The best saved for last - the Eternal City - Rome, Italy
Rome, Italy
We departed Ardea early Tuesday morning and about 45 minutes later were trying to find a parking space outside our Rome accommodation in the San Lorenzo district. Successfully dropped our bags and then headed back out into the rush hour traffic to the airport to return Carla to Mr Peugeot. This went smoothly and the inspection when we handed back the car was very cursory – does it still have four wheels? Have you got both keys and the manual? Do you want a lift back to the airport? All very civilised and took all of five minutes to complete the administration.
Back at the airport, we took the rail into the city then walked to the apartment. Previous guests now gone by then [fortunately not with any of our bags]. Our apartment in Rome was not as well equipped for self catering as apartments we had experienced elsewhere in Italy and Stuey thought we might have to eat out more. However, he had not factored in the highly innovative and resourceful Trishy, so evening meals ended up being 50:50 eat in/eat out.
The San Lorenzo district is squeezed between Termini train station, the Verano graveyard, via Tiburtina, and the Scalo Merci. Apparently, it was developed reasonably quickly during the last two decades of the 19th century, when building fever hit Rome following the unification of Italy. Its growth was characterized by great excitement and little planning. So when funding ran out after just a few years, many buildings in the area were left unfinished or had been completed with no attention to safety and hygiene requirements. This turned San Lorenzo into an area for the city's poorest residents. During the Second World War, San Lorenzo was one of the most heavily bombed areas of the city. While there was some post-war reconstruction, the area didn't really get going until the end of the Sixties, with the student movements. Being next to "La Sapienza," the largest university in Europe, San Lorenzo attracted a student population, and the quarter quickly became the home of free-thinkers, young political activists, and artists of all sorts. Packed with students, it is newly young-and-trendy, described as the Montmartre of Rome, with arty shops, cheap and authentic trattorie, cool pubs and clubs lining the narrow streets. However, the littered streets with cars parked on the sidewalks and graffiti everywhere, tend to make for close living.
We bought week public transport passes which saw us through till our last day. Good system because it allowed us to use Metro, trams and buses on the same ticket. Metro system is very quick and will allow you to get to a number of the main attractions around the city [but then it probably wasn't built just for the tourist]. Trams open up another 40% of the city including Trastevere on the west bank of the Tiber, with buses overlaying both trams and Metro to complete the coverage, one probably doesn’t have to walk more than 500 metres to catch at least one of those forms of transport. Buses and trams are not as quick as the Metro because they have to deal with Rome’s traffic, its lights and its pedestrians.
We did the touristy things in the first section of our stay here leaving the shopping therapy till the end. Actually, in the end less was being purchased than anticipated so there was lots of walking and looking but very little being done for the Italian economy, apart from keen support for the wining and dining sector. These continued to get our full attention and one restaurant [Ristorante Ottimo near the Vatican in Via Cola Di Rienzo] came up trumps for Sunday lunch. Trish had Seafood soup [mussels and clams] with croutons while Stuey opted for the Calamari with octopus, fresh oregano and eggplant and pasta. All very nicely complemented by a bottle of C******nay. Absolutely delicious and we lingered over it for as long as was decent. The service was superb [four little pistachio shortbread cookies accompanying the bill] and the price was very reasonable [less than €30]. Upmarket and full of locals which is always a good sign. If you are visiting Rome, put this on your eating out list.
We had been to Rome several times on our previous visits to Italy so outings this week tended to target sites that one or other [or both] of us had not been to as well as some we were seeing 2nd/3rd time round. They were, in no particular order:
St Peter’s Basilica. No visit to Rome would be complete without a visit to St Peter’s. The largest church in the world both by area, by volume and by length [although only No 12 on the height scale]. Probably the best known church in the Western World. Truly spectacular inside and in some ways shades the other major chapel in the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel. The artwork inside the Sistine Chapel is intricate, expansive and very beautiful. It was in danger of being shadowed by all of wonderful Chapels/churches/ basilicas/duomos that we visited in the past five months; however, it stood up to the test. Regrettably, we had to share the experience with about 300 people and the crush kept coming so one was not able to fully appreciate the work, Michelangelo’s work is superb, but then so also are Raphael’s works in the Vatican museum chambers. Suspect that when [and if] we head back to Rome, another trip to the Chapel will be on the agenda.
Vatican Museum. The Vatican Museums are part of the package for entering the Sistine Chapel. It has many rooms, sections and corridors, displaying artefacts and art from throughout the ages. Besides Raphael's works, the one that impressed us most was the Gallery of Geographic Maps, featuring huge wall maps [`4m x 3m] down through the history of Rome, the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance period and subsequent years. However, it was the rooms decorated by Raphael which carried the day for us. All in all an amazing collection of artworks by a variety of artists - enough to take your breath away.
Coliseum. The Coliseum is the largest of the Roman amphitheatres. We had earlier bypassed the No 2 at Capua on our return to Caserta but had visited the No3 [El Djem in Tunisia] about 13 years ago. El Djem was in reasonably good condition so we were interested to see how the big one had survived and we were pleasantly surprised. Perhaps because it is part of the group of antiquities in the centre [Trajan’s temple, the Forum, the Circus Maximus, Arch of Constantine, the Coliseum and the Apian Way], it generates sufficient revenue which can be returned in the form of the ongoing restoration/excavation. There was considerable work being done on lots of the old buildings throughout this core area when we visited, probably because it was the off-tourist season. Mind you, there still were hoards of people visiting each of the sites and this is nearly mid-winter so the summer peak season must be diabolical [wonder how many they cram into the Sistine Chapel then]. .
The Forum. West of the Coliseum is the Roman Forum. Lots of excavation and restoration work being done at this time. Most of the buildings one sees today were built in the two centuries each side of year Zero and some have stood up to the rigours of time [and abuse of Man] remarkably well. Possibly because many were built of brick rather than stone/marble so the structure was less likely to be raided by subsequent builders.
Castel Sant 'Angelo. In 28 BC, Emperor Augustus built a mausoleum to receive the remains of Rome’s Emperors and their families. By the 2nd century AD, the mausoleum was nearly full so Hadrian [that man again] decided to start over and in 130 AD built himself a grand new tomb across the river. The tomb was a massive round structure, which just happened to be a great base for fortifications, and by the Middle Ages, the tomb had gradually been developed into Rome's greatest castle, and eventually, the papal military stronghold. The Castel has that "don’t mess with me look”. There is a corridor [the Passetto] on the top the old Vatican wall between St. Peter's and the Castel Sant' Angelo which Pope Clement VII used to evade the attacking armies of Charles V when they sacked Rome in 1527.
Pantheon. A truly magnificent building, the Pantheon was built in the early 2nd Century by Hadrian. The Pantheon is the best preserved example of ancient Rome and was initially a temple dedicated to all the gods of pagan Rome. The Pantheon exists today in such good condition because in the early 7th Century AD, the Byzantines gifted it to the then Pope and it has been in continuous use since then. Actually, if you add the earlier [pagan] period that is 1800 years the building has been in continuous use. Quite a record. When building the Pantheon, Hadrian used progressively lighter materials toward the top of the dome which is actually constructed using blocks of pumice. The building has no windows with all light being provided by the open cupola at the top of the dome. The Pantheon is the final resting place for the Italian kings Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I as well as Renaissance painter, Raphael.
Piazza Navona. On our previous visits, the Piazza was a large open area providing space for three significant fountains, including as the centrepiece the Fountain of the Four Rivers. Around the edges, the outdoor seating for the many restaurants and cafeterias encroached on the central area. This time it was the Rome’s main outdoor market for Xmas decorations and lots of peddlers selling Indian and Chinese scarves, bubble blowing toys, tickets to "hop on, hop off" tour buses and lots of other "madam, you must buy this" junk.
Il Vittoriano. Officially known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II, the enormous white marble monument that dominates Piazza Veneza was built as a tribute to the first king of the united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II. It is possibly the biggest, most prominent and whitest building in Italy [churches excluded]. The centrepiece of the monument is a colossal equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel. At the foot of the statue is Italy's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This is a really impressive building and that is some statement in a country full of impressive buildings.
Spanish Steps. So called because of their proximity to the Spanish Embassy. A spot where young Romans engage in long passionate kisses and soulful gazes into each other’s eyes... and pickpockets seek out the next target.
Via del Corso. One of the main shopping streets for Rome which is largely turned into a pedestrian mall during the day.
Trevi Fountain. Probably the best known and most visited of Rome’s many fountains. The water for the fountain, which depicts Triton upon a shell-shaped chariot drawn by sea horses, is supplied by one of the oldest Roman aqueducts. Appropriately for a fountain resembling a stage set, the Trevi Fountain has been the star of many films shot in Rome, including "Three Coins in a Fountain", "Roman Holiday" and "La Dolce Vita". Legend has it that before moving off, you should throw a coin in the fountain, thereby ensuring your return Rome. Apparently, "those seeking a little romance, perhaps even an Italian love, should then toss a second, third coin to make sure wedding bells will soon be chiming." Sounds a bit like a plan to boost the city coffers, but then maybe we are too cynical. Nonetheless, we took out some insurance [in the form of two small gold coins] in case we decided to return.
Testaccio Market, Predominantly a food market although there were some clothing and shoe stalls around the edges. Being indoors [and very new], this is possibly the model for things to come. The former Testaccio outdoor market was closed for hygiene reasons and the new complex was built as its replacement. General opinion is that it is sterile, lacking the colour and vibrancy of the outdoor markets. However, the produce is still fresh and seemed to be going out the door just as quickly as we had observed in the more traditional markets.
Sassio Market. Predominantly a clothing market with a mixture of name brands, knock offs and stuff that had probably "fallen off the back of a truck”. Currently, cold weather jackets and warm clothing are the main items being pushed so presumably, they adjust their stock to meet the seasonal market.
So to wrap up our final report from Italy, some numbers:
We drove 11,207kms with Carla [and then bussed, trammed, trained, boated, flew and walked a whole bunch more]
We took over 8500 photos [aren't you glad we didn't put all of them in the blogs?]
We had 22 stopovers in Korea, Germany, Belgium and Italy
We travelled on/in Metros, buses, trains, trams, shuttle buses, a lease car, taxis, ferries, planes. a city sightseeing bus, lifts and escalators
We visited Neolithic sites, Ancient sites, Medieval sites, Renaissance sites, Baroque sites, ruins, earthquake red zones, museums, gardens and spas
We stayed in major cities, large towns, medieval towns, beach towns, lakeside towns, hilltop towns and mountain villages
We have been inspired by St Peter's, duomos, basilicas, chiesas, campaniles, castles, torres, watchtowers, wonderful mosaics and beautiful paintings
We have slept in apartments, city homes, isolated country houses, city palazzos, transit hotels, planes and trains
We have driven over extremely tall viaducts, very long viaducts, through long tunnels and over rivers [as well as riding the metro under rivers]
We have shopped in shopping malls, outlet villages, high streets [and low streets], cities, villages and towns
We have drunk coffee Americanos, espressos and caffe lattes in caffes, gelaterias, ristorantes, trattorias, osterias and Autogrills
We ate some memorable [and sometimes] surprising food [and can totally understand why the Italians have influenced food throughout the world]
We have imbibed in some excellent wines and been surprised at the number of grape varieties available in Italy
We have thoroughly enjoyed meeting the locals throughout Italy, and even though we did strike the occasional grumpy bugger, they were far outnumbered by the kind, warm outgoing, garrulous, noisy, fun majority.
Our trip highlights included:
Viewing The Last Supper in Milan|
Visiting the Automotive Museum in Turin
Riding the ferry from Italy to Switzerland and taking the train back through the mountains
Climbing the Twin Towers of Bologna
Visiting the gardens in Collidi
Visiting Spoleto and walking the Roman bridge
Visiting the hill towns of Bergamo Alta, Montefalco, Montegufoni, Torre di Palme, Erice and San Miniato
Visiting Leonardo di Vinci's home town
Driving over the mountain to thevspa town of Bagna di Lucca
Viewing the earthquake damaged L'Aquila
"Discovering" the wonderful medieval city of Ascoli Piceno
Viewing Baroque architecture at Lecce, Noto, Modica, Scicli, Ragusa, Monreale and Palermo
Visiting the wonderful churches at Milan, Turin, Palermo, Monreale, Modica, Ragusa, Rome, Naples, Corpo di Cava, Syracuse, Noto
Visiting magnificent royal palaces at Caserta and Naples
Walking through the ancient ruins in Rome, Ercolano, Paestum and Agrigento
Viewing historic museums in Vinci, Turin, Naples, Caserta and the Vatican
Scaling the heights of Milan's Duomo, the Norman castle above Cefalu, the Dome of Florence's Cathedral and the Arco Castle
Swimming in the Mediterranean in Sicily
Plus many more which will return to the memory banks once we review our photos.
We have had some "scary" moments such as:
Stu trying to negotiate the narrow streets of Arco during our first days with Carla
Being sent down goat tracks by Carla because that was her "fastest route" [not funny, Carla]
Stu driving down a narrow one way street only to find that there was someone coming the other way [who was travelling in the right direction]
the electrical storm blowing all of the fuses in the apartment and the front panel falling off the fuse board exposing all of the wiring
Lightning storm in Paestum with us caught in the open
... but we managed to survive and generally had a bit of a laugh about them after the event although that may just have been a release of nervous tension.
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Throughout the five months we have had a great time, no arguments [we think we will survive retirement together], were amazed, surprised, enthralled, entertained, satisfied, wined and dined. And while there may have been the occasional "Oh, bugger..." moments, they were few and far between. Summing up, we had a ball. But now, a little travel weary, we are ready to head home to family and friends. We hope you have enjoyed our blog [or at least not been too bored...just think, we could have included all 8500 photos!!] . We have enjoyed sharing our adventures with you and doing the "field research" throughout Italy over the past five months.
Our final "ciao ciao" as we board the plane out of Rome. So, best wishes to everyone for the festive season and looking forward to catching up with you [well, the NZ connection at least] in the New Year.
Buon Natale [Merry Christmas],
Stu and Trish