Being a Gemini, my world is comprised of two opposing forces: one that knows I have to get the job done and one that just likes to have fun. You can read more about my writing life and other musings on my writer’s blog. But here … we travel, meet amazing people, eat great food, drink tantalizing wine and eat the best chocolate you will find anywhere on the planet. So … on to the next adventure.
It’s hard for me to write this post as it is the final jaunt on last fall’s tasting extravaganza. What a trip that was! Virginia and I had spent 2 weeks making our way through Holland, Spain and Italy in search of the best chocolate. And then we had one day in Rome before flying back across the pond to Canada.
Good thing she’s organized! We managed to do a whirlwind tour of the Coloseum, Venice Square, the Fountain of Trevi, the Spanish Steps, the Vatican and St. Peter’s Square. Whew! It’s amazing how we managed to at least see all of those landmarks in a mere 7 hours!
So I won’t get into any kind of analysis here on those. And as you know, my mind is primarily fed by the sensual pleasures of food, wine and chocolate. Historic landmarks might be nice to see, but for me, do not a visit make.
Rome is great for daytripping. You can leave your luggage at the train station for a fairly reasonable fee. It cost us 15 euros each to store 3 bags each for roughly 7 hours. But beware! They only take cash for this service. No credit cards.
The Coloseum was remarkably close (via The Metro) to the train station, and after getting rejuvenated with yet another amazing Italian meal, we strolled down Via Di S. Gregorio and happened upon Biodomenica, an organic farmer’s market with so many wonderful local things to taste.
your tastebuds can’t help but be tempted at Biodomenica
After retrieving our luggage, we took the airport train from the Central train station to the airport. We conveniently had booked the Rome Airport Hilton Hotel which is connected to the airport terminal by moving sidewalks, so as tired and loaded down with luggage as we were … we managed to get to the Hilton where we could crash for the night and rise early for our overseas flight. They have a good restaurant on-site, and the rooms are spacious and comfortable. Highly recommended if your flight times are less than convenient as ours were.
Please share your thoughts on Rome and this post. And please join us back here the week of March 28th, when we’ll discover some amazing chocolate makers in Florida. You’ll be surprised. The Old World has trained the New World well, just as with wine makers. New and innovative can be equally as enticing as tried and true.
Travel Diversions with Doreen 
I am glad you went to an organic farmers’ market. They represent great occasions to taste genuine products from the countryside around Rome. Prices are not cheap, but quality is super. Olives from Gaeta, bread from Genzano and Lariano, pecorino the sheep hard cheese that looks like parmesan, and many other authentic local products can be found at these markets. For posts about food festivals in & around Rome, look at the “Food & Drink” and “Out of Rome” sections of my travel blog http://www.buzzinrome.com
Thanks for posting your link to BuzzInRome. Lots of useful info!
Yes, we tried that marvellous Perocino sheep’s hard cheese. It was magnifico! Also enjoyed the superb selection of olives, fresh honey, breads, chestnuts, and Liquor d’ULIVI – a local digestive liquer made from alcohol-infused olive oil. Very interesting flavour!
That’s what I love about travel. We get the opportunity to try products that bring the local flavours to life.
Hi Doreen, you took me back to Rome. We were there last spring. I could smell it, feel it and almost taste it. Now I have to go find an expresso!
I’ve never been to Rome, but I have been to many other wonderful cities, towns, and villages across Canada and around the world. You are so right when you say that the sights are nice to see, but it is the people, and their culture, including their food and drink that make a trip memorable.
Thanks for taking me with you vicariously. Maybe we’ll have the chance to travel together sometime.
Well, that rips it. I’ve been trying to get out of going on a trip to Europe but after seeing you on your trip, Doreen I guess I’d best start putting the pennies away to take some extra side-trips … at least through Italy. Wow – nice and nice again.
Looks like Rome, Venice and Florence … for a first trip.
roi
Hi Doreen, Bev and I were in Rome at the same time for the Sunrider Meditteran Cruise. What intrigued me about Rome was how the Vatican was it’s own country. It was a very interesting place to visit. The Coloseum didn’t do it for me. Unlike most peole I don’t like old things but the people I was with on the tour loved to visualize what it would have looked like so many years before. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! I wish you’d had more time to spend in Rome! Your descriptions are always so evocative, and just one more day would have brought us more vicarious enjoyment of food, wines and CHOCOLATE!
Thanks so much for the delicious sample you brought for me.
Happy trails.
LL
Hi Doreen, You describe Rome beautifully!
You must have been exhausted….looking forward to your next post!
Liz
Doreen
I can’t believe its over. It’s been marvellous coming along in your baggage on your pilgramage for the best chocolate in the world. The blog on Pisa was amazing, I nearly ate the photograph. I too have been there at the Coloseum in Rome, the Spanish Steps the Trevi Fountain all those amazing little streets, and amzing food. It was so nice to revisit with you in your chocolatour blog. I can’t wait for the book but its got to have pictures and maybe even mailing addresses where we can order the chocolate from.
Veronica
Thanks to everyone for joining in with a comment.
Yes, it would have been wonderful to have had more time in Rome. I really liked what I saw and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t as dirty, crowded or noisy as I had expected. It as sexy, full of life and vitality — without being snooty like its French cousin. I’d love to go back!
And Veronica, don’t worry! The tales of Chocolatour are definitely NOT over! It’s just this leg of the trip that is over. Leg 1 was in 2009 with Kathe Lieber to Belgium France and Switzerland. Leg 2 was with Virginia to Holland, Spain and Italy. There will be LOTS more chocolate travel stories to come.
And yes, Christine. It would be lovely to travel with you. See you in May!
Rome was not built in a day, nor can it be seen in a day. Our whirlwind tour barely scraped the surface of what the city has to offer, but the SCALE and grandeur of the ancient architecture left a lasting impression. I couldn’t help thinking of the parallels with our contemporary neighbours to the south. The crowds were equally impressive, though Doreen didn’t seem to mind! We had to karate chop our way through them, so it was a welcome reprieve to come upon the organic market and share a great meal and a bottle of wine from the Cinque Terre region under the Italian sun. I would like to return and spend a few days there when the crowds are not quite so ferocious.
Doreen, I have so enjoyed reliving our adventure as you took us through your reflective blog posts. I can’t believe this is the end, but at least we have a document we can refer back to when we are feeling nostalgic. Thanks for the opportunity and the great, great times. Salute!
Thanks, Virginia, for sharing your thoughts on each and every post from the E10 leg of Chocolatour. I hope we will embark on another similar journey of exploration as I write future chapters/editions of the book. Stay tuned!
Hi there Doreen,
In the years I lived in Europe, I never made it to Rome. I’ve enjoyed visiting some of the other Italian cities and yet, I guess I always felt I needed to wait until I had a few weeks at least to do Rome justice… your post reminded me that I should seize my next chance to discover this city and that even a short stop can leave a lasting impression. Sometimes, it just takes a first visit to discover a place before you go back to unpeel its layers, little by little. So thanks for reminding me of that.
Nathalie
You’re welcome, Nathalie. And thanks for dropping by the blog and for your analogy of comparing visits to peeling an onion. So very true! We’re able to get closer to the heart of a place after multiple visits of getting past the obvious.
Just as it takes multiple dates to get to the hearts of our lovers, it takes multiple visits to truly get to know a place.
But we don’t always have the luxury of getting where we want to go, or staying as long as we’d like to.
For that reason, I seize the opportunity to visit where I can … when I can. For we never know if tomorrow will come.
I’ve always found that short visits to a place are an amazing way to find out where we want to spend more time on future visits. Cruises are great for that, taking you to many places for a day or two. Just whetting the appetite for a longer, more fulfilling visit. And hoping you’ll have the opportunity to make it happen. If not, at least you have some memories and impressions from that fleeting visit.
Great post & site – thanks for sharing on my blog! Here is my quick whirlwind tour of Rome in under 6 hours: http://latavolamarche.blogspot.com/2011/04/rome-in-whirlwind-only-6-hours-in.html
Hope you make it to Le Marche for cooking at our organic farm, inn & cooking school school one day – All the best! Ashley
Thanks, Ashley. Yes, it’s amazing what you can see in a city in a short period of time – if you put your mind to it. We were lucky in that we’d met a Roman in Tuscany who told us exactly how we could accomplish our goal with the least amount of stress or hurry. Despite the fact that we were seemingly rushing (in order to see as much as possible) we really didn’t feel all that rushed and took plenty of time to enjoy a marvellous lunch and stroll the organic farmer’s market.
Yes, would love to come to Le Marche one day. Perhaps when my book is launched in Europe, I’ll be able to fit in a few days in your wonderful part of Italy. Ciao for now!
Hi Doreen!
Awesome story about Rome. I visited the city back in the mid-1990s and was humbled by the surroundings. I remember the heat also; it must have been 40C and more every day! Our group also visited Florence and Venice, but Rome was my favourite. You’ve now motivated me to book a “Rome to Athens” trip that I’ve had my eyes on!
Right on, Mike! Travel is the tonic that enriches our lives and strengthens our passions and our focus.
Rome and Athens are magnificent cities, both for their history, but also for their dynamic contemporary cultures. What really moved me was the Greek islands! Spent a week on Santorini and would love to return. It is probably the most idyllic place I have been.