Roma – Day 1

Today we took the train into Roma.  Dawn and I booked the Hotel Alessandrino, which is 5 min from the Vatican.  After checking into the hotel, we headed to the Vatican and checked out Piazzo San Pietro.  Eventually we went into the Basillica and viewed the pope’s tombs and the Basillica itself.  Very impressive in size and ornate.

After the Basillica we grabbed pizza (by the gram) on a side street - to go only. It was tasty, but it started to rain and another person rushing under cover knocked half my pieces on the ground. Oh well, I managed to have 3 of my 6 pieces, which I decided was enough anyway. We then tried to find the Sistine Chappel, but the signs were surprisingly sparse. We eventually made our way to the entrance and began our tour.

The Sistine Chappel consists of the Popes Museum which contains many works of art, sculptures, banners, and many decorative hallways (painted walls and ceilings) - some of which I found as impressive as the Sistine Chappel itself. Once in the actual Chappel, we were unable to take pictures and needed to remain silent - although the guards needed to constantly "shhh" people. The chappel was impressive and it was neat to see famous pieces of art; however, I think many other works along the route were very deserving as well.

After the Sistine Chappel we walked nearby streets and eventually stopped for a bite to eat. I essentially had a thick spaghetti, but the highlight for me was the house wine. It was so smooth and only $8 a liter...I would get a case at home if I could. The tiramisu was also the best I have had...just a hint of anice flavor as well.

We walked the shops a bit longer and then Dawn and I took the metro to some of the ruins. We started at the Colleseum and eventually walked our way past the Monumento a Vittoria Emanuele II. At this point it started raining hard, but it eventually stopped as we hit the market vendors along Via Nazionale. We then arrived at my favorite site - the Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain). The fountain was lit up at night and is truly amazing to see.

After the Trevi Fountain, we continued down the street and popped in and out of shops. We eventually worked out way to Via del Corso and walked to Piazza del Popolo; stopping for a pesto bread and later for a gelato. Once at Piazza del Popolo, the center square and fountains looked beautiful when lit up at night. From here we took the metro back to our hotel to call it a night.