Roman Holiday: Part 1

Posted on July 19, 2014
Hi Everyone! I hope you are all having a great weekend and are enjoying your summer! It’s been a busy couple of weeks for us with lots of travel and I wanted to share some pictures of our time away, starting with Rome! It’s really hard to sum up a city as grand and beautiful, and as old and charming as Rome into one post (so look out for Part 2 soon!) and a couple of pictures, but I’m going to try to at least show you some of my favorite things from the city! I’ve been to and lived in some beautiful cities, but there is just something about Rome; the ancient history that’s constantly surrounding you, the incredibly delicious food and the quaint little streets and piazzas lined with trattorias and cafes, filled with people eating (and drinking espressos!) late into the night. Just magical.
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So come take a walk around the city with me…
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One of the most famous places in Rome is St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Our hotel was in the center of the city, and looking at our little tourist map, the Vatican didn’t seem like it was that far away… a couple of blocks, one or two piazzas and a walk across the bridge and you’re there. Three and a half miles later, we were there! It was a super hot and humid day, but this was definitely worth the walk!
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St. Peter’s is absolutely beautiful, both from the outside and the inside. The glorious size and grandeur of the church are breathtaking, with ornate decorations and intricate paintings filling the whole cathedral.
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St. Peter’s Square… and the long walk back begins! Why is the walk back always longer?! I did have a pretty special ice-cream stop planned though (more about that in Part 2!) which made the walk back in the heat and the uncomfortable shoes (also, why do I always decide to pack the most uncomfortable shoes?!) a little faster!
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One of my favorite things about Rome are all the piazzas, which are are squares that often have a big fountain or statue in the middle, were often used as market places in the past, and are filled with little shops and restaurants today.
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Piazza Navona
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It’s also hard to believe how long these streets and piazzas have been here for, how many people have walked down them and how much history has taken place here. It’s almost surreal.
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And of course you can’t go to Rome without going to the Colosseum…
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And the Pantheon…
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We walked for miles and miles every day, but with so many things to look at on every corner, you forget how long you’ve been walking for, or how much your feet hurt!
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Lots of balconies were filled with flowers.
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Another little trattoria (left) and Rome’s favorite mode of transportation (right)!
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And because I couldn’t resist sharing this…. one of the oddest things I’ve ever seen: someone walking a pet pig on a leash in downtown Rome. I don’t even know what to say.
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I hope you enjoyed this little tour of this beautiful city, and that if you’ve never been to Rome, you get to go one day! Stay tuned for Part 2 of the tour, which will be all about the food! Yes, the food deserves a post all of its own. And trust me, you don’t want to miss it! Have a great weekend, Everyone!

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  • Ordinary J July 19, 2014 at 3:33 pm

    I love Rome, last time I was there was when I was a teenager on vacation with my parents. Amazing it still looks the same as back then, and it still looks the same as it was in the movie “The Roman Holiday”. Italy does a good job in preserving one of the world’s most beautiful ancient cities.

    • Maria July 19, 2014 at 4:10 pm

      You’re right, it sure does! I was there about 10 years ago, and thought the same! It’s such a beautiful place! Hope you are having a wonderful summer!

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