Rome and Silversea Day 2

Start of day: Somewhere over the Atlantic
End of day: Rome, Italy

I’ve visited Italy three times, arriving one time by train from Switzerland, and twice by air. Both times I’ve flown in, the pre-arranged driver was not present to meet me. I’d arranged a car through my hotel, as they were advertising €65 transfers from the airport, and my research showed it’d be €55 if I went outside and grabbed a taxi from the line. For the extra €10, it’d be nice to have someone standing there with a sign, who has been (presumably) vetted by the hotel.

That didn’t work. Oh well. I contacted the hotel on WhatsApp (which seems to be a thing over here), they contacted the driver, and he appeared about 10 minutes later. Off we go. His name is Sergio. He’s doing a lot of speed up/slow down driving and we spend a lot of time straddling the lane line. It’s an hour of this. On the highway just next to us a car had its hood fly up and block most of the driver’s view. We heard a loud thunk and, to his credit, the other driver didn’t overreact and managed to pull over safely. It could’ve gone badly, though. How it didn’t rip off at 50mph I have no idea.

We had to stop for gas. It’s around $8.32 a gallon.

Italian Q8 gas station signs on a concrete forecourt showing regional average prices — diesel at 2,040 euro per litre and senza piombo (unleaded) at 1,891 euro per litre — next to a Q8 Radio Musica in Movimento banner

I tried to get coffee from the caged machine at the gas station but I didn’t have coins yet. In hindsight maybe it’s better that didn’t work out.

Italian roadside coffee vending machine behind a wire cage with selection buttons for caffè corto, caffè lungo, caffè macchiato, cappuccino, cappiccolo, latte, cioccolata, tè limone, and acqua calda

I made it to my hotel – Hotel Campo de’ Fiori – around 10:30am. I left my bags with the friendly lady at the front desk, Valentina, and headed out to walk. She thought my room would be ready around 12 or 12:30 and said she’d send me a message on WhatsApp.

Now I walk. I walk to explore and I walk to stay awake. I set out to the east, passing the memorial to Victor Emmanuel II, the Roman Forum, stopping into a random church, and finally loitering outside the Colosseum.

The white marble Altare della Patria — Vittoriano monument to Victor Emmanuel II — in Piazza Venezia, Rome, with its Corinthian colonnade and Italian tricolor flag against an overcast sky

Interior of an early-Christian basilica in Rome with rows of Ionic columns flanking the long nave, a semicircular apse fresco of figures in flowing robes, marble floors, and arched clerestory windows

Of the 20+ selfies I took at the Colosseum, this was the best one, which should give you an idea of how tired I was.

Selfie outside the Colosseum in Rome, with the ancient amphitheater's tiered stone arches and crowds of tourists visible behind the photographer

I walked back to the hotel and inquired about a lunch spot. There are numerous restaurants ringing Campo de’ Fiori but the hotel recommended Romoletto specifically. I had perfect meatballs and the first of too many tiramisus on the trip.

(this video fueled by caffeine and adrenaline and little else)

A glass jar of tiramisu layered with mascarpone cream, espresso-soaked ladyfingers, and dusted cocoa, served with a spoon on a napkin atop a Romoletto-branded ceramic plate at a Rome trattoria

I went back to the hotel around 2:30 and my room was ready; never got a WhatsApp but it wasn’t a problem as my energy levels seemed good.

My room is on the 6th floor, #603. The elevator goes as high as 5 and then it’s a walk-up. This really wasn’t a big deal.

Cozy Rome hotel room on the sixth floor with a double bed, twin arched alcoves over a marble headboard, damask wallpaper, hardwood floors, and a roller suitcase by the door

I ended up loving my room location as it was right next to the door to go up to the rooftop patio. I’d end up spending a few hours up there over the course of the trip.

For the cruise part of this trip, the missing piece of my wardrobe was some nice shoes to wear to dinner, so this was my next quest. My research turned up a department store called Rinascente about a 20-minute walk away. Along the way I happened across Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon, as you do. This blew my mind, as you’d just be casually walking through the streets, turn a corner, then BAM: major cultural artifact.

The Trevi Fountain in Rome at midday with its Baroque sculptures of Oceanus on a shell chariot drawn by sea horses cascading into turquoise water, surrounded by dense crowds of tourists and a Roma Di Trevi guide visible in a blue vest in the foreground

Shopping successful, I made the trek back to my hotel, dropped my new purchase off, then set out on my next mission to the far side of St. Peter’s Square to the Bronze Doors, around a 25-minute walk. I’d requested tickets the previous week for the Wednesday General Audience with the Pope. Tickets need to be picked up at specific times.

Selfie at the Vatican entrance arches with a stone inscription reading PIVS IIII MEDICES and a row of arched openings opening onto St. Peter's Square in the background

Selfie under Bernini's colonnade at St. Peter's Square, with the massive Doric columns receding into the distance, a hanging lantern, and a queue of tourists along the curve

Interior of a small Vatican chapel with an arched alcove framed by twin marble columns, a religious icon above the altar, and a small group of visitors gathered on the marble steps

This went mostly smoothly. I was with a lot of other people who were also picking up their tickets.

Dinner was at Ristorante Verso Sera in the small square directly opposite my hotel. In this photo it’s the second restaurant on the left. By the way, this is the view from the lounging area at the front doors of my hotel. Not bad!

Night view of a Roman piazza near Campo de' Fiori with Biscione 1965 restaurant signs reading 'Breakfast All Day' and 'Pizza Pasta Vino,' diners under string-lit umbrellas, and a cobblestone street

The restaurant was pretty good, though this was the first place I encountered loud Americans at the next table. I was more embarrassed for them than annoyed. After dinner I bought two scoops of gelato at MYO on the corner, a practice I would repeat the following two nights.

Even at 10pm I wasn’t sleepy enough to fall asleep so I went up to the hotel rooftop and took in the sweeping view of Rome while updating this journal.

Hotel rooftop terrace at night, with the photographer seated at a bistro table working on a laptop under a lit pergola, flowering planters along the railing, and the Rome skyline glowing in the distance

I left the hotel one more time, visiting Taba Cafe on Campo de’ Fiori for some kind of half white/half brown cake that was too dry plus some people-watching, after which I finally tried ending this long day.

A slice of marbled chocolate and vanilla pound cake dusted with cocoa, served on a rose-patterned china plate on a cafe table in Rome

Night street scene on Campo de' Fiori with a small table in the foreground, cobblestones glistening under streetlights, and warmly lit pastel buildings lining the piazza

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