Tag: travel

London-Girls Trip 2022

On By Travels with MelindaIn Girls Trip, London, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Arriving on the train from Bath where we started our Girls Trip 2022, we got settled into our ARBNB in Goodwin’s Court. This lovely historic lane in Covent Garden was used by the Harry Potter set designers as one of their inspirations for Diagon Alley. The curved front windows of the townhomes and gas street lanterns illuminating the cobblestones is indeed lovely and very Harry Potteresque. We stay in ARBNBs for our Girl Trips so that we can each have a bedroom and a bath. However, next time maybe we won’t book a five-level townhouse. It was huge, fancy, and in a great location but way too many steep stairs we had to crawl up after busy days wandering around London!

We had timed our visit to occur in mid-November after London had turned on their spectacular Christmas lights. I’ve travelled all over the world but never have I ever seen a big city light up like London does for the holidays. Streets are strung with lights, entire building facades are decorated and don’t even get me started on the lavish decorations inside the classic huge department stores like Harrod’s. It is THE most wonderful time to visit London. Besides shopping and taking in theater performances (see my separate posts on those!), we planned out an agenda to include Parliament (we are political junkies), a private taxi tour (vs. taking the Hop On, Hop Off bus), a fabulous museum (only time for one this trip!) and grabbing a view at Sky Garden. London is an awesome city that requires multiple trips to even begin to see it all. For This first time visit to London for Becky and Patti, they got a great overview. I’ve been to London many times in the past for both business and pleasure and I always look forward to a return visit to see new things!

PARLIAMENT

Our first morning in London, we journeyed across London to visit Parliament. The House of Commons and the House of Lords were both in session so there were no tours of the building going on because they were working. If you come when they are not in session, you can take a self-guided tour and see all the beautiful historic rooms, which I highly recommend. Thom and I did that a few months ago and loved it. But this time it was all about seeing Parliament debates. Ah, the political drama! After standing in the rain until the appointed time that we were told we could enter the great hall to get ready to go into the gallery, the security guards finally took pity on us and let us in about 30 minutes early. We checked out the great gift store (yes, they sell booze and lots of other cool stuff), used the facilities and waited while the docent warned us about the protocol involving the Speaker of the House Processional. About a hundred of us tourists lined up in the entry way to the House of Commons and stood at attention while all the pageantry took place. The Speaker walked right by me and said hello. Nice chap! Then, after he entered the Chambers, we all went up to the gallery after leaving our possessions (no cameras allowed) checked outside the gallery in the secure cloakroom. You sit above the action and can also watch on several monitors. The day we were there the representatives of the Treasury were discussing the energy crisis with members of Parliament and how they were going to help citizens stay warm this winter and pay their energy bills. We are political junkies so enjoyed seeing their government in action.

PRIVATE TAXI TOUR

We arranged a two-hour private Black Taxi Tour instead of taking the Hop On Hop Off bus, which I often take on trips depending on how much time I have to see the top sites in the place I’m visiting. We had a week in London and wanted to see specific sites, so the personal tour worked well for us to get the lay of the land. We booked our tour through Viator and told our tour guide to meet us at St. Ermin’s hotel, which was close to Parliament. We walked over after our Parliament experience and had a quick bite and tea at the hotel before our tour, which ended up being in a bright green taxi not the classic black one. At least the other cars could see us coming to get out of the way!

The guide was anxious to tailor our trip to what we wanted to see and also guide us to the top sights in London. We requested Buckingham Palace (of course) and the Princess Diana memorial. We got to see all the sights, jump out quickly while the tour guide waited with the car so we could get pictures and walk around. It was a full two hours of the best of London. It didn’t cost much more per person than the hop on, hop off bus would have been, and it was just our party of 3 in the car. Our guide dropped us off in our neighborhood afterward. Fun day!

VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM

We could only work in one museum on this trip, but I hope in the future to see all of the London museums. Good reason to return! So many fine museums in London and the entrance is FREE! From the moment you walk up to the Victoria and Albert Museum V&A · The World’s Leading Museum Of Art And Design (vam.ac.uk) you are impressed. The building is majestic and beautiful. The thing that makes this museum so unique is that there is something for everyone. Tip: this museum (and others) are open late on Fridays and are less crowded then. Also, make sure you have lunch in the V & A café. Not only is the food good but it’s gorgeous-oldest museum cafe in operation in Europe. Also, shop in their gift store. I bought a few Christmas presents from the wide variety of jewelry collections they offered. They carry various European designer collections to choose from including my favorite from Italy, Angela Caputi.

SKY GARDEN

The best view in town at Sky Garden – London’s Highest Public Garden is FREE. Just reserve timed entry tickets online in advance (released 30 days in advance) and show up, get in line with your tickets, and go through security. Then you are whisked up to the garden view. You can go outside on the balcony, but we enjoyed coffee and treats inside while getting some great pictures. I love the comfy couches that you can relax into and rest while enjoying the view. There are tiered levels, and they often have events on the upper level like yoga classes. Enjoy the journey!

London Shopping-Girls Trip 2022

On By Travels with MelindaIn Girls Trip, London, UncategorizedLeave a comment

We had timed our Girls Trip 2022 to occur in mid-November after London had turned on their spectacular Christmas lights. I’ve travelled all over the world but never have I ever seen a big city light up like London does for the holidays. Streets are strung with lights, entire building facades are decorated, and don’t even get me started on the decorations in the classic huge department stores like Harrod’s. It is THE most wonderful time to visit London, a city I’ve visited many times over the years.

We had an entire day dedicated to shopping and checking out the department stores all decked out in their holiday finest. We started with the iconic Harrod’s where you can buy anything from very expensive designer items to tasty treats in the food court and affordable souvenirs in the basement where the tourist shop. I had to buy an extra suitcase for my Harrod’s Paddington Bear.

After the splendor of Harrod’s, we grabbed a taxi from the convenient taxi stand next to the store. Many stores are within walking distance of each other once you get from Harrod’s to Oxford Street. Luckily, the big department stores all have cafes and places to relax and sit. Shopping is exhausting work! We walked between these landmark stores:

  • Selfridge’s on Oxford Street – six floors encompassing 10 acres
  • Fenwick’s on Bond Street – from furniture to clothing, they have it all
  • Liberty of London on Regent Street – especially magical for anyone who sews and loves fabrics
  • Carnaby Street an entire street filled with specialty shops and cafes
  • Fortnum and Mason known for their selection of tea, biscuits, preserves which make great gifts

One of our tour guides clued us in to look for the signs above shop entrances that indicate that they supply goods to the Royal family. I guess it is quite the honor. These are primarily small bespoke stores like tailors, hat stores, hunting clothes, etc. For those who aren’t on a Royal budget, check out Marks & Spencer or the Primark department stores around town-these are where the average citizen shops for clothes. We loaded up on bargains for ourselves and gifts at these stores. Patti even bought a coat to wear home!

We also hit the markets to shop and eat-when in London, visit at least one or more!

  • Spitalfields Market-go to the The Flat Iron across from the market for lunch or choose from a wide assortment of food from the stalls in the market. There is great shopping at the market with everything from vintage clothes to vinyl to gift items.
  • Covent Garden Market has been around since 1845 for wonderful food and shopping and is especially lovely at the holidays. We stopped into the Punch and Judy pub in Covent Garden market for classic fish and chips with mushy peas. The showstopper though was the sticky pudding-heaven in your mouth.

After a hectic day filled with shopping, we rested our tired legs and enjoyed the treats on Brigit’s Bus Tea Tour. We were on the first Christmas lights bus of the season. Touring all around town while sipping on tea/hot chocolate/champagne, we sampled the treats wearing our paper crowns and singing holiday carols. The perfect ending to a perfect day in London.

I highly recommend going to London in mid-November-less crowded, beautiful decorations and fantastic shopping. The trifecta for a perfect Girls Trip!

Cotswolds-Girls Trip 2022

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London is amazing but we also wanted to experience rolling hillsides covered with sheep and visit charming villages and winding country lanes in the Cotswolds. We booked an all-day small group tour and met our driver/guide early one morning. Avoiding a car accident on the motorway aka highway, our driver quickly took us on a country road detour so that we could keep to our schedule and see all the sites. Along the way and before every village we visited, he shared with us the history of the region and told entertaining stories to keep us engaged. He explained how important sheep are to the history and economic growth that happened in this area and cautioned us that “here in the Costwolds we don’t eat sheep because their wool is renown and has earned residents great wealth”. The largest sheep market in the Middle Ages saw 20,000 sheep pass thru in a day. Duly noted. Sheep rule.

Established in 1966 and designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) the Cotswolds  (name comes from “cot” meaning sheep enclosure + “wold” meaning elevation or hill) covers 700+ miles of rolling bucolic hills and country manors. While there are many quaint villages within the Cotswolds, on our tour we visited Burford, Bibury, Bourton-on-the-Water aka “Venice of the Cotswolds” and Stow-on-the-Wold, the highest elevation in the region. Stopping about an hour in each place, we got to wander around, eat at the local pubs, shop, and take pictures of all the picturesque sites. My sister grabbed a wonderful framed original drawing at a community yard sale. I picked up lots of Christmas gifts from a local church holiday bazaar. Lavender is a popular Cotswolds grown product, so I picked up soaps, lotions, oils, etc. Local treasures that you can’t get just anywhere.

As we walked around, I couldn’t help but take pictures of literally everything I saw. The buildings made out of golden-colored Cotswolds stone (limestone) are architecturally gorgeous. Stone walls along the roads and separating the fields are an important characteristic of this region. Local limestone rocks are stacked with no binding element holding them together with the rocks on top pointing vertically, so they lean into each other and hold themselves together. We saw gated estates adjacent to the small village/church where the estate workers lived. Very Downton Abbey. It is rumored that Stow-on-the-Wold, where JRR Tolkien visited often, was an inspiration for mythical locations described in his books, especially St. Edwards Church’s unique doorway with the two trees.

I could imagine renting a thatched roof cottage in the Cotswolds, renting a dog to trudge through the fields in the rain and drinking lots of tea in the local cafes. We enjoyed our quick day trip through the countryside. It is a very restful and beautiful place. Enjoy the journey!

Liverpool

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While most people associate Liverpool with the Beatles, the highlight of our stay in Liverpool was Dr. Who! Visiting the Dr. Who exhibit temporarily showing at the Liverpool Museum, which is located in an area with loads of historic buildings to check out, was the ultimate experience for my husband, a super fan. While we primarily spent our time in the Dr. Who area, the rest of the museum looked to be worthy of a visit. So much Dr. Who, so little time!

After Dr. Who, we had lunch with Thom’s UK relatives who met us at a lovely restaurant close by and then we were off to the waterfront to catch the Hop On Hop Off bus at its first stop at Albert Dock, where you can find restaurants, the Tate Museum (free!) and the ferris wheel. Since I enjoyed the Hop On Hop Off bus tour in Glasgow so much and it truly is efficient if you have limited time in a city, Thom and I decided to do a tour together in Liverpool.

Admiring all the architecture, including the “streaky bacon” building aka a very striped building, we hopped off to see the Beatles statue, popular for selfies, and the Cavern Club where the Beatles played early in their careers. Liverpool, like many cities in the UK, has loads of universities and is a party town with lots of music clubs. Our tour guide said that Liverpool averages 74,000 students from around the world living there, fueling their economy. This city had the most shopping centers that I’ve seen probably due to their young demographic. Of course, we had to check out the vinyl stores as Thom collects vinyl wherever we go.

We were in Liverpool over a weekend and the bars and clubs had music going on from early afternoon. Waking up to some loud partying in our hotel at 1 am, it seems everyone was having a good time while I tried to sleep. We are definitely not party animals OR foodies. The next day after watching nonstop coverage of the Queen’s passing and King Charles III taking over, we shopped a little and picked up a memorial newspaper and rubber duck for the grandkids and got Subway takeaway for fine dining in our hotel room. How exciting! I want to come back to Liverpool and see all the museums, walk the waterfront, and take a more in-depth Beatle tour-you can even get one in a Beatles-themed Rolls Royce through TripAdvisor. Who knows-maybe we might even go to a club after dark???

Glasgow

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With Thom’s back still needing rest after a long train travel day from Edinburgh to Glasgow (delays due to rain on tracks causing us to exit trains twice and eventually hire a cab to finish the journey), I left him resting up at the hotel and booked a Hop On Hop Off bus through my TripAdvisor app (save 10%) for about $15 US. The first stop on their loop around Glasgow was close to our hotel and I walked right up and on and off I went. Make sure to book the tour for English or multi language, whichever suits you. Some of my trip was with a pre-recorded tour guide on headphones and then later with a live guide over the speakers. Both are fine if you just want to see the sites and get a brief history lesson. Since I was alone in a new city, I felt more comfortable taking this kind of tour vs. just walking around town by myself to get the lay of the land and see the charming Gothic and Victorian architecture.

You can ride all day on the bus (usually 10 am to 5 pm) but I needed to get back to the hotel to check in on Thom and plus I had forgotten my backup battery pack for my phone, and it was dying fast (TIP: ALWAYS CARRY POWER!) so I only hopped off once to visit the magnificent Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, no ticket needed and free entry. The majestic entry halls are filled with various objects: hanging heads and a WWII plane as well as a huge organ, where they give free concerts every day at 1 pm. There are several floors with paintings, historical items like knight’s armor, etc. You could spend all day here in order to see everything. The grounds around the museum are lovely and a path leads over to University of Glasgow. If I had more time, I would have taken a long walk there, as friends recommended it. JK Rowling used University of Glasgow as inspiration for some Harry Potter scenes. I could tell from a distance that the historical buildings were beautiful and a small stream meanders through it. Next time!

Luckily by the next morning, Thom was feeling better, and we went for a morning stroll to nearby Glasgow Cathedral. Again, free to enter and gorgeous stained-glass windows, St. Mungo’s tomb and typical religious grandeur of European cathedrals. You can just imagine the knights riding on their huge horses onto the stone floors to receive a blessing prior to battles.

We didn’t get a chance to check out the food scene in Glasgow, but I did score a street hot dog with gherkins and crispy onions to take back to the hotel for Thom. He’s a New York born and bred connoisseur of street dogs so when he said it passed the “test”, that was high praise indeed! Thom also appreciated the Dr. Who Tardis, masquerading as a coffee hut near Glasgow Cathedral, especially as our next stop on the UK train trip was Liverpool where we planned to see the Dr. Who exhibit. Thom has a tattoo of a Tardis on his upper arm and loves to show it off to fellow Dr. Who fans, who are always impressed by this permanent tribute to his favorite show, an enduring UK classic.

When I did go out for a quick stroll around the neighborhood by our hotel to get some snacks for our next train ride, I stumbled upon a mystical potions shop and some unbelievable street art. I’m hoping for a return trip to Glasgow when Thom is feeling better, and we can explore this fascinating city together. Cheers!

Edinburgh

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Arriving on the train from London at Edinburgh’s Waverly Station, our first impression was not a good one. Edinburgh was just coming off a 12-day trash collector strike and had only two days to recover before we arrived, but the streets were still strewn with residual trash left behind. Once we got past the trash though, we saw what a charming place Edinburgh really is!

After we checked into our hotel, Courtyard by Marriott, we headed to the trail behind the hotel leading up to Carlon Hill, perched high above Edinburgh and offering a spectacular view of the city and beyond, even to the coastline. Our perspective shifted quickly to Edinburgh being one of the prettiest cities I’ve ever seen, and we can’t wait to go back. Just goes to show you that you need to explore a city before judging it. If you like to walk and find secret staircases and passageways, then Edinburgh is your city! Everywhere you look there is an alternative path to the main streets. Of course, this causes Google Maps to lead you astray sometimes and confuse you. On the way to walk to Scottish Parliament for our tour, we ended up having to take a steep stone staircase, Jacob’s Ladder, which I found reference to as being historic but boy was it spooky going into a short tunnel after we navigated the staircase without incident.

After just visiting the UK Parliament in London, we decided to follow that up with a free Scottish Parliament tour. What a contrast between the historic UK building and this modern structure. We were allowed in to see where the Parliament sits when they are in session, which was the following day. We wanted to go back and see them debate but alas Thom hurt his back and we ended up having to skip it. One interesting fact was that the Parliament has beehives onsite that they care for and sell their honey in the gift shop. They also sell hard liquor, which is a featured product in many museum/government gift shops in the UK. I imagine the politicians that endure a bad day just grab a bottle of the hard stuff on their way out. Cheers!

Before Thom was laid up with back pain, we managed to get all over town and see the key sites. A highlight was finding Greyfriars Bobby, a statue of the best and most loyal dog in the world. Legend has it that this Skye Terrier in the 19th century would sit by his owner’s gravesite every day for fourteen years until he passed as well. After patting Bobby on the head, we entered Greyfriar’s graveyard, where JK Rowling prowled around looking for inspiration for her Harry Potter books. It is dripping with atmosphere so I can see why. We found Thomas Riddle’s grave and also William McGonagall-sound familiar? As we heard the owls hooting, we could only imagine JK finding her muse among the spooky gravestones. My husband loves tramping around old graveyards. His favorite is Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris filled with atmosphere and famous dead people like Jim Morrison, Frederic Chopin, Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde.

Edinburgh Castle looms large over the city, up a steep street and worth the climb. It is immaculately preserved from the stone walls to the many canons that defended the good people of Edinburgh from invaders. The lovely 80-year-old working in the gift shop and giving out whiskey samples only enhanced the visit for me. I bought a wee dram of Stag’s Breath Liqueur, a fine whisky and fermented comb honey liqueur. Yum! Also, the gift store rocked as they carried multiple rubber character duckies that we collect for our grandkids from all over the world. So, history, whiskey, ducks. Well done! As one sign I saw in Edinburgh declared “Today’s rain is tomorrow’s whiskey”.  Make sure to leave time on your visit to Edinburgh to enjoy the plentiful pubs, cafes and shops that line the colorful winding streets. Do a whiskey tasting! You never know when you will stumble upon bagpipes being played. While known for its moody weather, it was sunny and beautiful when we visited in late September so we got to roam around in comfort and enjoy all that Edinburgh had to offer. Can’t wait to go back!

Unique Souvenirs in Rome

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Prior to going on any trip, I search out videos to watch about the place we plan to visit. YouTube is my go-to place but I happened to view “Bobby and Giada in Italy” on the Food Network to prepare for our trip to Rome. On one of the episodes, Giada visits an artist right around the corner from her mother’s apartment in Rome to find a gift for Bobby. This cool shop, La Bottega del Marmoraro, is her favorite place to go (and now mine!) to get personalized gifts from Sandro Fiorentina, a marble craftsman and true Italian artisan.

For a truly unique souvenir, I highly recommend you take a stroll to 53 Via Margutta and order a handmade one-of-a-kind marble plaque to bring home for yourself and others. Entering this artisan’s workshop filled with treasures is an experience you won’t forget. Be prepared with your order on a piece of paper in Italian-any translator app will do this for you. Sandro doesn’t speak very much English, so I researched in advance what I wanted on my customized marble signs: “sisters” in Italian for my sisters who visited Italy with me on a Girls Trip the prior year and “Goditi il Viaggio” aka “Enjoy the Journey” for myself because that is the motto I strive to live by.

Using some hand gestures to indicate the size of the sign I wanted, we settled on a date I would come back to get the finished products. Order your treasures early in your Rome stay to allow time for them to be custom made. My order took two days to complete but perhaps Sandro won’t be so busy when you visit, and it will take less time. The price was very reasonable for such a unique gift. If you don’t have time for a custom order, Sandro does have a vast assortment of signs already made with common sayings that you can purchase. So, get your translator app out and find a souvenir with a saying on it that speaks to you to take home immediately.

As with any trip, always leave room in your luggage for souvenirs to take home! I tried shipping wine/olive oil home from Italy on a previous trip, and it took months and there was damage enroute so I wouldn’t recommend that approach. My favorite souvenir for myself, besides Sandro’s sign, is jewelry (from local artisans if possible). It’s lightweight and easy to pack. I got an amazing necklace for $25euros at a little boutique by our hotel in Rome. Don’t be afraid to get off the tourist trail and seek out hidden gems. You won’t regret it. Enjoy the journey!

Florence-Know Before You Go!

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Florence is a magical place. I’ve been fortunate to visit several times and want to share some basic information with others who may be visiting for the first time so you can know before you go!

SUNDAY/MONDAYS-closures

Make sure you check before you go anywhere. Some museums (not all) are closed on Sundays and/or Mondays. Small stores especially in non-tourist areas are also closed. Markets like San Ambrosia are closed Sundays but San Lorenzo was open and busy on a Sunday. We enjoyed the market of artisans on the Piazza by the train station, Piazza Sante Maria Novella. Thom chatted with an artisan who made Thom a fine leather bracelet to fit on the spot. Travel from there to San Lorenzo market, also open on Sunday, where you can shop at the many stalls all around the market itself and then go in and eat at Mercato Centrale which has a huge variety of diverse cuisine to choose from and tv’s to watch the local football aka soccer games. Do a little research before you set out to Florence and you won’t be disappointed!

MAILING POSTCARDS

Mailing postcards to our grandkids during each country’s stay is a must for us. It’s easier in some countries than others. Here in Italy, it’s a process. First, finding postcards in the tourist area is easy! I paid 50 cents for really nice ones. We like to mail postcards from everywhere we go to not only our family but to ourselves. There are some really artistic postcards out there that are a lovely souvenir when you get home. We framed ours and hung them on the wall. Then, go to the local bar/convenience store where they sell things like cigarettes, lottery tickets, and stamps. Each stamp to mail postcards to US cost me $2euros. Postcards written and stamped, now where to mail? I stopped a postman that was delivering mail on our street, and he spoke some English but couldn’t mail my postcards. He said they would sit in his office for a while (??) and it would be faster for me to find a red mailbox on the street and use that to mail them. So, off I went to a tourist section to find one. Nope-none to be found. While I was at a hotel trying and failing to get a reservation at their fabulous rooftop bar, I walked through the lobby like I was staying there and handed them to the concierge and asked “mail?” and he nodded. Score! Later as we walked the streets of Florence looking for street art, I did start seeing the red mailboxes hung on buildings. Now I know!

GETTING AROUND FLORENCE-Building numbers in red AND blue

I was having a hard time finding an artisan jeweler even though I had the address. After wandering for a while, we noticed as we walked down the street that each doorway had either a blue number on their doorway and/or a red number. These numbers are not sequential with each other; however, the red numbers are sequential, and the blue numbers are sequential. When I finally found the jewelry store, the artisan explained that businesses are given red numbers and residences and hotels are given blue numbers. Then, I looked at the address she has listed on her social media, and it clearly states “28R” aka “28 Red” after the street name. Ahhh! Now I can find my way around Florence and so can you! And, FYI, there are condom machines hung on buildings to keep the Florentines safe. I saw more of these than the red mailboxes.

TAKING THE BUS IN FLORENCE

There is no Uber in Florence. Taxi apps did not work for us despite repeated attempts. Bike rentals are possible but there aren’t bike paths. With the cobblestone streets and frantic drivers, I would not recommend bike riding. You could take a carriage ride in the tourist area, but I only saw one of these, so this service is fairly limited and probably very expensive. The public transportation to take in Florence is trams or buses or a limited subway. Buses run on schedule and get you where you need to go. Unfortunately, you can’t just tap on and off with your phone like you can in the UK. Italy has not quite caught up yet with current technology. You have to buy a paper ticket at a Tabac aka convenience store/bar. One ticket is $1.50 euros and are valid for 70 minutes from the time you validate them on the bus except in Florence where it is valid for 90 minutes. Who knows why??

Use an app to find a bus stop and times and routes. The Moovit app works well in Italy or Rome2rio app is good too. Some bus stops have an electronic reader board with bus numbers and estimated time of arrivals. Who knows-when you go to the bus stop, you may even find a new pair of shoes-the locals like to share items there that they no longer need. Our local bus stop had paper bus schedules taped on and could be outdated. I would recommend using an app. To validate your ticket, there will be a machine near the front of the bus as you enter. Stick your ticket in with the “please stamp here” end going in first. This will stamp your ticket with a date and time. Take your ticket out and keep it.

There are transportation strikes. Everywhere and any time. Leaving Florence, we saw notices of strikes taped at the bus stops. Just go with the flow and have a backup plan like walking, which is the easiest and fastest way to get around Florence. Enjoy this magical place!

Piazza Navona and Pantheon, Rome

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The key to seeing all the incredible sights in Rome is to carefully craft your itinerary to visit sights that are near each other. Not that I don’t love walking 20,000 steps a day but that takes time and when you only have a few days in one of the most amazing cities in the world, you have to be strategic.

We walked from our hotel to the Piazza Navona, a “must see” site in Rome that is a Baroque period square that played a starring role in the Angels & Demons movie (2000). Of course, we had to watch this movie again just before visiting in order to refresh our memories. The square was fairly quiet when we visited in the morning-no attempted murders happening like in the movie. Bernini’s Fountain of Rivers created in the 1600’s is the centerpiece of this site and rightly so-it’s beautiful. We walked around enjoying the details from every angle, as did several nuns who were out and about early like us. While you are there, also check out the Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone in Piazza Navona. We tend to walk into any church that will let us. They are all beautiful.

Walk from one side of the Piazza to the other and keep on walking for about 5 minutes to the Pantheon. Another free historical site that shouldn’t be missed. You may have to queue up (we waited maybe 15 minutes) to get in and there is the usual church dress code to maintain (no bare shoulders). I had forgotten and had worn a sleeveless shirt over a tank, so I improvised and took off the outer shirt and wrapped it around my shoulders-it worked! The Pantheon is a Catholic church and mass is celebrated on Sundays and holy days of obligations. I imagine attending a service would be a great memory, as would getting a guided tour with a guide who can share all the history.

Entering the Pantheon, you should immediately look up. The rotunda with the massive, coffered concrete dome ceiling with a central opening aka oculus to the sky is the showpiece.  Amazing architecture and engineering built how many years ago?? Fun fact from wikipedia: Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon’s dome is still the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.

After the Pantheon, we wandered around and stumbled upon yet another fabulous church nearby that was open for exploring. Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva is stunning (see photos below). Definitely worth a stop in to see and appreciate the gorgeous ceilings.

Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill-Rome

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Millions visit every year to marvel at the Colosseum in Rome. While I’m glad we saw it up close and personal on our visit, I’m not going to lie-while I appreciated the amazing architecture, hearing the history of the brutality to humans and animals in this place was both interesting and disturbing.

First, just the tip of the iceberg of historical facts: the Colosseum is the largest ancient amphitheater ever built and is still the largest standing building of its kind in the world. Wow! If you travel across Europe, you will see LOTS of amphitheaters but none of this magnitude. Construction began under the Roman emperor Vespasian between 70 and 72 CE and, while its still standing, renovations are constant and expensive. There was lots of scaffolding up when we were there, and our guide told us that this is the usual state with ongoing work being done.

Just like the Vatican, we felt that a guided tour was in order so that we could absorb the history, as harsh as it is, while gazing upon the ruins. Skipping the lines in front of the hordes waiting to get in and entering through the VIP entrance through the back door of the Colosseum was a tour perk too. Cool experience, great picture taking and well worth the money!

Our guide not only shared historical facts but really brought it to life with lots of great stories. Like all the ancient structures, thousands of slaves built it and who knows how many died doing it. Not surprisingly, the seating was tiered based on who/what you were-the best seats reserved for the male Roman politicians, next the wealthy Roman men and, in the cheap seats up top were women/slaves/poor folks. Animals fared no better than the slaves who built it-they were imported, fought and were killed whether they won or not. All type of animals were imported-tigers, elephants, etc.

Our tickets included not only the guided tour of the Colosseum but also entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. However, we were worn out after tramping all over the Colosseum, so we didn’t really have the energy to do these sights justice. If I had to do it over again, I would have planned all day for this experience and brought more snacks/water to rest in between seeing everything. The Roman Forum is an open-air museum that is on the same site as Palatine Hill and the Colosseum, though they have separate entrances. Palatine Hill sits above the Roman Forum and is believed to be the birthplace of Rome. The Palatine Museum features treasures from this huge excavation site. So much to see!

ENTRY TO THE COLOSSEUM:

If you don’t want to take a tour, you can go on the official website Visiting the Colosseum – The Colosseum and get single entry tickets in advance. Colosseum tickets typically include an entry to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill and these sites can be seen in any order you choose.

You DO NOT want to just show up and try to get tickets on site to get in the day of your visit. The Italian government restricts the number of visitors every day, so they sell out well in advance. While you can usually book your tickets at least a month in advance online, during non-peak seasons the demand for Colosseum admission tickets is less and you can book much further in advance. I would recommend reviewing all your options (guided tour vs. self-guided), price out the various choices as they vary widely depending on time/date/features, and then book those tickets as soon as you can. Early entry is only for those with a pre-booked guided tour, so book online before you travel in order to skip the queues and the crowd. We booked this tour Ultimate Colosseum Arena Small Group Tour. The Colosseum can close for special events, construction, weather issues, etc. so be flexible and don’t be surprised if your plans are forced to change. It’s a really, really old structure that is mainly an outside tour.

TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM COLOSSEUM:

We took the bus to and from the Colosseum but there are also Metro lines close by. We were not always successful using taxi apps in Italy and Uber service is very limited and expensive in Rome. The bus stop is right outside the Colosseum and seemed to be the transportation choice of most people. Get your ticket in advance at any metro station, news-stand (called a Tabac) or convenience store. You must remember to validate your ticket in the machine as you enter the bus, or you could be forced to pay a fine.

VISIT ESSENTIALS:

  • Water and snacks
  • Comfy shoes to walk miles, climb hundreds of steps and walk over large stone pathways (see example pictured above-very uneven and hard to walk on)
  • Hat, sunscreen and/or an umbrella depending on the weather
  • Do not bring backpacks-they are not allowed through security
  • A sense of humor and lots of patience to navigate the crowds