484. Day 7 - Rome

I am now in Rome!! Sitting in my beautiful hotel, Palazzo Manfredi. I've been very lucky this trip to have all my hotels at a very central location, and the best views of the city (or in the case of Capri - the sea). I am just steps away from the Colosseum here. Speaking of hotels, my Italy trip has been very hotel-focused. I know not everyone is like this but for me, the place I stay at is quite important when visiting a city. Sometimes it really adds to the whole experience and makes it all the more memorable. Like in Capri, I couldn't be happier with the service I received at both Punta Tragara and Casa Morgano. Both hotels offered really personalized services and went above and beyond. They made me feel like more than just one of the many guests at their hotel. Well I will go in more detail for each when I do my review posts.

I had been thinking about it (the hotel service) this morning after an issue arose...as Capri is an island, you always have to take a boat to and from Naples on the mainland. I had booked a train to Rome and needed to take a high speed boat to Naples this morning. I had booked everything already on my own but when I was going back to my room yesterday, I spoke with the front desk to arrange my luggage being brought down to the harbour for me and mentioned that I was taking the boat to Rome. So this morning before I woke up, I received a call from front desk to inform me that they found out all the high speed boats were cancelled for the rest of the day due to the rough waters. I started panicking but then they told me not to worry and they helped me arrange the next option which was to take the slower ferry over. They even made a schedule for me telling me how much time I had for breakfast, when I would have to start walking down to the harbour, etc. There was only one departing that morning (it was a bit earlier than my original boat) so I had to quickly pack up and leave. They even gave me a ticket for the funicular and told me everything I had to do to make sure I got there on time. Obviously if I wasn't informed of the boat cancellation, I would not have known and would have only found out when I went down to get on the boat..then I would've missed my train to Rome and it would've been a disaster. Anyway I prefer not to think of that lol. But I am very happy that it ended up working out, and I successfully made it to Rome.

My hotel in Rome is also pretty amazing. They provided me with tickets to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, & Palatine Hill today and apparently it should help me skip the lines..but today I didn't know how to enter without lining up. Well I managed to not line up for the ticket purchase line at least. Will try again tomorrow to bypass the entrance line (as it's huuuuuuge for the Colosseum). They said they could also get me tickets to Vatican City or wherever else I want to go but unfortunately I only have 2 days here which I now realize is nowhere close to enough!! I must come back to Rome/Italy again soon. I am really starting to love it here.

I ate at a restaurant called Angelino Ai Fori Dal 1947 tonight. As it was right beside the Colosseum, I didn't expect the food to be that good as it's tourist central. But this Fettucine Alla Roma was amazing!! I was sitting on the patio though and it got so cold. The weather here in Italy is really annoying. During the day it's very hot but as soon as it hits 6pm or so, it becomes freezing. I thought it would be hot here all day so I didn't bring any warm clothes.

Here is the Piazza di Spagna. Rome is quite the opposite of Capri. Capri is quite small and quiet in terms of tourists during this time but Rome is huge (lots to see) and soooo many tourists everywhere! Places in Capri also close extremely early, but places in Rome seem to stay open late and people are still out very late. I knew it would be busy here but I didn't expect it to be this busy at every attraction and every street. I like it though. This way I can just follow the crowds and I won't get lost while looking for an attraction (like I usually do).


The Trevi Fountain - my favourite attraction in Rome. So beautiful.


Roman Forum. I think I may go again tomorrow.


& my final moments in Capri :(

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