Eurotrip 2023: Day 7 – Trastevere, Castel Sant’Angelo and Walk

Day 7 and it was our last full day in Rome. By this day, we had nothing major planned, except to go around the Eternal City one last time.

But for the last full day, we did not leave until around lunch time as we expected to be out until late in the evening, We also had to pack our bags and not rush the following morning.

Our flight to Paris won’t be until mid-afternoon, but we’d be checking out early of the AirBnB for Fiumicino much earlier.

Thankfully, the weather forecast had no rain indicated whatsoever, making it easier for us to move around.

But first things first, our trash. We have seen the garbage bins the night before on the street next to us, thus Mon and I took a mental note that we’d head there first before going to lunch.

However, the bins were missing, and we had to walk at least 2 blocks just to find one. I was telling him punk rock and Vogue Italia editorial that was: garbage and Gucci in the streets of Esquilino in Roma. LOL

After we got rid of the trash, we then went to Trattoria Cecio. I had this place planned in our itinerary even back home, yet our host likewise recommended a visit the evening we arrived.

It must be very good stuff.

Trattoria Cecio was only 2 blocks away from us, and we got there in time for the lunch service. We have not made any reservations, but given we were quite early in Italian lunch standard, we managed to get a table (outside, as we preferred to be al fresco).

One thing I’ve learned regarding the pasta serving over the last few days was how deceptively little it looked like. But once you start eating it, you’d already feel full more than halfway through the plate.

We ordered a couple of pasta dishes, along with a burrata caprese salad (the latter as a craving from the salad we had on the plane from Doha to Roma).

Trattoria Cecio more than lived to the raving reviews we have read online, and it was a gem tucked in that side of Rome.

After finishing our meal, we had been tempted with coffee and dolci, which we politely declined. We had our eyes set on the famous gelato in Esquilino after lunch: Fassi.

From Trattoria to Fassi, it was a good 15-minute walk with Papa and Mama’s pace. It could be faster but we also just finished eating. It was supposed to be just a leisurely walk, anyway.

The Gelateria Fassi had a welcoming appearance of a neighborhood shop, which obviously had been around for a long time. It was so old that in fact, it first opened its doors to patrons in 1880 (long before the Philippines had its independence declared from the Spanish rule LOL).

We tried to get as many flavors as we can. Papa got the mango one, and it was too sour for him. I ate his cup instead.

Our next stop from Fassi was Trastevere. I knew by the that time that there was no use dragging my parents to the metro. Trastevere is not serviced by any train station anyway.

And instead of riding a bus (which we have never taken, I was too freaked out of the validation issues I kept on seeing on YouTube), we took another FreeNow car instead.

Trastevere, which literally translates to ‘across Tiber’, is touted as living remnant of the old Roman way of life before the deluge of tourists.

And it really is. While the area was likewise bustling with visitors, the environment seemed less frantic, with the traditional house and shops, the latter of which still looked family owned.

Our first stop in Trastevere (and the last church we’d enter in Rome) was the Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere.

Originally a 3rd century church, its renovations took place several centuries later in the 12th century, and several hundred years later in the early 1700s was its current portico. The apse mosaic was attributed to Pietro Cavallini, done from 1296 to 1300.

We had a look inside, which was still a bit quiet, although we noticed there was a group of people seated by the first 2 rows, and choir members near the altar.

Mama some candles, I just observed some more tourists coming inside.

Then without a warning, a choir began singing an obviously Latin song that echoed inside the basilica. As we looked at entrance, there was a black coffin being carried inside by a group of men.

It was a requiem mass.

We did not need to be told we had to cut our stay short. As a respect for the dead, we stepped out, although we noticed one of the staff of the basilica had to tell off a group of scantily clad tourists who were just about to enter.

As mentioned, we have nothing specifically planned for the day. It was really come what May, except for a plan stop at Castel Sant’Angelo later in the day.

We have looked at the map and saw that the Orto Botanico di Roma was just a couple of blocks away. We eventually decided not to go as we then saw there was an entrance fee.

We were fine just walking around that side of Rome.

We continued walking the length of Via della Lungara, before turning right at Salita del Buon Pastore. From there, we walked a bit more to reach Ponte Giuseppe Mazzini, where we just rested overlooking the Tiber. We also had a quick video call with our family back home.

Before we knew it, it was already 3:30 pm, and way past our usual 3:00 pm coffee time. We continued walking until Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, while checking the map for a nearby cafe (or in this case, bar for coffee).

We found one with good reviews at Via del Governo Vecchio behind Chiesa di Santa Maria in Vallicella, which meant we won’t be veering too far from the roads leading to Castel Sant’Angelo.

Bar L’Orologio was a very quaint shop, with a very friendly staff. The pastries and coffee were reasonably priced as well. We enjoyed the cannoli very much.

Mon, who ordered the food, had an embarrassing exchange with the staff at the counter, though.

He tried ordering in Italian, saying “Due cannelloni, per favore?”, to which the staff replied “Oh, due cannoli!“. He was ordering stuffed pasta at almost 4:00 pm.

You got to admire him, though, for trying. I told him I should start teaching him some basic Italian, so next time in Rome, he’d be more confident.

Speaking of confidence in the language, I had the same hesitation as well.

Although I studied Italian for 3 years (and at one point, I was more confident speaking Italian than French after graduation), it has been more than 15 years since I have spoken the language on a daily basis.

I even brushed up on my verbs and the commonly used conjugations a month before the trip, as well as some vocabs to get by on the trip.

To my surprise, my Italian was enough.

Of course, I had no intention debating over the current state of global politics, but my Italian was enough to get us through the whole week without getting scammed.

After coffee (and a bathroom break for Mama and Papa), we resumed walking the length of Via dei Banchi Nuovi, and eventually at Via del Banco del Santo Spirito.

It was exciting to see Castel Sant’Angelo eventually peek from the end of the street. There were also a lot of tourists like us who obviously wanted to have a glimpse of Castel and Ponte Sant’Angelo.

The structure was originally intended as a mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian (thus it is more formally know as Mausoleum of Hadrian), and eventually became a hideaway of the pope.

The Ponte, on the other hand, was flanked by 10 angels (five each side), carrying objects associated with Christ’s martyrdom.

The angels are also now replicas, with its original scattered all around Italy done by noted sculptors of the period (i.e. Raggi, Morelli, Bernini, Naldini, Fancelli, Lucenti, Ferrata, Giorgetti, and Guidi).

Perhaps my most favorite of the bunch was the ‘Angel with Nails’, a reproduction of Girolamo Lucenti. Next one was the ‘Angel with the Crown of Thorns’ by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and his son Paolo.

Also at the foot of Castel Sant’Angelo was a small souvenir shop. Papa surprisingly took interest in one of the crucifix keychains, which I happily bought for him.

Mon and I have likewise bought some refrigerator magnets, which we intended to keep at home and give to our family members. I also did not realize how the road in front of the Castel leads directly to St. Peter’s Basilica.

One regret I have was not buying one of the Roman Holiday postcard with Audrey Hepburn eating a gelato at the Spanish Steps.

I had no idea why I bothered taking a photo but forgot to shell out €0.50 for such a souvenir.

From Castel Sant’Angelo, we had decided that perhaps we have an encore of Piazza Navona given the fair weather. So we walked some more, until we reach the piazza.

I was happy we could have a do-over with the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, and the Chiesa in Sant’Agnese in Agone.

We also sat down to rest some more (for the sake of Mama and Papa), with me lovingly people watching and thinking “Wow, it is our last night already?”

I never thought I’d be able to go to Italy with Mon and my parents, and we had such a blast (I hope).

I also took the opportunity while resting to check the map for a resto we could eat our last dinner at, without making Papa walk a very long distance.

I called their number and reserved a table for 4 at 7:00 pm (un tavolo per quattro persone, per favore), and then started walking at 6:30 pm so we could take our sweet time and not be rushed.

As we approached  Hostaria de Pastini, we spotted the newly opened Starbucks at Piazza Montecitorio. We didn’t realize we were so closed to it, although it became a tourist attraction for its own good.

Mon’s mother had asked him to buy some of those place-marked cups (I have no idea what they are called), although she warned her there were no Starbucks in Rome.

Fortunately for her, it just opened and Mon tried to fall in line as we await our dinner.

Dinner came and Mon had to go back at Pastini, thinking he could just run back and queue again towards the end of dinner.

Our last dinner in Rome was frankly quite a feast. We ordered risotto ai frutti di mare, carbonara, ravioli, insalate mediterranea, filetto, and carpaccio di manzo.

The food was also served with these large, shell-shaped plates reminiscent of Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus‘. It was almost impossible to move the plates around because of their size.

We spent the next hour or so discussing the trip in Italy that was, and the things we loved for the week-long stay,

While most meals usually last more than an hour, we usually eat our meals within one. As we were waiting for the bill, Mon had to run and try his luck again at Starbucks.

The line was still long with no signs of slowing down.

While Mon waited in line, I was just with Mama and Papa people watching at Piazza Pontecitorio.

Right in the middle of the piazza was the Obelisk of Montecitorio, yet again another Egyptian obelisk known as ‘Solare’, which used to stand at the sanctuary of Ra in Heliopolis in ancient Egypt. It was brought to Rome together with the Flaminio Obelisk in the middle of Piazza del Popolo.

After what appeared to be half an hour, he eventually reached the counter and finally bought what he needed to buy. Mission accomplished.

It was already quarter to 9:00 pm when Mon finished at Starbucks.

Our last stop for the evening was at Fontana di Trevi. It was only fitting that we cap our vacanze italiane back where we began during our first full day.

And although it was Mon and I’s second time seeing Trevi in the evening, Mama and Papa did not have the opportunity to see much of Rome at night because we usually return home while the sun was still up.

Even the streets leading up to to Trevi was very alive. Nothing could stop the visitors from walking the streets of Rome even at 9:00 pm.

As soon as reached Trevi, there was still a substantial crowd as the first time we visited that first morning. We just stood there for a bit, with Mama and Papa looking at the light-bathed fountain.

Mama also asked for another coin, so she can throw it and wish once again. It was a bittersweet moment that it was our last night in Rome with my parents.

I just hoped that the coins we throw really would do their magic for all of us to be back in Rome again in the future.

At 9:30 pm, we decided to go home. We still have to finish packing our bags before we check out of our AirBnB the morning after.

And then off to Paris, we go. Thank you very much, Rome. We had a blast!

Steps: 12,329