Its our last full day in Rome and we are up for the challenge of the most famous ruins. We step outside at 10.30am and its already over 30degrees. We are armed with water, and hats and perhaps not enough sunscreen. We metro to Circus Maximus and walk to the entry gates, and find no queue! We wander around the forum with a poor map and an audio commentary. Palatine Hill has a mixture of ruins from 800BC to the middle ages. They have some romulean hut ruins from 8...

We get off the Metro at Circus Maximo and walk in the slightly less hot air down toward Trastavere. On the way as we pass the Forum there have set up 4 large screens for people to view the final of the euro soccer, italy vs Spain. we had not idea i was on and there are thousands obviously coming, it starts in 3 hours. We walk past the crowds and on to Trastavere, along side the tiber river. It is really lovely, crooked walkways (mostly with traffic..) and a piaz...

Actually still in Rome......we start the day with a lovely big brekky, here at the hotel they do it well. brett has slipped into a lovely habit of 3 pastries after his cereal and fruit. I have discovered banana flavoured yoghurt and am hooked! We hit the metro with a 6euro each day pass, and go first to Manzoni to an apartment in an ordinary unassuming street which was used by the Gestapo for detaining and interrogating prisoners. Then we head to Colli Albani t...

After returning from the bus trip we lunched next to the hotel at a Trattoria, clearly a family owned business. It was the first time we had chosen to eat inside, and realised what a treat it was to be in the cool, and to be free of the street hawkers. The food was divine, and the fridge behind Bretts seat full of fresh lettuce, huge capsicums, and other Italian foods. It was the first time I had felt sure we were getting the genuine article and not some tourist ...

Having not had enough of buses on our trip yesterday, we are booked on another today! Its only a half day though, easy. We leave at 9am with Herta from Austria (speaking 5 languages) as our guide. We head to Hadrian's villa about 30 minutes away. It's super hot, in case you've forgotten. Hadrian was emperor between 115 and 138A.D. He was a peaceful emporer who loved to travel and did so extensively in the world, and who chose to live in the country for the fresh ...