Nearby Piazza Navona is everyone's favorite square in Rome. In ancient Rome this was a stadium built to entertain Romans with non-bloody athletic events. Again, the Romans failed to understand the point of entertainment that didn't end in death, so the stadium was soon abandoned. The abandoned site was then transformed into a beautiful piazza in the sixteenth century as a cornerstone of a resurgent Rome. The old stadium outline is still clearly visible, but is nowadays lined with Renaissance palaces and wall to wall outdoor cafes. The centerpiece is an elaborate fountain by Bernini, and the rest of the area is filled in by hordes of tourists, locals hanging out, and "artists" offering to paint your portrait.



We had lunch at Tre Scalini, the most touristy of the many tourist traps in the piazza. We sat outdoors with a large German tour group, ate mediocre food delivered by stressed waiters, enjoyed the energy of the handsome square, and finished it off with some great ice cream. Food-10, Decor-14, Service-8.