Rome, Italy - Trajan's Bath, Santa Maria Maggiore, National Museum of Rome

5/12/2012 This segment takes us through Monti Rione to see the tallest campanile (bell tower) in Rome.

The bus left the Colisseum area and drove through the Monti Rione of Rome.  Rioni (plural) are districts in Rome and Monti is one of the twelve. Here you will have a chance to see a mix of "tourist" sites and regular Roman city views.  We started this segment at the lower left corner of the map by the round Colisseum, traveled through city streets and a park, and ended at the upper center of the map.

As we drove through "Monti" rione, I wanted to get a glimpse of true "Roman life.  So you guess...Roman or Tourist.  (#1 on the map)

 Ok, I need to comment on this one.

Roman or Tourist?

 Is there always just one red car in the photo?

 In the midst of all of this "modern" architecture, we come across this.  It is "Trajan's Baths". Click here to read about them in detail. We had turned right on Viale del Monte Oppio and drove though a very large park with many ruins. (#2 on the map)

 These are not open to tourists, although one could stand and take photos...free of charge!

 This is the basilica San Martino ai Monti (Santi Silvestro e Martino ai Monti - Titolo Equizio).  For more info click here.

 Street scene, always changing and interesting architecture.  Red bus!

Turning left on Via Merulana, we could see Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore with a tall tower and light blue dome.

This corner pizza shop caught my eye because of the word "Rustica".  Kalen's Latin textbook had a setting in "Villa Rustica".  Rustic village?  Not sure.

Shops along the street.  Wait a minute. Are these cars actually PARKED?  Yes, they are. No driver inside. Crazy.

The Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore) is the largest Roman Catholic Marian church in Rome. It is owned by the Holy See and enjoys a status similar to that of an embassy. It is patrolled internally by Vatican police.   To read more about this basilica, click here. It faces Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore. The mosiacs inside are supposed to be beautiful.  The bell tower or campanile is the highest in Rome at 240 feet. (#4 on the map)

We circled the basilica and I saw an interesting sign that looked like it could be neon at night.  (Nick Florio photography needs to make a trip to Rome and photograph this!)  

 I looked in the dictionary to "Rosario" and it means rosary.

 This is a side view as we wind around. You can see one of the domes from here.

As we go to the "back" of the building, it looks like an entirely different building.  The staircase is blocked off and it is a little in disrepair.  There don't seem to be as many people in Piazza dell'Esquino.  This sits on Esquiline Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome.

Actually, when you can see it up close, it doesn't appear to be falling apart, it just needs a good cleaning.

We turned right on Via Cavour.  This building facade is bold and crazy stones.

Left when we got to Piazza del Cinquecento.  This is the piazza for the main train station, Stazione Termini Roma.  We drove past some stores and offices.  This is a big termination point for buses and tour groups. (#5 on the map)

 On the corner is Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.  This is the National Museum of Rome (Museo Nazionale Romano)

 Nice spot to pull over and put on your new "I went to Rome!!" T-shirt.

 A few well placed shops selling all sorts of travel goodies.

We crossed Viale Enrico De Nicola, a very busy divided street. The street name changed to Viale Luigi Einaudi.  A small park with a memorial that said "Agli Eroi di Dogali".  It was built in the memory of the 548 Italian soldiers who died in Dogali, Ethiopia.  The obelisk comes from Egypt from Helienopolis. (#6 on the map)

The boys, waiting for the bus on a hot Roman holiday. 

I am very happy that we drove through this area of town. I had been nervous about coming to the area around the train station. I'm glad to see that it looks fine and I would now consider taking a train in to Rome and then other transportation to the apartment.