Trip Index
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Even though we had a night to sleep off the jet lag, it was still hard to wake up in the morning, even with food as a motivation. Hotel Raffaello's buffet breakfast was a nice spread of hot and cold items. Friendly servers brought coffee and tea to the tables.
The rest of our traveling group (Tanya/Frank/Kristi/Brian) arrived via private transfer as we were finishing up breakfast. Their rooms weren't ready yet due to the early hour, so they parked their bags in our room for the time being. The front desk clerk did not like the idea and seemed worried that we were all going to smash into one room. Why would our friends abandon their pre-paid rooms?
After they freshened up, we were off to check out the
Basilica di San Clemente. While walking there, we passed by the Colosseum. (to be toured tomorrow)
Photographs were not permitted in the basilica nor the excavation area (5 euro entrance fee) so I don't have any to share. Fortunately, it started to rain cats and dogs while we were inside. By the time we were ready to head to the Metro, the rain had let up.
We boarded
Metro Line A at Manzoni station and got off at Ottaviano, one of the stops servicing the Vatican. There were still several blocks to walk to get to the Vatican walls.
We had tickets for a three hour Vatican tour with
Dark Rome starting at 2:30pm. In the meantime, we caught lunch at one of the restaurants with outdoor seating along Viale Giulio Cesare. The food was meh since it was a touristy area, but at least they were able to accommodate our large group.
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| average pasta |
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| seafood salad |
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After lunch, we proceeded to the tour meeting point in front of the Vatican Museum, where a supervisor checked us off on a clipboard. There were a lot of tourists waiting there, as well as vendors selling large scarves and wraps for people who were not dressed properly. (appropriate dress required: no sleeveless tops/shorts/hats/shorter than knee-length skirts) We were assigned to one of the many tour guides, then fitted with a wireless headset to listen to her live commentary. (the earphone was brand new in packaging, and ours to keep of course...) The reception was good for about 20 yards...a good incentive to keep up with the group!
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| loads of people waiting for the tour |
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| meeting our tour guide |
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| this is actually the exit |
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| the entrance: we bypassed the line that wrapped around the building |
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After we entered the museum, the tour guide allowed time to check large backpacks and umbrellas into the cloakroom as well as a bio break. Due to the late hour of our tour, the museum would be closing shortly just before we would enter the Basilica; we had to choose whether to skip the Basilica tour and return to the Vatican Museum cloakroom to claim our belongings or come back the next day (or later). We decided we would come back later in the week to retrieve the umbrellas. Fortunately we didn't need to check any personal bags.
There was so much to see that afternoon...I can only show some of it through pictures:
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| escalator up to the museum |
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| Square Garden |
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| Pigna Courtyard |
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| we were fortunate to be able to sit in the shade during this lecture |
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| hard to pay attention when jet lagged |
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| old Roman drinking fountains still in use |
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| works of art found everywhere in the square |
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| impressive dome |
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| detailed mosaic floors |
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| amazing paintings on the ceilings |
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| an example of countless marble works of art |
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| Gallery of Tapestries |
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We also entered the
Sistine Chapel but no photography was allowed.
The tour guide then led the group into
St. Peter's Basilica. I was in awe the first time I was here many years ago and I still felt the same on this repeat visit.
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| one of the entrances to St. Peter's Basilica |
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| magnificent interior |
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| looking up at the dome |
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| more of the interior |
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| the Square was being prepped for a papal mass |
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| Vatican Obelisk |
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| Vatican guards on duty |
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After the tour was over, we turned in our headsets to the guide, then walked around looking for dinner. We found a restaurant with outdoor seating a few streets away from the Vatican. I saw tripe (trippa) on the menu and tried to order it, but the waiter ended up giving me zuppa! (minestrone soup) I must have not rolled my "r" very well. I even pointed to the line on the menu, but suspected that the elderly man couldn't read fine print. The food was okay...we were still in touristy areas.
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| caprese salad |
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| minestrone soup |
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| oxtail stew (coda alla vaccinara) |
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Tomorrow, we visit the Colosseum and other sights around the city of Rome such as Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon...stay tuned!
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