Rome in a Day: the Colosseum & a Scenic Tour of the Roman Forum

The last few hours of our time in Rome were spent taking a scenic bus ride through the city, making stops at the Colosseum and parts of the Roman Forum area. Some of the photos were taken through the window of the bus, so forgive the smudginess. I have to say, though, that the Colosseum did not disappoint. It was so much bigger in person than I'd imagined it in my head. We didn't get to go inside, but seeing from the exterior was fun enough for me. 

After spending all day exploring Rome, we hopped a train and made the 2 hour journey back to our villa in Carmignano. It was after 8pm, but we were starving. Finding Ristorante La Frugola was a complete god-send. So thankful that Italians eat dinner late! We stuffed our faces with pasta carbonara, sausage pizzas, and calzones as big as your head. And a wine...of course there was wine. To end the evening, our waitress, who was as sweet as pie for tolerating our giant group of non-Italian speaking Americans, sent us over a bottle of Limoncello...for free! Happiness was passed all around. :)

Well, folks...there you have it. Rome in a day! I know we only scratched the surface of all there is to see and do in Rome, so I'm happily counting down the days until we go back. Up next on my family vacation recap...a day soaking up the Tuscan sun. Otherwise known as our "down day," and it was much, much needed!

Rome in a Day: Piazza Navona, The Pantheon, & Trevi Fountain

We continued our tour of Rome with a lunch stop at the famous Piazza Navona. We literally only had about 45 minutes to explore the square and eat some delicious pizza and gelato before we were whisked away to the Pantheon, but I enjoyed this little area so much! It was filled with cute restaurants with al fresco dining and lots of street vendors and artists trying to make a buck selling their work. I just love little squares like that, so lively and inviting. Yet another place I would have loved to wander around in a bit more. 

Ahhh, strawberry and chocolate gelato. Heaven in a cup. I could have eaten gallons of that stuff. But, then I would have never made it here...to the Pantheon. One of the single greatest architectural wonders in the world, in my opinion anyway. Not only is it one of the best preserved Roman buildings, its interior is known for having geometrical and symmetrical perfection, with the width and height of the dome being equal. Which is amazing considering the dome itself is one of the heaviest of its kind. The oculus, the only source of light reaching into the Pantheon, is nothing short of divine as well. Grazia told us that when it rains, water comes pouring down from the oculus onto the marble floors, making for a celestial waterfall of sorts. I can only imagine how cool it looks when it snows.

{So, then I went and YouTubed it...and confirmed its wicked, wicked coolness.}

 Our next stop of the day was at the famous Trevi Fountain. With our coins in hand, we pushed our way through the crowds and lined up to secure our visits back to Rome...or so the story goes.

Well, the only bits left to show you of our day in Rome is our late afternoon visit to the Colosseum complete with a scenic tour of the Roman Forum on the way. Come back Wednesday for that post! :)