"When in Rome"
Trip Start
Jan 05, 2011
1
27
28
Trip End
Mar 29, 2011
Civitavecchia, Lazio, Italy
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Civitavecchia is our last excursion destination and is a modern and elegant city on Italy's Tyrrhenian coast and for centuries has served as a port for it's mighty neighbour Rome.
We were both looking forward enormously to our visit, ashamedly our first. P&O had secured two carriages on the scheduled service from Civitavecchia to St. Peter's Station one hour away in the heart of Rome, some ten minutes walk to St. Peter's Square.
They say you will never "do Rome" in a lifetime so we focused on just three other sites beyond St.Peters. From here we hired a taxi with one of our travelling companions, Tracy, who back in the 1970's had worked for some time here, we were grateful for her experience as "first timers".
We had the taxi drop us at area adjacent to the Colesseum called Palentine Hill, the origin of early Rome, here on the advise of our guide on the train we were able to buy a ticket covering three venues, inclusive of the Colesseum but avoiding all the queues there - worked a treat and I got in for nothing as a 65 year old!
The Colesseum for us was a little bit disappointing despite being able to admire its epic proportions.
We moved on from here with our friend to the location of the Trevi Fountain, Rome's grandest, where the crowds were unbelievable in such a small square but we were able to edge our way to the front to toss coins in which "ensures a return to Rome". At this stage lunch was required and it had to be "Pizza and Ice Cream" which we conveniently found within the square, excellent lunch and excellent value!
If there was a building anywhere that I would like to visit it would be the Pantheon and we moved off to find it off of another square not too distant. There was no disappointment this time, its airy interior and perfect proportions remain a wonder of the world, even in its own time, a stunning building. The sun was shining through the oculus at the centre of the awe inspiring hemispherical dome, playing on the walls lined with shrines. It was great to have time here.
We skipped lunchtime coffee at the Trevi Fountain knowing we wanted to grab one at Piazza Navona, a stop recommended by Tracy as Rome's lovliest square, a pedestrian paradise filled with cafes, artists, milling tourists and splashing fountains. The weather had surpassed all expectations and as we sat at one of the restaurants the sunshine was absolutely glorious.
Moving on our journey was to conclude in St. Peter's Square, unfortunately time was not going to allow us to do anymore than again marvel at the whole panorama of the Square and surrounding buildings, visits to the Museums and Basilicas will be for another day!!
