post

Rome

September 11, 2014 – Thursday – Rome walking tour, Italy

Rick Steves Best of Europe in 21 Days tour

Upon our arrival in Rome, our driver Sylvain has to maneuver through some pretty challenging turns and narrow streets to get us to the drop off point in the city at Repubblica Square. Driving a vehicle that large in Rome is a real challenge! Once we are parked, we schlepp our bags the few blocks to Hotel Nardizzi Americana in sprinkling rain. A bunch of us have lunch on our own at a nearby salad bar deli. I have a delicious prosciutto panino (we say Panini in North America, which is actually the plural form of panino in Italian).

Group photo in front of the Roman Forum
Group photo in front of the Roman Forum

We go on an extensive walking tour of Rome this afternoon with a local guide who succeeds in bringing the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon alive for us all. Several of us are tired after all the walking this afternoon, so we return to the hotel on our own using the Rome subway. Jennifer taught us well earlier in the day when we started our tour by taking the subway, so we have no problem reversing the route.

Three of us have dinner at Ristorante Esperia, which is a trattoria only a couple of blocks away from our hotel. I have Spaghetti Carbonara, which is very rich and tasty. We all enjoy our meals, although the wine is a bit expensive.

Rome
45 photos
The Colliseum and the Arch of Titus
The Colliseum and the Arch of Titus
The Colliseum being restored
The Colliseum being restored
Detail on the Colliseum exterior
Detail on the Colliseum exterior
The Colosseum arena showing the hypogeum's partially restored floor
The Colosseum arena showing the hypogeum’s partially restored floor
The Hypogeum's passageways under the former floor
The Hypogeum’s passageways under the former floor
The Colosseum arena showing the hypogeum
The Colosseum arena showing the hypogeum
Colliseum raked seating area
Colliseum raked seating area
Arch of Titus
Arch of Titus
Roman Forum and the Via Sacra Roman road in front of the Palatine Hill
Roman Forum and the Via Sacra Roman road in front of the Palatine Hill
Jennifer and our group inside the Colliseum
Jennifer and our group inside the Colliseum
Roman arches made of bricks
Roman arches made of bricks
The hypogeum walls detail
The hypogeum walls detail
The back of the Colliseum from the Arch of Constantine
The back of the Colliseum from the Arch of Constantine
Original cobblestones on the Via Sacra Roman road
Original cobblestones on the Via Sacra Roman road
Arch of Titus
Arch of Titus
Arch of Titus central soffit coffers
Arch of Titus central soffit coffers
Arch of Titus reliefs
Arch of Titus reliefs
Santa Francesca Romana Basilica
Santa Francesca Romana Basilica
Santi Cosma e Damiano
Santi Cosma e Damiano
Columns in front of the Santi Cosma e Damiano
Columns in front of the Santi Cosma e Damiano
Antoninus and Faustina Temple
Antoninus and Faustina Temple
The Roman Forum is a busy place...even today!
The Roman Forum is a busy place…even today!
Temple of Saturn with anti-crepuscular rays behind
Temple of Saturn with anti-crepuscular rays behind
Temple of Saturn
Temple of Saturn
Carved piece of a Roman column
Carved piece of a Roman column
Septimius Severus Arch
Septimius Severus Arch
Temple of Saturn
Temple of Saturn
Group photo in front of the Roman Forum
Group photo in front of the Roman Forum
Septimius Severus Arch, Roman Forum and Temple of Saturn
Septimius Severus Arch, Roman Forum and Temple of Saturn
View of the ancient city from the Piazza del Campidoglio
View of the ancient city from the Piazza del Campidoglio
Statutory embedded in a wall of the Capitoline Museum
Statutory embedded in a wall of the Capitoline Museum
Fashion shoot beside a statue of Zeus/Poseidon
Fashion shoot beside a statue of Zeus/Poseidon
Window detail in the Musei Capitolini
Window detail in the Musei Capitolini
A copy of the David in the Musei Capitolini
A copy of the David in the Musei Capitolini
Cordonata descending from the Piazza del Campidoglio
Cordonata descending from the Piazza del Campidoglio
Elephant and Obelisk in the Piazza della Minerva
Elephant and Obelisk in the Piazza della Minerva
Rear view of the Pantheon where the old Roman wall is located
Rear view of the Pantheon where the old Roman wall is located
Front entrance to the Pantheon
Front entrance to the Pantheon
The Pantheon interior
The Pantheon interior
The Pantheon interior dome
The Pantheon interior dome
The Pantheon interior
The Pantheon interior
Our group using the Rome metro on our own
Our group using the Rome metro on our own
National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II
National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II
Castel Sant'Angelo on the Tiber River
Castel Sant’Angelo on the Tiber River
Joggers run beside the Tiber River
Joggers run beside the Tiber River