Returning To Roma

Sometimes sequels to things come straight after the first and other times you have to wait months, (yes still getting over the longer wait for The Crown and Stranger Things) a little like this blog post, my part two to Bella Roma. But with Summer starting to slow down a little and an impending return trip to Italy coming up, I thought it best to crack on with our trip to the Eternal City, even if it does feel now like an eternity away. Plus I needed to get a load of photos off my phone, you know all the right reasons for writing….

…And so it continues….

On our second and final morning, we woke up to the choir singing out their Sunday hearts in the tiny little church opposite our hotel, the sun was pouring in through the shutters filling the room along with the choral sounds, could there be a more idyllic way to wake up in Rome? No I don’t think so! Slowly rising, we actually decided to skip breakfast due to the over indulgence the previous night and grabbed a coffee and walked our way to the Colosseum to see in the broad day light. I’m not sure if you ever get bored of seeing such a historic sight, however many times you get to see it in your life time, of course all things Gladiator, The Movie, came into mind (you know as a reliable historic source) but to think of what went on inside and the surrounded areas, is forever mind blowing ! We didn’t go into the Colosseum, as again the queues were madly busy and we did do the whole tour last time we came. However, I fully recommend going inside to get the full experience, just book before you arrive. We walked on towards and through the Roman Forum, once again trying to get our bearings and our minds behind how the whole Empire would have existed, incredible and still really rather beautiful, even with all the millions of tourists. A little stop at the Vittoriano, equally beautiful and we were headed towards Trastevere.

I really wanted to see a whole new area this time, although always happy to wander around old and familiar sights, but I had heard lots about the Trastevere district, and thought the perfect place to wind up on a Sunday lunchtime on our last afternoon. Just to note it isn’t quite a ten minute stroll from The Roman Forum, and across the river, but maybe went a little wrong or very wrong, but we found it in the end and were not at all disappointed. The Trastevere District is on the West Bank of the Tiber and South of the Vatican, full of narrow cobbled streets and ancient buildings, fading in colour and graffitied but still beautiful. With washing hanging from balconies a world away from the crowds, full of pockets of hidden Rome. Apparently the 60’s and 70’s attracted artists, composers and musicians and you can totally tell, still a very beautiful part of Rome, but with a bohemian and chilled vibe. Definitely where I will be purchasing my apartment when I eventually buy abroad (yes of course pipe dream). We walked to Piazza Di Santa Maria, which has an array of cafes, churches, religious shrines and faded pink buildings. We actually pulled up a chair and ate at one of the cafes just before the Piazza, and sat and ate under the vines, watching the old Fiat 500’s go by and the locals gathering for family Sundays and tucked into Pizza…..A perfect Sunday if you ask me.

Then, it was time to take our walk back to the hotel and head onwards to the airport, not before stopping for our last Gelato, strawberry for me.

Some places you visit and you go, see & enjoy but you leave there, others places you visit you go, see, enjoy but you take a little part of it with you and you leave a little part of yourself behind. So for now, while I save up for my apartment in the Trastevere, Rome will eternally stay as my my favourite city and ultimate happy place, Ciao Bella Roma!