Arrividerci Roma (trastevere)

 Wednesday 7th May 2025

Today is our last day in Rome and what a huge day it is. The conclave is to start today and we are meeting up with John and Christina for a vespa/popemobile tour and a food tour this evening. 

There is so much traffic at 9am in the morning.  Sirens, horns honking and the noise of motorbikes is deafening.

The ice cream building was across the road.

lots of hoarding and road work

more traffic

The illatoria?

As usual we arrive a the meeting place for the vespa tour much earlier than required and are then surprised when the tour people are late. They appear quite casual (relaxed) about the tour which may or may not be a good thing.  We have a pre tour chat and then we suit up.  A hair net under the helmet is a lovely touch. I sit in the side car while Paul sits behind the driver holding on tight.  John and Christina do the same on their bike.

us selfie with our hair nets and helmets on

John and Christina on board.

again

us with Paul pretending to ride the motor bike

The side car has no seat belt, just a small bar in front to hang on to. I am not convinced it is safe....

The tour leader did little speals at various points of interest in a 'relaxed' politically incorrect way, including a rude comment about a young girl wearing short shorts travelling with her mother.  This continued including comments about Americans, Trump and various other touchy subjects.  It was like being back in the 80's, maybe 70's.

all of us

colosseum

again

nice church, Hadrians. one of the oldest

interesting. You put your hand in the mouth ???

nice fountain

  

A building up high from where we were able to take panoramic photos

We finished in Trastevere  and got lost finding our way home again.

After a rest, it was time for our food tour of Trastevere. We were meeting on an island at Saint Bartolomeo on the Island in the Tiber.  This is a particularly old church.

another bridge

San Bartolomeo

inside

The food tour meant walking back to Trastevere for a 6 course walking meal.

First course, at Trattoria da Enzo,  (dads name so pretty special.) This was an  appetiser of burrata cheese and tomatoes and also fried artichokes.

Fried artichoke with the leaves fried till very crispy while the inside is soft and yummy. I didn't get bread but I had everything else.

Second Course  was at a famous wine bar in an extremely old building.

inside the famous wine cellar parts of which are from 300BC

a picture of a statue found under the building when excavated 300 years ago. Thought to be Greek.

A very good sangiovese and the best pork stew ever. A famous recipe. (I had the pork without the bread)

Third Course was biscuits. Yes seems silly but he wanted to get it in before we were too full.

inside

My personal plate of gluten free cookies. 

The gluten free cookies like the almond ones I make were really good and I bought a few more to share with family


Fourth Course was at a famous deli. We had a look at pastas and meats and were able to try porchetta. Very yummy. Interestingly this deli was under John and Christina's accommodation. 

Theirs

Mine minus the bread

The deli

pastas

cheese

Before the next course we had a visit to the local church, San Maria of Trastevere.  It is an ancient church and is very beautiful.

IT is extremely old

This is Davide, our tour leader who is in the photo showing us the water spouts available throughout Rome.  He is an actor and was very engaging and particularly nice to me ensuring I had gluten free options.

Fifth course was the main pasta meal. There were two pastas to try, one with a tomato and bacon sauce, the other in a white artichoke sauce.

I also got to have my very own pans of gluten free pasta. Very impressed.

interesting floor

Big pans of pasta for the table

Two little pans for me

Sixth course was of course gelato from a famous and very authentic gelato house.

Unfortunately I took no photos as I was too tired.  We were both very tired but managed to find our way home without getting lost. Absolutely exhausted.  And just for info, I did 19,674 steps today.  Paul did less as he takes longer steps. Yes.

Tomorrow we leave Rome.