Rome - December 29, 2011 - PIazza San Fransesco di Paolo and the Staircase of Doom

Piazza San Fransesco di Paoala

Walking southwest from the baths of Trajan there is a strangely elegant a viaduct that overlooked the coliseum and walked along, with me getting nervous that we would miss our train, until we came to the Piazza San Francesco di Paola. It was right around the corner, still on this rather odd viaduct now overlooking the Via Cavour.

In the center of the piazza  is an ancient column that was set up centuries ago and a magnificent staircase that went up through a medieval building to a street higher up the hill behind the church. Personally it looked mega sketchy, the sort of place that one would get mugged (but I had not yet been to Naples, so I really had no clue). Convinced that this was not in fact the Staircase of Terror (Cymraeg: grisiau o arswyd) we went up and lo' and behold a familiar looking square.

Grisiau o arswyd!

 Found our way to familiar streets and then walked back to the Piazza della Repubblicca to the secure looking ATM at the Banco di Roma.Which was secure, even though it looked like a skimmer. My bank statement later showed that no one was buying tickets to Beladorm or purchasing furniture/wives in Kiev.

A hop skip and a jump and back to the hotel to pick up bags and head off on the train to Naples.

A nice train. We went second class and had two comfy wide chairs across from each other with fold out leaves, electrical outlets and a USB charging station. Yup, second class…pretty nice.

There were some really super views of the coliseum from here. I think rather better than some of the views that one gets up close.

Coliseum from the area near the baths of Trajan and Piazza San Fransesco di Paola