We wanted to end off our Italy trip with 2 days in Rome as Mandy has been teaching her class all about Rome so it was a great opportunity to experience it first hand. There is way too much to see in Rome and we decided before we got there that we would limit our sight seeing to just a few places.
We like walking and exploring so we would catch the tube to the chosen site and then walk for the rest of the time. This is where things fell apart as we would leave the chosen site and before we could stop and have breakfast or lunch we would encounter another amazing place and would say “lets just see this and then stop” which on the one day ended up being about 7 hours of non stop sight seeing before we stopped to eat. There are so many tourists in Rome so visiting these amazing places requires a lot of patience as you stand in the seemingly never ending queues. Luckily we were first in the queue for the Colosseum and then at St Peter’s Basilica we were towards the front of the line even though it was still dark. Rome is a beautiful city where all the buildings have so much history and everything seems to be made with such amazing detail and such care that you can’t help admiring them. There is too much to see and do in Rome so no matter how long your stay is there you will always feel like you haven’t seen everything. Which leaves the door open for another visit…Ciao Roma!
Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele 2nd is way bigger than you can imagine. It is the biggest building in Rome and although you don’t see it on a lot of maps it is definitely worth visiting. Here is a tip: don’t sit on the steps!
Early morning at the Colosseum, what an astonishing building.
I loved this cross on top of one of the buildings in the Roman Forum. The sky was spectacular this day.
One of the many alleyways that “have” to be photographed. I couldn’t help myself.
Even the old buildings look beautiful.
You can’t take pics in Rome without capturing at least one with someone riding a Vespa. I enjoyed this one as the rider obviously saw me and looked straight into the lens. Maybe that is his smile, I am not sure.
I cleared this main road in order to get this pic of Mandy loving life in Rome. Ok, so it was closed for a race or something but it’s the thought that counts.
More amazing streets to photograph in Rome.
There are always flowers to balance out the surrounding concrete or stone walls.
A church tower sandwiched between two trees.
Michaelangelo’s famous Pieta inside St Peter’s Basilica.
A seagull that was a little off course from his/her local beach. Actually there were quite a few flying around Rome, maybe the Romans took their beaches away.
Stone cobbled roads with restaurants on either side. Sounds like paradise.
Inside the mighty Colosseum
A church tower set against a magnificent sky.
Most of the apartments have shutters which really create a warm, homely feel to the buildings.
Hmm, what’s down that road?
Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele 2nd with the Italian flags fluttering in the wind.
Part of an amazing building in the Roman Forum.
More colorful buildings and shutters.
The real boss of Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele 2nd. Large and in charge.
Early morning at St Peter’s Basilica
This was just outside the most amazing stationary shop that had more paints, books, pens etc of the finest quality than you could ever dream of. I thought Mandy had got lost until she came out like she had just visited paradise and couldn’t stop bubbling about all the beautiful art supplies she had just seen.
It is so hard not photographing every building as they are all slightly different but all so beautiful.
