Tour Day 12

We reconvened outside our hotel for our walking tour of the Forum and to see the Colosseum. We took a city bus to the ancient sights, and that might have been the hottest experience of the whole tour. I was grateful to get off once we reached our destination! We met our guide, Guernia, at the entrance to the famous sights. Guernia was another fantastic local guide who breathed life into these ancient structures. 

In addition to the Colosseum, we saw the Arch of Titus, the various buildings of the Forum, the site where Caesar was cremated, and countless other historically significant sights. As an American, I think we take for granted how young my country is. It was an eye opening experience to walk amongst buildings and landmarks that are 2,500 years old. I can only describe it as humbling. 

Our walking tour continued as we wound our way through Rome headed for the Pantheon. We passed the Victor Emmanuel Monument, many piazzas, and dodged lots of traffic. We approached the Pantheon from the back on a side street. I'm not sure if this was by design or just the route we took, but seeing the building when you come around the corner was amazing. The piazza was packed and the church was quite busy as well for late in the day. 

The interior was just as mesmerizing as the exterior. There were beautiful statues and carvings brought to life by our guide. I found the oculus a little strange, I would've loved to be in there when it was raining! We also saw tombs of several famous people, including Rafael. Again, the sheer age and amount of history in that church was staggering. 

It was still terribly hot after our visit so Paul took us to a nearby gelateria for a treat. I opted for lemon basil this time and was not disappointed. It was light and refreshing and just what I needed!

At this point we said goodbye to Guernia and were back in the hands of trusty Paul. We decided to take a group walk over to the Trevi fountain and then to Piazza Navona. The Trevi fountain is BEAUTIFUL! The carving work and attention to detail are exquisite. 

What's not so exquisite? The throngs of people waiting to make their wish to return to Rome. My understanding is that they've changed how tourists enter and interact with the fountain, so I can't give any future advice other than to be patient and follow the rules! Scouring the fountain and looking for an opening was definitely part of the experience of it all. I was able to throw in my coin, so a return trip to Rome is in my future. Lucky me! 

Paul led us through the streets of Rome to the lovely Piazza Navona. We were set free for the evening, but Paul mentioned that he was going to walk back to the hotel in a little while if anyone else wanted to join him on a floodlit stroll. In the meantime, however, it was time to eat! My group found a lovely little restaurant on the Piazza to enjoy dinner and a drink with a view. Tonight I chose pizza, because what could be more Italian than that? I selected one with guanciale and sauteed onions. Good food and good company were a great way to cap a steamy first afternoon in Rome. 

Truthfully, I wasn't 100% sure about joining Paul and some of the other tour members for the walk. It was definitely a little bit of a hike back to our hotel and I was pretty tired. I decided to go anyway. 

Pro tip: at this point of the trip, you will be tired. Power through it! When will you be in Rome admiring floodlit monuments next?! 

In the relative cool of the evening, we set off for our home away from home. I was so glad I went on this walk! Our first famous site was Castel Sant'Angelo. There was harpist playing outside which added to the ambience. We crossed several bridges which afforded us a sneak peak of the Vatican, where we would be spending time tomorrow. Paul ended up leading us through the Vatican which was quiet and beautifully lit. All in all, the walk was so well worth it. 

Pro tip: listen to your guides! They have all the tricks up their sleeves and so many good ideas.