Last Morning in Rome

And just like that, we reached our final full day in Rome.

Tomorrow morning, it’s just a trip to the airport and then back home.

On our very first morning, less than a week ago, we barely escaped the rain, hiding from it under the arches of the Colosseum. This last morning didn’t look much different.

Back then, I wrote that the rain was exactly what made that moment one of the most memorable of the entire trip. Maybe today has a surprise waiting for us too.

We had already passed 100,000 steps. Our legs were starting to feel it, though to be honest, Anja and I were struggling more than the girls.

Today, we had no real plan. We usually leave the last day open.

It’s a day for slowing down. For coffee breaks, a bit of souvenir shopping, and for returning to places that caught our attention along the way, the kind you quietly promise yourself you’ll come back to.

A day that belongs only to us. No time slots, no rushing across the city, no complicated logistics.

The view through the window promised rain. The forecast said it would rain. The Windy app insisted it was already raining.

But it wasn’t.

Let’s go.

A few minutes later, we were already sitting on the metro, heading towards the Spanish Steps.

Views Over Rome

After walking the Colosseum arena, almost twisting our ankles on the Roman Forum, taking in the city from the Palatine Hill, wandering through the Pateon and Piazza Navona, pushing through the crowds at the Trevi Fountain, escaping Rome to Ostia Antica and Tivoli, and getting lost in the Vatican, there was only one part of the city left for us – Villa Borghese.

As soon as we stepped out of the metro, we found ourselves at the Spanish Steps. There were far fewer people than that afternoon when we arrived from above. At one moment, we even had the steps completely to ourselves.

We slowly made our way up to the top. From there, you turn left and continue along the road, where every now and then some genius decides it’s a good idea to drive down the steps… and, of course, gets stuck.

As you walk, the city begins to open up between the trees. Your eyes keep drifting back to the dome of St. Peter’s, rising above the rooftops.

Then you stop at the terrace overlooking Piazza del Popolo. Below, you spot one of the oldest things in the city – an Egyptian obelisk, more than 3,000 years old. Powerful, monumental, and almost untouched by time.

Then you turn the other way, towards the park, and see something completely different. A giant metal ring, shaped like a diamond. Visually flat, a bit kitsch, and… well, something else entirely.

On one side, millennia that have endured. On the other, a moment trying to stand out, soon to be forgotten.

Any resemblance to the modern world is purely coincidental.

Park Vila Borghese

Just as Hyde Park is to London or Central Park to New York, Villa Borghese is to Rome. A place to step into green space, away from the noise of the city.

It began as the private estate of the Borghese family, with a villa at its heart, its own lake, and a gallery that today houses works by Caravaggio and Bernini.

All around are carefully designed gardens, museums, and even a zoo at the far end.

And from all that art and beauty, we saw… well, almost nothing. One statue, to be exact. Just as we stepped into the park, the rain started.

What now?

A few days earlier, while searching for the metro entrance at Piazza del Popolo, we noticed the Leonardo da Vinci Museum and said to ourselves: if we ever need to escape the rain, this might be a good option.

And so we found ourselves rushing down all those steps to the square, stepping into the world of one of Italy’s greatest Renaissance minds.

A visit to the Leonardo da Vinci Museum

I expected another tourist trap with steep prices. And, to be fair, I wasn’t completely wrong, the ticket wasn’t exactly cheap. But when it comes to the experience itself, I was.

The museum is hidden underground, beneath the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo. Which turns out to be the perfect shelter from the rain. Instead of a traditional museum, you step into a journey through his ideas, where sketches come to life as wooden models. For the first time, I saw a model of his tank and flying machines in real life, the kind you usually only know from books.

What makes it especially interesting is that many of the exhibits are hands-on. You can turn the mechanisms, move the parts, and slowly begin to understand how a mind worked that was centuries ahead of its time.

Alongside that, there are replicas of his most famous works, from The Last Supper to the Mona Lisa. The walls are filled with his detailed anatomical sketches, and for the kids, there’s even a creative corner where they can follow on-screen instructions and draw their own masterpieces.

And to finish, something a bit special, a 3D experience of flying over Florence in one of Da Vinci’s flying machines. The bravest of us was Nia, who for a few minutes actually “flew” above the city.

It turned out to be well worth it. And the best part, when we stepped back outside, the sun had returned.

We’ll be back one day

From the square, three main streets branch out: Via di Ripetta, leading towards the Pateon; Via del Corso, taking you to Piazza Venezia and the Altare della Patria; and Via dei Babuino, heading towards the Spanish Steps.

Between the twin churches of Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto, we first stepped onto Via del Corso. Along the way, we took care of a few last purchases, as it’s one of the main shopping streets in Rome.

Now that the sun was out again, the street quickly began to fill up.

So we turned into the side streets and made our way back towards the Spanish Steps, where we had actually started the day.

As we were thinking about how to spend the rest of the afternoon, we found ourselves right near the steps again. That’s when Nia said we still hadn’t thrown a coin into the Trevi Fountain.

A perfect way to end the trip. Through narrow passages and past a few modern art installations, we made our way to the fountain.

And about ten minutes later, we were standing right by the water, each of us tossing a coin in, with the quiet hope that we’ll return one day.

Maybe even together…

And just like that, our journey through Rome slowly comes to an end.

Tomorrow, there’s only the flight home.

And at the end of April, a new adventure is already waiting. Scotland.