Once off the train in Roma, and navigated our way through Termini station, we collected our Roma Pass for 2 attractions and use of the public transport for 72 hours. We soon learnt that GPS and maps would become our friend during our stay in Rome. With such help, we got our hotel, Hotel Tirreno, the location was convenient to the Metro and to Termini Station and the room itself was bigger and more luxurious than our one in Sorrento, and only learned when packing up that there had been a mini bar in the room, think maybe lucky we hadn't known. We quickly enough unpacked and commenced our exploration of the eternity city, that is Rome. We strolled back towards the nearby basilica to check it out, to find out that it was one of the items on our initinery, the basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore which is largest church dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary in Rome or our Lady of the snow. From here walked towards to the Pantheon, we arrived to a building which we thought was the Pantheon, but only realised after it was the Vittoriano, the Italian war memorial, located in Piazza Venezia. Around from the war memorial, were the steps up to the Piazza del Campidoglo, located on capital hill, which is a square that was designed by Michelangelo. From this hill,this gave us our first surreal viewpoint of Ancient Rome and in particular an excellent view of the layout of the Imperial Forums. Walking down Via dei Fori Imperiali, towards the Colosseum, enabled us to see the Roman Forum on the right and Trajan's forum and market on the left. By the time we reached the colosseum, it was sunset, which illustrated the monument in a beautiful light. To the right of the colosseum is the Arch of Constanine and the beginning of Palatine hill.
After making use of the complimentary breakfast at the hotel, we strolled towards the colosseum. We were able to bypass the queues, thanks to the Roma Pass as there was a separate line for pass holders. Once inside, Rick Steves' guided and navigated us through the attraction, as he would with the majority of the attractions within Rome and the Vatican. From the 2nd level, we were able to look out from the colosseum onto the rest of the surrounding areas in particular Arch of Constanine and the nearby Imperial Forums and Palatine hill, which was our next port of call, as it was included in the same attraction price as the colosseum. After our mandatory selfie within the colosseum, we exited from here after our 90 min visit and strolled the short distance to the Forums Via Sacra. Again Rick Steves' helped us through the Forums before we went unguided walking about the Palatine Hill. Particular highlights of these two attractions were the Arch of Titus, Arch of Severus and the view from Palatine Hill overlooking Circus Maximus. We exited the Forums at the north west corner, next to the flight of steps leading to Piazza del Campidoglo, which is also the location of the the Mamertine Prison also known as Tullianum. This prison is famous for having been the location where St. Peter was imprsioned before his martyrdom. This 5 euro guided tour, provided info on the history of the prison, the roman walls, chapel of the crucifix and the location itself of the Tullianum or maximum security prison of Ancient Rome. After this tour, the war memorial/ Vittoriano was opened, we went in out of curiosity, which gave us an overview of the surrounding areas, and how close we were to the pantheon the previous night. On route to the pantheon, with a pit stop first at Largo di Torre Argentina which is a square that hosts 4 Republican Roman temples and remains of Pompey's theatre Curia, the spot where Julius Caesar was assassinated.
About ten mins walk further, we finally managed to find the Pantheon. The pantheon is famed for its large dome which is the largest masonry dome in the world, is still a functioning church and hosts the final resting place of Raphael's tomb. Once exiting the pantheon, we walked 5 mins towards Piazza Navona, which in it's centre lies Bernini's Fountain of the Rivers. Bernini's sculptures and fountains would become a running theme throughout our stay. Soon after seeing this Bernini fountain, I remembered the use of Bernini in Dan Brown's Angels and Demon and decided that we must them see all. At the other end of Piazza we exited and strolled towards Piazza del Popolo in the North Center of Rome, which at its centre is an Egyptian obselisk that originally was in Circus Maximus. As our feet were beginning to hurt, we sat down in the Piazza to gather our composure before continuing on. Liam mounted the stone lion near the obelisk, was funny watching him try to climb back down. After seeing all these obelisks, we hopped onto the metro to San Giovanni, where the tallest obelisk in world is located outside the Lateran basilica. We finally crawled back to our hotel, for a siesta before heading back out later that night. Trying to tick items off our to do list, we got the metro to to the Spanish steps, where we climbed and descended the 135 steep sloped steps, after doing this, gave us quite the appetite however it was late, trying to find food was proving difficult. Luckily enough for us, the Irish bar Trinity College was still serving food and it was surpringly nice too. On the way to get the metro at Barberini station, we noticed the magnificent Bernini fountain, one of his not to be missed in Rome.
Early rise the next morning, quick breakfast and metro to Ottaviano, the stop closest to the Vatican. Once inside St. Peter's square, soon discovered we were a tad too early, so explored the square itself, which has free access before we passed the police checkpoint, followed by the Swiss guards. This tour only can be booked in advance and holds ten people at a time. The Scavi tour under St. Peter's Basilica included visiting the Necropolis and culminating at the site of St. Peter's tomb. On exiting his tomb, we were brought outside the Irish chapel under the Basilica. In the Papal grotto, we saw St. Peter's tomb from a different angle, 3rd so far that morning and the final angle in the Basilica itself. Luckily enough on leaving the tour and Papal grotto, we were able to enter the basilica without having to queue, which at times can take 3 to 4 hours. Particular highlights of the Basilica were the art work, structures, Pieta Chapel and the dome. On seeing the dome from a distance, we decided to pay the 5 euro and climb the 551 steps to the top of the dome, stopping off on the way for a closer view of the inside of the dome. Then climbed the remaining 320 steps to the top of dome, which gave us the opportunity to step out onto a platform and view the Vatican from a height. Liam didn't realise we had more steps to climb after the first set which was funny. On descending the 320 steps part first, we stopped for well earned pit stop and call our dad from the top of Basilica, before finishing the descend down which brought us back inside the Basilica. After our day one visiting to the Vatican was complete, we strolled towards Castel Sant'Angelo, famed for being the Mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian and fortess for popes. Here we used our Roma Pass to gain access as our 2nd attraction. On our journey back towards the main part of Rome, we passed over the Bridge of Angels and the noticed a sign for relics of Padre Pio, by the time we found the church it was closed and we were determined to visit it the next day. To finish off the day we revisited Piazza Navona, Pantheon and finished at Trevi fountain joining the que with gelato in hand, to walk across the boardwalk over the fountain giving us a closer look at the statues and of course a selfie.
Slightly earlier start, but reached the Vatican with time to spare, to make a quick detour to the obselisk in St. Peter's square, for a photo at the air element mentioned in Angels and Demons. As we had a prearranged guided tour of the Necropolis via Triumphalis, before visiting the Vatican museums, which was self guided, we were able to skip the queue of people waiting for museum to open to purchases tickets. The guided tour was better than we expected and finished at the entrance to the museums which was ideal. The amount of paintings, sculptures and artefacts on display was unreal, even before we reached the Raphael rooms, finally accumulating in the masterpiece that is the Sistine Chapel which has to be seen with your own eyes to believe the beauty of Michaelangelo's work. Although neither of wanted to leave, there was places and things we wanted to see. A quick trip on the metro to Piazza del Popolo, to the church of Santa Maria del Popolo in particular Chigi chapel as it was designed by Raphael and finished by Bernini and the earth element used in Dan Brown's book. To finish off our tour of locations mentioned in the book, we went to the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, which we had to wait to be opened. The Ecstacy of Saint Theresa by Bernini in the Cornora chapel is used to illustrate the element of fire in the book. Our attempt to find the metro got us somehow atop the Quirinal, highest of the famous Roman hills and next to the Quirinal palace. Walking down Via dei Fori Imperiali, past the Colosseum, got us to Circus Maximus for a daylight selfie and attempt to find this gelato place recommended on TripAdvisor, il gelato di Claudo Torce, which seemed forever to find but was worth the wait. At the other end of Circus Maximus, Santa Maria in Cosmedin is located, best known for the Bocca Della Verita or mouth of truth in its porch. Although when were arrived it was closed 2 hours earlier than mentioned online, was just about able to get a picture of the sculpture. As we still had time, we hopped onto a bus to the church of San Salvatore in Lauro, when we got there, they were in middle of mass but in the end managed to get to see the Padre Pio relics. On our route for food, it started raining buckets, we ran to get shelter at the Pantheon but were already soaked. A drink was well earned after that, and ended up in the Irish bar, Scholars Lounge to recover before food, followed by the stroll back to the hotel.
After breakfast and check out, we made our way to the Termini Station, to catch the train to Florence.
From this area, we walked straight south along Via di Sin Gregorio which brought us to Circus Maximus, which these days has become a peaceful park. We walked through the park but it had become too dark to take pictures, so decided to return to take a selfie another day. At this stage, we became hungry, so headed to find a place to eat, which surprisingly enough was near enough to the Trevi Fountain. When we got the Trevi Fountain, we hadn't known that the fountain is currently under going some cosmetic reconstruction work but the city still provided a place to throw a coin, which took a few attempts to manage. Our first night wandering around Old Rome, helped us get our bearings for the following morning. Seeing some of the main attractions lit up at night was a good start to our visit. Although took us long enough to find our hotel after our excursion out, in the end was possible mainly thanks to google maps, which wouldn't be the last time, it would come to our rescue.
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