Siamo Arrivate! We Have Arrived!

DAY 1:  Friday, May 18th:  There's something about Rome - this ancient, historic city that is as new and exciting as it was 2000 years ago!  We arrived at the Albergo Cesari Hotel, a beautiful hotel located in the historic center of Rome, where they welcomed us with open arms and told us breakfast was waiting for us on the rooftop terrace.  An Italian breakfast buffet and a hot cup of cappuccino was just what we needed after the long overnight flight from the states. 

After settling in, we met our tour guide Annie Ojile from Rome and Tuscany Tours (referred by Megan from Bella Vita Italia) in the lobby of our hotel for our 3-hour walking tour of the classic sights of Rome - a perfect start to our vacation as we visited many of the wonders that Rome has to offer - the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and the beautiful fountains in the Piazza Navona.  I would recommend this tour for anyone when they first arrive in Rome - not only do you see the major sights in a fun, entertaining way but it's a great way to orient yourself to the City.  I would also highly recommend Annie as your tour guide - she's young, energetic, extremely knowledgeable and fun to be with!

During our tour Annie took us to one of Rome's most famous coffee houses and taught us how to "slam" an espresso. Later she showed us some of Rome's most famous gelaterias and thus began our love affair with gelato and a quest to find the best gelato in Italy! 
We returned to our hotel and since we already decided our first night would be an early one after our long travel day, we took a leisurely stroll and explored the Piazza di Pietra - the lively piazza outside our hotel filled with shops, cafes, restaurants, and the ancient remains of Hadrian's Temple.  Our hotel room looked out onto the piazza and we felt like real italians everytime we flung open our shutters to look out at the ancient ruins and lively atmosphere in our beautiful piazza.  After a long day of travel and sightseeing, we fell asleep listening to the enchanting sounds of Rome below us. 

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