A Pegasus flight from Istanbul to Rome, two trains to San Pietro station and a walk trundling our bags to our B&B (pensione) apartment on Via Gregorio VII, a grand boulevard within walking distance of St Peters, the Vatican and the River Tiber. After 3 nights in the very pleasant B&B (within an elegant 1940's gated apartment block) we moved, at the suggestion of our hostess who was booked ahead and could not offer more days, to a similar but self contained apartment just a short distance away.

Endlessly trod and climbed stone, cobbles and marble during our 5 night stay. Occasionally found the buses convenient for greater distances.

The city was extremely crowded with the usual summer tourists and tour groups and perhaps even more so around St Peters because of the ceremonies for the beatification of Pope John Paul II which we had not forseen.

However, the sun shone and we thoroughly enjoyed our roaming and exploration of this marvellous city which seemed to contain all typical attractions of most Italian cities - antiquity, history, churches grand and modest, architecture, art, piazzas large and small, cobbled streets and lanes, steps innumerable, parks and gardens, cafes and wonderful food, the river, hidden surprises...........