ADNEC - Rat Pack June 8th

Rome is a beautiful city

Rome is a beautiful city with something stunning at every turn. Wander through winding back streets that open out to Il Colloseo, Piazza Venezia, Fontana di Trevi, La Boca de la Verita... it’s all fantastico.
When Matt was seven and studying the Egyptians, we went to Cairo and Luxor, just the two of us for a little history lesson / time out from our busy work and family lives.

On the flight back, he asked, “Next time Mum, can we go to Rome?” It was a perfectly innocent question; they have no idea how lucky they are, these children! But I do value one-on-one time with each of the boys. These trips are special, and memorable, for all of us

Hence two years later, Matt and I got our trip to Rome, to discover the Romans. We started with a tour of The Colleseum with a tremendously enthusiastic guide who brought the whole scene to life - the pomp and ceremony, the organisation of the masses, the sheer scale of the operation, the drama of the fighting, the roars of the wild beasts and the stench of blood and gore….. he painted a really colourful picture!

We used the tourist bus a lot although, having hit Rome during heatwave, it was too hot to brave the open top deck. You pay Euros13 per day for adults, children go free, and can hop on and hop off, at the key tourist attractions along the route. Rome has also quite a small city centre so you can get round quite a lot on foot – take comfortable shoes!

The Vatican Museum is a must with an incomparable collection of some of the world’s greatest art treasures. Again, we enjoyed the tour and the stories behind the paintings.

And the shopping is fabulous. I was restrained ; could have done so much more damage!
Eight year olds, and indeed, mums are not brilliant at being tourists all day so we spent a lot of time in cafes – from cappuccino to Campari - playing cards and generally, watching the world go by, enjoying the beautiful people and the fashion. I found eating out to be quite expensive; its not the cheapest of cities. We were there for five days and that was a good amount of time to capture the essence of Rome, and the Ancient Romans, without breaking the bank. And we both had a wonderful time.

This would also make a great romantic trip for two… ideal for a little anniversary celebration perhaps. There’s a good idea to plant at dinner this evening! Ciao!

Belle