Roma, day 1

Good trip from London to Rome. Saw the Alps on the way.

Got very slightly lost on the way to the hotel and had to get the proper map out to check our bearings; realised that we'd just turned left a bit too soon, and it was easy to find our way to Santa Maria Maggiore after that and then find our hotel on Via Merulana (full of lime trees - very pretty).

The hotel was fine – the staff were lovely, the room was clean and big enough for our needs, and Francesco on the reception desk recommended a lovely pizzeria nearby for dinner that night. I opted for Gorgonzola and speck (and it was so huge that Gerry had to help me out), followed by panna cotta.

Then we had a wander round the area – very pretty at night. (And, to Gerry and the children’s joy, three gelateria within a space of 200 metres…)

Santa Maria Maggiore was all lit up at night - the Rough Guide says that the 18th-century facade is boring, but we quite liked it.


13200 steps today – but I had a feeling we were going to do much, much more during the week...