Here I sit on the train on my way to Florence after one night in Rome. Rome in a day felt about right. I love Rome, but it’s a big city, steeped in Roman Catholic history. On this visit it seemed that all I could see were Baroque churches, representative of 16th century Rome, with its renewal and response to the counter reformation.
That being said, I had a wonderful day in The Eternal City. There was much for which to be grateful, which is always a good way to start out. My flight arrived early and my hotel room was ready. How good is that? Very. I bought a day bus pass. First stop, Campo de Fiori for my first pizza (marinara) of the trip. Next, a visit to Castel Sant’Angelo. Originally built by Hadrian (76-138 CE) for his tomb but added to over the years to serve as, among other things, a prison, barracks, and a get away for many popes. Borgia Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503) built a secret passage way from the Vatican to the castle.
Being my frugal mother’s daughter, I had to get my money’s worth with the bus pass, so back to the hotel for a nap and then out again to wander about the area of the Pantheon (completed during Hadrian’s reign) and the Piazza Navona, where I enjoyed a delicious meal of bruschetta and tagliatelle with shrimp and zucchini. Early to bed and early to rise to catch this 8:45 italotreno.it to Firenze, where I am now posting this.
That being said, I had a wonderful day in The Eternal City. There was much for which to be grateful, which is always a good way to start out. My flight arrived early and my hotel room was ready. How good is that? Very. I bought a day bus pass. First stop, Campo de Fiori for my first pizza (marinara) of the trip. Next, a visit to Castel Sant’Angelo. Originally built by Hadrian (76-138 CE) for his tomb but added to over the years to serve as, among other things, a prison, barracks, and a get away for many popes. Borgia Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503) built a secret passage way from the Vatican to the castle.
Being my frugal mother’s daughter, I had to get my money’s worth with the bus pass, so back to the hotel for a nap and then out again to wander about the area of the Pantheon (completed during Hadrian’s reign) and the Piazza Navona, where I enjoyed a delicious meal of bruschetta and tagliatelle with shrimp and zucchini. Early to bed and early to rise to catch this 8:45 italotreno.it to Firenze, where I am now posting this.