The Best of Italy Tour has sadly come to an end, however we were up early for breakfast and to farewell our friends as they begin their journeys home or to other destinations. It was sad as we have made friends with 2 very lovely couples, from Ontario, Canada and Arizona, US.

After breakfast we jumped on board the hotel's shuttle bus to the city for more sight seeing.

Arriving in the city we found the 'hop-on-hop off bus' and jumped on for a tour of all the key spots. Again the weather threatened, however it cleared to become a beautiful sunny day. Our first stop was the St Peters Piazza and the shops in the Vatican City and we enjoyed a few hours there.

Some of the other places we visited included:

• The 'Altar of the Fatherland' (Altare della Patria) which is the largest national monument in Italy and was inaugurated by King Vittorio Emanuele III during the 50th anniversary of the unification of Italy at the Universal Exhibition on June 4, 1911. The monument was originally designed to commemorate King Vittorio Emanuele II of Savoy. He was the first king of Italy and was known as the 'Gentleman King' and the 'Father of the Nation'. The monument is dedicated to him and his whole Risorgimento (the movement which led to the unification of Italy). For this reason the monument is often known as the 'Vittoriano'. The tomb of the unknown soldier was added on 4 November 1921.

• The Capitoline Museums - a group of art and archeological museums in Piazza del Campidoglio, on top of the Capitoline Hill in Rome.

• The Roman Forum - a rectangular forum (piazza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the centre of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum.

It was for centuries the centre of Roman public life: the site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiatorial matches; and the nucleus of commercial affairs. Here statues and monuments commemorate the city's great men. The heart of ancient Rome, it has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history. Located in the small valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, the Forum today is a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and intermittent archeological excavations attracting numerous sightseers.

• The Spanish Steps climb a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti, dominated by the Trinità dei Monti church at the top. This staircase is the widest in Europe.

We walked doen the monumental stairway of 135 steps which was built in 1723-1725, linking the Bourbon Spanish Embassy, and the Trinità dei Monti church that was under the patronage of the Bourbon kings of France, both located above the steps— to the Holy See in Palazzo Monaldeschi located below the steps.

We were also pleased to be able to revisit the Trevi Fountain (for lunch- because we could!) and drive around the Colosseum again. We also saw the Saint Maria Maggiore church, but it was closed and we were unable to enter. It is very beautiful from the outside.

The 'hop-on-hop-off' bus is certainly the best way to visit the sights - commentary provided on board is excellent.

Today's insights:
• The bell tower at St Maria Maggiore basilica is the tallest in Rome - 75 metres.
• 60% of the world's art treasures can be found in Italy.
• It is estimated that Italians eat about 30 kilograms of pasta per person per year.

We returned to the hotel for a quiet evening sorting out and packing suitcases for our flight back commencing tomorrow night. We will land home at 6am Monday 14 October (Brisbane time).