Wednesday promises to be an easier walking day with most of the big ticket items checked off the list. We decide to simply amble through the streets and alleyways of the city not really looking to go anywhere in particular but just enjoying the sounds of a very vibrant city. We head to the banks of the Tiber River which runs through the city and stroll with it towards the Vatican. 

This direction takes us past Castel Sant’Angelo which started life as a mausoleum for the Roman Emperor Hadrian and went on to become a castle fortress with a covered and fortified walkway connecting it the St Peter’s Basilica used by previous Popes as a hide away when conflict was high in the region. 

It is an imposing cylindrical structure with an ornate pedestrian bridge adorned with sculptures running across the river to its forecourt.  

We take photos from across the river and from each side and realise there is a bit of a photo opportunity from the bridge and forecourt of both the Castel and St Peter’s Basilica and the piazza in front of it. We take a few day shots but decide that returning in the evening to get some low light shots may be better.

The forecourt of the Castel is a sea of noise and fun. During the day it is busy with many hawkers trying to lure the tourists into taking everything from bus trips to purchasing trinkets. 

Along side of these are talented performers showcasing their musical and entertaining skills. One performer was playing classical violin mixed in with up to date modern music and was clearly a crowd favourite. What made him a stand out though was his ability to deliver an extremely entertaining musical set while dressed in skin tight white jeans and standing in high wedge heels. Hats off to both his ability and capacity to pull this off on one very hot and humid day while looking cool and collected. 

While we are out wandering we manage to become a little lost and walk for a few kilometres completing a full circle. Not a hard thing to do with the many side streets and laneways, and in a way, kind of fun as you find things that you weren’t really planning to visit.

We end up back at the Spanish Steps, which are packed with tourists but are now heavily policed to stop visitors sitting for too long on them. So, be warned, get a picture and move on quickly before the whistles start blowing.

We head back to the hotel as the day has reached 33 degrees and the humidity is stifling. We are quickly learning that the Italian rest period from 12pm to 2pm is a good time to relax in the room and enjoy a bit of refreshing air conditioning.

The evening sees us head to the Piazza del Popolo, near the hotel, where we sit with the beautiful people at a local restaurant drinking G&Ts and watching the world go by. A good way to spend the late afternoon while waiting for the sun to set so that we can try for some evening shots. They worked out reasonably well with both the Castel and St Peter’s looking impressive under lights.

 

 

 Dinner is at another brilliant local restaurant where Italian home cooking is mixed with tasty local wines. Even with all the walking, another 15km today, we still don’t seem to be losing any weight but you can’t help but enjoy the tastes of this area.