Rome in August- to or not to?

Third time is a charm? Pe romaneste spus, cu bune si cu rele, desi nu ne-am fi inhamat la atata umiditate mediteraneana daca ne-am fi putut imagina cu adevarat consumul motivational!

Oricat imi tresalta inima in plina plimbare prin frumoasa capitala a Italiei, cu bijuteriile ei de ruine si ramasite de istorie si arhitectura, nu voi mai planifica o revenire in luna august. Am purtat cele mai umede haine si am cautat in permananta izvoarele lor de apa potabila-disponibile des in oras si formandu-se coada si acolo, nu doar la intrarea catre obiectivele turistice. Si poate ca o a doua invatatura de mine, pentru cei care se tin de o planificare fixa, pusa pe hartie inca de acasa: de rezervat, on-line, biletele din timp! Ca sa se creasca nivelul de predictabilitate!

Cu naduful varsat, lauda acum dragii metropole! De la Colosseum pana la Tibru, de la Fontana di Trevi si pana la orice loc pitoresc pe care poate nu l-am strabatut la pas de data aceasta, Roma ramane un loc de legenda, un oras reper istoric, o culme gastronomica- cine poate spune ca nu-i plac pastele sau pizza sau gelato? Sau a exersa limba italiana!

Nu am indraznit sa incepem periplul nostru de acum altfel decat cu un popas mai consistent la Colosseum, langa care troneaza maret Arcul lui Constantin. Prilej de multe poze, ca sa se obisnuiasca deja si pustiul, si pentru ca e facil si la indemana sa facem asta. Cele doua obiective impunatoare nu cer nimic mai putin decat poze din profil si din toate unghiurile posibile! Fiecare turist incearca sa fie cat mai creativ. Uneori se pierde din timpul de contemplare, insa in miezul amiezii, cautand umbra si pauza de hidratare, ne-am pironit privirea pe ramasitele maretelor ziduri. Ramasitele sunt ele insele marete!

Aveam sa dedicam mai mult timp Colosseumului, Colinei Palatine si forumului Roman in zilele urmatoare. Indepartand-ne de acestea, pentru ca soseaua era blocata pe un sens ( constructii in curs), ne-am pozat chiar in stil vedere cu pespectiva adanca!

Si cum aveam sa redescoperim ca nu e timp de odihna in Roma, caci imediat iti apare in cadru urmatoarea minune, la aproape o aruncatura de bat, iata si Columna lui Traian, frumoasa dantela asezata pe vechea columna rezistand cu stoicism trecerii timpului, cat si valurilor de turisti. In varf nu se mai regaseste originala statuie a imparatului Traian, ci, la porunca papei Sixt, in 1587 a fost asezata statuia din bronz a Sfantului Petru. Razboaiele dintre romani si daci rezoneaza puternic cu istoria timpurie invatata la scoala, culminand cu cucerirea Daciei. Inaltimea de 40 de m este data de cele 18 blocuri de marmura de Carrara, detaliu care ma duce cu gandul la Irving Stone si la cartea lui "Agonie si extaz".

Dupa o binemeritata pauza la cazare, aflandu-ne nu departe de cel mai mic stat independent din lume, iata-ne ajunsi cu usurinta si la Vatican: cu vedere in prag de seara deja. Speciale cartoline obtinute cu Piata Sfantul Petru, Basilica, fantanile arteziene unde se jucau pescarusii, oficiul postal propriu, "Barca lui Petru" -replica a unei ambarcatiuni antice donata papei Francisc si expusa din 2023.

Aveam sa ne intoarcem in orasul celor peste 800 de locuitori, pazit de garda elvetiana si unde, pe teritoriul celor 15 km de muzeu, se afla si Capela Sixtina, cu tavanul pictat de marele Michelangelo!

 Ne-a uns sufletele doamna care canta la harpa undeva in drum spre Castello Sant' Angello- cunoscut si ca Mausoleul lui Hadrian, transformat din mauzoleu in fortareata, inchisoara, palat, acum functionand ca muzeu. Am trecut apoi pe langa baruletul acesta incarcat de carti- o biblio-vinoteca cum mi-ar placea sa gasesc pe mai multe din drumurile mele! 

Inaintand pe malul Tibrului, admirand Palatul de Justitie- o cladire tare baroca, ne-au chemat convingator un live band cu miza italiana, precum si un italian performand in engleza niste "oldies" de prin anii '90. Nu am putut sa nu ramanem pana la ceas de noapte.

A doua zi am fost destul de inspirati sa ne incepem itinerariul cu Fontana di Trevi, rezonabil de aglomerata zona, caci ajungand in prag de seara, ramai blocat in multimea care vine flamanda si odihnita. Am gasit-o ingradita, cu access limitat de alta coada, dar la fel de magnifica precum ne-o aminteam! Fantana baroca arteziana, cap de apeduct Aqua Virgo, e dominata de figura zeului Neptun, aflat intr-un car in forma de stoica. Carul este tras de doi cai de mare si de doi tritoni. In stanga si in dreapta lui Neptun stau statuile Abundentei si Sanatatii. Legenda urbana spune ca daca arunci un banut cu mana dreapta spre spate, peste umarul stang, in fantanta, te vei reintoarce la ea. Monezile sunt in zilele noastre stranse noaptea si donate unei asociatii caritabile.

Ne-a primit cu prea mare caldura si Piazza de Spania. Cu fantana cea faina in forma de barca, cu treptele mereu insorite sau incalzite de trecatori, 137 de trepte ce fac legatura dinspre fantana spre bisericuta Trinita de Monti, piata este loc de intalnire sau punct de plecare inspre cumparaturi de lux. 

Dupa ce am descoperit toate acestea, am luat metroul, grabiti, iar spre Vatican, unde la ora 12 (duminica), era asteptata rugaciunea rostita chiar de papa insusi. Intr-un mod miraculos, am ajuns in Piata Sf Petru la ora 11:58, iar papa a inceput sa ni se adreseze de la balcon peste doar 2 minute. Multimea era densa, venita de departe. Papa a vorbit in italiana si engleza. Rugaciunea a fost si despre si pentru pace.

Ne-am umplut apoi sticla cu apa de la izvorul care era la indemana, chiar acolo, si am vizitat frumoasa basilica  papala Sf Petru, unde ceremonia duminicala era inca in curs. Am aflat ca biserica este construita pe locul mormantului Sfantului Petru (rastingit de imparatul Nero care l-a considerat responsabil de incendierea Romei), cupola fiind proiectata partial chiar de Michelangelo.  Constructia ei a durat peste 100 de ani. 91 de papi sunt ingropati sub biserica. Ca si regula stricta de tinuta, nu se poate intra cu umerii  neacoperiti.

Oarecum incarcati prea mult, dar cu siguranta si doborati de arsita care cuprinsese orasul, ne-am retras la masa.  Panteonul ne-a asteptat rabdator, desi nu am mai gasit bilete chiar pentru acel moment. "Templul tuturor zeilor" construit de imparatul Hadrian, a devenit lacas de cult crestin din secolul al VII-lea.

Dupa Piata Navona (in vechime stadionul lui Domitian) si frumoasa fontana dei Quattro Fiumi/fantana celor patru rauri, am intrat in bisericuta din piata (Biserica Sant'Agnese in Agone) si am declarat program de voie pentru seara. Cu accent pe Roma culinara!

Aventura matinala de ziua urmatoare ne-a dus la Bocca de la Verita- din marmura Pavonazzetto, cea care va musca mana oricarui mincinos. Cripta lui Hadrian din Basilica di S Maria in Cosmedin vine la pachet, caci iesirea este acum orchestrata prin basilica.

Intremati si crezand ca este prea devreme inca pentru a fi doborati de razele soarelui, ne-am inhamat si la a parcurge vastul Forum Roman si Colina Palatina. Biletul era unul care oferea access si la Colosseum, a doua zi. Pozele de mai jos nu au nevoie de cuvinte in plus, insa de retinut ca nu se poate rata acest centru politic, religios si cultural al Romei Antice. Dupa caderea impreriului, acest loc a fost chiar si camp de pasunat. Forumul Roman gazduia diferite structuri uriase, inclusiv templul lui Vesta, unde fetele cu varste cuprinse intre 6 si 10 ani erau pregatite pentru a deveni preotese. Cea mai mare structura a templului este basilica lui Maxentius.  Unul dintre cele mai vechi temple ale Romei, cel al lui Saturn, face parte tot din forumul Roman, cu 8 coloane in picioare inca. Aici se afla si ramasitele lui Iulius Cezar, locul unde acesta a fost incinerat fiind acum in ruine, dar poate fi omagiat inca. Forumul a servit si ca loc al executiilor publice- precum cea a celebrului orator roman Cicero, ucis de Marc Antoniu.

Monumentul lui Vittorio Emmanuelle al doilea/Vittoriano, inaltat pentru a celebra independenta italiana, nu te lasa sa treci fara sa intorci privirea si sa te opresti pentru vizita.

Drept cina, am ales pasta, intr-un vechi restaurant in apropierea Panteonului, decretand, cum era de asteptat: "squisito"!

Dis de dimineata spre Colloseum si am petrecut acolo cateva ore bune, in ciuda faptului ca am explorat fiecare zona de umbra cu aceeasi ardoare pe cat ne-am concentrat pe partea de istorie! Cel mai mare amfiteatru construit vreodata, nu e de mirare ca reprezinta si cel mai vizitat monument istoric din Italia. Numele actual provide de la colosul lui Nero, o statuie gigantica de bronz amplasata in vecinatate. Colosseumul a fost ridicat pe un fost lac artificial care apartinea palatului lui Nero. Gazduia lupte de gladiatori, executii publice si in zona de tuneluri subterane erau tinute chiar si animale salbatice. Caldirea este veche de aproape 2000 de ani si are 80 de intrari. 76 din ele erau folosite de publicul larg, cat despre celelalte 4, ei bine, demnitarii intrau prin portile de sud si nord, iar celelalte 2 porti aveau roluri diferite. Poarta vietii ( aflata in partea de est) era cea prin care intrau gladiatorii inainte de a incepe spectacolul. Poarta Mortii ( la vest) era locul prin care erau scosi gladiatorii pierzatori.

In ultima zi ne-am operat apoi turul de ramas bun de la oras, ghiftuindu-ne cu inghetata- doar gasisem o gelaterie cu 150 de arome, asa ca ne-am straduit sa gustam cat mai multe dintre acestea.

 Marele final fiind dedicat unor cannoli di Sicilia, caci doar aveam copilul pofticios cu noi!

 "Venice for the New Year"

Wanting to sort of realize how far in time we had leaped. Or just out of love for Italy and Venice being one of the wonders that people over consume. Or simply because of a nice offer at the right time? All of these and perhaps something more, not so much verbalized, but leading the decision making process. We chose Venice for the New Year. As a family.

Flying very early in the morning after a Tesla Uber drive. The kid's pick. Arriving there when the lazy coffees were just in prep mode, so we could have our picky selection of delicious starters/cicchetti for the morning.  So that I could take the morning photos of picturesque streets with rare visitors only. The Rialto bridge not yet under assault! If you can imagine that!

Arriving at San Marco's square later on and finding it bask in the sun was all worth it! By then we already got some competition amongst the other tourists, all hoping for a best snap or a best experience. It was seemingly a bit ominous already. Already a timid reminder of why we vacation in famous places not on special occasions. But never mind that, let me review some dear photos for sharing below, as difficult as that might be.

 St. Mark's Bell Tower, Palazzo Ducale and the Bridge of Sighs is pretty much were you start exercising your power of interaction with the masses and what is the slowest you could ever walk.

Yet the view of the gondolas, under the powering effect of the sun, afterwards quickly shifts your focus.

Then comes the less busy district of Castello, which offers you an oasis of some more unearthly bridges- Venice does have 435 of those- but also some more room to enjoy being there. Playing the Italian and feeling that La vita e bella! Drinking a glass of the much appreciated local wines or a plateau of the "cicchetti" that you would rather never stop saying: " keep them coming!"

With renewed energy, before even thinking of it, you have to get back to that marvelous San Marco Basilica, to view it with rested eyes. It feels even more wonderful and you stop at the unbelievable long entry line to not miss on the opportunity to also see it all from the inside out.

And you could now perhaps also tackle some shopping and start getting accommodated to the Murano glass products and Venetian masks that each tell a story. I have been for example told by a local lady crafting and painting the masks by herself that the long nose masks are a reminiscence of the old doctor masks, in keeping with the standard distance from the patient, limiting the chances for the physicians to also be falling ill. Also, that larger area of the mask, near the nose, was the place where various herbs were stored in, for coverage of pestilent smells and also to some extent, for self protection.

Then, if you have a sweet tooth, remember that Italy is the land of gelato and it is truly so, no matter the season. Fancy also a cannoli or two, it is time for spoiling!

The longest queue we have seen was in fact to a pasta place, so yummy treats at every corner...though our own preferences went rather towards the fish soup- best one we have ever eaten- and lasagna.

Then the gondola walks, which can be a treat for just you and your loved ones! It is not a travel, but a capturing of the city view from the waterfront side. And no, the expert gondola handlers do not sing you Italian songs along the way. That is just movies setting up false expectations.

Then come some more bridges and narrow streets and romantic scenery and no matter where you look, there is a superb place for taking memorable photographs.

And before you know it or rather before we knew it, time came to crack open the champagne and say Happy New Year in our own language, in the middle of the crowd, with fireworks popping into the sky. Time flies when it is best spent!

And upon the start of the New Year, feeling still much like having your traveler shoes on, you could proceed like we did it: to Padova and to Verona, by train. As Italy has such a convenient railway network, we did reach Padova city pretty much at the same pace with the city waking up following the recent year change celebration. We did have some nice old memories to pull close. And we much appreciated the city sights, once more. Starting with this lovely mini-Christmas fare, next to an old church and trees that created a scene of their own.

Verona we reached at the same time with the bulk of people hungry for a special first day of 2026. Arena di Verona being the start point of the city treasures discovery walk. The way to Juliet's house is the direction where people probably stroll to even without much awareness of this. It is the most crowded route, as a true landmark would always be. Verona did have our hearts won from long before and no update to share there. 

We could not have missed the stairs of reason for our photos album. For fun, both me and the kid threw our gloves down to my husband &his father and the wind carried those! I wonder what to read out of this!

Search for some freshly made fritole in this market here! 

The merchant's best window in town! ( To each his/her own!)

Unless you count for this light inspired beautiful display of poetry alongside the brand strength.

For closure, we did have to also squeeze in some sleep.

For the following colored adventure would be the Murano and Burano Islands. Anxiously expected.

...Ah, the most wonderful material for live postcards! If i ever am luckiest, here in Murano is where my dream house would be located! Words are plain compared to what the eyes can capture and what the heart can memorize. Leaving here below the spoilers.

Demos and workshops for working with the Murano glass are available and we joined one, resulting in a vase and horse being produced in parallel to the collection of our smiles.

One of the glass factory houses on the island, in itself a much photographed building.

Somewhere near here we stopped for Murano pizza and you can only imagine how good of a meal we have had!

Burano was almost ours only, at evening time, seemingly under the fog of magic. We splurged on presents, as we found the perfect fauvism-like cottage-owners in the selling business.

Our wondering through this smaller island of the colored houses did also bring us to this small and quaint pub where we enjoyed hot chocolate with cream, biscuits, plus beer for the less pretentious ones. 

Then back to the streets for some more exposure to this surviving trail of fauvism. Double checking to truly believe it.

Burano being also world famous for its lace production. Not so much part of our daily life now, which is why it receives just this short entry here.

Dear Torcello Island, we are sorry to state that we again missed you on our tour because of not enough hours in a day.  Hence there has to be yet another next visit date. It's settled!

As certain as was our late evening date with some wine, pasta and tiramisu!

The following day was supposed to be that of our journey back home, but due to flight delays, there raised the occasion to also visit the small town of Treviso. Which we did not find without charm either.  And then we got to spend one more day in beautiful Italy!

Ciao, bella Italia! Very much looking forward to our next encounter!