Italy, Rome 2005

We used the "hotel finder" web site to find the hotel, it was very a small hotel, run by a very old lady, I would not recommend it at all, we complained to the "hotel finder" web site when we got back. We arrived late but well before midnight, to find that our room had been given to someone else, the old lady that ran the place took us around the corner to another hotel for the first night.

After our dodgy first night in Rome we got checked into our booked room (maybe we should have just stayed where we were) and got out there to see it all. Always wanted to visit Rome and just wandered off looking at everything.

We wandered all over the centre, before we found out that, as it was a Sunday all of the major attractions were open and free to get in (apparently this happens on the last Sunday in each month).

The place we went in was the Castel Sant' Angelo, originally the tomb of the Roman emperor Hadrian and was erected on the right bank of the Tiber, between 135 and 139.

We even had a drink in there, that was a shock, it cost a fortune. There are very good views from the top though, we were up there quite a while.

From there we made our way back into the centre and found the place where Julius Caesar was killed, the Theatre of Pompey.

We did pop in one pub near here to check it the football was on TV but I can not remember if it was or not, I seem to remember it though. I think we had our evening meal near our hotel and it was not good, will not do that again.

Next day we did much the same, that is exploring the place, we ended up at the Colosseum but the queues of tickets were huge. We did however find that a ticket for the Colosseum and Forum could be bought together from the Forum were the queues were small. So that is what we did and would do the Forum today and the Colosseum later.

The Forum was a lot bigger than I thought it would be and it took an age to look around the place.

 

After looking round, we made our way back into the canter and ended up a the Trevi Fountain. It was very busy there, I do not know how I got this shot so that it looks like we are the only people there, it was incredibly crowded and was every time we passed it.

It was back to the pub on the night, I think we found the Hard Rock Cafe and had food in there.

So it was the Colosseum today, straight in with only a small queues to hold us up. Again the Colosseum was better than I expected and I wandered round in amazement.

From there we wandered round to the old Circo Massimo, the ancient Roman chariot racing stadium and mass entertainment venue. Its still there but all covered over and could look better.

The next thing we did was a tour bus trip around the sites and we got some ideas on where to go next. Off the bus we continued walking but with a new purpose and eventually found the Pantheon, I had no idea it was so old built in about 126AD.

We spotted a wedding at the Trevi Fountain as we headed towards the Hard Rock Cafe were we had some very good food.

Today we headed to Vatican City and walked across St. Peter's Square and into St Peter's Basilica. It is really big there is a marker on the floor showing how big other cathedrals are.

 

After looking around there, we went round the Vatican Museum another really big interesting place. The walk through the museum ended in the Sistine Chapel with its great ceiling paintings.

 

We had a good pizza from a shop just at the back of the Vatican, before continuing with our walk. That night we ended up back at the Hard Rock.

Next day we walked out away from the centre, to find the city walls. We found the walls on Corso D'Italia and walk to the left and followed the them. It was while walking here that a car stopped and we were asked directions, we spoke to the driver in English and he replied sorry to bother us. As it was we did know the directions he needed ans he was very pleases, saying that we were much more helpful than most Romans.

It was around here we crossed over the road and walked into the park there. Borghese Park (I believe) is big, we walked part way thorough and came out around Piazza del Popolo.

That evening it was back to the Hard Rock, not very adventurous, but cheep and we knew the place, we didn't have that much money either. We did use other places but it was also very close to our apartment.

On our last day we had another good wander around the place and we had lunch in one of the smartest McDonald's I have ever seen. But soon it was time to go.

Dot through coins into the Trevi Fountain and made a wish, hopefully that means we will be back.