Arriverderci Roma

Goodbye to....The Trevi fountain

Piazza di Spagna

Campo di Fiori flower market

The Pantheon

Piazza Navona

Free concert on the Spanish Steps

and at Villa Borghese

La Befana...The Italian mother Christmas 

ancient buildings

lounging ladies

potential new homes

dreaming of a room with a view

scooter escapades

familiar friendly faces at Enzo's bar

Roman delicacies 

I’m in Rome for a couple of days, to pick up my in-cabin bag (left with a friend’s Mum for safe keeping) and to say good bye for a while to a city I really love, before heading off on a long train trip to Prague for the Christmas markets.

I decide to revisit some of my favourite places in the eternal city, and make the most of this glorious weather, which is perfect for walking.

My hotel near Termini is basic but comfortable, the bathroom is tiny, but functional and the bedroom is unusually large. Most importantly the internet works, even in my room. http://www.hotelmamianirome.com/ If I was to return I would probably stay at Hotel Kennedy or one of the other hotels on Via Filippo Turati http://www.hotelkennedy.net/ which is slightly closer to Termini.

It is a relaxing couple of days. I pop into Enzo’s bar in Via de Funari, (an old QANTAS haunt with good coffee) eat Roman specialities like artichokes and stuffed zucchini flowers in the Jewish area-my favourite place for food in Rome- eat crunchy fuji fruit from street vendors, visit Piazza Navona with its Christmas market, Campo di Fiori, with its locals selling flowers, sit on the Spanish steps and in Villa Borghese, listening to the free music and sampling Perugina and Modica chocolate, toss a coin in the Trevi fountain, walk past the Forum, Colosseum and Pantheon, have a gelato and window shop.

The only disappointment is that I didn’t get to go on the back of a Vespa (a la Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday)

Oh well. It’s always good to have something left to do for next time.

Arrivederci

Mon x

Out and about in Rome

Eat at Giggetto 2, a recommendation from Enzo’s wife in Via S Angelo in Pescheria 13/14 near Piazza Venezia.

I have the puntarelle. This time they are the real deal, crisp, fresh with the delicate anchovy sauce which is a perfect accompaniment, and the artichokes Roman style which are drizzled with olive oil, but you can also have them fried.

Try Nonna Betta in the Jewish Quarter which is noisy and crowded, but the food is spectacular. I had the stuffed zucchini flowers and artichoke carpaccio, an awesome dish with sliced raw artichokes and parmesan shavings.

The staff (all male which is typical of wait staff in Italy) easily handle over 100 customers crowded into the small area with ease. Service is fast and professional, very unlike the often lacklustre performance so typical of Australia.

Pass by Panella in Via Merulana 54-56 for gourmet pizza slices, breads and pastries. It is so good there are often queues out the door.

For Vespa scooter hire try Bici and Baci Via del Viminale 5

if you can afford the 70 euro (or 180 including driver)

For coffee try caffe Sant’Eustachio near the Pantheon. Just follow the locals and remember to stand up at the bar or it’ll cost a lot more. It’s supposed to be the best in Rome.