Monday, July 29, 2013

Day 12 - Last Day Roma

Early morning view from our hotel room
Wonderful bakery around the corner

Too many choices!


Why is this so perfect!

Campo de' Fiori, 5 minutes from Hotel Smeraldo





Our walking route to the Forum

Forum View looking eastwards


Capitoline Hill - Piazza del Campodoglio





Now on the other side of Capitoline Hill, we see the Forum looking westwards from Via dei Fori Imperiali

Arch of Septimius Severus, 203 AD

Temple of Saturn, 497 BC



How incongruous .. saffron Asian ascetics!
Talk about a healthy snack stand!

Our first glimpse of the Colosseum!

The line up was long in time and people but crazy as it sounds, added to the experience ...

And definitely worth the wait ... 80 AD / 2000 years old, stripped of all marble and parts, eroded yet still truly awe inspiring ...







Wow, who knew!  Some ancient Romans!
Back to ... the Pantheon





The Pantheon sits on the Piazza della Rotonda










Piazza Colonna

The marble Column of Marcus Aurelius has stood in Piazza Colonna since 193 CE
Trevi Fountain, of course....




Packed with tourists, we didn't stay long and we didn't toss a coin in...

Spanish Steps from the Via dei Condotti

Fontana della Barcaccia (Fountain of the Old Boat) in the Piazza di Spagna at the base of the Spanish Steps, 1627

So many people, colourful people..



Heading up the 135 steps ...




Church of the Santissima Trinità dei Monti, 1585




Heading back down....




Our new carry-on canvas suitcase ...

Back at the Hotel Smeraldo ... view out our bedroom window of the street below ...


View of the trattoria ...
Still our view ... straight across ...


Heading out for our last supper ... crossing the Arno at dusk ....


To Trastevere



Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere

3rd level was/is University of Waterloo School of Architecture studio where someone we know spent 4 months in 1988...

Had to have dinner at Sabatini's


Acqua minerale frizzante


Back across the Arno... bittersweet magic for a last night ...


Gelato shop ...
How is it possible to choose when there are so many delectable choices?




Arrivederci Roma ... and a magical, amazing 12 days...