Glorious Caffeine
We kicked off our first full day of exploring on a beautifully crisp autumn morning with a glorious cup of cappuccino. We ate breakfast at the bar like the Romans do. This was my first sip of coffee in over three years. Italian coffee and being in Rome warranted a temporary lift on my caffeine ban.
Exploring Trastevere
A short walk from our Airbnb in Trastevere took us to the Villa Farnesina, a beautiful Renaissance mansion, which had a very “subtle” entrance and only a small freestanding sign outside. We almost missed it walking right by it! But once through the portal, we were in a quintessential Renaissance space with its symmetry, linear design, and simple elegance. The villa’s serene cream and gray facade rose behind the small garden. I’ve always been partial to the cerebral order and approachability of the Renaissance architecture over the formidability of the Gothic or the elaborateness of the Baroque. I guess it just speaks to the engineer in me who seeks order and control.
Villa Farnesina isn’t famous for its architectural design, but for its walls and ceilings decorated by the Renaissance master Raphael himself. While the villa no longer has the sumptuous furnishings it once held, it was still difficult to take it all in as we walked through the grand rooms. Every surface was covered by either rare marbles or colorful frescoes. The general theme of the decor is of love and eroticism since both the owner of the villa, Agostino Chigi, and the decorator was famous womanizers, and it was the wedding home for Chigi and his wife. Hidden in the garland borders of Loggia of Psyche ceiling there is a phallic squash/eggplant with open fig combo. I’ll just leave it at that…
The trompe l’oeil, or deceive the eye, technique was used throughout the house. The Renaissance study of perspective and three-dimensional illusion was definitely put to good use here. Those columns? That soft wall covering? Those openings in the ceiling? All fake.
I really appreciated that there were detailed info cards in each room explaining the background and the meaning behind the images. There was also an in-depth exhibit on the nondestructive examinations performed on the frescoes. Most importantly, there was no crowd so we could browse at our own pace without having to wait for the tour groups to pass through. In the eternally crowded city, it can be a much-needed escape.
Following quick visits to the Santa Maria della Scala and Santa Maria in Trastevere (both impressive churches with beautiful paintings), we had some proper Roman pizza by the weight eaten on plaza steps.
Time Traveling to Ancient Rome
We started our Ancient Rome tour at the Roman Forum. We had pre-booked our tickets to avoid the infamous lines, but since we entered from the side entrance to the Forum, there was absolutely no line!
With Rick Steve’s audio tour app guiding us, we tried to pretend everyone around us were wearing togas and we were walking around in Rome’s center during its golden days. I mean, Julius Caesar lived here, walked here, and died here! It’s a weird feeling knowing we were walking the same streets the ancient Romans did over two thousand years ago. We learned about the senate building, the Vestal Virgins, the market and Caesar’s assassination spot.
From the Palatine Hill, we could look down the entire Forum all the way to our next stop, the Colosseum.
To my guilty pleasure (over having purchased tickets ahead of time), there was a very long line at the Colosseum. But since the Roman Forum and the Colosseum were on a combo ticket, we breezed in. What’s with the giant bronze pomegranate in front though…?
Even though the official Colosseum guided tours were sold out (actually they were impossible to get…), Rick Steve’s audio tour came to the rescue. Having a tour of some kind greatly adds to the experience. I knew the general history of this arena and its purpose, but being physically inside, I still couldn’t help but shudder at the cruelty and the scale of it all. It was literally the original “Hunger Games” to keep the masses occupied.
Unless you were a Vestal Virgin, common women could only sit in the poor/nosebleed seats while their male family members enjoyed the lower levels. Despite all their advances in politics and construction, there was so much gender inequality. I was not amused.
Rome in Fading Light
On the way back, we stopped at the Victor Emanuel Monument, which looked like a giant, over the top wedding cake to me. It was hard to appreciate its scale until we climbed to the top and were right next to the statue.
Shortly after we took these cool sunset shots on the way down, Ross slipped on the marble stairs and gave us, and the people walking by, quite the scare. Falling down stairs is usually my specialty!
Behind the monument is the Capitoline Hill. I didn’t know what this reclining god was supposed to be holding, but to my modern eyes, he could just as well be scrolling on his mobile phone. Even though the Capitoline Museum was closed, a replica of the symbol of Rome, the she-wolf statue, watched over the city from the plaza. Via the “stairs” (more like tiered ramps) designed by Michelangelo, we headed down the backside of the hill and finally started to make our way back.
As the lights came on, Rome took on a mysterious feel. I felt like these small Roman temples were meant to be seen in the moonlight. I could almost imagine the rituals being performed to appease the gods and ask about the future. We stumbled upon the Bocca della Verita, or the Mouth of Truth. The church was closed but we took a photo through the railing.
After a solid 11 hours of walking, we made it back to the flat and I finally remembered to pick my jaw off the floor. I felt like I had just come back from time traveling, exhilarated, exhausted and couldn’t wait for the next day to come.
So happy…
C.