Posted by The Eternal city is always worth revisiting as there is so much to see and do again and so much that has not being explored by us yet. Arriving early is always challenging but we had arranged to dump our bags after the previous guests had left the apartment at 10.00am so after a few hours in the cafe below waiting and we were off into the 34 deg heat to find some shade and cool interiors. the Apartment was located in the Piazza Navona/Pantheon area so really in the heart of old Rome so as walking is our preferred way of getting around it served us very well.
Just arounf the corner at 11am and The Pantheon was packed and considering the last time we were here was 16 years ago with no crowds and free entry this was a shock but as we had visited the site three times before we did not need to go inside. It was then off along the shady sides of street to the Palazzo Altemps for the National Roman Museum but of course there were ample churches to visit along the way which are always worth a visit as you never know what you might find.
The Church above was a lovely find, san Luigi dei Francesci near Piazza Navona was a light filled Baroque church with a fantastic ceiling fresco and beautiful measured alter presentation. The Museum was a new one for us and it was truly amazing with its small footprint but big delivery into antiquity. Plenty of big heads, busts and bums with amazing ceiling frescos and sarcophagus reliefs that were truly extraordinary in detail and emotion.
After more heat dodging we found a roof top resturant nearby in the Ponte area which afforded us a great view ov er the roof tops, domes, Campaniles and the vast variety of Roman edifices. Meal was nice and the three women behind us were a scream and we had a funny chat with them.
After returning to our apartment which was all clen and sorted we had our first, of many, la Paussa. and from a nice meditation and nap we ventured forth into the evening for a stroll across Rome to the Trastevere area for a meal. It was a busy evening along the streets and we settled on a place called Tonnarello Scala that had great reviews but no bookings so we joined the queue and waited our turn. It was worth it and we enjoyed a lovely meal as the sun set and the streets lit up. We wandered around the local area and took in the vibe and then headed back through the Campo dei Fiori area stopping for a Gelato on the way before bedtime…
The Trastevere area is very differant to most of Rome with its quiet streets and low key vibe whilst at the same time being a very popular area for tourists. But you can still find these quiet little streets with no one around and these very cute little neighbourhood shrines decorated in unique ways.
Eating in Rome is always a treat especially when you get it right and we scored great on these three nights with a fabulous meal in the Piazza Farnese at Ar Galleto and then on our last night at Osteria del Gallo near the Piazza Navona.
Our wanderings on day 2 took us through the streets around the Pantheon past some great papal street art and “Hot Priest” calander stands and past Gallerias and ancient egyptian colomns and onto our first serious Palazzo.
The Galleria Palazzo Doria Pamphilli is a Renaissance Palace that has the most amazing long gallery rooms that create a square of grangure with two being gilded mirror style and two being art gallkeries with 800 years of art on the walls.
It was a very hot morning and after wandering past the Palazzo Veniza and Victor Emmanuele monument , the Theatre of Marcellus and the small circular Temple of Hercules we arrived at the Mouth of Truth church from the 8th century AD
The Moth of truth was designed as a lie dectector test and if you failed the test your hand was cut off when you put it in the mouth..no smiling matter really.
From there we climbed up the Aventine Hill past the empty Il Rossa de Roma garden and onto the Belevedre Luigi Magni in the Parco Savello with its magnificent views from the capitol hill through to St Peters Basillica and onto the Janiculum Hill.
One of the tings we love about Rome is nhow ancient antiquities can sit along side renaissence masterpieces and then meet stunning 18th and 19th century Gallerias and Palazzos. There is really no where else that this exists like Rome.
We were stying right next to the Piazza Navona which is sitting on an ancient Circus site and it makes for the perfect open air sculpture gallery which showcases Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s masterpieces Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi as well as other geniuses who created Fontana del Moro and the Fontana del Nettuno. They are some of this worlds utter man made gems.
Next stop was a Palazzo that i have wanted to visit for a very long time and it tops thie list of AMAZING mind blowing EXCESSES of the past. The Palazzo Collona and its over the top extraordinary Galleria was booked in advance to ensure entry and despite the heat outside it was cool and well organised inside.
The Art galleries were amazing with scences of reniesence Rome that i had never seen and the pomp and ceromany on display was next level crazy. But just think of all those talented rafts-people who created everything and were paid accordingly and i suppose the excesses see the wealth spread around a bit. Some of the paintings were detailed at an extraordinary level and the images of Rome at the time paint a very clear picture of it all especially the portraits of everyday people.
The Main Galleria itself is acceses via aseries of the Palazzo rooms that are all on a grand scale but nothing prepares you for the main event. A massive room with art, mirrors, statues, frescoes and chandeliers that outdoo Versailles, and even a canon ball that is stuck in a marble staircase to round it off that was fired through a window during the napolionic wars in the early 19th century.
The extreme detail of the craftsmanship on ornate cabinatry was amazing with Ivory, marble, alabaster and other precious metals and woodwork in infinite details that were mind blowing.
The Terraced gardens, folly’s and the city views were a lovely respite from the heat and business of Rome.
A visit to the Santo Stefano Rotunda church incorporated a wander around the Celimontata Villa and adjoining church plus a few other Churches on another hill behind the Colluseum and despite the heat i was able to get around fairly well in the shade . The Rotunda was magnificent and is the only circular church in Rome with a central Altar.
There is alway so much to see in Rome, time and time again and seeing different views of St Peters is always fun and gets you wandering streets and nighbourhoods that surround it. Early morning is best and you just might stumble some striking sights and interesting angles.
Cafes are everywhere and some open early for the workers and the walkers so its a great time to avoid the crowds as well. the anglkes of Rome’s streets also make for interesting street confluence designs.
Something i have always wanted to do since it opened ten years ago was to go underground to see the remains of Nero’s massive Villa called “The Golden House of Nerone”. I booked a tour only to find out 24hrs before the tour that it had been cancelled…(do not use Get your guide) my only choice was book a Spanish speaking tour and hope for the best as it was on our last day in Rome. Well suffice it to say although i did not understand a word from the guide i managed to read every sign and information sheet and it was super worth it. Absolutley extraordinary and what we were seeing was the basement of the massive 4 level palace.
There were great images of what it would have looked like in its hey day and the detail was amazing.
The Colleseum is just a few Hundred meters away as it was all coneccted to what was the most massive Palace ever buit in Rome.
Various scenes of Rome through the cameras lense to capture snipits of time, light and detail.
