After breakfast we left the hotel and walked 5 minutes down Via Cavour to the Coleseum,
where for a February morning there was an enormous queue to enter. As I had been to Rome many times previously, I was delighted not to have to join the queue. It was a bright crisp morning as we continued down Via del Fori, past the Forum (more queues) past underground C now under construction - to be completed in 89 months!! ( presently there are only two lines: A and B)
As we strolled along, there was a lot of street entertainment
We arrived at Piazza Venezia where we espied the impressive statue of Victorio Emanuele
and thence to the shopping street Via Corso
where I did a little damage with the credit card. My PC and I diverted to see the Trevi Fountain, disappointed to find that there were no fountains to be seen but still plenty of tourists (no doubt their guides were telling them that they saw it at an unusual time, which reminded me of going to Ayers Rock in the 1970s and instead of seeing the sunset on the red sandstone rock, we saw it with the rain streaming down - a very rare occurrence according to our guide and when I returned with the family in 1999, I nearly had a repeat experience but just before sunset the skies cleared and the sun came out. The latter time, the experience was compromised by the noise of helicopters hovering about - no such distractions on the first visit) and there was scaffolding everywhere on the Trevi Fountain!!
We retraced our steps to Via Corso and turned into Via Condotti,
the ultimate shopping experience with all the big names Dior, Gucci, Burberry, Jimmy Choo etc - they were all there on quite a short via. Serious damage was done to the credit card - you believe me, don't you dear reader?
We stopped at magnificent coffee shop
Caffe Greco established 1760 and partook of their delicious cakes.
At the end of the street was the Spanish steps.
We turned right into Via Due Macelli, on to Via Tritone, Via Barberini, right into Via Firenze til we reached the Teatro dell Opera
and across the street stood our out chosen restaurant for tonight Trattoria Matriciana
And on to Termini - the main bus station where on the far side of Termini was Via Marsala where we were to get a bus to
As we were purchasing tickets, I asked for a return and the ticket seller understood that to mean that I only wanted the return leg of the journey and asked me how o was getting out there? He spoke excellent English but the vagaries of usage. A young Chinese guy was listening to our conversation and was perplexed so I had to explain my understanding of a 'return ticket' to him also.
On Via Marsala, we moticed the Ryan Air airport coach which is €6 one way to airport, so if unlike us, you coach to and from the airport, either buy the return ticket on board Ryan Air or at the airport on arrival (€8 return).
We were seated immediately. This is one of the oldest Trattoria in Roma, established in 1870. It had a very pleasant ambience with many dining en famille. Unfortunately, we weren't that hungry and my PC has not been feeling well since our arrival - so antipasti was foregone
and for main course PC had Escalope of Veal with lemon and spinach and I had Tortellini with Porcini mushrooms and an Italian cheese I regret that, as it was not known to me, I have forgotten its name, together with a delicious artichoke. We imbibed a half bottle of white for PC and as usual a half of red for me with a bottle of San Pelegrino,; the Italians are very loyal to this brand.
We had to forgo dessert
as C was exhausted, we taxied back to the hotel - a 5 minute ride. An early night as we leave Termini for Firenze ( Florence) tomorrow morning.
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