ROME 3: Today was the day I started to enjoy being in Rome much more, because I got out of the city for a bit and escaped the hordes of tourists. I caught the bus out to the Appian Way, to visit the catacombs of San Callisto. No photos because cameras were banned but I assure you they were incredible!Part of the Appian Way, the most important ancient Roman road that is almost perfectly straightRuins alongside the road
After the catacombs I visited Fosse Ardeatina, a series of caves which are now a memorial. During WWII, the Germans massacred over 300 Italian partisans in the caves in reprisal for an attack on their troops, then blew up the caves to hide the evidence
Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano: this is actually Rome's official cathedral, not St Peter's, because it was the first of the four major basilicas and is the seat of the Pope. It was home to the Popes before they moved to Avignon in France and then the VaticanThis one's for you dad, a very nice Moto Guzzi!! Yep I'll put it in my suitcase for you and bring it home! The Trevi Fountain, looks so relaxing, so peaceful...

... until you see the masses of tourists fighting to get to the edge of it and throw their coin in. See what I mean about Rome?