The Italian Travel Thread

[vdubiv]

That trip I was in Florence for 5 days, and Rome for 10.
I booked an apartment in Rome, right on Campo de Fiori. The apartment was awesome, and it was near the rear courtyard so we got none of the night time noise.
Best location for walkers like us.
20 minute walk one way was the Coliseum, 20 minutes the other way was the Vatican.
Everything else was closer.
Best part was every morning stumbling out the front door and getting a doppio at Roscioli's, walking around the little pocket park right next to it, and then grabbing a succo d'arancia at the Campo market for the kid who was still in bed.
Then we would just walk along the river ( those trees!! ) and simply hang a right turn when we needed to get to whatever we were seeing that day. We were right next to the cat sanctuary too, which she had us go to every day.

All those Love Birds flying around in the trees are nice to watch and listen to (when the traffic is flying by) I've been all over Rome, but never seen this Cat Sanctuary you speak of, though it wasn't something on my list of must do/see

 

[gnatty8]

Quattro Leoni yes. I can't remember if we actually got to eat there but it was on our list.

We stayed in Oltrano during our last visit, and it was only on the Saturday evening that I noticed the Roberto Ugolini shop on the way back to our apartment. Alas the next day was a Sunday and we were moving on Monday.

A couple of years ago, one of the recurring travelling conferences that I attend was meant to be held in the Palazzo. I was pretty much signed up on the spot but wondered how they'd managed to keep costs down. And as expected, 6 months prior they moved it to the airport Marriott in Rome. I decided to stay in downtown Rome, got a nice half price offer on hotels.com for Hotel De' Ricci which was very nice. I attended the conference for one day, getting a taxi there and back. Best decision ever.

Nice! About the best I manage to squeak out for conferences on the man's dime is Miami or New Orleans lol.

 

[gnatty8]

Managed this one inside Saint Peter’s, close to 10 years ago now:

 

[mhip]

All those Love Birds flying around in the trees are nice to watch and listen to (when the traffic is flying by) I've been all over Rome, but never seen this Cat Sanctuary you speak of, though it wasn't something on my list of must do/see

The cat sanctuary is a whole city block of Pompei's Palace, where Ceasar was assassinated.
There's one little stairway that goes down to the office that's open to the public. That's where the impaired or blind cats live, otherwise, the cats have the run of the ruins and it's fun just watching them hang out. I think they quoted me that they've spayed and neutered over 4000 cats.

Roman Cats Torre Argentina Cat Santuary the oldest in Rome

Roman Cats Torre Argentina Cat Santuary the oldest in Rome. Discover cat stories and come and visit us in the historical center of Rome.

www.gattidiroma.net

 

[vdubiv]

Managed this one inside Saint Peter’s, close to 10 years ago now:

View attachment 1534144

impressive you managed this 10 years ago before our current smart phones were a major thing, was this on a phone or did you whip out a camera really fast and just aim it up?

I'll have to post some of my Covid Italy pictures later, I went to as many major landmarks as I could, I was in the Vatican nearly by myself, I have pictures at Trevi nearly alone, and on the Spanish Steps with maybe 2 people in the background

 

[gnatty8]

impressive you managed this 10 years ago before our current smart phones were a major thing, was this on a phone or did you whip out a camera really fast and just aim it up?

I'll have to post some of my Covid Italy pictures later, I went to as many major landmarks as I could, I was in the Vatican nearly by myself, I have pictures at Trevi nearly alone, and on the Spanish Steps with maybe 2 people in the background

No, I confess, this was not a smart phone pic, but using the camera below. Photography is permitted in the basilica itself, so I was able to take my time. I’d been there several times prior which tends to allow for more thoughtful viewing since one isn’t as worried about rushing to make the Vatican Museum or leaving time to climb the steps to the dome.

 

[gnatty8]

Couple others from that visit, same camera:

 

[chobochobo]

The cat sanctuary is a whole city block of Pompei's Palace, where Ceasar was assassinated.
There's one little stairway that goes down to the office that's open to the public. That's where the impaired or blind cats live, otherwise, the cats have the run of the ruins and it's fun just watching them hang out. I think they quoted me that they've spayed and neutered over 4000 cats.

Roman Cats Torre Argentina Cat Santuary the oldest in Rome

Roman Cats Torre Argentina Cat Santuary the oldest in Rome. Discover cat stories and come and visit us in the historical center of Rome.

www.gattidiroma.net

Yes, Torre Argentina. At the end of the no 8 tram line. There's not much to see though.

 

[chobochobo]

Best part was every morning stumbling out the front door and getting a doppio at Roscioli's, walking around the little pocket park right next to it, and then grabbing a succo d'arancia at the Campo market for the kid who was still in bed.
Then we would just walk along the river ( those trees!! ) and simply hang a right turn when we needed to get to whatever we were seeing that day. We were right next to the cat sanctuary too, which she had us go to every day.

The Campo market was where my wife fell in love with fragoline. Unfortunately ever since then, eating two little punnets there and then - washed with Roman water, has been an experience that we've never been able to replicate despite eating dozens of pounds of fragoline since.

 

[vdubiv]

No, I confess, this was not a smart phone pic, but using the camera below. Photography is permitted in the basilica itself, so I was able to take my time. I’d been there several times prior which tends to allow for more thoughtful viewing since one isn’t as worried about rushing to make the Vatican Museum or leaving time to climb the steps to the dome.

View attachment 1534468

I did manage to sneak a picture in the Sistine Chapel during Covid, I've got to look through my phone and figure out which one it is,, I did get some other cool pictures throughout the rest of the museum and a few cool pictures of the stairs once you exit with virtually no one on them.

 

[gnatty8]

I did manage to sneak a picture in the Sistine Chapel during Covid, I've got to look through my phone and figure out which one it is,, I did get some other cool pictures throughout the rest of the museum and a few cool pictures of the stairs once you exit with virtually no one on them.

Sounds like we think alike lol, not quite empty but close!

 

[gnatty8]

Pic from our balcony, this was 2019, Rome I believe. No camera, just iPhone 8:

 

[mhip]

The Sistine Chapel was one of the things I was most looking forward to, and it ended up as being the biggest disappointment.
You're supposed to be quiet and respect the place, they tell you that a hundred times, as well as no photography.
So we get in there, and people are laughing and shouting. Every minute security comes on the loudspeaker "SILENCE!!", and that lasts for about 6 seconds.
Then a guy next to me whips out his camera with the giant telephoto lens and starts snapping away, security is there in 1 second, and he starts arguing with them? Agree or not, they tell you a million times before you get in there.
We couldn't wait to get out.

 

[mhip]

Here's another Florence shot.
Palazzo Vecchio.

 

[gnatty8]

The Sistine Chapel was one of the things I was most looking forward to, and it ended up as being the biggest disappointment.
You're supposed to be quiet and respect the place, they tell you that a hundred times, as well as no photography.
So we get in there, and people are laughing and shouting. Every minute security comes on the loudspeaker "SILENCE!!", and that lasts for about 6 seconds.
Then a guy next to me whips out his camera with the giant telephoto lens and starts snapping away, security is there in 1 second, and he starts arguing with them? Agree or not, they tell you a million times before you get in there.
We couldn't wait to get out.

Yeah, my experience also. When basing compliance on the honor system, expect that to work out really well. I actually got "busted" for taking photos in the Capuchin Crypt, but it was a woman standing like 20 feet away from me, and the security guard rushed over to me, admonishing me for taking photos. I had to point out that my hands were empty and my phone was in my pocket before, looking confused, she walked away. I noticed the miscreant scurry away when she saw what had happened..