Rome

Friday 27th June

We leave Santorini today to Rome for an overnight stay - a stepping stone to Split to catch our cruise around Croatia. We have a few more days here before heading home - don't want to think about that!

Santorini airport is a shocker - everything about it. For the destination it is, it really needs a huge upgrade . Guess the way the economy is in Greece it will be a wee way off. It is really evident on travelling around that the economy is struggling. There are unfinished and abandoned building projects everywhere! 

We arrive in Rome about 3pm, the plane is an hour late and head for our hotel, which is close to the railway station and some of the major sites,

Once we settle head off for early dinner and a walk about the city.

Lovely fountains and the colour of some of the buildings is stunning - orangey - red.

The Spanish Steps - lots of restoration projects happening around. Heaps of people about too!

Trevi Fountain under restoration too - really disappointed about that! Will just have to come back. Threw the coin in anyway. Would have thought these projects would have been done before the full on summer tourist season. Threw a coin in anyway!

The Pantheon - built between 118AD and 125AD - a temple to all the Roman Gods.

Smart Car's the way to go - parked sideways to save space. Same size as a motorbike side on!

There are heaps of them around all over Europe.

Lovely little streets, filled with outdoor restaurants. Lovely lifestyle.

Piazza Navona

Piazza Venezia 

The Roman Forum

The Mighty Colosseum - will be back next week to have a look inside. So well preserved.

Santa Maria Maggiore - fabulous paintings at the front - not such good light to see them. Beautiful .

We have an early start tomorrow. Plane leaves at 7am so will need to be up at 4.30 to get to the airport. Lots more to see next week! Alarm set and wake up call.