The Palace has belonged to the Colonna family for over twenty generations and they open up a section of their palace on Saturday mornings. For a little extra they also provide a guided tour through Princess Isabelle's Apartment, a separate section and taking this option we were glad we did.
The guide was very good even to the point I suspect he may even be part of the Colonna family. The palace was built over many centuries from the 1300's and has works of art on all walls from 1500, 1600 and 1700's
I have selected some of the pictures we took inside.
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| The most impressive Murano glass chandlier we have EVER seen. |
After this we had a lovely lunch at Enoteca Provincia Romana. It was a spur of the moment decision while we were waiting for the next attraction. It uses local food and wine in the preparation of the meals.
We quite often pre-book tickets and the next attraction was no exception as it always books out, well in advance. It is normally quite easy to do and these days an email on the smartphone shown to staff is enough for entry.
However today was different, not bad, just different. We entered the reception for Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini, which is a digital experience in currently excavated ruins. I showed my phone and the attendant couldn't find our tickets. He looked at my phone again and we both agreed I'd purchased them correctly and got 13:30 on the English tour. He then looked on his computer and after a couple of minutes advised he couldn't find the booking and asked to look at my phone again.
It was at this point he advised I had made the booking correctly but we were early, two days early!
Yep, somehow I'd booked the tickets for 13:30 Monday but had programmed my mind that they were for today.
That, believe it or not is the first big mix up I've done this trip, and with only a few days left of Europe16 I hope it's the last. Just a little embarrassing.
From here we had the afternoon free, kick in the backup plan.
Close by is Largo di Torre Argentina, the site where Julius Caesar was killed and now the home for a colony of felines, Cats. These cats have to be some of the luckiest in Rome. They have been dropped here, by owners who can't care for them any more the sanctuary then desexes, vaccinates and feeds them. We love coming here to see the felines sleeping in the sun amongst the 2000 year old ruins. This time however there were less then in the past. Lets hope they have become better at hiding than we are at cat spotting.
The afternoon was spent at the best Coffee shop in Rome, Sant'Eustachio Il Caffè and then retreating from the Rome heat back at the apartment.
Dinner was had at one of our favourites, we go there at least once when we come to Rome. It is Piccolo Arancio, up a small laneway, close to Trevi Fountian .
Afterward was an unexpected treat for both of us, our route back from the restaurant to the apartment takes us past the Trevi Fountain, normally at night it is illuminated with flood lights. Tonight however it had a projection show on and it was quite impressive. (as always, please click on the photos to see larger version).
Tomorrow, Gallery in the garden.
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