All roads lead to Rome and here I am again. I had a list last time and things were left unticked. Time to tick some more of them off the list before heading for the Amalfi Coast.
My brother Russ and I landed at 9 in the morning, checked into the AirBnB and headed out again. We hit the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Piazza Navona where we stopped for an aperitivo.
In the evening we met up with my sister Edeana and her husband David for gelato.
Day Two
We all met for cappuccini and croissants at my favourite place from last time – the Tourist Info across from the Colosseum.
Then we went our separate ways. Edeana, David and Russ went off to the Forum and Colosseum for the day (this was their first time in Rome) and I went in search of those bits and pieces from my list.
First was the Domus Aurea, Nero’s massive palace that he built after Rome burned in 64 AD. The ruins are in a big park behind the Colosseum. Not much is left and you can only see the underground stuff by guided tour on weekends, so I had to make do with the above ground ruins.
There were people maintaining the grounds, and I have to assume that they were prisoners because there were just as many guards hanging around as there were “gardeners”, as well as vans labeled “polizia penitenziaria”.
Great view of the colosseum from this hillside park.
Then 3 churches because, well because this is Rome and it’s really all about Roman ruins, Bernini and churches! First St. Peter in Chains where I saw Moses by Michaelangelo.
Then San Clemente, which is right beside our AirBnB, and whose bells woke my brother every night but not me. There is a Mithraeum (temple to the god Mithras) underneath this church. A church with a Roman ruin, two for the price of one, if that price is 10 euros! I think the Dominican Fathers kind of mugged me here. They really did not do the Mithraeum justice for that price.
Then a stroll down the other end of our street (via San Giovanni in Laterano) to the church of (wait for it) San Giovanni in Laterano (actually its full name is Santissimo Salvatore e Santi Giovanni Battista ed Evangelista in Laterano, just so you know) or St. John Lateran. It is a restored 4th century basilica and Rome’s senior church, or Mother of All Churches, and senior to St. Peter’s in the Vatican.
Pasta for supper then a long night tour of Rome, ending at the Spanish steps where someone from our group (who shall remain nameless) made eye-contact with a rose seller who “gifted” her and me with roses and then got Russ to pay (Russ being Russ gave him 20 cents, so things did not go well and we gave him back the roses we didn’t want in the first place)! Fun and games. Metro back home!
Day Three
Walking the Via Appia, the oldest Roman road. Missed our bus stop and were forced to actually walk on the part where cars are still allowed. Feared for our lives.
Took in the Catacombs of San Sebastiano, as well as his church. Another two-for-one, there was a Bernini here (his last work supposedly) of Scipio Borghese.
We also saw the ancient Roman tomb of Caecellia Metalla. Then walked along the path that follows the Via Appia route, much more peaceful.
At the end of the road, as it were, we went into the church of Quo Vadis (Where are you going, Peter? God says to Peter as he is heading out of town away from his crucifixion).
Then we took a bus and the metro to the basilica of St. Peter Outside the Walls (Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura) where he (Peter) is buried. It was a much more impressive and larger church than I was expecting.
Our last stop was the Pyramid of Cestis, a Roman era tomb built by the wealthy Cestis. The pyramid is smaller than the real ones but is the correct dimensions.
We ended the day by having more pasta at a good restaurant beside our apartment. Tomorrow we meet our group in Naples for our Amalfi Tour.
Now here it is your moment of mosaic. Not Roman but from the church of St. Peter Outside the Walls. But fear not, many Roman mosaics to come.
