The Spanish Steps were not difficult to find. If you’re adventurous like us and you love exploring on your own without the benefit of a guide, you can use your phone to navigate the sights without getting too lost. If you are afraid you may miss out on something good or if you just feel more comfortable doing a guided tour, you will find Get Your Guide very helpful.
The Piazza di Spagna is surrounded by mostly 6 story villas. At the foot of the steps is the flat where the famous English poet John Keats lived during the latter part of his life. The Trinità dei Monti which is the church, sits at the top of the Spanish Steps. It is said that the Spanish Steps were built to link the Trinità dei Monti which was under the patronage of the King of France, with the Spanish Piazza di Spagna below. The Fontana della Barcaccia sits at the foot of the Spanish Steps in the middle of the piazza, it is a sinking boat fountain. Yep, you read that correctly!
The following morning we set out after our complimentary breakfast of fresh croissants, yogurt, fruit and delicious cappuccino. Our bed and breakfast was comfortable and well appointed and the cappuccinos were delicious! The previous morning it had taken us about 5 minutes to walk to the tour company and the Vatican City was about a 10 minute walk away from there.
After breakfast we decided to take an Uber to the Pantheon, we were dropped off on the outskirts of the Piazza Della Rotunda and made our way in.
The grandeur of the Pantheon exceeded my expectations, who would have thought that the massive windowless structure would house such beauty and feel so spacious and cool ? every inch of wall was a work of art in itself and some of the intricate decor glowed as though inlaid with precious metal. The oculus in the massive dome, the intricate drainage system; the massive columns, beautiful marble floors and walls; the magnificence of the tombs – the Pantheon is truly an architectural marvel!
Leaving the Pantheon, we set off to find the Trevi Fountain. I enjoyed walking along the narrow cobbled streets bordered on both sides by tall imposing facades. I marveled that the Romans who built these amazing edifices without benefit of modern day mechanics, once walked these very streets! We made our way to the Trevi Fountain and I was happy that it was less crowded than the previous night.
At Trevi Fountain
Babbington’s Tea Experience
The Column of the Immaculate Conception
The Colosseum
The fountain is magnificent! I felt as though I could stand and stare at it for hours and never truly feel like I’d seen it properly. I’d seen it in movies but I never actually thought I’d be standing there in the bright sunshine gazing at the beautiful sculptures and hearing the roar of the water. I was not surprised to see that coins glittered in the bottom of the fountain. I made sure mine joined the others there although I’m such an idiot, I never remember to wish for anything when I throw a coin in a fountain or blow out birthday candles – I’m all about the symbolism!
The next day we dropped anchor in Tobago Cays, it was a day of firsts for me. I had my first experience of snorkeling with huge turtles AND stingrays! Just imagine for a moment how scared shitless I was when I saw a huge stingray rising from the depths directly under me!
I did not know whether I should attempt to swim away or just be still! The fear that froze me in that moment was the deciding factor, I simply couldn’t move! the big beautiful creature brushed against me and glided along my legs and I realized that I was being investigated. Its touch felt velvety smooth against my bare skin almost as though I was being caressed, I wasn’t going to die after all!
We explored one of the uninhabited islands and found a rather friendly iguana I immediately christened Iggy. I also found a turtle and what looked like wreckage from a plane crash. I wanted to look for sea glass and fossilized coral and I found both but they were embedded in the rock and I couldn’t move them.
My other first was my inability to get back into the dinghy when it was time to head back. I made several attempts – maybe about five? I was totally unaware of my audience who were apparently rooting for me..so when my sixth attempt finally landed me like a beached whale halfway in the dinghy with my legs sticking out, a cheer went up from the onlookers! I looked around and there were tourists waving and cheering from a nearby motor boat! Eddie was laughing his head off! I was mortified, but I smiled and waved. I was just happy to be in the damn dinghy at last!
