Looking for Espresso
After our lunch in the Jewish Ghetto, we set off to find the place that Mimi recommended for espresso – Il Caffe Sant’Eustachio (Piazza Sant’ Eustachio, 82, santeustachioilcaffe.com/en/). It was an easy 15 minute walk.
We arrived to find the place swarming with people. We muscled our way inside, ordered two gran caffes from the cashier, and took our receipt to the counter where a group of baristas were filling orders in a tightly choreographed fashion.
One guy read the receipts handed to him by the patrons. A second staged cups for the third, who was hidden behind a high counter and was preparing the drinks. The first or second guys handed the coffees to us at the counter, while a fourth person took away used cups and brought back fresh ones.
The pace was frenetic and there were a dozen or more people pressing in from behind us. We swallowed our coffee quickly and got out of the way. We were happy to have had the entire experience, but if we ever go back, we’ll sit at one of the outdoor tables and be waited on – even if it costs a few extra euros.
We won’t make the same mistake we saw another couple make. They ordered their coffee inside and then started to sit at one of the outdoor tables. A waiter informed them that if they wanted to sit at a table, they had to order at a table.
This is one of the things we have learned to enjoy about Italian cafes. You can generally take any available table and once you’ve ordered your food or drinks, the table is yours. Stay as long as you like – you’ve paid for the table. We have not encountered any pressure to move on, like you would feel in an American restaurant.
The Last Two Tourist Stops in Rome
We made two more stops that afternoon to revisit sites we had seen on our last visit to Rome 13 years ago. First was the Trevi Fountain.
The Trevi Fountain was deigned and built by Nicola Salvi. He started work 1732, but died before it was completed in 1762. It is a masterful work of sculpture.
Legend has it that throwing a coin in the fountain ensures a safe return to Rome. On the afternoon we visited, there were hundreds of people surrounding the fountain, all jostling to get in position to toss a coin.
I tossed mine from 15 feet away. It went over the heads of the dozen people between me and the fountain, and made a tiny splash as it hit the water. Mary’s first coin fell short, hitting a man on the back of the head. He looked around, but couldn’t tell who had thrown the coin that his kids were now wrestling for.
Mary moved closer. Her second coin found the water. So we’ll be back. There is so much to see and learn in this wonderful city.
Our last stop of the day was the Spanish Steps. The last time we were here, the steps were crowded with people sitting. But a new law in Rome prohibits sitting on the steps, with violators subject to a 450 euro fine. The Piazza di Spagna was just as crowded as the Piazza di Trevi. We stopped long enough to admire the steps and take a few pictures, then headed for the Metro station for the ride back to the AirBnB.
The next day we said “addio” to Rome and moved on to Sicily. More postcards will follow from there.
Ciao!
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What place have you visited that you would like to visit again? Leave us a comment below.
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