun was set and we clocked nearly 11 miles. A nice hot shower and pajamas were the perfect ending to a picturesque day.
Happy Travels my friends!
Keely
