All Roads Lead to...

 Friday was my last day in Naples. After breakfast, I went to visit the National Archeological Museum of Naples, which holds many mosaics and artifacts recovered from Pompeii and Herculaneum. I met my dad back at the hotel at midday, and we went to the train station to catch the train to Rome.

A mosaic from Pompeii

Arriving in Rome made me realize how unsettling Naples had been in comparison. The little streets of Rome's historic centre are much more charming and welcoming, lined with cafés and restaurants, bars and boutiques. The weather in Rome was also much warmer, lacking the cold sea breeze that was blowing in Naples. I might have enjoyed my time there, but I wasn't particularly sad to leave it.

It took us a while to find our hotel, conveniently located, but well-hidden, just off of Piazza Navona, in the centre of Rome. In fact, it wasn't a hotel, but a sweet, on the fourth floor of a little appartment. It was quite the exercise to bring our luggage up the little winding staircase.

Piazza Navona

I was itching to do a little bit of exploration from the moment we arrived, so as soon as we had settled in, I went back down the four flights of stairs and went for a nice walk, loosing myself in the twisting little streets, in and out of the throngs of tourists who fill up the area.

I came back to our room to wake up my dad, who had been taking a nap, and we set out again, this time, to do a bit of sightseeing in our neighbourhood. Our wanderings took us first to the Pantheon, where once again I gazed agape at the gigantic 2000-year-old dome. After a short gelato break, we went to throw our coins into the Trevi fountain*, and climbed up the Spanish Steps to enjoy a panorama of Rome.

 In front of the Pantheon...

...at the Trevi Fountain...

...and on the Spanish Steps.

For dinner, we lost ourselves again in the little streets of Rome's historic centre, until we found a restaurant that was bustling, not only with tourists but also with locals. My dad had pasta with gorgonzola and I had a caprese salad and a porcini mushroom salad with copious amounts of parmigiano sprinkled on top. With that, we had some vino bianco and acqua con gas. Everything was delicious and the ambiance was wonderful, full of laughter and talk coming from inside and outside of the restaurant, and always with people waiting for a table.

Back at the hotel, I was so exhausted that I was out the moment I closed my eyes.

*Myth had it that those who throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain are guaranteed another visit to Rome.