Italy 2019 - Rome Day 3
After a later start and hearty birthday breakfast of pastries, potatoes, cakes, and fruit, Helen opened the rest of her presents before we headed via the metro to our first destination of the day, St. Peter’s Basilica. Thanks to Helen’s organisation skills, we skipped the very long line with advance tickets!
All the decor and detail in the basilica was breathtaking. We decided to climb the 551 steps to the top of the Dome. It was hard work but worth it for the views.
For lunch, we stopped off at a raw chocolate (and 100% vegan!) place called Grezzo and had chocolate and hazelnut ice cream, a Piña colada-style smoothie, and some truffles!
In the afternoon, we headed to the Colosseum. It was so hot the tarmac was melting beneath our feet in places! The Colosseum was fascinating but also sad to hear about all the cruelty that had gone on there. Apparently, the arena was filled with sand to soak up all the blood and sweat from the gladiators and wild animals (lions, tigers, bears, etc.) so that the floor wasn’t too slippery to fight on.
To end Helen’s birthday, we dined al fresco at a restaurant called Rifugio Romano. We enjoyed deep fried olives and bruschetta, followed by vegan Margherita pizza.
After another tiring day in the sun, we enjoyed hot drinks and a couple of games of shithead on the rooftop bar in our hotel.
- Total Steps: 23258
- Total Distance: 17.28km
- Related Posts: Italy 2019