Continue
along Via San Teodoro then turn left on Via del Velabro. This is a lovely quiet
corner of Rome but peace was shattered in 1993 when a mafia bomb exploded and
damaged the church of San Giorgio.
In ancient
times this whole area was a commercial centre & merchants would meet under
the Arch of Janus, which would have been built over the busy crossroads here
that linked the Forum to the riverside cattle market.
Continue on
to Piazza Bocca della Verita. Directly ahead of you are two little temples from
the Republican era. The circular one is the oldest marble temple in Rome and
the rectangular one is dedicated to Portumnus, protector of the port that
existed here.
Turn right
on to Via Petroselli & head upwards. This area was the fruit and vegetable
market of ancient Rome. Cross over to the church of San Nicolo Carcere with three
ancient columns embedded in the outer wall. These are the remains of three
temples that stood here. Walk alongside
the railings until you come to the entrance to Teatro Marcello. Walk down the
ramp in to the ruins.
The theatre
was started by Julius Caesar and completed by Augustus, he dedicated it to his
nephew, Marcellus, who died at the age of 23. In Medieval times it became a
fortress, then a palazzo & ultimately, luxury apartments. Walk through the
toppled columns & sculpted marble to the little bridge which gives a good
view of the Portico d’Octavia.
The portico was rebuilt by Augustus and dedicated to
his sister Octavia. It enclosed temples, libraries and meeting rooms and was intended
as a meeting place for the adjacent Teatro Marcello.
Continuing on upwards will bring you in to the Jewish
Ghetto.
Rome's
Jewish community is the oldest in Europe and one of the oldest continuous
Jewish settlements in the world. Jewish traders first arrived in Rome
in the 2nd century BC and settled across the river, in Trastevere.
When
Rome invaded Judea in AD70 the spoils of war not only included items from the
Temple, but also Jewish prisoners of war, many of whom were forced into
building the Colosseum.
Julius
Caesar favoured the Jewish people as did Emperor Augustus, who scheduled the
grain distribution so that it wouldn't interfere with the Sabbath.
Emperor
Caracalla granted them the privilege of becoming Roman citizens.
However, the recognition of Christianity as a religion resulted in Emperor
Constantine limiting the civil & political rights of the Jewish
population.
In
the middle ages their treatment varied from pope to pope. At this time the
population began to migrate across the Tiber and settle around the square that
is known today as Piazza Mattei.
The
Jewish people contributed to the Renaissance as merchants, traders &
bankers. The Borgia pope (Alexander VI) allowed exiled Spanish
Jews to settle in the community & the Medici popes (Leo X & Clement
VII) treated the Jewish people well. However, in 1555 Pope Paul IV decreed that
the Jewish community should move into the ghetto, a restricted riverside area
prone to flooding. . For the next 300 years’ severe restrictions were placed on
those that remained in the ghetto including the wearing of yellow caps &
shawls when they ventured out of the district - a chilling omen of what was to
come. The ghetto walls remained in place until the unification of Italy in 1870
when the rights & citizenship of the community were restored.
Walk
down towards the synagogue to start your walk through the Jewish Ghetto.
This
was the first building erected in the area in 1870 & was completed in 1904.
It has a square dome to distinguish it from the Christian domes of the Rome
skyline. The Synagogue contains the Museo Ebraico which documents the
history of Jewish life in the ghetto. Since a terrorist attack in 1982 the area
is heavily guarded by Carabinieri. In 1986 Pope John Paul II made a
historic visit to this synagogue, the first pope ever to visit a Jewish place
of worship. Pope Francis continued the tradition in January this year.
Across
the road from the synagogue is the church of Santa Maria della Pieta.
Catholics built churches at each of the gates of the walled in ghetto in order
to try and spread their faith to the Jewish people. The quote under the
depiction of Christ on the cross that you see on the church is from Isaiah -
'All day long I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and faithless
nation that has lost its way' - in this instance the quote is misused
to give an anti-Jewish twist.
On
Sundays the Jewish population were forced to listen to sermons here which
were designed to convert them to Christianity.
As
you walk towards the ruins of Portico d'Ottavia you will cross a small square
that is marked by a plaque on the wall.
On September 27th 1943, the head
of the German SS in Rome demanded 50 kilos of gold from the Jewish
community otherwise 200 Jews would be deported to Germany or the Russian front.
The demand was met but on 16th October 1943 Nazi forces entered the ghetto
& rounded up 1,000 Jews, the majority of which were women & children,
and transported them to Auschwitz. Only 16 survived
The small square is
named Largo 16 Ottobre 1943.
Further reminders of this dark
period of history can be found under your feet as you walk along Via del Portico d'Ottavia. .
Brass cobblestones with the names of the victims are positioned outside the
homes from which they were taken.
Continue on until you reach Via San Ambrogio on your
right. This is a street that survived from the days of the ghetto & it is
easy to imagine it teeming with people who lived here.
Continue
along Via San Ambrogio until you reach the delightful Piazza Mattei & the
Turtle Fountain. The turtles were a later addition to the fountain by Bernini.
It is said that Bernini chose turtles as homage to the Jewish people - they are
ancient creatures who carry all their belongings on their backs.
Take
Via della Reginella from the piazza. On the corner is a shop,
Peperita, which specialises in chillies & olive oil both of which
are grown on a Tuscan farm. The chillies range from a mild Aji right up
to a fiery Trinidad Scorpion!
Via
della Reginella is another survivor from the days of the ghetto. Here you can
see where the six floor buildings end and the elegant three floor buildings
begin, marking the end of the ghetto area.
As
you reach the corner Via del Portico Ottavia you will find Mondo di Laura - the
kosher cookie shop. Treat yourself or take some home as gifts. Our favourite is
Pepita - dark chocolate chip cookies with Himalayan pink salt.
A little further up is the Jewish
bakery, Boccione. This is easily identified by the cinnamon scented
air floating out of the tiny unmarked doorway. The speciality here
is pizza ebraica or sweet Jewish pizza made with candied fruits and nuts.
The same family have owned this
bakery for generations. Members of the family were amongst those deported to
Auschwitz who never returned.
At
this point Via del Portico Ottavia becomes Via di Santa Maria del Pianto.
It was in this area that the Duke of Gandia, son of Pope
Alexander VI & brother of Cesare Borgia, was murdered and his body
thrown in to the Tiber. The fact that the pope abruptly ceased all
investigations in to the murder led all of Rome to believe that the murderer
was no less than Cesare himself - dark deeds indeed.
Across
the road is Piazza Cinque Scole. When the ghetto was created one of the
restrictions imposed was that only one synagogue was allowed. The Jewish
community cleverly interpreted this as meaning one building, in which they
built a separate school on each of five floors so that all were able
to practise their different rites - hence 'Cinque Scole' or
'Five Schools'.
Nothing
remains of the synagogue but a piece of the ghetto wall can be found in one of
the courtyards. The white columns on the corner belong to the small Tempietto
del Carmelo, yet another church in the ghetto where the Jewish people were made
to listen to Christian sermons.
Returning
to Via di Santa Maria del Pianto you will see Beppe e il suoi Formaggio .
Inside is a veritable feast of all kinds of cheese, especially from the
Piedmont area. The butter that you see is made from Beppe's own herd of cows.
Beyond
the counter is a delightful dining area - an ideal place for a spot of
lunch. We can recommend the sample cheese platter……with a suitable wine of
course!
If there are any of the cheeses that you particularly enjoy,
you can buy them at the counter and they will vacuum pack them for you.
After lunch walk up to Via Arenula, cross over & pick up
a tram to Piazza Venezia.
From there you can pick up a bus to Termini.
When you have rested you can set out again for yet more
exploration. Walk to Termini & take metro line A to Ottaviano (direction
Battistini) Follow the directions to St Peters Square (actually just follow the
crowds!)
Enter through the colonnades, designed by Bernini, into the
piazza. After admiring the façade of the basilica……
………. locate one of the two discs in line with the
fountains to experience an optical illusion.
If you stand on the disc facing the colonnade you
will see that the three lines of columns appear to be one.
Don’t be concerned about the size of the queue to enter the
basilica as it moves pretty quickly through the security checks. You will need
to cover up shoulders and knees as the guards are pretty strict on the dress
code.
As
it is a Jubilee year you might get the chance to walk through the Holy
Door, only possible during such a year. This is the furthest bronze door on the
right.
Pope
Francis opened the door on December 8th last year and once the year is
over it will be sealed again until the next Jubilee.
The central doors are
impressive too. They came from the original St Peter's Basilica and are the
work of the Florentine craftsman known as Filarete. The panels depict the
crucifixion of St. Peter.
Once inside, check out the inside
of the door, where you will see the 'signature' of Filarete - seven figures
joyfully dancing. These are Filarete and his assistants with the tools of their
trade in their hands.
The
doors on the far left are known as the Doors of Death as funeral processions
pass through here. The gruesome depictions of martyrdoms on the panels were
designed by Giacomo Manzu.
Many treasures await inside. Some of the
highlights include Michelangelo's Pieta, created when he was just 24 & the
only sculpture that he signed (across Mary’s sash)
To
the left is the tomb of Pope John Paul II - now a saint.
The seated statue of St
Peter, his foot worn from the touch of generations of pilgrims.
You can't miss the Baldacchino
(canopy) over the altar. It was commissioned by the Barberini Pope, Urban VIII
and designed by Bernini.
Bronze
taken from the Pantheon was used by Bernini in creating the baldacchino which
led to the famous saying 'What the Barbarians did not do, the Barberini did'.
Obviously Pope Urban VIII felt no shame in robbing a monument that had stood
for over 1600 years.
If
you look closely at the ornate columns you will see the heraldic bees among the
foliage - the Barberini family symbol.
Legend says that Pope Urban VIII
commissioned the baldacchino as a thanksgiving for his favourite niece
surviving childbirth. On the last pedestal on the right a baby with a smiling
face appears.
One of my favourite angels in all
of Rome can be found on the tomb of the Stuarts (Bonny Prince Charlie et al)
which you will see just before you leave the basilica.
After your visit, walk across the piazza and exit
through the colonnade to your right and take Borgo Santo Spirito then turn
right on to Via Penitenzieri. Walk down as far as Piazza della Rovere then
cross the very busy road and
start your ascent on Via Giancolo. After a little way you will see steep stairs
that are a short cut to Via Sant'Onifrio which eventually leads to Passeggiata
Giancolo. Don't worry if you miss the short cut - you will still end up at the
same place - Piazza Garibaldi. Here you will find refreshment & a
stupendous view. If, on the way up, you turn around & look to your right
you will get this view of St Peter's dome.
Then you will see the Manfredi Lighthouse, a gift to the city of
Rome from Italians in Argentina
Garibaldi & his followers who played a part
in the formation of modern Italy, are remembered on the Giancolo or Janiculum
Hill as it is known. Look to the right
& you will see a statue to Anita, his wife, with baby in one arm & shot
gun in the other!
Once you reach the piazza you will see the
equestrian statue of Garibaldi himself.
Not only do you get a stupendous view but also a
chance for refreshment from the little kiosk.
Carry on along the Passeggiata and you will come
to the Aqua Paolo fountain and yet another city vista.
Head down Via Garibaldi until you see the monument which was
built to honour those who fell during the defence of Rome in the 19th
century.
If you go behind the monument you will find steps that are a
shortcut down Via Garibaldi (don’t worry if you miss them, just carry on down
the road) Eventually you will find yourselves in Trastevere.
Continue on to Ponte Sisto and cross over the bridge. Cross
over the main road on the other side & continue on Via del Pettinari until
you reach Via Giubbonari. Turn left and head towards Campo di Fiori. In the
mornings this is a busy market but by early evening it becomes a lively meeting
place, watched over by the brooding statue of Giordano Bruno. He was an Italian
friar & philosopher who was burned at the stake here for heresy.
Turn right in to the
little Piazza Biscione & keep right until you come to a tiny secret
passageway which will take you through to Piazza del Paridiso & your dinner
destination at number 63.
Tonight restaurant, Hosteria Costanza, is set within the
ruins of Pompey’s Theatre (upon the steps of which Julius Caesar was
assassinated) and is a cosy, as well as historical, setting for authentic Roman
cuisine. The house wine is excellent and their Antipasto della Casa is a lovely
way to start your meal – little bowls of mascarpone & liver pate which you
mix together & pile on to pizza bianca (another Roman speciality) The
grilled lamb or saltimbocca are both good choices for a main course.
After dinner you may like a little walk to the Area Sacra.
Turn right on to Corso Vittorio. Continue
on to the submerged visible ruins of the ‘Area Sacra’, three temples from the
Republican era, which are on your right. There are information boards on each
of the four sides, explaining its history, walk down the side on Via de
Cesarina and look over towards the pine tree which roughly marks the spot where
Julius Caesar was attacked and killed. Today the area also serves as a cat
sanctuary. Walk to Via Torre Argentina & pick up a bus to Termini & the short walk to your hotel.
Wednesday
Prepare for more walking
today but at a leisurely pace!
Again take Metro B from
Termini to Circo Massimo (direction Laurentina) & walk along Circo
Massimo until you see Piazzale Ugo La Malfa on your left.
Take the road up from here that cuts through the Rose Garden. This peaceful garden only opens for a short
few weeks each year, in May & June. It was built on the site of an ancient
Jewish Cemetery. Keep going up until you reach
the church of Santa Sabina. Enter the park ahead of you (entrance is next to
the water fountain/ trough). This is called the Orange Garden for obvious
reasons.
Make your way around to the viewpoint & enjoy a bird’s
eye view of the city.
Retrace your steps to the church of Santa Sabina and keep going
up until you reach Piazza Cavalieri di Malta.
On the right hand side of the piazza you will see a green
door. Look through the keyhole.
There will probably be a queue of people waiting to do the
same. I won’t spoil the surprise but I will tell you that you are seeing three
countries here. You are standing in Italy, looking through Malta, towards Vatican
City in the distance.
Walk across the little piazza to Via di Porta Lavernale.
Continue on through Piazza di Servilii to Via Asinio Pollione
If you are ready for a coffee, there is an unusual little
spot as you come to the main road, Via Marmorata.
Tram Stop is a little kiosk where you can get your caffeine
fix. There are chairs & tables set up on the grassy area alongside.
After coffee, continue along Via Marmorata until you come to Via Caio Cestio on your right. A little way along this road is the entrance to The Protestant Cemetery, the final resting place of both Keats & Shelley which also affords a good
view of the Pyramid of Cestio, a tomb of a well to do citizen at the time of
Emperor Augustus.
You will see cats stretched out in the sun as the cemetary also acts as a cat santuary.
You can't miss the dramatic 'Angel of Grief' which was created by an American sculptor, William Story, to serves as a headstone for himself and his wife.
As you exit the gates, turn left and continue along Via Caio Cestio as far as Via Nicola Zabaglia. If you cross the road you will see another cemetary, the
British Military Cemetery. This is only open in the mornings when the gardeners are here, but it
is a sublimely peaceful spot and of particular interest to anyone from 'The Edge of the Empire' as it holds a fragment of Hadrian’s Wall.
Turn left on Nicola Zabaglia and walk along until you see a little road
that branches off, Via Monte Testaccio. Straight ahead is your lunch
destination, Flavio al Velavevodetto.
Take your seat in the naturally air conditioned dining
room. The restaurant is set in to the side of a man made mountain, comprising
of layer upon layer of broken terracotta amphorae. The glass walls in the
restaurant allow you to see the shards that make up the mountain.
The amphorae would have
been unloaded at the nearby river port and, as they contained olive oil, could
only be used once hence the inventive way of disposing of them.
The area that you are in
now, Testaccio, held the slaughter houses, and the local cuisine is known as
the ‘Fifth Quarter’. Obviously the best cuts of meat went to the noble families
& the Papal household, so the workers had to make do with the offal that
was left over. Many restaurants in this area specialise in this local cuisine
but you will probably be pleased to know that Flavio is known for his pasta
dishes!
Indeed, his carbonara is
said to be one of the best in Rome.
After lunch continue on Via Nicola Zabaglia & turn right on to Via Galvani. Walk along to Via Marmorata, turn right & you will eventually reach the busy Porto San Paolo where you can take Metro B from Piramide station back to Termini (direction Rebibbia) & your hotel for 'downtime'
Todays passeggiata is a stroll around Piazza Navona, to get there walk to
Termini and pick up bus 64 (Staz.S Pietro) for 9 stops to Corso Vittorio
Emanuele (just a word of warning, this is known as the ‘pickpocket’ bus so just
be aware. We have used it with no problems though)
Cross the road in to Piazza Navona.
The piazza is built over
the Stadium of Domitian, which was used for athletic races. The buildings that
surround the piazza follow the line of the stadium. The star attraction here is
Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers which depicts
the Nile, Ganges, Danube & Rio de la Plata rivers. They represent the
longest rivers in each of the continents recognised at the time of construction
of the fountain & are surrounded by plants & animals native to those
continents. It is the only fountain designed in its entirety by Bernini and is
the subject of a story of rivalry between Bernini & Borromini. According to
the story the figure representing the river Nile is blindfolded to avoid having
to look at the facade of Sant’Agnese in Agone which was designed by Borromini
(in reality the Nile figure is
hooded probably because the rivers source wasn’t known at the time) The figure
of Rio della Plata who also faces Borromini’s church raises his hand in terror
as if expecting the facade to collapse. Sadly, this story has no basis in fact
as Bernini had completed the fountain before work on the church had begun.
The many
street entertainers and artists in the square ensure a delightful stroll from
one end of the piazza to the other.
Head
to the top of the square and leave at the exit near to the Tourist Information
office. Turn right on to Piazza di Tor Sanguigna. Here you will find the entrance to the Stadium of Domitian archaeological area. (open until 7.00pm, admission €8). The museum presents the history of this, the first example of a brick built stadium in Rome, through an audio guide, 3D videos & information boards.
After your visit turn left on
to Via Coronari
Walk along until you see
Via San Simone on your left. In a corner of this little courtyard is Pizza del
Teatro – pizza al taglio (by the slice) Eat on the mosaic tables in the alley.
Wine from a box served in plastic cups for next to nothing!
Dessert
has to be gelato from Gelateria Teatro which you will have passed on the way
in. This is one of my favourite gelato places in Rome – my flavour of choice
here is raspberry & sage.
Continue along Via
Coronari towards the river for a lovely illuminated view of Castel Sant’Angelo.
Castel Sant'Angelo was built by Emperor Hadrian as a tomb for himself and his family. It was later used as a papal fortress and even had its own escape route, the Passetto di Borgo which plays a major part in Dan Brown's 'Angels and Demons.
On summer evenings the Castel is open late & the entrance fee of €10 includes a guided tour. The view from the terrace is worth the entrance fee alone, as well as getting up close & personal with Archangel Michael
When you exit the castle turn left and walk along
the river towards Ponte Umberto. Cross the bridge to Via
Zanardelli where you can pick up bus 492 (Staz. Tiburtina) to take you back to
Termini.
Thursday
A little trip out of the city today to Ostia Antica. The well preserved ruins of Ostia lie twenty miles from Rome, at the mouth of the Tiber river. It was abandoned hundreds of years ago and is similar to Pompeii in that many of the buildings are still intact, having been preserved over the centuries by mud and silt from the Tiber, but is much less touristy.
The site does have a cafe but it is expensive & the food is poor. However there are plenty of spots for a picnic, so before you head out of Rome take the few minutes walk from your hotel to Fratelli Ghezzi, Via Goito 32 (on the corner of Via Montebello) This deli is full of wonderfully fresh ingredients that can be made up into a sandwich for you by the friendly staff.
Continue on to Termini station. Just inside the main entrance you will find Borri Books where you could seek out a copy of Vision Roma 'Ancient Ostia - A Port for Rome' which has transparent overlays that shows how Ostia would have looked in the past.
You will be taking Metro B to Piramide (direction Laurentina) but as your travel passes ran out yesterday you will need to get 4 €1.50 tickets from the machine which will cover the whole return journey.
Once at Piramide, change by going up the escalator & down the steps into Porta San Paolo station for the 'light railway' to Ostia Antica. The last station on the Rome-Ostia line is Cristoforo Colombo (Ostia Antica is the stop after Acilia & before Ostia Nord.) Once out of the station cross over the footbridge that is straight ahead. Continue straight along the residential street and carefully cross the busy road on a blind curve opposite a restaurant. Go past the restaurant (which will be on your right) and follow the road to the parking lot & ticket kiosk.
Admission costs €8 & there are audio guides available in English as well as maps of the site.
Wandering around the ruins, you can see the remains of the docks, warehouses, apartments, villas, shopping arcades and baths - all giving a peek into Roman lifestyles.
Ostia was founded around 620BC; its central attraction was the salt gleaned from nearby salt flats which served as a precious meat preserver. Later, around 400BC, Rome conquered Ostia and made it a naval base, complete with fort. By the second century AD, when Rome controlled all the Mediterranean, Ostia became its busy port & commercial centre, the remains of which we see today.
Stroll among the ruins and trace the grid, standard for Roman military towns: a rectangular fort with east, west, north & south gates and two main roads converging on the Forum. Walking along the main road, Decumanus Maximus, you can identify buildings from the Republic (centuries before Christ) and the Empire (centuries after Christ) by their level. Over the centuries, Ostia's ground level rose, and the road was elevated. Anything you walk down into is B.C.
The vast theatre (teatro) is one of the oldest brick theatres anywhere and is still used for concerts today.
Just in front of the theatre is the grand square of the Guilds, the former bustling centre of Rome's import/export industry, with more than 60 offices of ship-owners and traders. Along the pavement, 2nd century mosaics advertise the services offered by the various shops - an elephant marks the office of the traders from Africa.
The Forum Baths, a huge government-subsidized complex, were the city's social centre. Fine marble steps - great for lounging - led to the pools. People used olive oil rather than soap to wash, so the water needed to be periodically skimmed by servants. From the viewpoint overlooking the Baths you can see a mosaic of Neptune riding four horses through the waves.
Along Via Casa di Diana is the House of Diana, a great example
of insulae (multi-storied tenement complexes where the lower middle-class lived) and an inn called the Thermopolium. Here you will see a small sink, shelves once used to display food and drinks for sale, and scant remains of paintings of vegetables on the wall above the fireplace.
Return to Hotel Urbee for 'downtime' before heading out to dinner. The best has been saved for last - Osteria dell'Arco, Via Giacomo Pagliari 11, is approximately a 15 minute walk from your hotel
This cosy neighbourhood restaurant is run by two women - Christina is in the kitchen and Nicoletta is the sommelier. The daily specials are well worth trying.
Our favourite local Cesanese wine, Silene, is served here too.
The perfect ending to your meal would be biscotti & amaro: a herb based liqueur made by Cristina's aunt.
Friday
For your
last morning you don’t need to venture far from your hotel.
Palazzo Massimo can be found near Termini Station at Largo
di Villa Peretti. This museum makes a refreshing change from the major sights as it is never
mobbed by tourists and yet it contains some of the most stunning remains of the ancient city. During
the Second World War the building was used as a military hospital.
Some of our
favourite treasures here include the statue of Emperor
Augustus as Pontifex Maximus which shows Augustus as head of the Roman priesthood. A rather good
looking guy I think!
'The Boxer' may not be as handsome as Augustus
but this bronze figure is strangely moving in its realism. The wounds
that have been inflicted during many a match are easy to see as you move around
the statue.
The
sculpture dates back to 330 BC & was unearthed by archaeologists on the
slopes of the Quirinale Hill whilst excavating the Baths of Constantine in
1885. I love this picture from that time which looks like the boxer is just
waiting to be discovered.
The
bronze fittings from the Ships of Nemi give an indication of how splendid these
ships must have been. Built by Emperor Caligula in the first century AD, they
were believed to have been used as huge floating pleasure palaces. The
figurehead of Medusa is impressive.
This
beautiful pavement mosaic of
Dionysus demonstrates how wealthy Romans decorated
their homes, as do the frescoes that also can be seen here.
Our
absolute favourite treasure in this amazing museum are the frescoes from the
garden room of the Prima Porta Villa. They are displayed in such a way that you
feel that you could be in the actual villa which was a favourite retreat of
Emperor Augustus and his wife Livia. The frescoes themselves contain more than
two dozen kinds of birds and over twenty botanical species.
Best
of all it is quite likely that you will have this treasure all to yourself.
As you exit
the museum, turn left, left again then right on to Via Terme di Diocleziano.
This will bring you to Piazza della Repubblica.
This semi-circular
piazza takes its shape from the exedra or portico of the Baths of Diocletian.
The Fountain of the Naiads in the centre was designed by Italian sculptor,
Mario Rutelli (he also was responsible for the statue of Anita Garibaldi that
you saw on Tuesday) It caused a scandal at the time it was built.
The women
who modelled for the nymphs were sisters, two popular burlesque dancers of
their day. The church tried for months to prevent the fountain from being
unveiled because it was deemed too sexy. The sisters lived well into old age
and these two dignified ladies could often be seen walking into the piazza to
have a look at'their' fountain. Every year, once a year for as long as he lived,
the sculptor would come to Rome to take the sisters out to lunch.
As you turn
left into the exedra you will see Eataly, a good place for a coffee stop – the
shakerato come highly recommended!
If you want
to take home foodie gifts or souvenirs then this is the place to shop. It isn’t
cheap but stocks the best produce from all over Italy.
Cross the
very busy road to Via V E Orlando. A little way up on the left hand side you
will see an entrance to a covered arcade. Inside is Dagnino – a Sicilian pastry
shop.
As well as mouth-watering pastries &
sweets, on the right hand side of the store they offer a tavola calda (hot dishes) that
you can take out. The arrancini (fried rice balls) are a speciality. Choose
what you would like for a snack lunch, pay at the register then go back with
your receipt to pick up your goodies.
Retrace your
steps and cross over the road. Depending on time you might want to take a look inside
Santa Maria degli Angeli. This church was built inside Baths of Diocletian and
gives an idea of the scale and splendour of Roman Imperial times.
The exterior has a unique appearance for a church, since its outer walls consist in part of the brick of the Baths of Diocletian.
It
was converted to a church in the 16th century and adapted by
Michelangelo. The vestibule was originally a passage hall between the calidarium (hot bath) and the tepidarium (luke-warm bath) The main body of the church was the tepidarium
itself and contains eight original columns.
Another
interesting feature of the church is the Meridian line,
a sundial laid down along the meridian that crosses through Rome. At true noon (1.15 pm in summer time), the sun casts its light on this line. Part of the cornice on the right side of the transept wall has been cut away to provide the effect.
When you are
ready to eat, head around the corner to the entrance to the Baths of
Diocletian. The garden here is a lovely tranquil spot with sun dappled corners
and tinkling fountains. Your ticket to Palazzo Massimo also includes entry to
this museum (+ 2 others) so there is no reason not to find a bench and enjoy
your picnic lunch (actually the garden is before the ticket office anyway)
Then, sadly, it will be time to
return to your hotel & head for home
