Italy - An Evening in Rome

Friday, 23 September 2016

We returned to Rome today to spend a day and a half there before returning home. Flight and airport delays, not to mention Friday traffic in Rome, turned our afternoon excursion into an evening one.

Our hotel was near the Castel Sant'Angelo, so that decided our itinerary.

Castel Sant'Angelo started out as Hadrian's Tomb. The Romans build a long spiral ramp from the ground floor up to the level where presumably Hadrian's remains were entombed.

Many centuries later, the tomb was remodeled into a fortress to which the Pope could be secure when under attack. There are many papal apartments in the Castel.

Another richly-decorated papal room.

There were also prison cells in the Castel -- sometimes occupied by Popes as well.

Artwork is everywhere. There are many paintings ...

... and sculptures throughout the papal rooms of the Castel.

Even musical instruments like this harpsichord have lavishly decorated surfaces.

The Castel has some of the best views of Rome.

Rome from the Victor Emmanuel Monument to St. Peter's.

We watched the sun set directly behind St. Peter's.

Castel Sant'Angelo from the Ponte Sant'Angelo

St. Peter's Basilica from the Ponte Sant'Angelo

On our evening rambles we came across the only Fabindia store in Europe. I checked it out the next day -- nice, Italy-oriented (i.e. warmer clothing than India) clothing and home furnishings, but pretty pricey. A blouse that might be $40 in India was about $100 here.