Arrived early following US Airways flight from Philadelphia. The day was warm and sunny. We checked into our bed and breakfast, the Navona Queen. Our little, tastefully decorated room overlooked the old tiled roof of the Chieas Nuova. We dropped our luggage, took a picture of the church and began to stroll around.
We stopped in the church and then had coffee as we made our way to Pizza Navona.
On the way from Piazza Navona we passed through Piazza della Rotunda. Behind the Pantheon, on Via Di Santa Chiara was Ditta A. Gammarelli, clothier to the Vatican, where we purchased a Zuccetto (a small white cap worn by the Pope) in the hope that, if we were lucky, Pope Francis would try it on the next day during his trip among the crowd at his audience.
Made our way to Vatican City to pick up our tickets for the audience with the Pope for the coming day.
Returned to Navona Queen to drop off our purchases then off to dinner at Ristorante Il Falchetto da Donato. Signor Donato is the owner and was the owner of Il Columbe, the place we ate the last time we were in Rome. He sold it and only owns this one now. The meal was terrific. We shared an appitizer, pasta and each of us had cod as our main course.
From dinner we visited the Trevi Fountain where, to ensure our return to Rome, we threw coins in the fountain.
From Trevi we made our way to the Spanish Steps. As to be expected, the steps were littered with people, mostly young. The statue of the small ship at the base of the steps is undergoing restoration. I was disappointed with the Steps in that there was a lack of excitement due to lack of lights and activity. It was as if the place was asleep and would not wake up.
We, once again, passed through Pizza Navona on our return to the Navona Queen. The piazza is lovely in the evening and full of activity. The Four Rivers Fountain, bathed in light is just gorgeous.
