Day 4: Our last day in Rome might've been our best day in Rome

       Another early morning, but excitement was hitting me full force as we began our walk to the Coliseum. Thankfully, we didn't have one bad day of weather in Rome. Everyday was in the 80’s, bright, sunny and hot. We began our tour at the Roman Forum, which was the center of Roman life for centuries. It’s a huge area with a ton of structures still standing, including Government buildings, temples, statues, and monuments (We even saw Julius Caesar’s cremation site!) I didn’t know we would be touring the Ancient City, so I was totally surprised. But it was a great surprise! I was so in awe about how large the buildings were and how much history took place right where we were standing. What amazed me the most is how many structures are still standing when they were built centuries ago! I took a lot of photos, but they just don’t do it justice. If you ever go to Rome, make sure you see the Ancient City! 

Excavations

Original marble

        After our tour of the Roman Forum, we made our way to the Coliseum which was just down the road. The Coliseum always fascinated me, and it was the landmark I was most excited to see when I signed up for the Study Tour. You really cant describe or explain what its like to be standing in front of the Coliseum; its so massive and amazing and I’m so happy to have seen it. I had already watched a few documentaries about the Coliseum before the trip (because I’m a nerd) so I knew a lot of what the tour guide was telling us. My main focus was to enjoy the view from inside, and take as many pictures as possible! Unfortunately, there were so many people everywhere that we couldn't stay in one place for long, making it tough to get pictures of everything. Regardless, I got enough and it was an amazing experience. (Side note: the steps inside the Coliseum are very steep and it was a little scary walking down them!)

       Our tour was about 4 hours so by the time we were done, we were all starving and thirsty. A big group of us started walking back to the hotel, hoping to find a spot to eat along the way. Donna found an authentic Italian market with fresh meats for sandwiches, and we knew right away it was the place to be by how packed it got. This was a good experience for us because it was one of the first moments where we sorta had to speak Italian. Since Rome is such a tourist destination, almost everyone knows English, and they know you speak English, so often they don’t even bother speaking to you in Italian. But the guys at this little shop had a hard time, which made ordering our food a little more fun. By the time we got back to the hotel, we had a half hour to eat and  clean up before we had to leave for a wine tasting and hotel tour. When I say clean up, I literally mean wash up; I chose to wear sandals and walking around the Ancient City made my feet filthy. When I took them off, you could see white lines from where my sandal straps were, and the rest of my foot was brown from dirt. It was actually a really funny moment- my roomies and I were all filthy, so we all put our feet in the bathtub. Exhaustion, heat, and being a little dehydrated makes you delirious, so we were all cracking up. Definitely one of my favorite moments with my roomies Kristina and Heather! We finished washing up, ate real quick, then went back to the lobby for our hotel tour and wine tasting.

       First stop- Palazzetto Hotel located at the top of the Spanish Steps. It was built in the 1500’s, and has only a few hotel rooms, a private outdoor area for private events, and a wine bar that overlooks the Spanish Steps. We got to enjoy a nice wine tasting from a Sommelier who really knew wine, and was passionate about it. We started off with a white Chardonnay Toscana. Next was a Cataldi Madonna Rose. After these two, we had two reds, but I don’t have the names of them. I wasn’t feeling too good during the wine tasting. It was a long day and I think the heat and dehydration was getting to me. It bummed me out because I couldn't enjoy the wine tasting as much as I normally would have. Thankfully once we left the Palazzetto and headed to the Hassler, the fresh air helped and I began to feel better. 

Exhausted, but can't say no to wine!

       The Hassler is owned by Robert Wirth, who also owns the Palazzetto, and is located on top of the Spanish Steps. We toured the rooms which were beautiful, and saw one of the most amazing restaurants I might ever see- Imàgo. Seeing the Imàgo wasn't part of our tour, but our tour guide was so nice and added it in there as a little bonus! Imàgo was awarded one Michelin star, which is an award for excellence in food establishments. The view in the restaurant was incredible. It overlooked a major part of Rome. Even their website has a quote from the chef about the view, “The view is an inspiration that guides me daily in creating Italian specialties”- Chef Francesco Apreda. 

Rooftop restaurant 

View of the Spanish Steps from Hassler Hotel

       When the Hassler Hotel tour came to an end, we had plenty of time to explore more of Rome before dinner. Our SAI tour guide wanted to bring us to a hill that overlooks part of Rome, so we headed that way. Wish I could remember what it was called… If any of my Italy buddies is reading this feel free to help me out ;)

       Anyway, it was a little hike up there but worth it! I was surprised there weren't too many people, but it was starting to rain so it wasn't the best lighting for photos. We got some pretty good ones anyway! We left the hill and went down some steep steps to go toward the Tiber River. Tip for future reference- always be careful walking around Rome. The steps can be steep and the ground uneven, and one of my friends took a hard fall on her butt. (Shout out to KT! hope your butts doing okay!)

         

     

       Our last dinner was at a restaurant Luke Palladino suggested, and of course it was delicious. I ordered lamb chop and a zucchini with melted cheese. I was extremely impressed with the zucchini, I might have enjoyed it more than the lamb! (maybe). We didn't want to do anything after dinner. Our day was long, and we had to leave for the train station at 7 am the next day. I realized when we were done dinner that I didn't get any souvenirs while in Rome, so we stopped in a little store by our  hotel, then called it a night. 

                                                                   We conquered Rome, Florence here we come!