We woke to another beautiful day in this fascinating city. The temperature was forecast for 20 degrees and after breakfast we decided not to join the tour of the Colosseum that was planned for 10.00 a.m. due to my nausea that surfaced after breakfast each morning. Instead we walked to the Vatican where we saw crowds of people gathering to hear the Pope's weekly Wednesday address from St Peter's Basilica.
Steve at the entrance to our B&B in Rome
Philippines Holy See Sanctuary, Rome
Entrance to the Philippines Holy See Sanctuary, Rome
Crowds gathering for the Pope's address at St Peter's Square, Vatican City
Again, we were spellbound when we saw the opulence and majesty of St Peter's Basilica.
The rooflines, statues adorning the buildings surrounding St Peter's Square and the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City
The 11 metre high columns that surround St Peter's Square, Rome
After spending about 15 minutes taking in the sights of St Peter's Square we boarded the Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour to again admire this wonderful city. Most of the tour today involved Steve either shaking his head in amazement or laughing at the antics of the drivers in Rome. They are a show in themselves, and when they park their cars we have no idea how they can actually retrieve them as often there are only a few inches between all the cars, and those that do intentionally leave a gap soon have a scooter cramping their style!
Typical narrow Roman street - quaint but amazing that cars negotiate them so easily!
Hadrian's Mausoleum or Castel Sant Angelo, Rome
Bronze angel statue guarding one of the bridges across the Tiber River, Rome
Tiber River and view of Rome
Archway of bridge across the Tiber River in Rome
The Ponte Vittorio Emanuele (Bridge) crossing the Tiber River, Rome
Ferry cruising the Tiber River, Rome
Ferry and the Ponte Vittorio Emanuele Bridge over the Tiber River, Rome
Bronze angels guarding one of the many bridges that cross the Tiber River in Rome
Marble statues of the Apostles Peter and Paul guarding the entrance to the Ponte Sant Angelo in Rome
The impressive Ponte Sant Angelo (Bridge) leading to Castel Sant Angelo (Castle) - Rome
Avenue lined with higgledy-piggledy apartment blocks beside the Tiber River in Rome
Typical street vendor's "cafe" in Rome
Street vendor's menu board on the sidewalk in Rome
Rome's Supreme Courthouse - with several prison vans parked in front
Street vendor's menu board on the sidewalk in Rome
Rome's Supreme Courthouse - with several prison vans parked in front
Leafy street in the centre of Rome
A gorgeous church in Rome - with an arched corridor spanning the street to the monastery attached
Cute home in the centre of Rome - and look at that traffic!
Private houseboat moored on the Tiber River in the centre of Rome
Closeup of statue carved into roof gable on home in Rome
Private houseboat moored on the Tiber River in the centre of Rome
Closeup of statue carved into roof gable on home in Rome
Intriguing roofline in Rome
Rome is full of foliage and statues - Piazza del Popolo looking across to the Triple Arched Nymphaeum
Very large marble statue in the centre of Rome
The Egyptian obselisk of Rameses II in the centre of the Piazza del Popolo, Rome stands 36 metres high. It was brought to Rome in 10 BC at the order of Augustus and was originally placed in the Circus Maximus until it was moved here in 1589.
Statue of a youth in the Piazza del Popolo, Rome
Across the Piazza del Popolo to the Triple Arched Nymphaeum in Pincio Park in Rome
Dome of Santa Maria in Montesanto, Piazza del Popolo, Rome
An aquaduct near the Triple Arched Nymphaeum in the Piazza del Popolo, Rome
Church of Santa Maria in Montesanto, Piazza del Popolo, Rome
Rome was full of narrow streets the bus had to negotiate
Smart cars would park straight in the small gap between two cars with their nose jutting into the street so all the cars and buses had to negotiate around them!
Course of an old aquaduct behind the Roman Forum in Rome - now lying dormant but once an important facility in this city
Scooters and small cars were the main form of transport in Rome and the scooters would park anywhere they could. We saw scores of them down most of the streets we traversed.
Elegant facade of building in Rome centre
The old and the new-er in Rome!
Scooters and small cars were the main form of transport in Rome and the scooters would park anywhere they could. We saw scores of them down most of the streets we traversed.
Elegant facade of building in Rome centre
The old and the new-er in Rome!
An ancient roofline in Rome - outlined against a new-er one!
So many of the entranceways to the buildings were stunning - whether they were ornate or just old - they had so much character
One of hundreds of domes in Rome
Intricately detailed lion head frescoes etched into the facade of one of the buildings
Colourful window boxes bringing life to the centre of Rome
Site where Julius Caesar was assassinated
A very narrow street in the centre of Rome - our huge bus went down this street and hardly slowed down as we did so! We were within inches of the cars parked on the side.
The long, impressive staircase that leads to the Campidoglio
I loved the unusual "pom-pom" trees of Rome
Statues, the Italian flag and the magnificence of the Campidoglio - The Italian Seat of Government and designed by Michelangelo
A portion of the many obelisks, statues and the domes of Rome
Looking along the road in front of the Campidoglio to the Colosseum
Not one building was made of timber - they were all of sandstone or marble and were in pristine condition - even if they were in ruins - due to no graffiti, litter or grime
The roads of Rome are so narrow due to them originally being used by horses and carriages - their forebearers didn't foresee the emergence of cars and buses!
A lot of the buildings were adorned with impressive entrances
A magnificent church in the main street of Roma - just gorgeous!
Sculpture above the entrance to the Banca di Roma
One of the busy main streets in Rome - so narrow, so full of parked cars but the buses still roared down them!
Elegant facades and buildings in the Ancient City of Rome
The Commemorative Pillar in Rome
A stately church and heaps of traffic everywhere you looked
The centre of Rome
One of the many fountains found in the city of Rome
Elegant curved buildings line the streets of Rome
We couldn't work out how the cars get in or out of their parking spaces as they would park within inches of each other both front and back and every street in Rome was the same! They were hemmed in like nothing we had seen and unless you had a crane or just barged your way through there was no other way to get out!
And if they did leave a normal gap it's immediately invaded by a scooter!
Nine out of ten cars in Rome are tiny, but this one was the tiniest we saw that wasn't a Smart Car - it was a miniature mini car!
One of hundreds of ancient buildings in Rome
The streetscapes of Rome
We passed so close to the cars parked in the narrow streets of Rome, and so many had parked illegally in the yellow lines, but apparently they don't get booked at all
An interesting angle of the Ecelsior Hotel against a blue sky
Small sculptures were etched into so many of the buildings
The architecture was just beautiful everywhere we looked - stately buildings and ancient history - turning each corner revealed another treasure of Rome
A very stately building with a horse carriage inside the gate - spotted on our sightseeing tour of Rome
Beautiful trees lined many of the streets of Rome
One of the fashionable streets of Rome - lined with fruit laden orange trees!
Hundreds of orange trees laden with fruit lined the main streets. You won't go hungry in Rome!
Would you believe this is the entrance to a garage of one of the hotels in Rome! Quite grand I thought!
A cute bronze ship sculpture on a street corner - these sort of things were everywhere we looked and so fascinating
The Baths of Diocletian, Santa Maria degli Angeli in Piazza Della Republica were built in 306AD and are the largest and most sumptuous of the imperial baths. They remained in use until the aquaducts that fed them were cut off by the Goths in 537. I took several pictures of these baths as they were so unique to anything in Australia and was amazed to see so many things from so many centuries ago in such good condition.
Fountain in Piazza Della Republica - it was massive and central to the piazza with about six lanes of traffic circumnavigating it
The traffic in Rome had to be seen to be believed - Steve was more interested in watching the antics of the drivers than the scenery going passed! Most of the piazzas had about six lanes of traffic and no lanes marked with the drivers competing against each other for position. The amazing thing is we didn't see any accidents at all, even after about eight hours on our sightseeing tours in Rome over the two days. They just work together and whoever is first gets right of way. We didn't even hear beeping horns. They just show patience with each other. It was a lesson Australians could learn to control road rage! No wonder they win high speed races - that would be a cinch as they are all going in the one direction!
An elegant luxury hotel spotted on our sightseeing tour
Secondhand bookstores lined many of the streets
A golden statue dominated the sky, while elegant lampposts decorated each street corner
We loved the fact that everywhere you looked history was on display - whether ancient or modern - it was all there for us to enjoy!
Passing the Baths of Diocletian again - the largest and most sumptuous imperial baths in Rome
Stately buildings line the Piazza Della Republica
See, we really are in Rome!
Beautiful architecture of the buildings in Rome - every building had a unique feature, whether archways or porticos or sculptures or etchings that set it apart
The Piazza and rear of the spectacular Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore or "Church of Saint Mary Major", built in 432. The largest church in Rome - St Peter's Basilica is larger but is in the Vatican City - it was once the Palace of the Popes until the Papal residence was moved to The Vatican City
The spectacular rear entrance to Santa Maria Maggiore Church with it's beautiful rotunda - Rome
Detailed sculpture on church in Rome
Clean streets, pristine buildings and a towering obelisk - Characteristics of Rome
Another beautiful church in the amazing city of Rome
Roman Pillar with Madonna and Child in Rome City
I loved the doorways to the buildings in Rome - they all caught my eye and I wondered how many people had passed through them over the years and whether they had been characters from our school history books
The Main Entrance to Santa Maria Maggiore Church in Rome
The Rear Entrance to Santa Maria Maggiore Church in Rome - absolutely stunning and so well looked after
The Magnificent Rotunda of Santa Maria Maggiore Church in Rome
The business section of Rome City - nearly every "modern" building is made of sandstone. We didn't see any skyscrapers at all, not even in the distance. It truly is a wonderful "old" city.
Amazing old ruins in Rome - with the "pom-pom" trees that you see everywhere
Approaching the Roman Forum with the Campidoglio (Houses of Parliament) on the far right
After lots of laughs we disembarked near the Colosseum, ready for our next trip of discovery.
