For me, planning a trip is almost as much fun as taking one. I love anticipating both the pleasures and the challenges of an ambitious itinerary spun from a combination of daydreams, research, and past experience. One of the best parts of planning our upcoming trip is that since it’s only been about eight months since our last visit to Rome, Lumina remembers the city well enough to have strong opinions about what we should see and do. And so, out of the mouths of babes, here is a six-year-old’s top ten list of things to do in the Eternal City. (Disclaimer: Lu’s list involves lots of stairs!)
1) Climb the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, admire the view from the very top, then pause for a break on your way back down and enjoy a gelato on the rooftop terrace.
2) Climb and count your way up and down the Spanish Steps, trying to get the same number each time.
3) Visit the Bioparco, and debate the merits and demerits of zoos in general and this (pretty fantastic) one in particular.
4) Make friends with Rome’s semi-feral cat population by always having a container of cat treats at the ready.
5) Fill up your S’well bottle at one of Rome’s more than 2500 nasoni (“large nose” water fountains).
6) Visit Galleria Borghese and take turns telling each other elaborate stories about the astonishingly beautiful paintings and sculptures you see.
7) Ride the carousel and bounce in the castello gonfiabile in Viale dei Bambini.
8) Dance and frolic through masses of magical soap bubbles at the top of the Pincio.
9) After being careful not to touch anything at countless galleries, museums, and churches, go ahead and touch everything that interests you at Explora, Rome’s museum for children.
10) Take a refreshing dip at Circolo Belle Arti in Via Flaminia, serenaded by church bells ringing from the campanile towering over the indoor/outdoor pool.
There you have it: Lumina’s top ten in Rome as of her sixth birthday. And this is just for starters, because there’s simply no end to the magic of Roma Caput Mundi.
JL
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