There are few places that literally take my breath away, but the Trevi Fountain in Rome is one of them. You hear the rush of water just before you round the corner to the tiny little piazza where the Trevi Fountain is, and the sight is so magnificent it gives you goosebumps. I arrived in Rome yesterday around lunch time after a relatively painless train trip from Naples, especially considering i’d had a very late night the eve before … saying goodbye to Sorrento and new friends at the local hangout Insolito. So while not overly impressed when told that my room wasn’t ready at midday (I would’ve done anything for a little lie down!), I changed shoes and went to explore the area around my hotel. I knew I was close to the Trevi but was completely surprised when I stumbled across it (i’d left the hotel without a map so was wandering aimlessly) in all it’s glory. And so after declining a photo with a bunch of 70 year old Italian men, I tossed a couple of coins over my shoulder (one for you and nan mama!) and slowly made my way back to my hotel, stopping in at the Gran Caffe Roma on Via Veneto for a tuna salad.

After a guilt free siesta I freshened up and hit the Pantheon for an apperitvo and a bit of people watching before going to a stroll to find a little restaurant off the usual tourist track. And that I did and had a delicious risotto con scampi. My original choice was fettucine with mushrooms but after an initial conversation in Italian with the owner, who was more than pleased to be having a chat in his native tongue, I was then bought a small starter of the mushroom pasta to begin! A couple glasses of house red and a gratis limoncello later, I declined staying for another limoncello and began my wander back home, via the Trevi so I could find thegelateriaSan Crispino which so many people had told me about. And I now know why. Step aside Sorrento, this gelateria is better than all of yours put together!

Today I have explored Rome by foot for 6 hours checking out Villa Borghese (beautiful gardens), Campo di Fiori (plenty of hidden trattoria’s to explore for dinner I think!), Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo and all surrounding areas. The weather is boiling hot – over 30 degrees with blue skies and sunshine, so once it cools down a little I’ll head off for an early evening run around Villa Borghese and might keep it local for dinner tonight.