ROME Trip Report
by EWA International Travel Associates, Kristin Scott (writer) and Kim Grasso (photographer)
Kim and I had the amazing opportunity to visit Rome last week!
We were only going to be there 3 full days so we definitely wanted to
make the most of it!
October is certainly the best time to visit.
Crowds were low and the weather was absolutely beautiful!
It was sunny and in the low 70’s the whole time!
We got so lucky! We stayed
at the Santa Maria Hotel which is a quaint little property located in the very
hip Trastevere. The location
couldn’t be any more perfect. You
are just a stone’s throw away to all of the stores, restaurants, bars and
markets. Plus an added benefit-
you’re with the locals! Tourists
are few and far between! In the mornings they offer a complimentary buffet with
fruits, pastries, eggs and coffee.
In the evening there is a wine and cheese hour.
It’s so pretty sitting in the courtyard and absorbing the beauty of your
surroundings.
Every day we headed out by 10am and wouldn’t get back to the room until 530P-6P. The best way to see Rome is by foot and that’s what we did! I outlined our days below.
Day 1: Oct 14, 2012
Colosseum , Palatine Museum & Roman Forum
Buy your tickets ahead of time!!
I cannot stress it enough! You can bypass all the lines which is huge and
most importantly, your days aren’t wasted standing around for 2+ hours!
We paid a little extra for a 70 min tour of the Colosseum.
(http://www.tickitaly.com/tickets/colosseum-tickets.php).
I would recommend it over and over again.
We got to see the dungeons and upper levels as well as other areas that
normal ticket holders couldn’t tour (such as the center!)
We were there a good two hours.
From there, we walked to Palatine Hill and Roman Forum (still getting to
bypass all lines!) There is so much
to see! The Roman Forum is a
rectangular plaza surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient
government buildings. Palatine Hill
is one of the most ancient parts of the city and is known for its ruins of
ancient imperial palaces. Our whole
day was spent exploring those areas.
It is so amazing to see all the ruins and that so much of it is still
standing after all these years. It
really is surreal.
Day 2: Oct 15, 2012
The Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Saint Peters Square and
much more!
We also purchased tickets in advance
(http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do) and once again, got to
bypass a huge line! There is so
much history in the Vatican Museum.
The artwork is beautiful! My
favorite was the Garden of Eden. I have
to admit, we missed the Sistine Chapel.
The map I had made it look like it was separate from the Vatican Museum.
Plus, once we were done going through the Vatican, all the signs were
pointing to exits. I did not see
one sign for the Sistine Chapel. So
be careful because once you leave you cannot re-enter.
On the positive side, we had much more time to see a ton of other things!
Saint Peter's Square is located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica
in the Vatican City, the papal enclave within Rome.
The Pope comes out on Wednesday’s and unfortunately that is the day we
left. From there, we headed over to
Castel Sant’ Angelo. It was
initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself
and his family. It is huge!
A short walk later we arrived at the Palazzo di Giustizia (The Hall of
Justice). The architecture is
stunning. Across the bridge we hit
Piazza Navona which is a city square built in 1st century AD.
The ancient Romans came there to watch games.
There are now shops, restaurants and fountains.
Next we walked to Campo de’ Fiori which is another square filled with
restaurants and shops. In the
mornings it becomes an outdoor market with food, fruits, vegetables and flowers.
By this point, we reached 530P and it was time to head back to the hotel
for some freshening up and dinner!
Day 3: Oct 16, 2012
Cimitero dei Cappuccini: The Capuchin Crypt, Pantheon and Trevi Fountain
A friend of mine lived in Rome for a while and gave the recommendation to check
out Cimitero dei Cappuccini. I am
so glad we did!
The crypt is located just under the Church of
Santa Maria della Concezione,
a church commissioned by
Pope Urban VIII
in 1626. The pope's brother, Cardinal
Antonio Barberini,
who was of the Capuchin Order, in 1631 ordered the remains of thousands of
Capuchin friars exhumed and transferred from the
friary
on the Via dei Lucchesi to the crypt. The bones were arranged along the walls in
varied designs, and the friars began to bury their own dead here, as well as the
bodies of poor Romans, whose tomb was under the floor of the present Mass
chapel. Here the Capuchins would come to pray and reflect each evening before
retiring for the night.
The
crypt,
or
ossuary,
now contains the remains of 3,700 friars buried between 1500–1870, during which
time the
Roman Catholic Church
permitted
burial in and under churches. The underground crypt is divided into five
chapels,
lit only by dim natural light seeping in through cracks, and small
fluorescent lamps.
The crypt walls are decorated with the remains in fantastic fashion, making this
crypt a true work of art. Some of the skeletons are intact and draped with
Franciscan
habits,
but for the most part, individual bones are used to create elaborate ornamental
designs—as was popular at that period.
Next we headed over to Trevi Fountain (Fontana del Tritone).
It is one of the most famous fountains in the world and is so beautiful.
A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the
fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome.
An estimated 3,000
euros
are thrown into the fountain each day!
Our next stop was the Tempio Adriano (a temple built in 145AD).
All that remains of the building is the northern side with eleven
columns.
The Roman Pantheon is the most
preserved and influential building of
ancient Rome.
It is a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods of pagan Rome.
The brick stamps on the side of the building reveal it was built and
dedicated between A.D 118 and 125.
It is truly magnificent.
Continuing on, we walked to Largo di Torre Argentina (a square that hosts four
Republican
Roman temples, and the remains of
Pompey's Theatre)
Church of the Gesu’ and Palazzo di Venezia (an old palace that currently houses
the National Museum of the Palazzo Venezia).
That brought us to the end of day 3.
Back to the hotel we headed, our camera’s full, feet sore, backs aching.
It’s true what they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day, so don’t plan on
seeing it in one! We set out
wanting to see and conquer what we could in three days and we did just that!
We had some great food, great drink and met some wonderful people along
the way. So until next time Rome,
Ciao’!
