We had no particular plan for our last day in Rome. We felt like we had hit most of the "must-sees" of the city, and I had the idea that we could wander around Trastevere, a part of Rome that wasn't quite as touristy as the other bits.
With the encouragement of our concierge, we hopped into a taxi and got out in front of Santa Maria, a basilica focused on the Virgin Mary and built in the 12th century.
It's a bit off the beaten path so we got to enjoy our visit peacefully without the usual crowds we had encountered elsewhere in Rome.
I got a crick in my neck from looking up the entire time - the ceilings were beautiful.
And there is a stunning mosaic showing the coronation of the Virgin Mary.
Once we left the church, we wandered the streets and watched local life unfold.
I couldn't get over how empty the streets were of other tourists! This was the first time I encountered shopkeepers that couldn't speak English, but luckily, I spoke a bit of Spanish, they spoke a bit of Spanish and so we managed to make it work.
It wasn't long before we popped into yet another church, the Santa Maria della Scala. The interior was filled with crystal chandeliers, and we found ourselves completely alone in the church.
I think we were both getting a bit of church fatigue, so J and I and crossed the Tiber on the Ponte Sisto and walked until we hit Campo de' Fiori, a lively market selling all things edible.
I was flummoxed by all the different kinds of pasta that were available!
We had also noticed how common zucchini (courgette) flowers were on Roman menus.
We didn't buy anything, but there were a few things I wished I could take home with me...
Much too quickly, it became time for us to head back to the hotel and pick up our luggage and go to the airport. Our flight was delayed by several hours because of the dense fog in London. Home, sweet home.
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