May 14th Day 4 Rome:
Kristina's FitBit Information: 9.68 Miles walked & 23,389 Steps
On this day, we woke up rather early to meet our tour guide in the lobby to go and visit the Ancient City of Rome and the Colosseum. After about fifteen minutes of walking, we got to the entrance, got our ticket scanned, and entered the ancient city! This was one of my favorite days; our tour guide was so friendly and so knowledgeable and passionate when it came to explaining all of the ancient artifacts, buildings, and locations.
Angela Processione’s tour of the entertainment facility,
the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill was unbelievable. Angela was one of the best
guides we had on the trip, and she definitely made the tour much more
interesting. She spoke with such enthusiasm that it made you excited to hear
about the ruins and the history that lies within their walls. She was excited
to teach us and we were excited to learn, which made for a fantastic day and
fantastic conversation.
The structures in this part of Rome are made up of layers
and layers of architecture that vary in style. Each type is from a different
time period and they all have different meanings. The biggest building clearly
had four different types of architecture: one from ancient Roman times, one
from medieval times, all the way up to present day! It was amazing to see so
much history in one building. After explaining that structure, Angela then
pointed out the exact location where Julius Caesar was cremated. She also
showed us a mini pictorial flip chart of how everything looked back then when
all of the buildings and structures were intact; the before and after pictures
really helped us to understand what we were looking at.
Being in a location so renowned that has such magnitude of history was quite extraordinary. One of the most fascinating facts that had our group thinking was about the Roman Forum and all of its pagan ruins. These ruins were once intentionally covered by the Christians and then built upon. Now much of them are uncovered, but you can still see the burial lines.
The buildings,
the architecture, and the history that ties it all together made for an
educational and exciting experience. We walked around statues and through
archways that commemorated rulers’ victories from hundreds of thousands of
years ago. Angela then guided us up a steep slope to Palatine Hill where we saw
what is left of the houses of the ruling class of Rome. We even got to see the
personal fighting pit that would entertain the upper echelon of Roman society.
After that we walked back down Palatine Hill onto the
street to go over to the Coliseum itself. It’s hard to believe that the
structure is real, even when it’s right in front of you. The Coliseum was the
setting for the famous Roman gladiators and was the entertainment hub in
ancient times. We walked around inside to see what it originally looked like,
how people were seated, and how the trap doors worked to bring different
animals into the arena. There is so much history and mystery within this one
building alone. The circumstances and bouts that gladiators would be put
through leaves a lot to the imagination, which is appropriate for a monument belonging
to ancient times.
We all got some great pictures on this amazing tour and
it was a fantastic beginning to our day. On our way back to the hotel, we
stopped at a small deli where we all picked up a fresh prosciutto and arugula
sandwich to eat before our next event.
After our quick bite to eat and wash-up at Hotel
Atlantico, we got back onto the metro with Lisa to Spagna. We first stopped at
Il Palazzetto, where the International Wine Academy of Rome is held, to have
our sommelier-led wine tasting. Then we headed across the street to have a tour
of the Hassler Hotel.
Fortunately, on this day we had the great
pleasure of meeting the owner of both hotels, Roberto Wirth. He was on property and was gracious enough to
greet us and introduce himself.
What an incredible experience. Our sommelier was named
Jovica Todorovic and he was truly passionate about
Our first wine that we tried was a Tuscany Chardonnay, a
warm yellow in color, with a citrus and almost buttery flavor. The second was
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a 2014 rose that had a taste similar to sweet cherries.
Our third wine was Ceretto Nebbiolo D’alba, a 2012 deep red wine that had a
berry yet oak-y flavor to it. Finally, our last wine we tasted was almost a
Brunello, Alta Mora Etna Rosso, a robust almost spicy darker wine. Each of the
wines was simply delicious in their own way.
Jovica explained to us his philosophies of wine; how each
wine has a different sense in every single different moment of the day and with
every single different dish. He compared wine to a book, how you would enjoy
different wines at different times and in different places. He explained that
some are more complicated, yet others are more light and simple. His attitude
towards wine was that it plays together with food; food makes the wine
experience better, and wine enhances the taste of food.
Jennie wrote that “hearing [this] information in Italy
and saying ‘Yes, I’ve heard that before!’ really helps reinforce what we have
learned [back home].”
Throughout the tasting, we were given small breads,
cheeses, quiches, and sandwiches to have with the wines and everything was
delicious.
Afterwards, we got to take a tour of Il
Palazzetto, which is used for events and meeting spaces as well as the wine
academy. They had a beautiful venue with a patio, elegant dining space, as well
as a bar and lounge room. Upstairs was an elegant rooftop restaurant and bar
that we walked through on our way to tour the Hassler Hotel. http://www.hotelhasslerroma.com
The Hassler Hotel sits at the top of the Spanish Steps
with a glorious panoramic view of Rome.
Tamara explained
that we went to visit and explore “what a five star hotel looked like from
every floor. This experience we may not have been able to get [on our own].
Just being in the Hassler it felt like I was going to be in debt.”
No
pictures were allowed at this point. As we entered, the luxurious lobby was
home to beautiful marble structuring, wooden accents and elegant furniture. We
were escorted by our tour guide to the back of the hotel and out onto a patio
that is the Palm Court Restaurant and Bar. It was beautifully set and decorated;
there was even ivy and foliage growing along the back stone wall. To the right
as we walked in was a spectacular neon blue bar with high bar seating and water
features flowing down the sides. One of the bartenders came up to us and asked
how we were and gave us some insight about this bar, the hotel itself, what
he’s seen since he’s been working there, and what guest are looking for in a
luxury property experience. We even got to take a look at the menu which was
full of signature cocktails with fresh local ingredients. All of the associates
there were respectful, friendly, knowledgeable, and professional.
Jennie said that “as a hospitality major, [she] always
enjoys hotel tours. Tours introduce students to new aspects of the hotel
industry and give insight that students could not otherwise get.”
Next we all went up an elevator to the 6th floor to see
Imago, a panoramic Michelin starred restaurant with a spectacular view over the
city. Such a beautiful restaurant! As we walked through, we noticed that all
the tables were set perfectly and identically, not a wrinkle in sight or
silverware out of place. It takes over six months to even get a reservation at
this restaurant, imagine how memorable the experience must be!
Melinda wrote that "the Hassler and Palazzetto Hotels are beautiful and spotless. They show off the high fashion and elegance of Italian culture that we, as college students, don't get to see very often. Watching the waitors polish the silver before dinner service and seeing the plush stools for purses are just a few examples of the level of service provided at the Hassler's restaurant."
Magen said
that her favorite part “of the Hassler tour was the unexpected tour of the
Hotel’s Michelin Star restaurant with views of the entire city of Rome. [She]
knew the restaurant was top-notch when [she] saw that there was little
ottoman-like furniture next to the tables so the women’s bags did not have to
touch the floor… now that’s classy!”
After our
hotel tour, we took a nice walk through the city and over the river to a scenic
park with a beautiful overlook of Rome.
From here we
went right to dinner at another spot near Via del Corso called Palatium. http://www.enotecapalatium.com/#_=_
This was
another Luke Palladino recommended restaurant.
Kelly said
that “it was the first time [she] tried lamb, and [she] thought it was
delicious. [She] was more open to trying some new things on the trip.”
We started out
with some appetizers of fresh olives, cheeses, and meats on a wooden platter,
with a fresh chilled bottle of a 2014 white, Satrico Casale del Giglio that had
a crisp apple flavor.
The food was delicious and the wine was even more so. We laughed and talked and of course ate. We reminisced about the days that had passed since arriving in Italy and discussed what we were excited about for Florence.
Taylor M. wrote that “[She] had delicious gnochhi and of course we had a fantastic wine selection. It was nice to eat all together for our last meal in Rome!”
Taylor M. wrote that “[She] had delicious gnochhi and of course we had a fantastic wine selection. It was nice to eat all together for our last meal in Rome!”
Jennie said
that “this [dinner] concluded possibly one of the most filled, action-packed
days we had…and [it was her] favorite. J”
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