When in Rome…
Two days in Rome and we still found ourselves in a state of awe. Waking up early in the morning, we would wander around and make turns into small alleys, finding an abundance of cafes, shops and boutiques. The moments that I grew to love consisted of walking down a quiet alley and finding an old door that opened up to beautiful chapels built hundreds of years ago, making you feel like you’ve discovered hidden gems throughout the city. I was a little bit hesitant to spend a day doing a tour as I preferred to continue roaming around and seeing what we could find. We woke up very early as our transportation was picking us up around 7am and prepared ourselves for a long day. The hotel staff opened up the dining room for breakfast early so we could have a quick cappuccino and a bite to eat before leaving. Enjoying our breakfast and talking about what the day will hold, we were greeted by an elderly couple who had a private tour throughout the city planned. They shared that they have traveled all over the world, but Italy held a special place in their hearts. It is now clear to see how a place can easily steal your heart and fill you with an immense feeling of wonderment while immersed in the culture; then have you longing for the day you return once you return home.
Stepping out into the Via della Conciliazione early morning was a sight to behold. The calm of the morning, with the sun barely peeking over the horizon and casting beautiful hues of pink and orange over St. Peter’s Square was breathtaking. We sat on one of the marble benches that line the street and watched as people arrived at their shops and cafes and began setting up for the day. The quiet bustle of preparation for the day was not chaotic or rushed. Vendors took time to drink their espressos or cappuccinos or chat with their neighbor. The slow paced routine expressed a comfort in taking every moment in and appreciating the “dolce vita”. No morning traffic jams, rushing bodies or anxiety of making it to work on time. The casual strolls and morning greetings before the influx of tourists and locals added a calming element to the beginning of the day.
We were picked up by our City Lights Tour bus (www.citylightstours.com) and made our way into downtown Rome, picking up others who would be with us during the tour. We were dropped off and walked with our tour group to a small open-air market right outside of Vatican City where we received headphones and a small radio where we would tune in to a channel to hear our tour guide’s voice. Once our tour group was set, we walked up along the Vatican Wall to the entrance of the museum. Thankfully we were able to skip the line that already seemed to have a wait time of 3 hours. Walking in to the museum, we had to go through security and my husband’s bag had to be placed in a locker as it was too big to bring with us. Annoyed and a bit nervous as we had our camera accessories, we were reassured that we would be able to retrieve it after the tour.
We were led through the lines of tourists waiting to enter Vatican City and stepped out to a veranda and were given a briefing regarding the rooms we would see. We made our way into the Gallery of Maps which held about 40 maps frescoed on the walls depicting different regions of Italy and possession of the Church. We walked through the Rooms of Raphael which originally was an apartment for Pope Julius II. It is amazing how detailed and clear these frescoes are and will have you losing yourself in the stories being portrayed. We walked down hallways completely covered with art and rooms where roofs were lined with or covered with gold. Paintings appeared to pop out of the walls or ceilings, coming alive while telling stories that one would learn in bible study classes. The amount of art collected in the rooms were so breathtaking that it left you in awe at the thought of all of it being completed with a simple stroke of the hand.
My favorite room by far was the Capella Sistina or Sistine Chapel. Prior to entering you are told that you cannot take any pictures or video while in the Chapel as it is a sacred room. Of course there were individuals taking pictures and wanting to capture the magnificent Creation of Adam by Michelangelo. Out of respect, we did not take any type of video or picture and sat in silence for about 15 minutes taking in the beauty that was in this room. The Creation of Adam is not something that easily stood out. But sitting on the ceiling, slightly to the left panel, there it was. The “touch” that created man was smaller than I expected but still made an impressive impression. I was pleasantly surprised with how much “more” was in the Sistine Chapel. Along with that famous painting, there was the Creation of Eve (which depicts her being born from a living rock and not Adam’s side as stated in the Bible), the Original Sin and Banishment from the Garden of Eden, events of the life of Moses, and the Last Judgement. You could spend hours in this room trying to take in everything that is being presented and still not have covered it all. It truly was a beautiful experience, and whether you are religious or not, you have to appreciate the beauty of the art as well as the skills and dedication those who brought these images to life had. My recommendation if you ever visit the Vatican Museum is to spend a good amount of time in the Sistine Chapel. While there is an abundance of beauty overall, the experience in the Sistine Chapel will be everlasting.
Our tour ended in St. Peter’s Basilica which was a jaw-dropping experience in itself. There were beautiful statues made of marble with such intricate detail that you would think they would come to life at any moment. Large green and red marble columns supported beautiful chapels within the Basilica. Behind armored glass in one part of the room was the Pieta by Michelangelo, which depicts the Virgin Mary holding the dead body of Jesus Christ on her lap. The famous statue of St. Peter had a long line of visitors waiting their turn to rub his feet for good luck. The bronze baldachin that stands in the middle of the room marks where St. Peter’s tomb lies beneath. Our tour guide informed us that the letters in the ceiling were about six feet tall, which amazed us as looking up their size was definitely deceiving. Pictures do not do these types of places any justice and the sheer magnitude of what we were standing amongst was not only breathtaking, but left such a strong impression that it took some time to process everything.
Overall our tour at the Vatican Museum was good but I did feel like it was a bit rushed. There were several things that we were unable to see, like the Vatican Gardens and the Room of Statues. The tour guide was very friendly but appeared to be in a hurry and we found ourselves lagging behind our tour group since we were stopping to see things on our own. If you happen to book a tour at the Vatican, I would suggest taking a private tour or buying a ticket that skips the line and going at your own pace. If we do return to Rome, we will make it a point to return to the Vatican Museum and go at our own pace.
Once the tour of the Vatican Museum ended, we were able to get our bag and had lunch at a small restaurant near St. Peter’s Square. Lunch consisted of a three course meal and dessert and was pretty delicious. You could tell that it was a restaurant that capitalized on the tourist group as the food did not appear authentic. We were advised that to get authentic Italian food, to find where all the locals ate away from all the main attractions. Being that this restaurant’s affiliation with tour companies, we guessed that locals would not eat here. Lunch lasted for about an hour and half and we then were escorted to a bus that was going to take us to the Coliseum.
Driving through Rome and seeing peeks of the Coliseum through old and new buildings built up the anticipation of finally being able to walk into it. Once we got there, I found myself just staring up at this edifice that I’ve read about in my history books throughout my school years. Walking up to the entrance we passed the beautiful Arch of Constantine. Looking up at the Coliseum you feel so small and wonder how such a magnificent structure was constructed. You go through the entrance and walk down hallways and up stairs lined by pieces of columns. You go up stairs (or can use an elevator) and walk out to the main area (prepare to have your breath taken away). Walking past original artwork and marble, you begin to picture how beautiful this place was when it was in its prime.
We made our way from the Coliseum to the Roman Forum by the way of Via Sacra, the road that linked the Palantine Hill to the Capitol. This road dates back to time of kings with stones of basalt that date back to the age of Augustus the first emperor of Rome (27 BC- 14 AD). The fact that the original road is still there and we were able to walk the same steps that kings and armies took left a humbling effect on me. We entered the Roman Forum and walked passed ruins of temples and arches, the Temple of Romulus and Temple of Venus among them. We were able to see the Altar of Caesar, the site where he was cremated and where a monument to honor him once stood. Standing in the Forum, knowing the history of the area and all that took place, you could picture yourself back in the times where the market was alive with the everyday business that was brought here.
We finished our tour by walking up a hill lined with trees and statues to the Palace of Domitian. From this vantage point, you are able to look over to the Coliseum and get a full view of the magnificence that is this famous site. Tired and overwhelmed with the all that we witnessed, we were taken back to our hotel, concluding a long and eventful day seeing the beautiful sites of Rome. We ate at the small restaurant that we began to call “our place” and spent the rest of the night in St. Peter’s Square, reflecting on the day’s events. I felt overwhelmed with everything that was encountered, but in a good way, as I was able to experience first-hand things that I have learned in the past and be immersed in the beautiful history of this city. As each day passed, I found myself becoming more enamored with Rome.
