Early May Field Trip - Vatican(plus) - Again - Day One to Day Five
- May 9, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 30, 2022
This will be an eleven day long field trip in early May. We take an overnight flight Friday night, arriving in Florence on Saturday morning.
We have only one scheduled activity for Saturday after lunch - a guided bus tour of the city. All meals in Florence are responsibility of member.
Sunday morning we travel by tour bus to Venice where we will spend two days (Sunday and Monday).
On Monday we have an all day guided tour, including riding down the Gand Canal via gondola. All meals are responsibility of member.
Early on Tuesday morning we travel to Rome. We will stay at the Hotel de Russie, just outside Piazza del Popolo on del Babuino. They have a garden in the back where we will gather for a coffee after finding our rooms and settling in.
We then start our day by heading to the Spanish Steps
There's nothing like seeing the Spanish Steps in April/May when they are covered in azaleas
Walk down the Steps and window shop (or buy) along both via Condotti and via Frattina.
VIA CONDOTTI
Via Condotti is the street that continues from the bottom of the Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti, or Spanish Steps. If you stand in the middle of via Condotti, you will have the Spanish Steps and the church at the top right in your center view.
Via Condotti may be compared to the most elegant shopping streets in other big cities, such as the Champs-Elysée in Paris, Bond Street in London, or Fifth Avenue in New York.
It is arguably the most prestigious shopping street in Rome.
This is where the top brands, called griffes in Italian lingo, may be found: Hermès, Bulgari, Gucci, Prada, La Perla, Jimmy Choo, and many more.
It's not my favorite street for shopping near Spanish Steps: it's wide, paved, and usually very crowded and doesn't give me a sense of charming Rome.
VIA FRATTINA
One of my fave streets for shopping near Spanish Steps is Via Frattina. It's to the left of via Borgognona if you are standing in Piazza di Spagna.
I love this street for the mix of shops on it. You'll find a bit of everything from luxury designer shops to super cheap shoe shops to bars and cafés.
Some great places to stop on via Frattina, starting from the top (at piazza Mignanelli):
The first bar/café on your right (and so far the only bar on this street), Bar Frattina, has very good coffee, and superb, and I do mean superb, rich, dark chocolate gelato. The walnut gelato is fabulous also. It's actually a little neighbourhood bar, often full of locals. Get your receipt (scontrino) first, and then go to the counter to order. We are going to sit outside while we enjoy a break with coffee and gelato.
Andrea Fabiani - really cheap shoes!
Fausto Santini is one of the great Roman fashion houses and they make gorgeous bags and shoes. I have some of each and can attest to their quality. The shoes fit like gloves and the bags are comfortable to wear on your shoulder and cleverly made so they are not just beautiful but also practical too.
Lunch provided:
PIZZA ZAZÀ
This little unassuming spot behind the Pantheon in Piazza Sant'Eustachio is part of the trifecta of perfect Rome food - there's Sant'Eustachio coffee, Günther Gelato, and this superb pizza by the slice.
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Our next stop is the Parthenon.
Built by the emperor Hadrian around 120 C.E., it has the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.
The Pantheon was originally built to worship the Roman gods, but in the 7th century it was turned into a Catholic church.
It's also a mausoleum for Italy's kings and queens, and the artist Raphael is buried here too
Headphones with a self-guided audio tour will be provided.
Next we stop at Piazza Navona.
Today Piazza Navona is home to stunning baroque architecture, in particular the church of Sant'Agnese in Agone, and three fountains, two of which were designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.
And then on to Largo Argentina.
Largo Argentina is known for two things: It's where Julius Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March, 44 B.C.E.
And it's a city-sanctioned cat sanctuary.
If you are a cat-lover, you will be pleased to see many cats living among the ruins.
We'll top off our tour with the one, the only, the Trevi Fountain.
The rest of the day is open.
Transportation will be provided where ever members desire in the city.
We will take a break and have a gelato (included in membership) at
NEVE DI LATTE
Dinner will be at a wine bar/ restaurant for their tasting wine/dinner:
RIMESSA ROSCIOLI
The event lasts 2 1/2 hours. There are 2 sittings - 5pm and 8pm. The 5 pm is quieter since diners are not out in force at that hour (they recommend this time for families with children, so the atmosphere will be different than later on with adults only).
It includes a tasting of 8 wines, 12 paired foods - artisan cheeses and fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, cured meats, a Roman meatball, pesto etc.
A traditional Roman plate of pasta, finishing off with a small homemade dessert.
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