Rome, Lazio, Italy
We are up by 6 today, showered and down to breakfast by 7. As we sit here eating pastries and drinking coffee, we discuss what to do today. There are so many options for places to go and things to see in Rome, it is difficult to decide what to do each day. Finally we decide to head to the Piazza dei Popolo (Square of the People). This piazza marks the traditional north entrance into Rome--from ancient times until people starting arriving by trains and airplanes, this was the first view of Rome that a visitor had. The area around it was rather ramshackle until 1480 when Pope Sixtus IV decided it was making a very bad impression on visitors so had the old houses demolished (an early civic eminent domain move!) and had straight streets and nicer houses built. One of the more gruesome aspects of this piazza is that this is the place where public executions were held--criminals were beaten to death by hammer blows to the temples which is a bloody--and gruesome--way to do it. One doesn't often hear of that method of execution--sometime later they moved to what was considered a more modern method--the guillotine (The last execution was in 1826).
About 9:30 we are at the taxi stand and off to the Piazza. In the middle of the piazza is a 10 story tall obelisk that once was on the tomb of Ramses II in Egypt. It was brought from Egypt and installed in the Roman Circus Maximus. During the "beautification" process in 1589 it was moved to the centre of this piazza. This square has two large churches on the South end and then the Carabinieri station and another church on the north side where the gates are.
An interesting fact--all three churches on the square are dedicated to Mary (Ste. Mary of the People, Ste. Mary of the Miracles, and Ste. Mary in Montesanto). We go to the side of the square where the north gates are to see the Chiesa Maria dell' Popolo (Church of Mary of the People) which was built in 1472. This is an often overlooked church which like many others has paintings inside by famous people such as Caravaggio and Bernini along with the Chigi Chapel designed by Raphael. The outside is covered with travertine taken from the Colosseum. Mass is being said so we walk to look at the two Roman fountains on either side of the square.
Tammy decided she would like to participate in the mass so she heads back to the church.
Mike and I decide to climb the stairs to the hill overlooking the piazza to the viewing platform--what a great view! This area backs up to the Borghese Gallery and Gardens--we wanted to visit the gallery but we couldn't get reservations--we will plan better next time! It is getting warm so we headed back down to the piazza to sit in the shade and wait for Tammy.
Once she came from mass we quickly look into the other two churches which were designed by the architect Rinaldi in the early 1600s and then revised by Bernini and finally finished by Fontana. We are hot, tired, and hungry so we don't spend much time in the churches as they don't have much appeal right now. We walk down the Via de Ropetta and decide to stop at La Vera Pizza Napoletana across from Augustus' Mausoleum. This restaurant is on a veranda and there is a quirky open air flea market at the other end. Before we order we walk through the market, and then go back to have lunch. Mike and I ordered a staggioni pizza (four cheese: mozzarella, stacchini, brie, and blue) and a Niçoise salad to share. Tammy had a ham and cheese pizza and a coke zero plus a nescafe which was vile. We all shared some nice bread plus olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette.
It was quite lovely sitting here on the veranda with the sun shining and a light breeze coming in off the Tiber River. Ah Roma!
As bathrooms are rather quirky here in Rome we decide to check this one out—just as we thought one has to go downstairs through the kitchen. And there is a step up into the bathroom which has a teensy sink in the anteroom. When you leave you have to be very careful--if you miss the step there is a glass wall right as you step out so beware! Tammy warned me as she was concerned that my not so good vision would mean I would take out a wall coming out of the bathroom!!!! Thank goodness that didn't happen.
Once we are finished with lunch we walk across the street to see Augustus' Mausoleum which Augustus built for himself and his descendants in 28 BC and which was once the most prestigious burial place in the city. Today the mausoleum is a massive, round-brick structured topped with overgrown trees (the obelisks that had been at the entrance were moved long ago to the Piazza del Quirinal and Piazza dell’Esquilino). It was used later as a medieval fortress, a vineyard, a private garden, and an auditorium and theater but has now been long-neglected and is in ruins.
Not much to see now as it is surrounded by a chain link fence, although it is said that there are plans to renovate it sometime in the future.
Then we head to the Museo dell' Ara Pacis (Museum of the Altar of Peace). This is a really fascinating place. This ancient building was built in 9 B.C. by Augustus, who was soon to become Emperor. The building and its dedication are considered to be the beginning of the Pax Romana, a time considered the Golden Age when there was good living, stability, dominance, and peace. Later it was flooded by the Tiber River which is close by and buried under silt until the 16th century. Then in 1938 Mussolini gathered up the various pieces and had it reconstructed. To protect that reconstructed building from the elements, a modern glass structure was built in 2006 (Interesting fact--this is one of very few new structures that have been allowed to be built in the old centre of Rome since the days of Mussolini).
Then we head down the street to the Basilica of SS Ambroglio and Carlo--another gorgeous interior--are there any other kind here in Rome? After we walk around inside we decide to walk over to the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Square).
This area gets its name from the fact that in the 17th century the square was deemed to be Spanish territory as the Spanish Ambassador to the Holy See had his headquarters here.
We walk across the square to see the Spanish Steps even though they are closed for repairs. The stairs are a combination of straight sections, curves, and terraces with a fountain at the base (Fontana della Barcaccia) and the bell towers of the Trinità dei Monti at the top making it one of the most well-known landmarks in the city. Even though it is blocked off we wanted to take some photos to document that we had been there.
And then of course to assuage our inability to climb the stairs we need to eat and drink something--so off we go to Babington's Tea Rooms. These tea rooms, right at the bottom of the Spanish stairs, were opened in 1896 by two Englishwomen to cater to "homesick" British tourists. There are only two rooms that are rather small but a fun place to visit and have teas and pastries. Our choice was iced frappe's and espresso ice cream delight--Really good!
As we are tired, we find a taxi on one of the side streets to take us back to the hotel. There we rest a little until about 7 when we walk up the street to the Osteria Pizzeria. Tammy had an insalata mista and Ravioli al Ragu, Mike had Ravioli al Ragu also, and I had Spaghetti Vongole. We all shared a Bianco Casa vino (white house wine)--the food was good, the olive oil dip was nasty and the service was very poor. This is a place that we will not visit again, for sure. We are very disappointed with food here in Rome--the restaurants seem to all be using the same menus and much of the pasta, etc. is rather mediocre.
Since we are very tired and it is late we walk back to the hotel. During the night Mike got sick with symptoms of food poisoning. I wonder how Tammy is doing although I felt fine. We'll see when morning comes.
2025-05-23