The robbery in Rome that didn’t have to happen

I was back in Rome. Who would have thought, that this year, the year of the corona virus, would lead me all the way to southern Italy. Aiming for a Switzerland trip only, I am glad I packed for some 40 degrees hot days. As you can imagine, visiting Rome in August can be very very hot. But I don’t mind a bit of heat.

So, after an amazing day exploring the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, my trip to Italy was suddenly cut short. I was robbed in Rome. But more to that below. First…

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Visiting Rome in August

What a beautiful ancient city the capital of Italy is. As the centre point of the Roman Empire, Rome has a lot of history to offer. And I was ready for it all.

Visiting Rome in August was quite interesting. Here in Italy (and most European countries actually), August is the holiday month, so many are away or just not available. And although usually packed with international tourists, this year, the streets were quite empty. Therefore the tourist attractions were easier to access. It was perfect for me. Especially in comparison to my last trip, in March 2019 (read here).

I could finally visit the Colosseum and the Roman Forum without waiting for hours.

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The Colosseum

Standing in the centre of Rome, the Colosseum was the largest Amphitheatre of the Roman Empire, holding between 50,000 to 80,000 spectators. I certainly felt very small, when posing in front of it.

Getting in was easy (no queues at all), however, I was a little bit disappointed how small the actual walking area was inside. And although I did get some amazing photos, looking at the overall Colosseum, it would have been great to walk around more freely.

Similar to the stunning Colosseum in Pula, Croatia. Remember when I was there? (read here).

That said, the tickets to enter the Colosseum (get yours online here) also include the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill, so I definitely walked a lot that day. In 40 degrees heat. It was so hot, I had to cool down in front of a fan before I had the proper temperature to enter the Roman Forum. (In the year of coronavirus of course).

But, besides not being able to stock up on drinking water, walking inside the Roman Forum and to the top of the Palatine Hill was awesome. What an amazing city Rome is. I had a great day! Visiting Rome in August was definitely a a great idea. It is a unique and special ancient city.

Until it all changed when, the second day, I discovered that I was robbed.

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Robbed in Rome

After a great first day in Rome I was looking forward to exploring more. I wanted to see the Vatican City without the crowds. Last time it was a litte bit packed. Maybe I could even cycle down?

Well, maybe not. Because when I went to the car that morning, I realised my bike as well as two travel bags with extra gear were gone. I was robbed in Rome, at a secure car park of my hotel.

Shit! (Can I say it out loud?) Did it really just happen? I couldn’t believe it.

So, after some conversations with the hotel management and the local police, who tried to care, but weren’t really surprised (being robbed in Rome happens a lot apparently), I wrapped up the shattered back window in plastic and drove back to Germany. What a trip!

Maybe visiting Rome in August wasn’t a great idea after all. Was I a target because there were no other tourists around? Who knows! I guess it was just bad luck? Either way, as much as I like coming to Italy, I might concentrate on other European countries for a while. Goodbye Italy!