We set out before 9 today with a semi-arranged set of objectives & just let the day unfold. It had rained overnight & the day dawned cooler and overcast - great news after a couple of bright & hot days. Having said that, we got a little warm as the day went on. However we did notice that the maximum in Adelaide is 15 degrees today. I know where I would rather be!
After swapping trains at Termini we went out on the red line to the Spagna station near the Spanish Steps. The steps were interesting, but it was more interesting to think about being in the region where one of my favourite poets Keats died aged 25. Apparently there were so many English living in the area in the early to mid 1800s that the Italians called it the English slum. I'll insert some photos of the Steps when I work out how to get them off Rhonda's camera.
From the Steps we walked through the local shopping district window shopping - amazing Italian leather, wool, jewellery etc. We kept wandering and shopping in a semi-organised way until we got to the Trevi Fountain. This was the 1st time we've really been in a packed tourist destination - wall to wall people. While it was an interesting monument & I'm glad I've seen it, it was good to get away from there.
I'd always been interested in seeing the Pantheon - a pagan temple built by Hadrian in about 120 AD, so we headed there via an interesting church called Santa Maria sopra Minerva. It is considered the only true Gothic church in Rome. Incredibly plain exterior, but not surprisingly - over the top interior, including a Michelangelo sculpture. Beautiful stained glass windows - best seen to date.
The Pantheon was just remarkable. The guidebook quotes the usually very flowery poet Lord Byron as describing it as "simple, erect, severe, austere, sublime" which is apt. And given all the excess in so many other buildings it is quite a relief (no pun intended). Sadly it got converted to a church & also suffered some ransacking - both of which destroyed some of its original features & added some church frills that don't belong, but it is still amazing. The domed roof has to be seen to be believed - a masterpiece in simplicity and engineering achievement.
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| The ceiling of the Pantheon |
From there it was off to Piazza Novona. The photos on Wikipedia don't do it justice as it is beautiful - especially when filled with people, artists, vendors and lined with cafes etc.
We realised that we were so close to the river that we should go & have a look - perhaps walk over a bridge etc. We did this & came across the river where the law courts are -another stunning building. As it was about 1:30 I bought a piece of pizza for lunch but it was so bad, after 1 bite I threw it in the bin & we kept walking. But my feet were feeling the fact that for the 3rd day we'd walked miles across cobbled streets, so we really did need to just sit & take it easy.
While we had not really planned to get to the Vatican (mainly because of the crowds) we found ourselves less than 1 Km from it so kept strolling along the river until we got close. We stopped off for a late lunch (2:00). Because it was touristville we paid a fortune for a pizza - but at least it was edible. And it gave us half an hour sitting & letting our feet recover.
Then off to Vatican. We wandered across the square & through St Peter's Basilica. It is remarkable, though so over the top that it boggles the mind & staggers you to think of the wealth encapsulated there.
Interestingly our guidebook says nothing about where to buy tickets to the Sistine Chapel, so we got caught out. We thought we could buy them in the vatican area - but no go. Apparently we had to get them well before we got inside the precinct. Oh well.
So - back outside & we now have tickets for a direct access tour (to beat the crowds) to the Chapel at 10 tomorrow. (The queues for general admission are soooo long, so while we paid 53 Euros we're paying it to avoid the waiting.)
We walked out to Ottaviano Metro station. Along the way we noted that it was a more "downmarket" shopping area than over the other side of the river but there were some really nice clothes. We were too tired to shop, but will do some serious looking after the Vatican tour tomorrow.
Anyway - back to the hotel via the metro - wow have we got value from the 16 Euros for 3 days touring! So - home by 4pm - another 7 hour day.
Enough writing - back to the here & now - we're on our way out to dinner.
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