Busy, busy days in Roma being a tourist extraordinaire!!
Yesterday we had coffee with Chris in the morning, got our instructions and set off with our maps!
Off we went on a little electric bus up to Villa Borghese, in these most gorgeous gardens. Our mission was to get to the Villa in which is housed an impressive art collection.
And it was amazing but the best thing for me was the Villa itself with every room covered in frescoes. It is a most divine mansion..huge. So a few hours later we emerged having viewed a gobsmacking art collection in a sublime setting.
We then walked from there to the Spanish Steps, then through the street of Rome to the Trevi Fountain which unfortunately was being renovated so no water and a walkway past the fountain itself. Chris and Tull thought this was a rare opportunity to see it up close and naked. I thought it looked depressing. From there we went to the Pantheon…my favourite amazing building!! On the way there my adventure was having having a very angry man (clearly with mental health issues) growl at me and then spit forcefully at me…very fortunately he just missed…YUK!!! We then went to the Chiesi di San Luigi dei Francesi which is the church that houses the 3 Carravaggios….does your head in really!!!!
Exhausted we came home for feet up and glass of wine time. Chris then rang to say she would pick us up after work and take us to her restaurant in Trastevere. That was lovely…very basic, very traditional Roman food…so good.
Today we set off early as we had booked tickets for the Vatican Museum/ Sistine Chapel. No rain, lovely morning and nice walk to the Vatican. Then there isn’t a lot you can say about the Vatican museum complex. Way, way before you get to the Sistine Chapel you have been blown away by room after room of frescoes, maps, sculptures etc etc. The Raphaelle rooms, the Borgia apartments etc etc…you lose track but it is all so amazing. Then there is the Sistine itself and no matter how often you see it you don’t lose your awe. It has been recently refreshed and it is truly unreal. Also a good time to be there because you can get an unjostled look in. We were both just breathtaking (is that a word). We still had St Peter’s to go to but our luck had run out a bit. We came out and it was pouring. We got to San Pietro and the queue was long so we had to stand in the rain for ages. I was totally unprepared for the rain so Tull (who had a rain jacket) stood out in it while I stood under the portico…i.e. stood until a couple of lovely derros shared their seats with me. Finally I bought a flimsy umbrella and stood in the rain too.
San Pietro always impresses and so it did again but I’ve been there quite a few times so Tull got more out of it than me. After that we were exhausted and wanted to just head home however we wanted some Pizza Bianca so set off to buy that only to find the shop closed…that added a kilo or so to our big day. Then home with goodies we had bought for lunch.
I’m off now to have a vino with Chris but Tull has a cold and has wisely decided to go to bed rather than venture out again. Tomorrow I’m setting her loose to go to the Colosseum by herself (I’ll save that for when Rose is here)…it will be nice to have a lazier morning!! Got to get myself sorted for packing once again.