The Colosseum is a ‘must see’ in Rome, even if you only walk around the outside and then admire Constantine’ arch next to it. Having walked past it multiple times, we were keen to explore the inside.

Well speaking truthfully, I had already visited (twice) with school trips so was possibly less keen than Roger.

We had decided to leave booking any tickets until we got to Rome, this was a bit of a mistake as everything for the Colosseum was sold out online until the end of November (along with other things).

Queuing it was then.

We left the flat at 07:30; it started raining at 07:35 and throwing it down at 07:40. Despite arriving just after 8 am there was a queue, which we joined. And it was still raining, sometimes stair-rods, sometimes ‘just’ a persistent drizzle. Both of us were wet through and I was positively squelching. So much for Gortex lined hiking shoes.

We queued, a group tried to push in front of us (we forced our way back to our proper place, making it very public), we chatted with the people in the queue next to us, I commented loudly on people who pushed into queues and finally we arrived at the ticket booth. Word of warning: you MUST have ID! Thankfully we both had our driving licences, but there were a few sad souls who were stacked in a holding pattern waiting for someone else to return with official documents.

Presumably it’s a way to discourage ticket touts.

And into the Colosseum and our Arena level visit.

Without booking a specific tour, you can’t visit the underground bits. The Arena floor is as close as you can get.

Having visited several amphitheatres, in varying stages of conservation/repair, there isn’t much about the Colosseum that is new other than its sheer size. It’s breathtaking in its bulk.

There is also a lot more to see since I last visited. Lots of models, lots of reconstructions (particularly with regard to the lifts and ramps used to move animals, competitors and scenery up from the subterranean levels to the arena floor) and a lot more information on the amphitheatre after the fall of the Roman Empire. So there is much more to see and learn over and above the building itself.

Having purchased two day passes to the Colosseum-Palatine-Forum area, we were going to leave the rest of it to Friday, except the rain stopped and forecast for Friday was poor. Given that we had both walked through the Forum area the first time we visited Rome (ages ago) and I had visited even more recently, we started on the Palatine Hill. It was a good choice, particularly as the crowds mostly gave it a miss.

The Palatine Hill is where all the palaces and important state buildings were. Although I may have not quite understood this bit of history! As in much of Rome, it’s layered. At the tip of the hill is the Domus Augustana, an enormous building that overlooks the Virco Massimo. It’s vast. Truly.

Next to it was a garden, the so-called ‘stadium’. Because of its length and shape, early archaeologists thought it was a place for sport but it’s a pleasure garden for the incumbent ruler to use.

The Palace was not only enormous but incredibly luxurious, with marble floors outside – only small sections remain.

There are some remnants of the interiors, including some beautiful frescos, dated around 30 BCE.

The patios and gardens overlook the Circus and we wondered if people sat out there, watching the various races and events from the comfort of their own space.

The Palatine museum has various finds from local excavations which emphasise not only the luxuriousness and fabulous wealth on display but also the length of time the hill has been populated. It’s small but informative.

There are also two ‘private ‘ dwellings: Livia’ House (closed) and Augustus’ House, which has incredible frescos.

Moving down from the Palatine Hill you get some fantastic viewpoints of the Forum. But it’s an incredible jumble of ruins, which is difficult to make sense of. So we didn’t try.

After much wandering around and some reading of information notices (I didn’t realise that the Cloaca Maxima was initiated by the Tarquins to drain the marshy area the Forum currently stands on – that’s EARLY), we located an exit. Lunch time!

Lunch was had in Trastavere at Nannarella. It had good Google reviews and was packed with a mixture of Italians and tourists.

The Carciofi alla Giudia were incredibly delicious: salty, crispy outer leaves (like artichoke crisps) surrounding a soft heart. Totally fabulous.

I then had the Carbonara and Roger had a Saltimboca.

Both were delicious, although as Roger admitted, his Saltimbocca was ‘not much to look at.’

No pepper grinders offered, although those tables who ordered a salad type starter got both salt and pepper grinders alongside their salads. These were removed before any other courses arrived.

Dessert was mostly a miss. My tiramisu was just hard bits of packet biscuits in suspiciously yellow custard, not what I expected at all! Roger’s pannacotta also looked a bit artificial, but he said it was ‘fine’

Service was a bit hit and miss, although they were apologetic when they missed things. Everything other than dessert was good, but not sure we would return.

After a late lunch we repaired to the flat, both of us were still damp in a few unmentionable places.

Another good day, albeit a wet one.