Until we meet again....Rome a fantastic getaway. A city filled with culture, history, romance, magnificent sights, and delectable food. This trip will always been remembered as a crazy mileage run idea that turned into a memorable mini vacation that most people would think we were crazy for doing. Who travels across the world for a week vacation in Rome between Christmas and New Years? Evidently we do! I felt this trip was very special as it was a fantastic, yet crazy, trip to end 2019, a year of much craziness. It actually felt like a relaxing vacation where I didn’t have a bunch of other things overwhelming my brain and I was able to fully enjoy the experience.
On our way home, we saw this saying on a wall in the Rome airport from Saint Augustinus "the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page”. We have been blessed and fortunate to read many pages and I hope we read many more.
To travel is to live, until next time....life is good.
You certainly won't go hungry in Roma. The city is filled with restaurants and cafes. The only danger you encounter is eating too much! Needless to say, we enjoyed the food in Rome immensely. We tried several different restaurants and never had a bad meal. Starting with Lumen, the restaurant in the St. Regis. The service is top-notch with very attentive staff aiming to please guests. We had breakfast here each morning and the buffet spread was incredible; fresh fruit and fruit juices, a large variety of pastries and breads, a rotation of warm dishes each day, fresh cheeses along with a variety of charcuterie products, a variety of yogurts and fresh honey, and of course the ever popular chef's station. Overeating was certainly a problem every morning. The cappuccinos were exquisite and highly addictive; something I don't typically drink but when in Italy... We enjoyed dinner at Lumen twice. Along with superb food, they also have a fairly large selection of signature cocktails and wines. We popped down for a drink at the bar one evening and it was entertaining watching the bartender masterfully preparing each cocktail with precision and care.
Off the beaten track by the Vatican, Z found a quaint little restaurant called Perdincibacco, where we had a great lunch. Z enjoyed a mixed seafood risotto, while I enjoyed a basil, burrata, and sun-dried tomato flatbread. Oh so tasty and just the right amount of food to replenish our energy after touring through the Vatican for three hours.
Made famous by the late Anthony Bourdain, Roma Sparita located in the Trastevere neighbourhood turned out to be a gem. Now, I've read a couple other blogs on this restaurant that said it was so much better before being made famous by Anthony Bourdain, but as someone trying it for the first time when we did, I'd say it delivered on a great experience with great food and service (after the no nonsense waiter warms up to you). This restaurant was a bit of a walk from the hotel, and a little difficult to find even with Google maps; something about the intersecting streets of Rome that kept confusing Google. Anyway, we arrived for our reservation on time and brought to our waiting table. The waiter felt a little off-putting at first but Z charmed him with his attempts at Italian and all became well. I guess they probably experience a few more tourists since being featured on a world-wide television show and perhaps some of the locals may now stay away, though that didn't seem to be the case when we were there. We each started with an arugula, olive oil and cheese salad and enjoyed a wonderful bottle of Chianti. Besides its famous diner, this restaurant is known for the traditional Roman dish Cacio e Pepe, a basic dish made of spaghetti, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Made even better at Roma Sparita, the dish is served in a very eatable fried parmesan cheese bowl. Every bite just melted in your mouth. The portion was quite large and very filling, but of course we still had our main dishes. Here is where great food diverged a little. Z enjoyed a delicious (or so he says) dish of lamb chops which I ate a chicken and roasted pepper dish which I thought was only so-so because the chicken was really tough. I didn't eat much of this dish, thankfully the Cacio e Pepe was filling, but it also gave me room for dessert. The right way to end an Italian meal is with popular Italian desserts; tiramisu and panna cotta - both heavenly desserts and neither disappointed in that category.
Roscioli is a multi-functional spot; restaurant, delicatessen, and wine bar all at the same time. This popular eatery requires a reservation and we witnessed numerous people being turned away for lack of one. The delicatessen is situated right when you enter the establishment, with the main restaurant area situated towards the back and downstairs, except over course for, what I'll call the over-flow tables which line the delicatessen area include the counter where people order the cheeses and meats over those eating dinner. Thankfully our table was situated on the other side beside their wall of wine. We tried and shared a variety of dishes from an expansive menu. The La Burrata Pugliese con Pomodorini featured some of the freshest and best tasting burrata cheese I have ever eaten and with the sun-dried cherry tomatoes provided a great twist to what is in my mind a fairly traditional Italian starter dish (the caprese salad). This was accompanied by traditional meatballs, Polpette Della Tradition Roma, with chestnut polenta squares. At this point both of us were starting to feel full, but our main pasta dishes were still to come. I opted for the Roman classic, Gnocco Con Patate di Avezzano "Cacio e Pepe" (after trying Cacio e Pepe a few days earlier, how could I resist a different version of such goodness?) while Z chose another Roman classic, La Carbonara with crispy cheek pork. By the time we both finished our plates, we were so full that we couldn't even fathom trying their desserts, which was a shame because they all sounded decadent.
All three of these incredible restaurants were somewhat off the beaten track, whereas the one restaurant I found was right in the heart of the tourist area by the Trevi fountain, called That's Amore - can you get any more Italian with the name? It seemed like all restaurants during this time of the year a reservation was a must or face being turned away of waiting a really long time during peak supper time. As you would expect, we ate pasta for supper this time around again. Z indulged in the very tasty Grandma's lasagna while I indulged on a good old fashion plate of fettuccine al pesto genovese.
Needless to say, we over indulged in food and add in a couple orders or gelato and we probably gained several pounds despite the amount of walking every day. We also discovered towards the end of our trip that leaving the city centre and heading into the "locals" neighbourhoods, you'll find just as great tasting food and cappuccinos at two-thirds the cost.
I'm not entirely sure why the Vatican gets its own post, but here goes. A first time trip to Rome, cannot go without a tour of the Vatican. We did an early morning tour to try and beat the massive crowds, but so did hundreds of others, so even with the early morning tour we still encountered pretty significant crowds that get bottlenecked in some of the narrow corridors. We did drive by massive waiting lines outside the Vatican though who were waiting for the general admission to open. Can't imagine how long those lines took.
Our tour guide had an archeology background and was very informative, providing us with a good understanding of its history and the world renowned artists that created their masterpiece frescos on the walls and ceilings. The Vatican is an independent city-state within Rome situated on about 44-hectares and with a population of about 1,000. While we were touring around, I wondered if Pope Francis was "home" because he would have just conducted Christmas mass a few days prior, but alas we did not see him.
Within Vatican City are the well known religious sites of St. Peter's Basilica approached from St. Peter's Square, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican museums. Our tour took us through many of the museums which are filled with world famous paintings, artwork and sculptures. I can't even fathom the monetary value of all the collections. The brilliance Raphael and Michelangelo is prominently on display. While as silently as possible (because talking is not allowed, but that didn't really stop anyone) walking through and standing in the Sistine Chapel, I was awestruck by the magnitude of Michelangelo's work, and his depiction of the Last Judgement behind the main alter; this work took him six years to complete. His sheer talent and vision of these masterpieces is beyond my comprehension. Interestingly, Michelangelo originally tried to turn down the commission because he felt he was more of a sculpture rather than a painter, but the Pope of the day would not allow that and gave him free reign on which Biblical scenes he would paint. It took him four years to complete the paintings on the ceiling. The frescoes on the southern wall depict stories of Moses, while the northern wall depict stories of Jesus.
St. Peter's Basilica was equally impressive. Known as the largest church in the world, it is regarded as one of the holiest Catholic shrines. Named after Saint Peter, it is believed his remains are buried where the basilica now stands. There are also numerous popes buried beneath the basilica.
The church's dome is most impressive and is the tallest dome in the world. The interior of the church is beautifully decorated with intricate architectural detail, many masterpieces of artwork, prominent statues, and Latin inscriptions. There are numerous wings leading to different chapels where parishioners can worship. The main alter is covered by Bernini's magnificent four poster, solid bronze canopy standing 96 feet tall.
While I truly enjoyed touring the Vatican, walking through the Vatican provided me with a better appreciation of humbleness. The public display of pomp and pageantry was a little much. It made me wonder if the Catholic church was still a little out of touch with ordinary people and if it couldn't have a better chance of connecting with people if it were a little less pretentious and more ordinary.
Rome, a city filled with archeological wonders and magnificent architecture all at the same time, is a fascinating city to explore. We got lucky with the weather and while it was fairly cold it was sunny during the day which made exploring by foot enjoyable. The city needs to be seen both during the day and at night when a lot of the attractions are lit up. The city was still decorated for Christmas with elaborate Christmas light displays hanging over the city streets and many shops and hotels displaying wreaths around their doorways. Many piazzas had decorated or lite up Christmas trees and many shops and restaurants were playing Christmas music making it a magical Christmas feel in the city. The hustle and bustle of tourists in the city made for large crowds wherever we went. Guess many others had the same idea of visiting over the holidays.
The city is quite walkable but the many twists and interconnecting streets can cause Google maps to get confused at times. Not to far from the hotel is Fontana Di Trevi, a public fountain with ornate sculptures This is one to see during the day and at night. They say it’s lucky to throw a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder which means you are going to return to Rome in the future. We didn’t have any coins when we visited and in fact I didn’t see anyone do this. After buying some very tasty gelato (a must have when in Italy regardless of temperature), we made our way to the Pantheon. Another magnificent building to see for its unique architecture with a large circular domed ceiling and large granite columns out front. In ancient a Roman it was used as a temple and today is a Catholic Church. A few streets over is Piazza Novano a large rectangular piazza that was built in the same shape as Circus Maximus, an ancient Roman chariot racing and entertainment stadium. There was supposed to be a Christmas market at the piazza however we were told it was shut down early because of some illegal activity. We were a little disappointed in hearing that because we were really looking forward to see what a Roman Christmas market would look like. A few stalls did remain open and they were selling trinkets and some had games you could play for a prize. The merry go round was still operational but not very popular the night we walked through.
Right next to Piazza Navona is the Pantheon. Completed in 125AD, the Pantheon was originally a Roman temple and is now a church dedicated to St. Mary of the Martyrs. This magnificent structure is one of the best preserved Ancient Roman buildings in Rome today. The architecture of the Pantheon is impressive with the dome being the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. Out front 16 massive granite columns support the triangle concrete vestibule. These columns reportedly came from Egypt, weigh 60 tons each, are 39 feet tall and 5 feet in diameter. Unfortunately we did not go inside because the time we visited, it was actually closed. Another time perhaps because the interior is supposed to be spectacular.
In the heart of the city is the Roman Forum, a sprawling plaza filled with important historical ruins that give a glimpse into Ancient Rome’s economic and judicial ways. These ruins are just mind-blowing. For centuries, the forum was the heart of day-to-day life in Rome. The ruins include many important ancient government buildings, temples, and the marketplace - the centre of economic activity. The Forum was a venue for important public speeches, judicial trials, and a general meeting place for ancient Romans. The Forum also served as the venue for celebratory military processions. Accessible from the Forum and situated 40 metres above, is Palatine Hill; myths and legends surround the origins of Palatine Hill and it is said that the cave was inhabited by Luperca, the she-wolf that took care of Romulus and Remus. According to the legend, when the brothers grew up, they decided to create a city on the banks of the river, but when they could not agree on some points of the decision, Romulus killed Remus and founded the city of Rome. Archeologists have found ruins that would suggest the area was inhabited by the ancient Roman upper-class who build sumptuous palaces on the hill. From atop the hill, you have great views overlooking Rome and can get a glimpse of the back side of the Colosseum.
The Colosseum, one of the most popular ruins in Rome, was built in 6 years and completed in 80AD. This oval shaped amphitheatre held up to 80,000 spectators during its time. Built out of travertine limestone, volcanic rock, and brick concrete, it was the largest amphitheatre built in its time. The Colosseum was to showcase various entertainment events of the time for the Roman citizens. These day-long events included gladiator contests, animal hunts, public executions, reenactment of famous battles, and dramas. Given its capacity size the architects of the Colosseum was built with 80 entrances at the ground level. The stairs leading up the various levels were sloped such as when you are leaving the Colosseum you feel like you are being "spit out" because the sensation you feel walking down the steps. Each of the 80 entrances were marked by Roman numerals above the entrance door, with today only 2 entrances still having their markings in place. As with most things in ancient Rome, spectators gained access based on their social class and were restricted to their "area". Doing a guided tour of the Colosseum when in Rome and seeing the Colosseum both during the day and at night is a must. Our guide provided us with great insight and coloured stories about its history. As a popular tourist attraction, it is very crowded but is well worth the visit, if only to imagine what actually took place there and the magnitude of it all.
The beauty of Rome's architecture cannot be understated. While there are many ancient Roman ruins scattered around the city to visit, there are many other buildings, churches, and piazzas that have striking architecture. Perhaps it's just me, but it part of the reason I love Europe so much...you find such rich history, culture, and splendid ancient architecture that has survived the test of time.
Within Vatican City are the well known religious sites of St. Peter's Basilica approached from St. Peter's Square, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican museums. Our tour took us through many of the museums which are filled with world famous paintings, artwork and sculptures. I can't even fathom the monetary value of all the collections. The brilliance Raphael and Michelangelo is prominently on display. While as silently as possible (because talking is not allowed, but that didn't really stop anyone) walking through and standing in the Sistine Chapel, I was awestruck by the magnitude of Michelangelo's work, and his depiction of the Last Judgement behind the main alter; this work took him six years to complete. His sheer talent and vision of these masterpieces is beyond my comprehension. Interestingly, Michelangelo originally tried to turn down the commission because he felt he was more of a sculpture rather than a painter, but the Pope of the day would not allow that and gave him free reign on which Biblical scenes he would paint. It took him four years to complete the paintings on the ceiling. The frescoes on the southern wall depict stories of Moses, while the northern wall depict stories of Jesus. 
Right next to Piazza Navona is the Pantheon. Completed in 125AD, the Pantheon was originally a Roman temple and is now a church dedicated to St. Mary of the Martyrs. This magnificent structure is one of the best preserved Ancient Roman buildings in Rome today. The architecture of the Pantheon is impressive with the dome being the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. Out front 16 massive granite columns support the triangle concrete vestibule. These columns reportedly came from Egypt, weigh 60 tons each, are 39 feet tall and 5 feet in diameter. Unfortunately we did not go inside because the time we visited, it was actually closed. Another time perhaps because the interior is supposed to be spectacular. 
In the heart of the city is the Roman Forum, a sprawling plaza filled with important historical ruins that give a glimpse into Ancient Rome’s economic and judicial ways. These ruins are just mind-blowing. For centuries, the forum was the heart of day-to-day life in Rome. The ruins include many important ancient government buildings, temples, and the marketplace - the centre of economic activity. The Forum was a venue for important public speeches, judicial trials, and a general meeting place for ancient Romans. The Forum also served as the venue for celebratory military processions. Accessible from the Forum and situated 40 metres above, is Palatine Hill; myths and legends surround the origins of Palatine Hill and it is said that the cave was inhabited by Luperca, the she-wolf that took care of Romulus and Remus. According to the legend, when the brothers grew up, they decided to create a city on the banks of the river, but when they could not agree on some points of the decision, Romulus killed Remus and founded the city of Rome. Archeologists have found ruins that would suggest the area was inhabited by the ancient Roman upper-class who build sumptuous palaces on the hill. From atop the hill, you have great views overlooking Rome and can get a glimpse of the back side of the Colosseum. 
The Colosseum, one of the most popular ruins in Rome, was built in 6 years and completed in 80AD. This oval shaped amphitheatre held up to 80,000 spectators during its time. Built out of travertine limestone, volcanic rock, and brick concrete, it was the largest amphitheatre built in its time. The Colosseum was to showcase various entertainment events of the time for the Roman citizens. These day-long events included gladiator contests, animal hunts, public executions, reenactment of famous battles, and dramas. Given its capacity size the architects of the Colosseum was built with 80 entrances at the ground level. The stairs leading up the various levels were sloped such as when you are leaving the Colosseum you feel like you are being "spit out" because the sensation you feel walking down the steps. Each of the 80 entrances were marked by Roman numerals above the entrance door, with today only 2 entrances still having their markings in place. As with most things in ancient Rome, spectators gained access based on their social class and were restricted to their "area". Doing a guided tour of the Colosseum when in Rome and seeing the Colosseum both during the day and at night is a must. Our guide provided us with great insight and coloured stories about its history. As a popular tourist attraction, it is very crowded but is well worth the visit, if only to imagine what actually took place there and the magnitude of it all. 
