Friday, 11 September 2015
Rome, Italy
Temps: HI 79F (26C) / Lo 61F (16C)
Today’s sightseeing plans took us to Trastevere … literally, across the Tiber [River]. Here we wandered through narrow streets and around neighborhoods that I found to be a more authentic Italian experience … more like what I was expecting to see. We even found a small trattoria for lunch — da Lucia … a family-operated establishment since WWII. Located on a narrow alley, with a row of tables lined up on the cobblestone street, it was just the kind of casual dining experience we were looking for.
But before enjoying the good food, we visited Villa Farnesina. Every room of this early 16th century home of a banker from Sienna is decorated with jaw-droppingly beautiful frescoes painted or designed by artists of the period, including Raphael.
The Hall of Perspective Views … the frescoes in this room have a distinctly 3-D effect.
The north wall of what was the bedchamber of the banker is decorated with
a Fresco known as the Marriage of Alexander the Great and Roxana.
Having started our day with a church visit on the way to Trastevere, we ended it at another church. Then it was across the Ponte Garibaldi [Garibaldi Bridge] and back to the east bank of the river. As we were crossing the Tevere, the skies got dark and we heard the distant rumble of thunder. We didn’t quite escape getting sprinkled on, but the heavy rain waited to fall after we were safely at the apartment.
looking across the Tevere where it is split by Isola Tiberina [Tiber Island].
Another great day in Rome … and so much still remains to be seen and done.
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