Rome

 So our last stop on the Italian holiday was Rome and I think I've probably already said that we Did Not Take to Rome. It's just too overwhelming; too much history, too much stuff to look at, too many places to visit ...

We were given a combined driving and walking tour on our first morning and saw the major sites either from a coach window or the middle of  mob of tourists. Forum, Pantheon , Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain...The last was truly hideous. *

*I know, it's  a matter of opinion, and for many years, after being pulled up by a member of my family I have trained myself to say things are 'not to my taste', rather than 'it's horrible'. I cannot bring myself to be so mealy mouthed in the matter of the Trevi Fountain. I have rarely seen anything so OTT ugly in my life.  

A couple of  photos from the walking bit of the tour - 

skyscape 

the Spanish steps

Obviously I was so traumatised by the Trevi Fountain that I didn't even take a photograph of it! 

and then from our own limited explorations the following day - 

we always feel better about a city once we've tracked down the Opera House

 

a view of the Forum, or one of them, there were several over the years. I didn't know that until I went to Rome. 

The outside of Santa Maria Maggiore - one of the four major basilicas of Rome. Also happily very close to our hotel. I say happily advisedly because a friend had told me it housed some very fine mosaics, so that was the one we wanted to visit. And it did have many many mosaics, mainly so high up you couldn't make out a thing. 

And here's the inside. You remember me saying that thing about Rome all being too much ....

We did have a half day excursion outside Rome when we went to Tivoli, where we had the choice of visiting either Hadrian's Villa or the Villa D'Este. We chose the Villa D'Este because I knew it had some spectacular gardens. We really enjoyed our visit there, but that's a (photo heavy) post for another day.