Roma Day Two

After our late walk "home" the previous night, my mom and I both slept in and didn't get up until 9AM. The flat was comfortable and we spent the morning lounging, reading, and listening to church bells as the hours passed. Our plan for the day was to meet up with family at 1pm in Piazza del Popolo so we weren't in a rush.

Cyndy, Mom, & Chris in Piazza del Popolo

Once everyone arrived in Piazza del Popolo and took in the scenery we went in search of lunch. We headed to the opposite side of the Tiber River but there weren't many restaurant options in that neighborhood so we walked along the river for awhile. Eventually we ended up at a caffeteria/ristorante that Les and I found on our last trip. Really yummy food and very affordable. Definitely a place for the locals.

With full bellies we continued our walk along the Tiber River until we came to the Castel Sant' Angelo. We meandered across the Ponte Sant' Angelo and took in the sights.

One of the angels on the Ponte Sant' Angelo

Another angel on the Ponte Sant' Angelo

The Castel museum was open so we decided to go inside - something that we weren't able to do on our last trip. The massive structure has been used as a tomb, fortress, a hiding place for popes, and is now a museum. From the top the views of Rome are spectacular.

Looking down at St. Peters Basilica from the Castel Sant' Angelo

Looking across the Tiber River at the Rome Skyline from the Castel Sant' Angelo

As we finished exploring the Castel Sant' Angelo we decided to take a break at a bar near the top of the Castel. It was a great opportunity to get off of our feet for awhile, quench our thirst with some much needed water, people watch, and enjoy the view.

Ready to move on we crossed over the Ponte Sant' Angelo and headed for Piazza Navona.

Looking back over the Ponte Sant' Angelo at the Castel Sant' Angelo

The shop-lined streets between the Ponte Sant' Angelo and Piazza Navona are mostly restricted to pedestrian traffic making it a lovely place to walk and explore. Dusk was upon us as we entered Piazza Navona. We decided that it was time to sit for awhile and chat over a glass of wine while we people-watched. We chose an enoteca on the perimeter of Piazza Navona and ordered a bottle of wine.

Cheisa S. Agnese in Piazza Navona

We finished our wine and decided to head back to our flat. Mom and I parted ways with the rest of the family near the Pantheon and walked to the Spanish Steps to catch the Metro back to our flat. We ate dinner that evening at a Pizzeria near the flat. The food was delicious, but the service was a bit stand-offish. Maybe because we are American? Who knows. I made it my goal to win over our server - a crotchety older gentleman. I don't want to be one of those Americans that make the locals groan when they see me coming. I spoke to him only in Italian (my best attempt) and finally by the time we left I was rewarded with a smile.

We made our way back to the flat, a mere 1/2 block away from the restaurant. We finished the evening with a bit of gelato that we picked up at the supermarket and couple of good books.

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