Italy
Trip Report May/June 2002
In Caesar's Footsteps
Roma
In Caesar's Footsteps
Roma
Hotel Carravaggio 186€ (double per night)
I chose this carefully on the net but obviously, not carefully enough. It was a dump, but a reasonably well-located dump one block from Via Nazionale, near the Quirinale. The lobby was dismal (and not like the pictures in the brochure). The breakfast room was worse (and not like the pictures in the brochure). The actual rooms were next door thru a separate entranceway that needed sandblasting or something & the elevator was obviously built before either World War. Another deserted but antiqued lobby was on the second floor at the start of the maze that they called hallways. The room was small & decrepit & desperately needed help - peeling wallpaper etc (and not like the pictures in the brochure). The satellite TV seemed to work better with the antenna & the AC was shut off because "no one in Roma uses AC this early". Oh well, it was only a 15 minute walk from the Trevi, the Foro & 20 minutes from the Pantheon. I have to admit though, the staff was excellent. BTW Via Nazionale is lined with mid-priced clothing boutiques for shopping. |
Day 9 Todi to Roma
In the car and on the road again. Todi to Roma was a fast drive. We hopped on the Perugia/Terni highway (kind of a modern Via Flaminia) and skirted Roma to the north to get to the airport. We dropped the car at Fiumicino and took the train into Termini. Doing a train with baggage is not fun, but it was cheap. You have to bull your way on and put your luggage anywhere you can see it. 18€ for 2 one-ways and the station is in the same building as the car drop-off. The downside came at Termini - the main train station in Rome - where we had to walk what seemed like miles to get to the taxis. OK, they did have moving sidewalks . . .
Since we arrived before lunch, we hit the ground running. We walked to the Imperial Forum and had lunch in some wallet-sucking tourist restaurant right beside the Foro di Traiano. Next up was the Coliseum. We waved off the tour guides and wandered around the site ourselves. Very moving for my wife as she visualized the people that died here for entertainment.
Then it was up the Via Sacre and onto the Palatine down into the Republican Forum. Whew! Major history overload. The biggest problem with this site is the ancient over-building which makes it a tough one to figure out. Finally, it was up the Capitoline Hill and through Michelangelo's Campodoglio to his wonderful steps. We skipped the museum so we'll have to go back sometime . . .
The traffic in Roma is nuts, of course. Not as crazed overall as Napoli, but very constant & very noisy. Motorcycles, motorbikes and motor scooters everywhere. Streets. Sidewalks. They creep to the front at every red light and roar off. Of course, this is not unique to Roma. As a pedestrian, you have to be bold and stare them down. So get some Italian attitude and be brave.
Dinner: Il Bacaro (Pantheon area) One from the guide books. This one was crowded and the owner took forever (15 - 20 minutes) to wander over for wine advice. The food was very strange combinations - maybe a little too strange. My wife went to the washroom, which didn't flush and she got locked in! The staff seemed indifferent to this. Another patron, from North Carolina got locked in too. Their table was 2" from our table, so we got to know them quite well. Give this restaurant a miss unless you can sit outside. Make sure you go to a washroom before you arrive. 40 - 50€ (excluding wine).
In the car and on the road again. Todi to Roma was a fast drive. We hopped on the Perugia/Terni highway (kind of a modern Via Flaminia) and skirted Roma to the north to get to the airport. We dropped the car at Fiumicino and took the train into Termini. Doing a train with baggage is not fun, but it was cheap. You have to bull your way on and put your luggage anywhere you can see it. 18€ for 2 one-ways and the station is in the same building as the car drop-off. The downside came at Termini - the main train station in Rome - where we had to walk what seemed like miles to get to the taxis. OK, they did have moving sidewalks . . .
Since we arrived before lunch, we hit the ground running. We walked to the Imperial Forum and had lunch in some wallet-sucking tourist restaurant right beside the Foro di Traiano. Next up was the Coliseum. We waved off the tour guides and wandered around the site ourselves. Very moving for my wife as she visualized the people that died here for entertainment.
Then it was up the Via Sacre and onto the Palatine down into the Republican Forum. Whew! Major history overload. The biggest problem with this site is the ancient over-building which makes it a tough one to figure out. Finally, it was up the Capitoline Hill and through Michelangelo's Campodoglio to his wonderful steps. We skipped the museum so we'll have to go back sometime . . .
The traffic in Roma is nuts, of course. Not as crazed overall as Napoli, but very constant & very noisy. Motorcycles, motorbikes and motor scooters everywhere. Streets. Sidewalks. They creep to the front at every red light and roar off. Of course, this is not unique to Roma. As a pedestrian, you have to be bold and stare them down. So get some Italian attitude and be brave.
Dinner: Il Bacaro (Pantheon area) One from the guide books. This one was crowded and the owner took forever (15 - 20 minutes) to wander over for wine advice. The food was very strange combinations - maybe a little too strange. My wife went to the washroom, which didn't flush and she got locked in! The staff seemed indifferent to this. Another patron, from North Carolina got locked in too. Their table was 2" from our table, so we got to know them quite well. Give this restaurant a miss unless you can sit outside. Make sure you go to a washroom before you arrive. 40 - 50€ (excluding wine).
The Coliseum and the Roman Forum
Day 10 Roma . . . continued . . .
Vatican Day!
We taxied over to the Vatican museum just around 8AM to get in the line. The goal was to follow some net directions I had to beeline to the Sistine Chapel before it became hopelessly jammed. The guards supposedly frown on this exhibit 'vaulting' but when we did get admitted, that's exactly what we did. And we weren't alone as others scrabbled along the same route. (2015 Note - FYI it is no longer possible to take this shortcut route) So, after this neck-craning wonder, we wandered leisurely back through the rest of the museum. I know we skipped a lot of the painting's galleries but we saw numerous Raphael's and Michelangelo's etc etc. And a lot of the sculpture. And the Egyptian stuff. And after that, we didn't care because we were arted out. Time for something different . . . but we'll have to go back . . . (See Sicily 2009)
We left the museum and went around the corner to the Piazza of San Pietro - which was cordoned off by police. Pope John Paul II was doing his outdoor Wednesday mass. Look for the tiny white blob under the canopy in the photo below. That's him!
Since we couldn't get in, we wandered down the nearby streets and found a cafe for lunch, A pressed sandwich of some sort, I think. We ate outside. Interesting to have nuns and priests flitting around everywhere on the streets etc in full getup.
After lunch, we lined up for the dome elevator. 20 minutes later and we were up at the interim part inside the dome when you realize that those pictures you see from down below in the church are large mosaics. Who'd have thought? Then it was up the twisted and narrowing stairway to the outer dome. My wife didn't like that part - especially the rope in the last stretch. But the view that awaits and the photo ops made it worthwhile. Back to ground level and we wandered into the church itself.
Religion aside. And the politics of religion aside, this is one stunning place! Michelangelo's Pietà - now unfortunately behind photo-smearing glass. The size of the building. The lavishness. The tombs of the popes. San Pietro's tomb. Even if you believe that god is a newt, this church is a must-see. Man's devotion to god - on LSD.
After this experience, we stumbled across the Tiber and grabbed a cab. Exhausted.
Dinner: Al Bric (Navona area) A nice restaurant, noted (in the guide books) for having a great wine selection & they did. The food was very good too. A great meal. The waitress was very kind & helped us decode the menu. A bottle of Barbaresco bit the dust here. 40 -50€ (excluding wine)
Vatican Day!
We taxied over to the Vatican museum just around 8AM to get in the line. The goal was to follow some net directions I had to beeline to the Sistine Chapel before it became hopelessly jammed. The guards supposedly frown on this exhibit 'vaulting' but when we did get admitted, that's exactly what we did. And we weren't alone as others scrabbled along the same route. (2015 Note - FYI it is no longer possible to take this shortcut route) So, after this neck-craning wonder, we wandered leisurely back through the rest of the museum. I know we skipped a lot of the painting's galleries but we saw numerous Raphael's and Michelangelo's etc etc. And a lot of the sculpture. And the Egyptian stuff. And after that, we didn't care because we were arted out. Time for something different . . . but we'll have to go back . . . (See Sicily 2009)
We left the museum and went around the corner to the Piazza of San Pietro - which was cordoned off by police. Pope John Paul II was doing his outdoor Wednesday mass. Look for the tiny white blob under the canopy in the photo below. That's him!
Since we couldn't get in, we wandered down the nearby streets and found a cafe for lunch, A pressed sandwich of some sort, I think. We ate outside. Interesting to have nuns and priests flitting around everywhere on the streets etc in full getup.
After lunch, we lined up for the dome elevator. 20 minutes later and we were up at the interim part inside the dome when you realize that those pictures you see from down below in the church are large mosaics. Who'd have thought? Then it was up the twisted and narrowing stairway to the outer dome. My wife didn't like that part - especially the rope in the last stretch. But the view that awaits and the photo ops made it worthwhile. Back to ground level and we wandered into the church itself.
Religion aside. And the politics of religion aside, this is one stunning place! Michelangelo's Pietà - now unfortunately behind photo-smearing glass. The size of the building. The lavishness. The tombs of the popes. San Pietro's tomb. Even if you believe that god is a newt, this church is a must-see. Man's devotion to god - on LSD.
After this experience, we stumbled across the Tiber and grabbed a cab. Exhausted.
Dinner: Al Bric (Navona area) A nice restaurant, noted (in the guide books) for having a great wine selection & they did. The food was very good too. A great meal. The waitress was very kind & helped us decode the menu. A bottle of Barbaresco bit the dust here. 40 -50€ (excluding wine)
Day 11 Roma . . . continued . . . our last day . . .
We had no plan. It was done. We were getting touristed out. You know, when you reach the stage in a vacation where a quaint cafe is just another quaint cafe. Masterpieces merit only a glance, your picture taking slows down and you just want to relax reading a book but you feel too guilty because you have spent so much time and money to get there. Well, we were there.
But . . . we soldiered on and made our way through the ups and downs of the hills of the long-gone Subura of Ancient Roma to the OTHER Church of San Pietro - the Vincoli one. Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli. Church of Saint Peter in Chains. Here, the marble of a horned Moses by Michelangelo is the star. Oh yeah, and St Peter's 'chains' were in a reliquary . Well, I have to tell you, suspect relics can't compete with a real masterpiece.
We then headed up past Nero's Domus Aurea and eventually we circled back to the Piazza Pantheon which we always seemed to be walking through. Then it was on to the fountains adorning Piazza Navona. Wandering back, we stumbled upon the Teatro Argentina, with all of the cats. It is noted more as a cat sanctuary now, rather than for its notoriety. Caesar died in the atrium of Pompey's Villa - the steps of which are visible. He plugged the plug on the corrupt Republic of Rome and died because of it. Now cats get all of the attention here.
Rain kicked in at the Trevi Fountain - another place we kept 'finding'. We huddled with the vendors for a while and then made it to a department store nearby to wait out the brief shower.
Dinner this night ended up being a walk-by ristorante somewhere between Marcus Aurelius's column and the Pantheon. It was very good but the name never registered. We were tired. We were ready to go home.
We had no plan. It was done. We were getting touristed out. You know, when you reach the stage in a vacation where a quaint cafe is just another quaint cafe. Masterpieces merit only a glance, your picture taking slows down and you just want to relax reading a book but you feel too guilty because you have spent so much time and money to get there. Well, we were there.
But . . . we soldiered on and made our way through the ups and downs of the hills of the long-gone Subura of Ancient Roma to the OTHER Church of San Pietro - the Vincoli one. Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli. Church of Saint Peter in Chains. Here, the marble of a horned Moses by Michelangelo is the star. Oh yeah, and St Peter's 'chains' were in a reliquary . Well, I have to tell you, suspect relics can't compete with a real masterpiece.
We then headed up past Nero's Domus Aurea and eventually we circled back to the Piazza Pantheon which we always seemed to be walking through. Then it was on to the fountains adorning Piazza Navona. Wandering back, we stumbled upon the Teatro Argentina, with all of the cats. It is noted more as a cat sanctuary now, rather than for its notoriety. Caesar died in the atrium of Pompey's Villa - the steps of which are visible. He plugged the plug on the corrupt Republic of Rome and died because of it. Now cats get all of the attention here.
Rain kicked in at the Trevi Fountain - another place we kept 'finding'. We huddled with the vendors for a while and then made it to a department store nearby to wait out the brief shower.
Dinner this night ended up being a walk-by ristorante somewhere between Marcus Aurelius's column and the Pantheon. It was very good but the name never registered. We were tired. We were ready to go home.
Conclusion
Our trip was great & we will go back. The wine, the food, the history, the people, the mountains . . . how could we not?
In hindsight we did 2 things wrong & they both involved driving. The major drive we took on the 1st day - Roma to Amalfi was far too long and far too difficult to attempt on a jet-lagged body with no sleep. We should have started with Todi, because it would have been a far more manageable trek. The back-to-back drives - north from the coast to Todi and then buzzing to Montalcino and back the next day - was also a mistake. Far too much steering wheel time in 2 days. We learned.
The only other change in planning for future trips is the choice of hotels in major centers. We bombed with our choice in Roma and it muted our enjoyment of the city - although the millions of screaming motorbikes comes in a close second. We made this mistake in Barcelona on an earlier trip also. So we will spend a bit more time researching hotels in major centers for future trips.
And yes, the Amalfi Coast is stunning and every serious traveler should make the trek. Just don't expect to be alone. Ever.
Our trip was great & we will go back. The wine, the food, the history, the people, the mountains . . . how could we not?
In hindsight we did 2 things wrong & they both involved driving. The major drive we took on the 1st day - Roma to Amalfi was far too long and far too difficult to attempt on a jet-lagged body with no sleep. We should have started with Todi, because it would have been a far more manageable trek. The back-to-back drives - north from the coast to Todi and then buzzing to Montalcino and back the next day - was also a mistake. Far too much steering wheel time in 2 days. We learned.
The only other change in planning for future trips is the choice of hotels in major centers. We bombed with our choice in Roma and it muted our enjoyment of the city - although the millions of screaming motorbikes comes in a close second. We made this mistake in Barcelona on an earlier trip also. So we will spend a bit more time researching hotels in major centers for future trips.
And yes, the Amalfi Coast is stunning and every serious traveler should make the trek. Just don't expect to be alone. Ever.