More Rome

Days Three and Four in Rome were very busy! We started our day by touring the Forum. The remains of the various temples are still impressive even if incomplete. 

We saw the Temple of the Vestal Virgins and the area where these important women lived. 

The earliest remaining Roman door - the green door of the Temple of Romulus - is now the entry to a church. 

We viewed the Arch of Titus and the Palatine Hill and then walked down to the Colosseum.

We had a special entry that allowed us to stand on the floor of the Colosseum and look down into the area that housed the animals and gladiators. 

After our tour we walked to the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps. I got my Steps in yesterday! 

Today we had a free morning - I even found a shop that sells Italian quilting fabric. We stopped for take out sandwiches from the fabulous Forno Campo de' Fiori, which we ate on the small balcony in our room. It overlooked churches and the residences behind the hotel. 

Then we met the group for our visit to the Galleria Borghese.  

The collection at the Borghese is an example of the Italian concept of paragone, or comparison. The art and poetry of this period of the Renaissance confronted the art of the ancients. The collection contains the sculpture of Bernini and paintings by many of the greatest artists of the period.  The sculpture of Pluto and Prosperina was probably my favorite!  

Tonight it was good-bye to Rome. We head to Florence next.