Europe Day 3: Rome

Because we saw some of this day's sights yesterday, in the morning we went to Chiesa di Santa Maria in Cosmedin, famous for the Bocca della Verita (mouth of truth). It was featured in the Audrey Hepburn/Gregory Peck movie 'Roman Holiday'. You will see posters of this movie in many places around the world.

We had a terrible experience throughout the day looking for buses. The bus maps they provide are too coarse and you can't find where the bus stop is or which direction it goes. Four bus trips that day:
1. Couldn't find the bus stop until we asked and it turns out they recommend a totally different bus number.
2. Just hopped on one that seemed to go in the general direction.
3. Chanced upon the bus stop after almost deciding to walk there. However, a few minutes in the bus was blocked by a parked car and we had to walk anyway.
4. Rain. Couldn't find the bus stop, walked for a long while until there was a bus to a train station.

Rome, you can do better!

Sunday, November 7th – Pantheon and Museums
08:00 - 08:30 - Breakfast near Termini.
08:30 - 09:30 - Take Bus 40 to Largo di Torre Argentina.
09:30 - 10:00 - Walk N 100m to Chiesa Di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva (LP77, visit 1pm-6pm) for Michelangelo’s lesser-known sculptures such as Cristo Risorto.

10:00 - 10:30 - Visit the Pantheon (LP73, open 9am-6pm) across the street.

10:00 - 11:30 - Walk W 300m to Piazza Navona (LP78). Visit Chiesa Sant’ Agnese in Agone (LP79, closed 1pm to 4pm) in the SW corner of Piazza Navona. Then see works of Bernini and Giacomo della Porta (LP79) in Piazza Navona. Three fountains are here.

11:30 - 13:00 - Visit Museo Nazionale Romano: Palazzo Altemps (LP79, open 9am to 745pm, admission $E7 with concession of $E3.5) at the N end of Piazza Navona.
13:00 - 14:30 - Lunch and walk in the area.
14:30 - 15:30 - Take Bus 116 or 116T (bus stop a N of the E side of The Pantheon) to the final terminus. Walk 800m NE crossing the intersection into Villa Borghese. Detour from NE a bit N through the park to get onto Valle Museo Borghese (road) for the scenic route.

15:30 - 17:00 - Walk to Galleria Borghese. Get ticket for 5pm admission and explore surrounding Villa Borghese before entry (try to stay warm).
17:00 - 19:00 - Enter Galleria Borghese (Pre booking required, admission E$13.50 with concession of E$10.25, open 830am to 730pm)(LP148).

Photography is not allowed in Galleria Borghese but I can say it is worth going. There are some amazing marble sculptures by Bernini who's detail and delicacy is atonishing (e.g. Dafne and Apollo).

Image via Wikipedia user Int3gr4te under a Creative Commons licence.

19:00 - 19:30 - Take Bus 910 (direction Termini) to Termini.
19:30 - 20:30 - Have Dinner. Return to hotel.

See gallery Europe Day 3 - Rome and Europe Day 2 - Rome