Backpacking

Armed with this

and this

decided to do the Walking Tour by Lonely Planet.

WALK FACTS
Start: Piazza di Trevi
Finish: St Peter's Basillica
Distance: 3.5 km
Duration: 3 hours
(Most facts taken from Lonely Planet)

Trevi Fountain - Rome's most famous fountain

Depicts Neptune's chariot being led by Tritons with sea horses - one wild, one docile - representing the various moods of the sea. Trevi refers to tre vie (3 roads) which converge at the fountain.

Palazzo Chigi - 17th century square

Pallazo Montecitorio (I think!) - Italian Chamber of Deputies

Ancient Rome's best preserved building - Pantheon. Standing for 2000 years. Although a christian church since 608, the temple was dedicated to the classical gods, hence Pantheon - derivation of the Greek words pan (all) and thos (god).

Considered the Roman's most important architectural achievement - the dome - the largest masonry vault ever built. 16 Corinthian columns, each a single block of stone, supporting a triangular pediment.

Just south of the Pantheon, on Piazza della Minerva - Bernini's Elefantino. Sculpture of an elephan supporting a 6th century BC Egyptian obelisk

Chisea di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva - gothic architecture in Rome

Was still jet lagged from the 16 hour flight, so didn't manage to finish the walking tour.

My very first gelato in Rome!
Because gelato generally has less than 35% air, you get a dense and extremely flavoursome icecream

Had Grappa and Burgers while waiting for the stroke of midnite :P

Trevi Fountain at night - still as crowded

Care to drop a Euro or two?

Fireworks on New Year's Eve at Piazza del Popolo. It felt like the entire population of Rome turned up to welcome in 2007. Champagne baths and umbrellas alike!