My Artist Notes on Rome:
Represent grand scale with small silhouetted figures. Look up.
Faded muted earthy colours amongst the green Pinus Pinea sculptural pine trees. A blue sky under an unseasonably hot April sun.
Take lots of photos to come back to and study the architectural details. Research more about Greek/Roman Classical identifiers.
We had one day in Rome before heading to Naples. I’d been before, unlike my travel companion Phillippa, and in our 8 precious hours, we managed 23k steps! Around the Forum and Coliseum, stopping for Spaghetti Vongole and Aperols, throwing the required coin in the Trevi Fountain to insure our return, then climbing up the Spanish Steps to the Stazione Centrale to head south, early evening, to Naples.
I had to stop and do a quick sketch in The Forum…the centre of Ancient Rome built in 608 AD, over 2600 years ago. Mind blowing to imagine all the lives lived in these streets. Although I’d visited nearly 30 years ago whilst inter railing, it was a whole new experience and I pledged to be back to sketch these incredible ruins before too long.
It had been nearly 3 decades since we had last travelled together… we lived in Florence to study Italian and life drawing after our A levels. Four children and a lot of life stories between us, we hit our stride as if it were yesterday! Matching speedy walking pace, the same desire to wander without too much planning and a focus on eating, drinking and catching up. This was going to be an epic 5 day break.
Walking around, the sheer scale of the buildings immediately fills you with awe and wonder… it feels so important, grand, triumphant. A living museum of treasures with trumpets blowing and parades of Roman stories of the past around every corner.
At the station, we treated ourselves to a business class ticket to Napoli (1hr20 £65): totally worth it after our epic city adventure: very comfortable seats plus Prosecco, water and snacks included.
It was an unexpected bonus to get a day here before our planned trip to Naples (thanks to an air traffic control strike and my fortunate delay in rebooking), but I would definitely do it again. Even just one day in Rome is always a good idea!
I would love to come back to live in Italy again one day. I feel the pull of my Italian roots when I am here. My great grandfather Pasquale Chirola was born in Nola, just outside Naples and I cannot wait to visit his part of the world in the next part of this trip, especially Sorrento. He came to London in the early 1900s when he was a teenager to escape poverty and seek his fortune. He was an orphan and had lost many of his siblings to rickets and malnutrition when he bravely took a ship to work in his cousin’s London cafe. He then learnt to make shoes and had three London shoemaker shops at the height of his career. He paved the way for my grandmother, mother and me and I am so grateful for his legacy. I was practising my Italian a lot on this trip and told lots of people about him! I didn’t make it to Nola this time but I’m planning a trip back to find out more and bring my boy to get to know his Italian roots.
HOTEL RECCO: https://www.hotelaberdeen.it/en/ Close to the station and all major sights, very clean, marble floors, excellent price, perfect for 1-2 nights. Heard breakfast was excellent but we had a lie in after a 3am arrival! Will definitely book again.
