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Writer's pictureBryan Johnson

Roamin' Round Rome-Part 1: Golf Cart Tour, Panthenon & Pasta Making Class


Friday, January 12: Headed to Rome


After a day at work, Katie, Cindy & Richard picked me up from the hospital at 2:00 pm to head to Sevilla Airport! We parked and were through security by 3:45 pm, with ample time to enjoy the Priority Pass lounge before our 5:45 flight to Rome.



Aeroporto di Roma Ciampino - G. B. Pastine


At 8:30 pm, we disembarked the plane in Rome and headed to the bus station! While we had heard public transit in Rome was simple and cheap, unfortunately, we didn't fly into the larger, more well-known airport (Leo da Vinci Airport), but instead flew in a smaller airport southwest of town with no direct trains to downtown.


After waiting at one of the many bus stops outside of airport arrivals, we jumped on the first bus that arrived, only to find out we got on the wrong bus as we began to head away from the city center. Oh well, lucky for us this bus took us to a completely different train station than we had originally intended. If anything, we ended up getting downtown faster than if we had taken our originally intended bus. So I didn't mess up- it was a happy mistake I had planned all along!


Hotel Diana Roof Garden Rome


Around 9:15 pm, we made it to our hotel, Hotel Diana Roof Garden, where we checked in, dropped our luggage, and immediately began searching for nearby restaurants.



EST EST EST Restaurant


After a quick search on Google Maps, we found a restaurant just next door with good reviews and a nice menu. Katie and I got the white and red house wines and two different pastas while Richard got a margarita pizza and Cindy got a spaghetti bolognese. Following a good, late-night meal, it was time to hit the hay as we had an eventful day planned for tomorrow.



Saturday, January 13: Golf Cart Tour


The next morning we enjoyed the hotel's complimentary breakfast on the 7th floor with a beautiful skyline view of Rome and St. Peter's Basilica in the distance.



Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore


At 9:30 am, we received a call from the front desk that our golf cart driver had arrived to begin our tour around town; after a brief introduction, we boarded our 3-row, 6-seat golf cart with our tall, Italian guide. Our first stop was at Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to one of the 13 obelisks of Rome; eight of these obelisks were erected and stolen from ancient Egypt and the other five were erected by the ancient Romans. This specific obelisk was Roman, discovered in 1527, and placed behind the Basilica in 1587.


Terme di Traiano: Baths of Trajan


Our next stop was at the Baths of Trajan; these public Baths were dedicated to the Roman Emperor Trajan in 109 AD. They reminded us of the Roman Baths Katie and I visited in Bath, England back in September. We learned that these public baths were equipped with gyms and sometimes even libraries. Pretty savvy for 109 AD, if you ask me!



Colosseum

Our next stop, a top-10 most photographed marvel and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Colosseum. I won't talk too much about the Colosseum since we will be visiting it tomorrow, but wow! Our guide also took us to a great photo spot away from crowds so Cindy could get all the photos her heart desired!



Circo Massimo: Circus Maximus


The next stop in our tour was Circus Maximus, where chariot races occurred within the city; this giant stadium could hold upwards of 200,000 people! Overlooking the stadium is Palatino Hill, one of Rome's Seven Mythical Hills. Palatino Hill is where the Roman Emperors resided, beginning with Caesar Augustus. Julius Caesar even resided on this hill, but he was not the first Emperor of Rome, as he was actually the last Roman Dictator.



Giardino degli Aranci


The next stop and, arguably one of our favorites on the tour, was Giardino degli Aranci (Orange Garden), residing at the top of Aventine Hill (another of Rome's Seven Mythical Hills.) As we walked through the garden, we were greeted by trees that perfectly framed Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican!


As you approach the terrace overlooking the city and leave the trees behind you, Saint Peter's Dome almost appears smaller, showing that whoever designed the garden wanted you to have the forced perspective to make the Basilica the focal point. While in the garden we got great views of the rest of the city, but more importantly Katie and I were able to get two watercolor paintings to add to our collection; Cindy and Richard also purchased a couple of paintings to commemorate their trip. We even got to speak with and watch the artist at work!



Teatro di Marcello: Teatro Marcello


Although not a formal stop, we did drive by Teatro di Marcello which was inaugurated by Caesar Augustus in 12 BC; the structure was the largest and most important theater in Ancient Rome until 370 AD when it was repurposed as a rock quarry.



Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II


Our next drive-by scene was of the Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II (Monument of Victor Emmanuel II), who was the first king of a united Italy. The monument was completed in 1935 and it is generally unliked amongst the Romans; many of the locals think it is gaudy and feels out of touch above the hill overlooking the ancient Roman Forum and just down the street from the Colosseum.


Colonna Traiana: Trajan's Column


Just across the street from the Monument of Victor Emmanuel II is Trajan's Column; standing at 98 feet tall, this structure was completed in 113 AD and is famous for its spiral relief depicting numerous Roman wars from 101-106 AD.



Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti: Spanish Steps


The Spanish Steps opened in 1725, designed by an Italian architect and funded by a French diplomat. So you may be asking yourself, why are they named the Spanish Steps? They were so named after the Spanish Square which lies at the bottom of the steps (which was named because the Spanish Embassy lies just 100 meters to the south of the square.)


With a connection to Katie and I's current home in Southern Spain, we made sure one of the paintings we bought earlier in the day was of the Spanish steps! Seeing the location in person made the purchase that much more special!



For Mission Impossible fans, Ethan (Tom Cruise) & Grace (Hayley Atwell) drive a yellow 1957 Fiat 500 down the Spanish Steps in the most recent movie. Maybe this was Katie's real reason for wanting the painting of the Spanish Steps...hmm...


Another fun tidbit: if you watch til the end of this clip, you will also spot the Coliseum:



Our tour continued around the tight streets and narrow alleyways of Rome. Having a personal guide made those hills much less intimidating; we were all very happy to miss out on climbing those hills on foot!



Fontana di Trevi: Trevi Fountain


The next stop on our tour was Trevi Fountain; completed in 1762, the Trevi Fountain is a Baroque masterpiece and is the largest fountain in Rome. It's common to throw a coin over your left shoulder with your right hand into the fountain; it's estimated that nearly €3000 is thrown into the fountain every day. The funds collected are donated to various charities in the city.


There are also police posted at the fountain night and day to prevent people from jumping in the fountain. Our guide explained that there is a famous scene where Swedish actress Anita Ekberg swam in the fountain in La Dolce Vita (1960.) Apparently, tipsy tourists have been known to recreate this scene at times, so the police are there to prevent any reenactment attempts!


If you have no idea what that movie is, then you're probably like me and recognize the fountain from The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003.)



Piazza del Popolo


One of our final drive-by spots on the tour is Piazza del Popolo (People's Square), which holds Flaminio, an ancient Egyptian obelisk from 10 BC, within the center of the square.



Pasquino Bistrot


Our tour ended around 12:30 when our guide dropped us off near Piazza Navona to grab lunch and shop. We grabbed lunch at Pasquino Bistrot where Katie and I shared a Buffalo pizza and a Hugo spritz (Prosecco, mint, simple syrup) because, no explanation needed for that drink choice, and Cindy and Richard shared a margarita pizza.



Two Sizes


Following lunch, it was time for some dessert, and just up the street was Two Sizes, a Trip Advisor 5 Star-rated Tiramisu spot! I got the original while Cindy and Richard shared a peanut butter tiramisu! It was incredible! I think we all agreed though that Richard's peanut butter option was the best!




Piazza Navona


After our dessert, we walked up the street to Piazza Navona where we checked out a few shops and snapped some pictures. Katie and I got separated from Cindy and Richard and couldn't find them; their cell phones didn't work so we had no way to get in touch with them. After a few minutes of freaking out, we found them. Of course, Cindy wandered off to the far corner of the square to take pictures!



Pantheon


As we walked back to our hotel, we made a pit stop to take pictures of the Pantheon, which was built in 125 AD and was originally a temple to all of the Roman gods; since 609 AD it has served as a Catholic Church.


It is one of the most well-preserved ancient Roman structures due to its continuous use throughout history. Famous Italian Renaissance artist Raphael, painter of the School of Athens, is buried in the Pantheon; for those who didn't grow up with an art teacher, I know Raphael as one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.



Ponte Umberto I


Another must-see spot in Rome was Ponte Umberto I, a bridge crossing over the River Tiber that provided spectacular views of St. Peter's Basilica to the west!



Palazzo del Quirinale: Quirinal Palace


Just a few blocks from our hotel is the Quirinal Palace, one of three official residences of the Italian President. Sitting at 110,500 square feet, this Palace is the 10th largest palace in the world (the second largest palace in the world is the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, which Katie and I saw back in November.)



Rome With Chef Cooking Class


After a few minutes at the hotel to rest our legs, we headed a few blocks away to Rome With Chef Cooking & Spritz Class! We were joined by eight other guests which included a pair of fun Aussies, a couple of Brits, and two American ex-pats living in London.


Our first concoction of the night was an Aperol spritz. Our chef and bartender for the evening taught us how to make the drink and then left us to it while they finished setting up for dinner prep. After making our drinks, we headed over to the pasta-prep station where it was time to get messy. We donned our aprons and began to create our pasta.



After 20 minutes of hard work, our pasta was beginning to take shape. We created tagliatelle, which is arguably the easiest pasta shape to create, but I'm not going to complain!



Just look at how proud we are of our homemade pasta:



After some hard labor, it was time for our second drink, a Campari spritz. After making our next drink, we headed back to the prep station where we watched our lead chef prepare our two pasta sauces. On the menu was Cacio e Pepe (literally translates to cheese and pepper) and Carbonara, a Roman-originated pasta dish made from eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, Guanciale (essentially salt-cured bacon), and pepper. Katie and I got one of each, even though I implored with her to also get Carbonara.


As we enjoyed the fruits of our labor, we both agreed that Katie was wrong for ordering the plain Cacio e Pepe over the vastly superior Carbonara. While eating, we had our third and final drink of the session, a Limoncello Spritz.



What a great experience to learn how to make pasta and add a few more drinks to our recipe book! Although making our own pasta would be way too much work, Katie and I enjoyed the carbonara so much that we decided we are going to try and recreate it at home! Cindy and Richard even agreed this cooking class was well worth our time! For her lack of cooking desire, Cindy did great too!



After an awesome and exhausting first day in Rome, we headed back to the hotel for some much-needed sleep before another busy day tomorrow! Stay tuned for more!


Saluti!


Bryan



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