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NYC mayor views Roman Forum from mayor's balcony on first day of Italian holiday

Associated Press
Published | Updated

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, left, and Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino wave from a balcony of Rome's Campidoglio, Capitol Hill, overlooking the Roman Forum and Colosseum, Sunday, July 20, 2014. De Blasio and his family are in Italy for a family vacation. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) (The Associated Press)

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, second from right, shares a laugh with Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino, right, as he is accompanied by his family, from left; daughter Chiara, wife Chirlane McCray, and son Dante, as the look out from a balcony of Rome's Campidoglio, Capitol Hill, overlooking the Roman Forum and Colosseum, Sunday, July 20, 2014. De Blasio and his family are in Italy for a family vacation. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) (The Associated Press)

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, center, stands next to Rome's Mayor Ignazio Marino, left, as he is accompanied by his family, from right, son Dante, daughter Chiara, and wife Chirlane McCray, at Rome's Campidoglio, Capitol Hill, overlooking the Roman Forum and Colosseum, Sunday, July 20, 2014. De Blasio and his family are in Italy for a family vacation. At right is the statue, symbol of Rome, of the she-wolf feeding the founders of Rome, Romolo and Remo. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) (The Associated Press)

New York City's mayor Bill De Blasio has taken in the famous view from the Rome mayor's balcony overlooking the Roman Forum on the first day of his Italian family vacation.

De Blasio told reporters after meeting Mayor Ignazio Marino on Sunday that he "found a new brother," and recalled the strong ties between Rome and New York.

Earlier, the De Blasio family stopped by a cafe on Piazza Navona for a granita al caffe — an iced coffee drink popular on hot summer days.

De Blasio's much-discussed family holiday was delayed by a day so the mayor could wrap up some city business. He is planning to visit Venice, Naples and the villages where his grandparents grew up during the stay.