Rome - the Eternal City

We were visiting Rome for six days recently, our  27th visit in total! Fascinating thing is, that - similar to NYC - we never get bored of this fantastic city. Being archeologists by education, we never get tired to admire the historic remains, almost continuously from prehistoric times to present. Also, we always, again and again, visit the main sights - Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, Campo dei' Fiori, Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo, Villa Borghese, Vatican, Colosseo, Campidoglio, the Roman Forums, the Roman bathes, the churches (allegedly one for each day of the year), some museums and certain neighborhoods - and are still full of awe!

 

Colosseo

Piazza Navona from Museo di Roma

Campidoglio / Musei Capitolini

Vaticano

Pantheon and fountain

Fori Imperiali

Castel Sant'Angelo and Bridge

We love the colorful (and still cheap) farmers' markets, the big "flea/clothing market" at Porta Portese, the gelaterie and pizzerie, bars and cafés, the parks around the famous palazzi and villae, we love people-watching and strolling through "authentic" Roman neighborhoods. 

Fleamarket Porta Portese

 

Trastevere

Also, we went on an excursion to Ostia Lido, the beach, hoping we could escape the heat (100+ deg. F every day), but not so. No shade there, and pretty shallow water. The river Tiber is low as well and decorative fountains in the city don't bubble anymore. Too few rain, water levels low, constant heat. Fortunately, there are still the many drinking fountains! 

Ostia Lido

Tiber

Santa Sabina/Aventin

Fontana di Trevi

We always select a couple of museums, which we either don't know yet or haven't visited for a long time, this time: the Museo di Roma at Piazza Navona (aerial below) and Villa Farnesina (with fantastic frescos from Renaissance times). Also, we revisited the German cemetery inside the Vatican walls. Swiss Guard was censoring length of my dress, but then let me through. 

Another famous cemetery, which we love for its location (and which is always good for a shady brake) is the Cimitero Acatollico, closeby the Piramide. Famous poets like Percy B. Shelley and John Keats, but, also, Goethe's son and other not-catholic famous people are buried here.

Cimitero Acattolico/Piramide

Campo Santo Teutonico/German cemetery Vatican

Villa Farnesina gardens

Villa Farnesina/Sala delle prospettive

 

Well, Rome may be hot in July/August, but one big advantage is "Estate di Roma", a colorful program of different, mostly free events all over town. We took profit of one of many impromptu openair cinemas in town and watched the epic film "Cleopatra" at the Temple of Venus, overlooking the Colosseum.

Openair cinema @Colosseo