After the seminars on Thursday, Celeste and I took the shuttle down to Vatican City, but instead of going our usual route, we cut directly across the river to walk through these gardens to the Galleria Borghesi. Unfortunately, when we got to the museum, tickets were sold out for the rest of the day — nuts. We were disappointed, but the walk over was definitely worthwhile.
With all this extra time on our hands, we decided to walk around the old city walls and cut back into the city proper via Porta Pia. We then walked over to the Piazza della Repubblica where we took in the gorgeous fountain and spent some time reflecting and photographing the Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri (Saint Mary's of the Angels and the Martyrs) Church, designed by Michaelangelo.
[repubblica]
[santa maria degli angeli]
We then walked down la Via Nazionale, headed toward il Musei Capitolini, seated just behind the Roman Forum. On our way, we stopped for gelato — awesome!
[other sites on our stroll down Via Nazionale]
So, as the story goes, il Musei Capitolini was first started in 1471, when Pope Sixtus IV donated a group of bronze statues of great symbolic value to the People of Rome. Today, it has all sorts of amazing sculptures, paintings and artifacts, as well as an unbeatable view of the Roman Forum and Colosseum.
[exterior]
[views]
[art]
[fun]
When we were done, we headed back toward the river and wound our way up before crossing into Trastavere, a hip little neighborhood, for dinner at Dar Poeta. Our mussels in Sorrento were amazing, but this might be my favorite meal. For starters, it was a totally local, bustling place where people were shoulder to shoulder and we were the only ones speaking English. Great atmosphere. The food put it over the top. We had bruschetta with gorgonzola and honey, and another with ricotta and pesto. We each had a small salad and then split the house's specialty pizza with mozzarella, zucchini and this spicy sausage — no red sauce. It was all DELICIOUS!! We topped it off by splitting the specialty dessert: a ricotta and nutella calzone topped with powdered sugar and cocoa powder. I can not tell you how good it was.
Happy and sated, we walked back up to Vatican City and then took a cab back to the hotel.
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