Rome, Italy…with a quick stop-over in New York City.

“Do it. Buy the tickets. Book the trip. We ain’t here for long.” – Anonymous

“Rome was a poem pressed into service as a city.” — Anatole Broyard (1920-1990) – American writer and literary critic

“Rome is the city of echoes, the city of illusions, and the city of yearning.” – Giotto di Bondone

Heidi has retired, and now to celebrate….a trip of a lifetime, a trip to say, “WOW, what a career you had!!!”

We begin by flying to New York City, a stop over for a couple of days before journeying to Rome. We stayed at the cutest and friendliest little hotel right smack dab in the middle of the theater district, Hotel CasaBlanca. And right across the street is the Stephen Sondheim Theatre where we will go to see &Juliet after we have a delicious dinner at Tony’s Di Napoli, an Italian Family Style restaurant.

The next day is sun-filled, 75 degrees and perfect for walking…and that is exactly what we did. All around Central Park, seeing things we missed on past visits. (everyone of our past visits were filled with rain and snow) And then a walk on the High Line, an abandoned elevated train route turned into a walking park high above the streets of the city. We also made our way to Katz’s Deli for one of those famous pastrami sandwiches and to see where Harry and Sally sat, “I’ll have what she had!!!”

On the High Line with the Hudson in the background

Then it was off to Rome. For the first time ever we flew Condor Air…straight to Frankfurt, then connect to a Lufthansa flight to Rome. We enjoyed Condor Air…they paint their planes with stripes and in business class you even get a pair of striped socks and striped slippers to wear…cool!!!!

An overnight flight to Frankfurt (hellashish airport), then a quick flight to Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome. We chose to stay in Trastevere, across the Tiber, for its distinct Roman charm, cobbled streets, and a bit quieter than the more touristy areas of Rome. Our choice of accommodation was The Hotel Santa Maria. A former convent, it now houses 19 rooms that overlook a charming courtyard filled with orange trees. It was a quiet and peaceful little oasis in the middle of the city. Great breakfast each morning and happy hour in the afternoon.

Since we arrived to our hotel by early afternoon, we spent the rest of the day exploring Trastevere. We grabbed lunch at Das Poeta, an amazing Pizza Spot just a few alleys away from us. Wandered the streets, ducked into a couple churches, and had our first dinner at a restaurant directly on the Piazza Santa Maria.

We had four days in Rome and we tried to fit in as much as possible…..we found the market at Campo Fiori and marveled at the Egyptian Obilesk (3500 years old) in the center of Piazza Navona. We stood in awe of the Pantheon and watched the sun shine in through the oculus. We fought the crowds to get a glimpse of the Trevi Fountain and snuck under the city to see where the water arrived at Vicus Caprarius and found the Art Nouveau courtyard at Galleria Sciarra. We made it out to Galleria Borghese, one of the few times we chose a taxi over walking, but we had to get there for our 4:00pm reservation. And oh my goodness, what a gem this museum is. To see Bernini’s Rape of Proserpina and how Neptune’s hand makes marble look soft as it presses into her thigh. And the metamorphosis of Bernini’s Daphne as she is transformed into a laurel tree at Apollo’s touch. So many pieces on display of one of my favorite artists…Caravaggio.

We loved visiting the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola. When you look at the church from the outside, you see the roof is flat, but inside you get a totally different feeling. The ceiling has a false dome, and 3D ceiling with angels all painted by Andrea Pozzo.

The Colosseum was spectacular. We got there early and beat the crowds and the heat. You can gaze at this structure for hours and wonder about all the events that took place here. The Roman Forum was fun to wander around and get the sense of ancient Roman life. The Vatican Museum was magnificient. We also arrived early and by the time we got to the Sistine Chapel we had no trouble finding a seat on the side and just gaze up at each panel. Just so sad we were not allowed to take pictures. St. Peter’s is ginormous and so awe inspiring. And we got to see La Pietà, by Michelangelo, the only work of his that he signed.