We awoke in Rome in our beautiful hotel, and went to breakfast on the 1st floor. Breakfast consisted of cold cereals, pastries, fruit and drinks. The coffee was much better in this hotel, but still had a distinct taste (much like it was burnt). After breakfast we loaded onto our coach for a day of included sightseeing. Before the included sightseeing, most the members on our tour went on the optional excursion, Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel. Everyone was taken to St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City and those who signed up for the optional excursion were lead away by a guide. Those of us, who did not sign up, had a couple of hours to partake in our own tour.
It was only Grandpa, Dusty, Rachel and I, along with 2 others from our group, who did not go on the optional excursion. We made the most of our time and headed into St. Peter’s Basilica. This church is extremely impressive in both its size and beauty! The architecture and art work are unbelievable, and taking photos is permitted. The building is absolutely massive, with its marble walls and floors with gold accents. Statues towered above us, and their expressive faces looked down upon us. We explored the church thoroughly and then made our way to the tomb of the Popes.
Taking pictures is not permitted in the tomb and for good reason. We were actually in the place where all of the former Pope’s are buried. Plaques are dedicated to each Pope at his place of burial. The history in that tomb was unbelievable! We were viewing tombs from as old as the 9th century!
To wrap up our own personal tour of Vatican City, we stopped to purchase souvenirs and then to rest and have a cup of coffee. I purchased a crucifix; I felt it was the perfect souvenir from Vatican City. The coffee shop we stopped at, Polese, was just outside of Vatican City and was the perfect spot for people-watching. In addition, their restroom was very clean and free!
After enjoying our coffees, we made our way back into Vatican City and met with the entire group. From there, we all met with a local tour guide who would accompany us on our coach to the Colosseum. We reached the Colosseum and we all walked up together. It was a magnificent sight, and it was unbelievable to be there! Fortunately, we had reservations made by COSMOS, so we were all able to walk right in. Without reservations, you must wait in a very long line to enter (or as they say you must cue).
Once in the mighty Colosseum, our local tour guide gave us an overview of the history of the Colosseum. The Colosseum was built from 70-80 A.D. under the emperor Vespasian. Most famous for gladiator fights, the Colosseum was able seat 50,000 spectators. Other events that took place there included animal hunting, executions and dramas. The emperor allowed all spectators to enter for free, and free bread was also thrown into the stands. The purpose of this, was for the emperor to keep the loyalty and support of the people.
Our local tour guide explained to us that many gladiators were prisoners, but there were also men who fought by their own free will (prize money was offered). Contrary to popular belief, the fights that took place were not always “to the death”. Many times when a gladiator was wounded, the fight would be called to an end.
The Colosseum was once all white marble, including the floors and the stadium seating. After an earthquake damaged the Colosseum, people pillaged much of the marble. Today, only some of the original marble is left. The Colosseum also once had a wooded retractable roof, which could be used during bad weather.
Though the Colosseum is now partially ruined, it is still a marvelous sight. The sight is draped in history, and just walking through it is a history lesson in itself. The view of the entire Colosseum, from the second floor looking down, is spectacular. Seeing the Colosseum depicted in movies, does it absolutely no justice!
Our local tour guide led us out of the Colosseum and led us to the former Heart of Rome, the Roman Forum…which was once the center of the world. The Roman Forum dates back to the 6th century B.C. and includes the Temple of Saturn, the Arch of Titus, Palatine Hill, Circus Maximus, and of course the Colosseum.
The ruins there are an impressive sight. This is where Julius Caesar was assassinated and where Brutus proclaimed, “People of Rome, we are once again free.”
In the Forum stands a large, very old church. This church was originally built in 141 as a temple dedicated to the emperor’s deceased wife. The temple was used for pagan ritual but was converted to a Roman Catholic Church in the 7th century. It is a beautiful building and is actually still an active church.
As we made our way back to the coach, we continued to admire more and more ruins. Our local guide was fantastic, he had so much information and was able to answer all of our questions. When we returned to our hotel, we had the rest of the evening “off”. Nothing was planned with the tour, so as a family we went out to a local Italian restaurant.
The restaurant was located 2 blocks from our hotel, on a small street behind Burger King. La Piazzetta is family owned and operated, and offers their menu in English. We tried different appetizers and entrees. We enjoyed each other’s company, and the food was good. Many of the pasta dishes were very spicy, unlike any other Italian cuisine we have had. It was a very fun experience being in an Italian restaurant, in Italy!!
We walked along the streets of Rome before calling it a night and heading to bed. Our hotel, Abitart, was located away from the ruins of Rome, in a much-more “big city” atmosphere. Rome is a very large city, and has the common characteristics of any large city. There are a lot of cars, congestion and graffiti. Rome definitely has two different, very distinct sides.
Not only is Rome the heart of the old world, but also a graffiti-covered big city of today.
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