For years, whenever I would walk past the entrance porch of the Chiesa di San Cosimato, the doors were shut, so I never ventured inside.  You can only imagine my delight, when I found them open on our first day back in Rome.  There was no way I was going to let the opportunity to finally see the church pass me by, so in we went.

Even though the church dates from the 10th century, the porch through which one enters is from the 12th century, and was built using materials taken from older abandoned buildings.

Walking through the doorway, one is immediately sent back in time.  You find yourself in a lovely green courtyard, with an ancient urn in the center, and the sounds and sights of modern-day Rome seem as if they are a million miles away.

A doorway to the right of the courtyard leads to the oldest of the former convent’s two cloisters, now part of the nearby hospital.  Do take the time, and explore the cloister!  It is peaceful, and the walls are lined with fragments of ancient monuments and inscriptions.

It may be tempting to find a bench in the cloisters, and sit for an hour or two, contemplating life, and while I do recommend taking the time to do that, please, do not forget to check out the church itself.  It is beautiful, and so worth a visit!

After a brief rest back at the apartment, we headed out for the evening.  In a shop window, we spotted a cute angel that was solar-powered, and whose wings moved as long as they were being hit by sunlight.  She now sits on the window ledge of our apartment in New York City!

That evening, our first stop was Big Hilda’s, a bar we have been going to for over ten years now.  We had a couple of drinks, caught up with a few friends, and then, it was off to dinner at La Botticella, which was a five-minute walk away.

We dined on a lovely plate of antipasto, followed by lamb and roasted potatoes, all topped off with our friend Giulia’s homemade strawberry tiramisu!  Everything was delicious, and a perfect ending to our first day in Rome!

After a great meal, we leisurely made our way back to the apartment, and called it a night.

 

Next up: We spend our second day exploring more of bella Roma!

 

Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations that may appear.  If you have enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for more posts from Rome, as well as other Italian destinations.  Grazie!