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| The Spanish Steps |
When I first visited the Spanish Steps I
was embarrassingly unaware of its history. Most of the visitors who perched on the steps were youngsters, students, and many were reading, lost deep in thought. The
plaque on a nearby building revealed the attraction – John Keats had died there
in 1821. He was only twenty-five, possibly the average age of those who were
undoubtedly immersed in his romantic words.
The building is now the
Keats-Shelley House, a museum that records the short lives of two of England’s poets. Shelley died in 1822; he was only twenty-nine.
Beyond the Fontana della Barcaccia (Fountain of the Old Boat) at the base of the steps is Babington’s where they've served tea since the 1890s.
This is, unsurprising, a
bustling place. Like much of Rome it remains busy through to the small hours.
If you do get a chance to explore Rome by night, try and make it to the Spanish
Steps. It’s a very special place.
