Rome Day 14
We left the Cinque Terre in the serene quiet morning and got back on the train to the bus. Arriving in Rome was odd because all of a sudden we were saying goodbye to Philippe, our awesome bus driver, and there was the possibility of never seeing the people in our group again. It was actually more bittersweet than I thought it would be.
We got settled into our hotel, which was very nice and had one of those really cool antique elevators. Then got on Google to pick a delicious Roman restaurant for dinner! And what did we choose? A Chinese place… Don’t judge us, we had been eating heavy Italian food for a week now and we were all a little homesick. Honestly though, it was an amazing decision. The food was great, the employees spoke English, and it felt exactly like a Chinese restaurant in the states.
Off to Rome
But here we were, in Rome, I was beyond excited. Growing up, I loved mythology and as I got older I learned more about the Roman Empire, ancient Roman art and architecture, and how the Romans set the pace for our modern world. While I knew coming into this that Rome wouldn’t be my favorite stop, this was the stop I had been preparing for since I was 5.
Hotel Sonya
Via del Viminale, 58
After our comfort food we went straight to the Trevi Fountain. It really is an exquisite fountain, but there was almost even more appeal because of how iconic it is! I mean, I’ve seen it so many times before in books, films, and TV shows, it almost felt like you were seeing a celebrity. We nabbed a spot down on the bench around the fountain and just so happened to witness a proposal right in front of us, it was quintessentially Rome. On the way back to the hotel we stumbled upon some terrific street performers, it was a complete band singing classic rock covers, and they were good. Then more gelato and off to bed.
Our tour guide, Jody, had mentioned earlier that there was this random cat sanctuary in an ancient Roman excavation site; my family isn’t really cat loving so we didn’t really care, but we found it anyway! It was actually a really interesting site and there were indeed, many cats inside. We went to Campo dei Fiori for lunch which was yummy and had really good people watching. The afternoon brought a much needed nap!
Piazzale Scipione Borghese, 5
Galleria Borghese
Rome Day 15
Our morning started with our scheduled visit at the Borghese Gallery. It was lovely, the sculpture collection is incredible and while the gardens were a little dry (like most of Rome at the time) they were fun to walk through. We randomly ended up watching part of a dressage competition! We wandered through Rome, checking off piazzas and obelisks left and right and ended up at the Spanish Steps, which were again, iconic. Then we walked past the Pantheon, line too long, kept walking.
After we were all refreshed we picked up some picnic food and headed over to the Colosseum to see the sight at night. It was quiet and cool which was amazing compared to what goes on during the day. We slowly made our way around the amphitheater and stopped at Gay St where Rome was having their annual Pride Celebration! We heard Can’t Stop the Feeling by Justin Timberlake in both English and Italian!
Colosseum
Rome Day 16
Today was the last official day of our tour, so we headed down to breakfast to say goodbye to Jody. Today was also the first Sunday in June and that meant it was free day at the Colosseum and Forum. We had heard that going to the Colosseum on this day is a terrible idea but we thought going to the forum would be OK. We decided to walk near the Colosseum first just to see how busy it really was. It was ridiculous! The lines were absolutely insane. Since we didn’t have to join them it made for excellent people watching!
Colosseum+Forum
Then we headed to the Forum which had a line, but it only took about five minutes and then the Forum itself is very large and spread out, so it handles a lot of people without being crowded. We also went up to Palatine Hill while we were there, which is definitely worth it if you like a good view. On our way back to the hotel we got some pizza from this little restaurant. They were these tiny little pre-made pizzas that were delicious. Then nap time. After we got up I really wanted to go and see Trajan’s column. It was on my Rome bucket list.
Then my mom found a taco place for dinner (we had decided one Italian meal a day was good). They were delicious and again, it felt a little bit like home. We stopped by the Trevi Fountain again and picked up some gelato and enjoyed it while people-watching on the Spanish Steps! We tucked in early so that we could get up and get to St. Peter’s right when it opens.
The Forum
Rome Day 17
St. Peter’s opens at 7 and we had tickets for the Vatican Museums at 13:30. However, we decided that the ability to get into the basilica without having to wait in line was worth it for us, so we took the subway to Vatican City. When we got to the Piazza San Pietro around 6:45 there was a stationary line but at 7 they quickly got everyone through security and up to the church. The first thing you go past is Michelangelo’s Pietà. Then you take in the beauty of the basilica.
There is so much information and history surrounding the church. I would recommend doing some research first, otherwise you miss things. Or at least bring a guidebook or audio tour so you will be able to pick out a few things. My family took our time in here, enjoying all the little nooks, and staring up at all the art on the ceilings.
We made our way out and back to the subway stop. Then we went to the Colosseum. We again went to the forum first to get our ticket, so we got inside right away. However, we were now in a huge mob of people all trying to get to the same place walking through an ancient building that is not easily traversed. The arena is impressive, but to me, the exterior view of the Colosseum was the breathtaking part.
Aaaaaand back to the Vatican! Getting into the museum was fairly easy. We purchased our tickets months back and so we only had to wait for a few minutes until our exact scheduled time came around. The Vatican Museums were OK. There were some impressive sculptures and paintings but the whole thing felt very much like a long line just to get to the Sistine Chapel. The chapel itself is crazy it is small and JAM PACKED with people and guards yelling at everyone. The most entertaining thing to watch was the creative ways people tried to get pictures without getting yelled at!
We snuck out with the tour groups back into the basilica, which is a great idea if you want to do them at the same time. We walked back through Vatican City, past Castel Sant’Angelo, and down the river to Piazza Navona. Our last stop was the Pantheon. We arrived close to closing so we walked right in, saw what we needed to see, and then headed out. We walked past the cat sanctuary again and met some cats before heading to dinner at an Irish pub… we wanted some English speakers and some burgers! Then we headed to bed to prepare for our 4 am scheduled taxi ride to the airport.
Italy is Cool
Colosseum
Gallery of Maps
Vatican Museum
