Rome, Italy

Friday, February 25

Good morning on our last day in Rome...
Sun is shining as we step out of our nice little hotel in Via Marsala.
A long day on our feet lies ahead of us!

I love those contrasts - old Roman remains next to modern buildings...

Santa Maria della Vittoria

 

(You might remember this from a certain Dan Brown book, if you read that...)
L'Estasi di Santa Teresa

Funny supermarket delivery car :-)

I have no idea what church this is...

Entering the parks of Villa Borghese

It was such a beautiful sunny day and we enjoyed the warm sunrays
(before we would head back home into February's winter in Austria!)

Ah, spring is near...

Some trees were already in blossom...

Piazza de Siena

This place provided a great view to other districts of Rome!

Looking down on Piazza del Popolo

Everything's so bright and green...

We are on Pincio - the Pincian Hill

We then took the stairs from Pincio down to Piazza del Popolo

The "twin" churches of Santa Maria in Montesanto and Santa Maria dei Miracol

in the background 

The sun behind the Egyptian obelisk in the centre of the Piazza

I would have loved to sit down in that beautiful café and stay for hours...

Now what church is this? I don't remember...

But this looks familiar!

It's Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti, better known as the 
 Spanish Steps

Walking up to Piazza Trinità dei Monti at their top

Trinità dei Monti

The view from above

View of Piazza di Spagna leading into shopping street Via Condotti 
 at the base of the Steps

Fontana della Barcaccia - Fountain of the Old Boat
It's made after a boat that stranded on this square when the Tiber flooded in 1598!

Our march goes on... passing by beautiful street art...

Finally on Via dei Fori Imperiali on our way to the 
COLOSSEUM!

(did I make this picture while we crossed the street? Hm)

 

Snapshot of a Roman soldier ;)

Monumental!

What an impressive construction...

Arco di Costantino
A triumphal arch next to the Colosseum.
Our "guide" told us something about this arch being lit once a year as a reminder against death penalty,
but I found no proof of that! (false memory?)

And finally - a picture of the station concourse of Roma Termini...

My beloved international bookshop... 
There were actually some great book stores in Rome as well as a street fleamarket!

Mine and my friend's favourite restaurant -
only a few meters away from our hotel in Via Marsala ;)

The day is over.... just like our little week in Rome!
Saying goodbye to our hotel and this city...

My last sight of Rome - our platform in Roma Termini.
"Leaving at 7pm"

It was nice to revisit my Rome trip with those pictures -
I really hope to come back there some day!
(let us believe the coin I throw into Fontana di Trevi will work its magic!)

Goodbye, Rome!