Trip Report - Day 3 : Rome

We had a quick breakfast at Vice Cafe and took the metro to the Colosseum. The metro stop is opposite the Colosseum and we got our first view of it as soon as we stepped out. Roma pass allowed us a free entry here. We explored the Colosseum while listening to Rick Steve's audio guide and got to know that the Colosseum was the largest amphitheatre of Roman Empire and was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as animal hunts ,executions and dramas based on classic mythology.

Next to the Colosseum is the Arch of Constantine which was erected in honour of Constantine's defeat of the pagan Maxentius.

Next, we walked to the Roman Forum which was the heart of ancient Rome, a center for trade, religion, and politics. The forum area is not stroller friendly, so Sumegh and I took turns visiting the Forum while the other stayed with Isha. This place is full of ruins which will not make any sense if you do not know what you are looking at. Again, the Rick Steve's audio guide was of great help.

We had lunch at a local trattoria Vito E Dina which had great reviews on tripadvisor. We ordered the seafood gnocchi, seafood pasta, pizza and house wine. Everything was excellent. It is a family run place full of locals which shows its authenticity.

Our B&B had booked the 4:30 PM slot for the Borghese Galleria. This was again free with the Roma pass. Only the reservation of the slot needs to be done well in advance (I think up to a month in advance) as this is a very famous gallery in Rome and slots get filled up quickly. There are lots and lots of sculptures and paintings here and for art lovers, it's a paradise. Since we are not much into art, we just walked around clicking pictures and admiring everything around us.

After the galleria, we strolled through the Borghese gardens. There was a kid’s playground where Isha had a good time. The garden also has a zoo, amusement rides etc. You can see locals having picnics, children playing; it’s a wonderful place even to spend an entire day. However, we had only limited time and wanted to make the best of it. We took a tour of the garden in the mini train and got a good overall experience of the beautiful Borghese gardens.

The min train dropped us off at the Pincian Hill which is a part of the Villa Borghese. It offers a breathtaking view of the Piazza del Popolo and the city. We were lucky to get a sunset view of Rome from here. The atmosphere was made even more romantic by the cool breeze and musicians playing in the background.

We walked down the steps of the hill to the Piazza del Popolo and took the metro from here to go back to the B&B. For dinner, we decided to dine at an Indian restaurant 'Shanti' which was very close to the B&B. The food was okay, but the service was pathetic and waiter extremely rude.

Overall, our entire stay in Rome was amazing. We loved the city and would love to visit it again. We retired to our rooms and packed up for our next destination - Florence.