A Month in Bella Italia

[Flutterby]

Fascinating! As much as I don't feel the inclination to visit Rome myself -
it's more than enjoyable to look at all your photos here

Lis, are those your photos or did you pick them up on the Net?
Great shots those

Mel, have you been to Rome before and don't want to go back, or have you never wanted to go?

Lis, thanks for the info on the Swiss Guards.

[Flutterby]

Having finished the cultural stuff for the day, we made our way to the Spanish Steps.

Another puddle on the way.



The Spanish Steps climb a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church at the top. This a popular spot for tourists and locals to rest their weary feet! The cream-coloured building partially visible to the right is the apartment where John Keats lived, now the Keats-Shelley Memorial House.





A view of St. Peter's Dome from the steps.



We spent about 2 hours there, enjoying the sights and sounds.



We eventually decided we'd better find somewhere to eat and came across a delightful trattoria down a little alleyway.



I had gnocchi (potato dumplings) and the Brat had ravioli.



And that was it for our second day in Rome.

[Lisbeth]

You sure did a lot in two days

Did you go to Cafè Greco in Via Condotti, more or less next to "Bulgari"? It's the place where all the artists living in /visiting Rome gathered. It is from 1600 something and still looks very much the same.

The café was named after its Greek (Greco in Italian) owner, who opened it in 1760. Historic figures including Stendhal, Goethe, Bertel Thorvaldsen, Mariano Fortuny, Byron, Franz Liszt, Keats, Henrik Ibsen, Hans Christian Andersen, Felix Mendelssohn, Morrissey, Wagner, Levi, María Zambrano and even Casanova have had coffee there. Featured as a setting in the 2013 novel The Cana Mystery, today Caffe Greco remains a haven for writers, politicians, artists and notable people in Rome.

Last week I heard a rumour saying that the present owner was talking about closing it, because the rent had become too high. Hope not

[Flutterby]

We saw it but didn't go in.

[Lisbeth]

Probably better that way

[leachy]

all of that in just two days

"assolutamente meraviglioso"

[Richprins]

Nice food pics, Flutts! (Portion looks a bit small though?)

Keats lived there? Well I never!

Why are all those people sitting around on the steps doing nothing?

[Mel]

Never been, Flutts, and have no intention to change that. I like Italy but some cities are better avoided, IMO.
Too busy for my liking.

Another artsy puddle pic

[Flutterby]

all of that in just two days

"assolutamente meraviglioso"

We only had 4 days in Rome and had so much to see...it would probably take a year in Rome to see everything! Perfect Italian!

Nice food pics, Flutts! (Portion looks a bit small though?)

Keats lived there? Well I never!

Why are all those people sitting around on the steps doing nothing?

Because they can!! The Italians really do take life at a slower pace and at first it's hard to think like they do. Most shops still close for lunch and only open again in the late afternoon. At university, the Brat has lessons from 9 to 11.30 and then again from 3 to 6...unheard of here! SO's cousins that live and work in Sicily go home for lunch and a nap every day, and were quite shocked that in SA we work a full 8 hour day!

Never been, Flutts, and have no intention to change that. I like Italy but some cities are better avoided, IMO.
Too busy for my liking.

Another artsy puddle pic

I have to say I loved Rome and will hopefully return one day. It was busy but no more so than Florence, London or New York.

[Lisbeth]

Up north and especially in Milan, Turin and the North East life is less relaxed. They have to maintain the rest of the country