Splendor of the eternal city
So let's continue the story.
A lot has been written about the beautiful eternal city of Rome, there are thick guidebooks, a lot of information on the Internet. I will try briefly, for those who have not yet been there, to tell in my travel notes about practical actions in this city. Maybe somewhere the enthusiasm from what he saw will break through, but this is Rome.
The express train from Venice arrived at Termini station, Rome's main railway gate. As I already wrote, the hotels were selected within walking distance from the stations and ports of the cities in which we were. Hotel "Rimini" is located 50 meters from the side exit of Termini station, cross a narrow street, go through a store and another hotel and we are there. The hotel corresponded to its three stars, but we are satisfied with this, since we do not intend to stay long in it. On the way, we teamed up with a couple of Cossacks, whom we knew that they had the same itinerary as ours, including a cruise.
Time is 5 pm. We have a snack right at Termini, along the way we solve the problem of acquiring tickets in three days to Genoa and decide to take a walk in the evening Rome. From Termini it seemed very close to the Republic Square. There is a beautiful fountain on the square, there is also the church of St. Maria degli Angeli, which was designed by Michelangelo. It is built into the former baths of Diocletian, in the same place the National Roman Museum or the Thermae Museum. With evening illumination, the baths and the church looked very impressive. Then we went out to Via Nazionale, took a walk, admired the architecture of the palazzo, which on it and past the Roman Opera House, grabbing wine and snacks along the way, went to our hotel.
The next day started with a standard European breakfast, I won't repeat myself. We went up to our "birdhouse" on the sixth floor, but cozy and comfortable, I open the shutters and in front of me is a view - roofs and a gilded angel illuminated by the rising sun on one of the churches. Lepota!! ! Delight! ! This is how we were greeted by morning Rome.
There are always disagreements in the company. I suggest independent travel by public transport, given that I was ready for this, filling my brain with the routes of Rome from the Internet, maps of the city are available in any decent hotel. A fellow countryman has a desire to ride Turbasses. We are looking for a newsstand that sells travel tickets, Turbas packages, etc. On the way, a countryman intercepts a barker and he agrees to Green Line Tours for two days -31 euros / person. We went to the kiosk and took three-day city transport tickets for 11 euros / person. At the same time, a girl (she is Moldovan) from the kiosk showed what options for excursions with Turbasami are. They are different, and a friend chose not the best option, both in terms of price and services.
And then went walking adventures in the historical center of Rome. From Rimini to Santa Maria Maggiore (a beautiful temple, both outside and inside), from there up (rather steeply) to the Square of the Four Fountains and onto the street on September 20 and already going down, we are moving towards the Quirinal Square, where the presidential palace (Quirinale) is located . On the way (at the entrance to the palace - not the main one), the wife photographed the courtyard with a beautifully dressed cuirassier, a photo of her on the square with sentries, a photo of an obelisk and a fountain on Quirinal Square, we look at the divorce of sentries - not impressive. Sentinels at the mausoleum in Moscow, the spectacle is much more interesting. A short rest on a bench near the parapet, from where you can see the panorama of Rome.
We go down to the right of the observation deck barrier and go to the Trevi Fountain. The fountain has been featured in many films, in many magazines and guidebooks, but... very impressive. Another photo shoot, and we walk along Via del Corso (this is one of the central streets of Rome, connecting Piazza di Spagna and Piazza Venezia). It is not wide, but chic palazzos, we look into the courtyards, they are tangerine and lemon trees, all in fruit. A bunch of branded stores, sales period (up to 50% discount). We almost have to drag my wife away from the shops, but still we go down to Piazza Venezia, where we see the pompous building of the Vittoriano (aka the Altar of the Fatherland). This is a pseudo-Roman-style memorial dedicated to the victories of Italy and those who died in wars with it. All this grandiose structure is impressive, we decide to go up to the observation deck, which is almost under the roof (there is an elevator to the roof, but we didn’t want to stand in a long line). I recommend that they don’t lead excursions there, but the views of Rome are something! From a bird's eye view in one direction - a panorama of Rome with a view of the Tiber and the entire Left Bank with the Vatican, the Palace of Justice and further hills, where there are parks, temples, basilicas, on the horizon - a monument to Garibaldi. On the other hand - from Piazza Venezia there is an avenue of ancient Roman forums , excavations and the Colosseum. And roofs, roofs, avenues of the eternal city. Below, next to Trajan's column, two churches (twins) in the forum of Trajan, houses in Piazza Venezia reminded me of Venice. Everyone wants to take a picture! And then it turned out that the batteries of my camera ran out very “on time”. The time is about 3 pm, we decide to go to the hotel and put the batteries on charge, and it’s time for us to “charge”. We find out from the policeman that the bus to Termini is around the corner and after 15 minutes at the hotel.
A short break without drowsiness, we are planning the next route with a visit to the Roman metro and towards San Giovani, where the beginning of the Appian Way and the Church of San Giovanni. The camera remains at home, so there is no photo of the Roman metro, but I was in the Moscow, Barcelona, Leningrad, Kiev metros, and I have not seen a worse metro. They say that it is difficult to lay it there, but it looks like a homeless man. We get off at the bus stop, pass through the Apian Gate (the remains of the ancient Roman wall). Ahead, a little to the right is a temple worthy of attention. At the entrance there are sculptural compositions, inside there are also beautiful frescoes, sculptures, a chic altar. It is already evening, people are gathering, the choir is lining up, the organ is being tried. We were intrigued and decided to see what would happen. They sat down on a bench, handed out some papers, the sounds of an organ were heard, the choir sang (acoustics of the temple !! ). All sorts of crosses and other utensils begin to be carried out of the side aisle (I am not an expert on church rites), then people in purple robes come out, a total of 12 people (it turned out to be cardinals), and behind them the Pope in white clothes, in a tiara on his head, well, further still a heap of any church servants. That's how we accidentally ended up at a papal mass, which we listened to with respect, though without understanding a word. Something about morality, drugs, well, in general, how to live in this and the next world. His sermon was in the piece of paper that was handed out (later we found out from those who knew a little Italian). The action, of course, is interesting, with the removal of the tiara and washing of hands, putting on a white skullcap, etc. , which is necessary in this case. All this was interspersed with the singing of psalms both in chorus and solo. At the end of everything, the people lined up for the papal blessing, I could not afford such blasphemy, since I was an atheist, and we left the temple.
On the square there is an ancient Egyptian obelisk, which is 3500 years old, exactly the same I saw in Luxor in the Karnati temple. Almost every temple has obelisks similar to this one, so how many of them were taken out and how many were copied. The question is certainly interesting. Next, we plan to take bus 81 to the most beautiful square in Rome, Piazza Navona, but no one I ask, no one knows this stop, even the carabinieri who drove the Arab merchants from the temple. I think that my English-Russian language with a Zaporozhye accent was to blame. I confess, I did not use obscene language, sign language and the available map also did not help. Down the street we saw the ruins of the Colosseum in the distance, safely reached it. It was already too late, the ruins looked illuminated. Further, a cursory inspection of the ruins of the imperial forums, a short rest for the trampled feet, and we are again on the Piazza Venezia. Well, Venice attracts me even in Rome. Already, riding the bus, I remembered that near the Colosseum in the church of San Pietro in Vincoli, in the far right corner, it was planned to inspect the sculpture of Moses by Michelangelo, and near the altar, the fetters (vincoli) of St. Peter. It broke.
Evening. Home dinner at the hotel with hot tea (my wife took a small boiler, I recommend! ) I see dad again on TV (I was not shown, for some reason), my wife without legs is already in bed, then I watch Italian football. The beauty! ! When would I dream of such a thing?!
In the morning we decide that we will go anyway, we will rent the temple where dad spoke. I really liked the architecture there. Of course, I did not hope that there would be some kind of radiance from the visit of the pope, but... there is no longer access to where we sat on the benches in the morning (fence). I am proud now that I was where no tourist has gone before, and I went with my dad. We went out again to the obelisk, I hear Russian speech, I ask the guide about that ill-fated stop, he answers - there is a shadow from the obelisk pointing with his finger opposite. Again pride! None of the Italians could indicate it, but the Russian - easily, and even figuratively. True, yesterday it was already too late and this shadow simply did not exist. In short, we got into this 81 bus (here you still need to know the direction, otherwise it will take you to the wrong place), we skip the Colosseum, the Palatine Hill, we don’t get out, since everything is visible from the bus window - ancient Roman temples, in the same place in the church - the mouth of truth. We go to the building of the upper house of the Italian Parliament, Palazzo Madama. Three minutes from it and we are in the most beautiful square in Rome, Piazza Navona. Temple of St. Agnes, on the square there are three chic fountains. It is too early. The area is not crowded with tourists, musicians, artists paint pictures, a whole vernissage. We looked into the church, for which she thanked us with a scattering of trifles, we returned the trifle to her, even gave the euros, because the money became “holy” after all. We walked around the square, of course, a photo session is a must. Then we move towards the banks of the Tiber to the embankment. On the opposite side of the Palace of Justice, we remove the palace from the bridge, a view of St. Peter's Cathedral. I was interested in the Gothic church near the Palace of Justice, here are different churches in Rome, and I saw the Gothic church for the first time.
Next, we have a route towards the Vatican along the embankment, interesting bridges with sculptures, we pass Castel Sant Angelo (Castle of the Holy Angel), it looks impressive. Ahead of the Vatican, St. Peter's Basilica, already full of tourists, excursions to the Vatican Museums, to the Vatican Gardens, to St. Peter's Basilica are offered. We have an overview of Rome, there is little time for everything else. We are filming so that we can say that we, besides Rome, were in another state, the Vatican. Continue along Via Ottaviano towards the metro. And then I failed. I see this familiar 81 bus, we sit down and it takes us in a direction we do not need. Although, in this delusion (from the word - to vomit) there was also a bright side. We went to places where I did not plan to visit. For example, the Olympic Stadium in Rome with its alley of sculptures of athletes and Italy's only stela-monument to Duce Mussolini. As a result, we got out at the metro station, saw a pizzeria, and I know that it is better to eat in a cafe where there are Italians than where there are crowds of tourists. Excellent pizza, espresso coffee and again "legs in hand". We take the metro to Plaza Españ a (Piazza del Popolo), there is dismantling some shelving of the stage, we climbed the stairs to Villa Borghese, the park is not yet the one that I would like see, still bare trees, went down and again along Via del Corso, bypassing Piazza Colonna, we exit to Piazza Venezia. We stay in Rome for half a day, the train to Genoa tomorrow at 12-30. And how many have not seen!
And here is the last day, or rather, half a day in Rome. Early in the morning to the Triton fountain and the surrounding area, then to the Medici villa, from there walk to the Pantheon and Campo del Fiori with the Trilussa fountain. You also need to see the architecture of Victor-Emanuil Street and return to the hotel by 12-00. Here's a march. Everything worked out. I liked the streets for their architecture, my wife liked the bazaar at Campo del Fiori for its abundance, both the Medici villa and especially the Pantheon for its antiquity.
By 12-00 we are at the hotel, it’s 5 minutes to go to the station, the express is served on time, and now the suburbs of Rome flicker outside the window, then the express goes along the sea, subtropical vegetation pleases with its colors, Civitavecchia flies past (where the cruise liners stop), again tunnels , sometimes the coast of the Ligurian Sea is visible between them. The coast resembles the South Coast, rugged coves, cliffs descending directly into the sea, small coastal towns, secluded villas right on the rocks. Imagine how great it is here in the summer.
And here we are at the station in Genoa, the express flies further to Milan, and we go through the station square and we are at the Standard Hotel Genoa 4 *, where we spend the night and the next day we leave through the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to Casablanca to back in a week again in Italy.
But a cruise in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic is the third story!
