I thought that today would end up being just a transit day, but we've managed to make it fairly interesting as well. It started with us docking and disembarking in Civitacecchia. There were three or four other cruise ships there, and several super yachts - apparently when we had the rough seas a few days ago they came in to shelter.
It was an hour or so drive to Rome, but a smooth drive through countryside, and we got a bit of a tour when we reached the city, going past several cathedrals and old Roman baths. Though it's now feeling like you can't go a hundred metres without passing a ruin or a church.
Anyway, we reached our hotel, the Anantara Palazzo Naiadi. It certainly looks like a palace, a big curving building at the Piazza della Repubblica with the fountain of the Naiads in the centre.
Unfortunately, it was only about 10.30 in the morning at this point and our room was not ready. So we sat around and read for a while, then went for a walk. Just across the piazza is a huge roman ruin, once the thermal baths of Diocletian. In the closest part of that is a 16th C Church designed by Michaelangelo, the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and of the Martyrs.
After that we walked dowen the long street to the Piazza Venezia to see the Monument to Victor Emmanuel. On the way we passed a big museum, a Roman forum, a couple of basilicas, and when we reached the Piazza there were some ruins being excavated as well.
Then we went around the corner and found a cafe to have a light lunch before we walked back to the hotel. Although it's not as ridiculously hot as it was for much of the cruise, it's still pretty warm, so fortunately as we were getting back we were called to say our room was ready. We rested for a while and waited for our bags to be delivered, which took some time.
Early evening we started towards the Colosseum. By then it was much cooler and there was a slight breeze. We stopped half way to have pasta. When we finished we were the only people sitting at the footpath tables and the owner seemed reluctant to let us go.
When we eventually got to the Colosseum there was a brief moment of panic until we found the tour company. It didn't help that the Rally di Roma was starting directly adjacent so there were lots of people and lots of noise. But it gave us something to watch while we waited.
The tour itself was excellent. We circled the outside then entered and walked through the maze of underground passages before coming up to the arena level.
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| Tunnel to gladiators' school |
The tour was delayed until 9pm and we didn't finish until after 11pm. Fortunately the Metro got us very close to the hotel but we were still exhausted by the end of the day.
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