This is the famous Trevi Fountain but more on that later :)
Let’s take you back to the very beginning... who just sung that like in the sound of music !?! Anyone or just me !!!
Anyway ..
Once again I hopped on the interrail to get to Rome googling my hostel I was right near the station .. but if you know me you’d know i sometimes can’t read my left from my right and got all confused with the satnav so I walked around the houses abit but in the end found my hostel and was a perfect location! Boiling hot yet again! I studied my map but was wasting no time getting my exploring head on! Not before I saw there was a gym at my hostel and got very excited! Maybe too excited for my own good but adventures awaited me before any of that working out stuff went on!!
I figured out that all the main attractions were like half an hour away - pretty lucky and had to slow myself down to a walk from a run when it came to going to find the Colosseum Spanish Steps Trevi Fountain and The forum but il take you through my experience.. here we go..!
So I popped through the station to grab a baguette and drink to fuel myself for my afternoon of wows and headed towards the main event!! It’s strange really because your walking along a normal road with some restaurants etc , you take a left through a stone wall and it’s literally there !!!!!
Incredible! And all those people you see ...!! All queuing to go inside! I decided as it was only my first day I’d go down early the next morning and grab my ticket :)
I had been to Rome before as a child and I do remember doing a tour of the grounds but we didn’t go inside so i was buzzing for that opportunity the next day.
I stood and admired this amazing structure for a time under a tree shaded from the sun!
The next stop was the Trevi Fountain as we didn’t get there before and I couldn’t wait a second longer to go see it!!! I could hear the people gathered way before I saw it and the beautiful sound of the fountain. It was packed!! But just stunning. It’s surrounded by police to stop tourists sitting on the walls and putting they hands in the water! No wonder it’s still so gorgeous and the waters so clear.
The little streets are the cutest to get to the fountain! It’s right in the middle of the town just surrounded by little shops, restaurants, gelato stalls and bars. The atmosphere is second to none just so surreal and a must when your in Rome!
If you have time see it at night too- more on that later! But for now here’s a daytime photo for you ...
I had a breather after that with a pot of Gelato on the wall up the top of the fountain then decided to go see what the Spanish steps were all about !!!! Oh my goodness what a sight! The sun was setting and I just couldn’t believe how lucky I was! I said to myself I’ve got to go back to the fountain and Colosseum at night! I can imagine it being a totally different picture and boy was I right! Getting back to the Spanish steps though ...
It’s packed like this everyday !! As I did go back with a group of girls from my hostel that I started chatting to :) more on that later ...
If it gets abit confusing I do apologise!! It was a while ago I went and can’t quite remember what order I did things in! But after dinner I did head back out to see The Colosseum at night and it did not disappoint !!!
Pretty knackered I headed back to my hostel and kinda got some sleep !!! Joys of a hostel .. drunken idiots breaking beds at like 3am haha !!! Was funny ! Just put my head phones in! You got to experience the hostel life it is pretty surreal ! I love it !!!
Getting up bright and early I walked down to the Colosseum and awaited me was already a long queue ! Damn it ! But I joined it anyway! I was determined to go in! So I managed to get my ticket after about 2 hours of queuing but was so worth it !! But I had to wait for my time slot so I sat myself is a restaurant opposite and soaked it all in over carbonara and a coke as was a little bit Faint after standing in the sun for too long! I got my map out and started looking at where The Forum started, its a massive set of ruins but stunning all the same!
Inside The Colosseum
I had a self audio guide and made my way round learning all about it
The Colosseum also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre , it is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy. Built of travertine limestone, tuff (volcanic rock), and brick-faced concrete, it was the largest amphitheatre ever built at the time and held 50,000 to 80,000 spectators. The Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum.
Ok il show you one or two but honestly get yourselves to Rome ( when we can go!not 2020)
I Headed to The Forum before the sun started to set ...
The Roman Forum is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum.
Pretty impressive !! I’ve got tonnes of photos but I won’t bore you with too many but enough for you to get the buzzing feeling of jumping up and booking tickets now !!!
Was I right !?
Heading back to my hostel to do a little workout before dinner !!
After my shower I got chatting to the other 3 girls in my dorm and we all were like has anyone had dinner ..?! Nope! Shall we all go ?! 2 English 1 French 1 American :) got ready and headed out :)!! We went the Spanish Steps way for another glimpse for me anyways the others hadn’t seen them at all so was kinda giving them a guided tour as after dinner we headed back to the Trevi Fountain way !!
Oh and we finished the night of with Gelato obvs !!! I was getting up pretty early to head to The Vatican City the next morning so we headed back after our like hour long dinner wait ( to this day we don’t know why !) but the little street we sat down ( outside the restaurant ) looking up at the Steps was pretty Cool and we were getting to know each other so we didn’t mind !!!
I actually still see Maddie :) we even met up for her 21st for afternoon tea and a trip to Cambridge! and we give each other book recommendations!
Love a hostel buddy!! You’ll find out more about those later on in my blogs when I head back to 2013 and write my Australia blogs !!!
My last day in Rome .. before I headed off to My last stop ... Naples! But what makes Naples special is ...
My Dad will be at the train station waiting for me so we can spend 2 days exploring Naples together as he’s always wanted to go :) too hot for mum!
Anyway ...
I headed on the metro to THE VATICAN CITY - My gosh it was amazing ... I’d be inside when I came as a child so I just had a wander of the grounds, obvs ate gelato whilst watching the world go by and last minute shopping before having to get my train to Naples.
The Pope wasn’t there this time but whilst it was baking hot, tourists still queued to have a look inside the Roman Catholic Church!!
Pretty awesome and I just sat for a while and soaked up the atmostphere!!
That brings me to the end of the Capital
Next stop as I said... Naples
Thank you all for reading
Until next time ...
Keep Travelling
And then turn into a story teller :)
Kate xx