Italy was a dream!
We have been discussing a European vacation for a few summers, this was the summer for our family to head to Italy!
We arrived in Rome mid day on June 3rd, Eric and I's 31st wedding anniversary! Luckily our home for the next 3 nights was available for us to get settled into. We stayed on the top floor of an apartment building in the heart of Rome. We had a beautiful balcony where we ended each night with a glass of wine.
After getting unpacked, Sam, Ben and I ventured out to find the neieghborhood grocery store and a slice of pizza for Sam. We wandered down the block and came across this beautiful war memorial. Sam was excited to purchase a bottle of sparkling wine for Eric and I, which he is showing off in front of our apartment door. The drinking age is 18 here and the under 18 kids are allowed to drink with their parents out in the restaurants and pubs.
Later that afternoon we all ventured outside our place and saw the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. We weren't the only ones who had this idea as the crowds were quite thick! We stopped for dinner at a cute outdoor Italian spot and then headed back home for a toast, or Cin cin! and a much needed sleep.
Across the street from our home was this area of ruins being discovered. There was also a cat sanctuary that we visited a few days later. You can see our balcony above Sam's head and slightly to the right. The streets of Rome are mostly cobblestone. They are narrow and the cars seem to zoom past! The sidewalks were pretty narrow as well! Our 4th floor place had a small elevator. Large enough for 1.5 people. We opted for the stairs 99% of the time.
Day 2 had us up and headed out to visit the Roman Ruins and the Colosseum after a nice sit down breakfast. Most Italians enjoy a latte and a croissant while standing at a counter for breakfast. We Americans thought we needed a big sit-down breakfast to begin our day! We did this the first couple of days, then began our days like the Italians do with a latte and croissant. I've never tasted a better latte than in Italy! We were always able to find a cafe for a morning latte very close to our Italian homes.
Our walk to the Ruins took us past the war memorial that we saw the day before.
We had a tour scheduled to explain the Roman Forum ruins. We wore earpieces to easily hear the guide explain the rich history of the area. The Forum was the center of day to day life in Rome dating back to 8th century BC to 608 AD.
Next up was the Colosseum, built in 80! It was the largest ancient amphitheater built at the time and remains the largest standing amphitheater in the world.
We enjoyed a late lunch and a much needed drink after the Colosseum. It was quite warm!
Later that night I wanted one last look at the Trevi Fountain after dark, hoping for less crowds!
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