Rome

Buongiorno. We share our Roman hilltop home with Giuseppe Garibaldi (below), an Italian general and politician who played a large role in the history of Italy. Delighted to discover that along with Victor Emanuel, Italy has had a couple of honourable leaders. Garibaldi is considered one of Italy's "fathers of the fatherland" and he enjoys the most spectacular views of the Eternal City.

Met some of our fellow guests at breakfast; a German couple on a short break and a young couple from the UK, he is Welsh and she is Scottish. Made for interesting conversation on this particular morning.

As it was downhill all the way we decided we would head off in the direction of the old city ruins and the Colosseum. Plenty of people in the streets, as you would expect, but not especially overcrowded. The streets around the Colosseum and Forums were closed off to traffic. Don't know if that is a Sunday "thing" or something else was happening that we weren't aware of, but it made it all pretty relaxing and easy-peasy exploring the ancient history that you can breath and touch.

We made our way to the Piazza del Campidoglio, designed by Michelangelo on one of the seven hills of Rome and where the magnificent statue of a mounted Augustus stands. Augustus was the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor, ruling from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.

From here we walked down through the remains of the ancient city and on to the Forum and Colosseum. The Colosseum is an oval amphitheatre. Built of concrete and stone, it is the largest amphitheatre ever built and is considered one of the greatest works of architecture and engineering. It is situated just east of the Roman Forum. Construction began in 72 AD, and was completed in 80 AD taking just 8 years. For such a massive building, that is an impressive achievement.

It is estimated the Colosseum could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators, having an average audience of some 65,000; it was used

for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry, and a Christian shrine.

It is currently undergoing a massive multi million Euro renovation along with the nearby Forums which are cloaked in scaffolding and protective screens at the moment.

Ciao!