please empty your brain below
Seriously ticking off the major spots there DG.

Trevi Fountain I thought was sort-of smaller than I thought it would be and it was just tourist madness when I was there.

Spanish steps are steps, I sat there while my shorts dried after an unfortunate mishap with one of the (otherwise awesome) drinking fountains.

The Pantheon is simply awesome though, one of the greatest spaces I've ever been lucky to visit.

KH | 10.12.15 - 7:46 a.m. | #

I like your description .." gleams the colour of American teeth."
Did you toss a coin into the Trevi fountain?, I did not in '67, guess that is why I have never gone back.

John | 10.12.15 - 7:49 a.m. | #

am now playing 'When in Rome', one of my favourite 80's bands, this morning.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_in_Rome_(When_in_Rome_album)

Geofftech | 10.12.15 - 7:56 a.m. | #

The Trevi Fountain, what a disappointment, crammed in by buildings and swarms of tourists.

Mike | 10.12.15 - 8:17 a.m. | #

Several days in Rome and no mention of buses or the Metro ?

I recommend a trip on line B to Basilica S. Paulo.

I remember doing this in the days before the Euro, when Italy had a chronic shortage of coins in circulation. If you walked up to the ticket barrier with a large denomination note they just let you in for nothing.

kev | 10.12.15 - 9:42 a.m. | #

PS the monks in the Basilica sell their own booze.

kev | 10.12.15 - 9:46 a.m. | #

Another memory was a busker with a guitar on the Spanish steps trying to sing O sole mio. We droned him out with the words of just one Cornetto.

kev | 10.12.15 - 10:03 a.m. | #

"Spanish steps are steps.." sums up nicely my reaction to this supposedly must-see attraction.
The Trevi Fountain was dry...but The Pantheon is a top scale 'Wow' place to see.

Frank F | 10.12.15 - 10:14 a.m. | #

Those 'winged horses' on the Trevi look more like seahorses to me (see Fishbourne Roman Palace logo). Otherwise thanks for reminding me of a school visit back in the last century!

Bronchitikat | Homepage | 10.12.15 - 10:32 a.m. | #

you didn't pop into Babington's Tea Room at the Spanish Steps? to marvel at the prices? currently I think the cheapest is 10 euro for a pot for one - but it is worth it for a one-off experience of what the English visitor to Rome used to need before we all got hooked on espressos and cappuccinos.

johnalot | 10.12.15 - 11:25 a.m. | #

A rival concrete dome, though possibly reinforced, is CNIT in the west of Paris, at La Defense. According to the pictures it used to look spectacular, but the construction of the office buildings and the Metro and RER station all around have buried it somewhat. http://architectureofdoom.tumblr.com/post/37418449489/melisaki-cnit-paris-la-d%C3%A9fense-architects

Alan Burkitt-Gray | 10.12.15 - 12:06 p.m. | #

Wow. You are doing well to see the sights!

The Pantheon is extraordinary - rebuilt by Hadrian and so nearly 2000 years old. Each of the columns of the portico is a 60 ton monolith from Egypt! If you go around the back (say, to the left, towards where Bernini's elephant obelisk is) you get a great view of the brick structure on the side without the pretty marble on the front elevation.

"Panelled" ceiling? Coffered, surely.

Did you know, the Landmark Trust has a place on the Piazza di Spagna, upstairs from where Keats lodged (and died)? http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/search-and-book/properties/piazza-di-spagna-10525

Andrew | 10.12.15 - 3:25 p.m. | #

Also, Raphael was buried at the Pantheon.

Andrew | 10.12.15 - 3:27 p.m. | #

Might these be of any interest, as somewhere a bit unusual to go?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombs_of_Rome

RogerW | 10.12.15 - 4:56 p.m. | #

A word of caution about the Landmark Trust property by the Spanish Steps: if you stay there in warm weather the steps are crowded with noisy students, sitting playing music and drinking, almost, all night; something to bear in mind.
On another matter, a friend told me today how much he enjoyed your blogs back in 2002 and how well written they were. I was able to reassure him that your standard remains as high.

Christopher Bellew | Homepage | 10.12.15 - 6:07 p.m. | #

The pantheon's portico used to have a bronze ceiling which survived until 1623 when Pope Urban has it melted down to create the columns of Bernini's baldacchino in St. Peter's.

Alex | 11.12.15 - 7:42 a.m. | #











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