Rome

 Rachel and I have been trying to plan a couples trip for years! Our last one to Costa Rica was truly epic but it was in 2019. We just could not get our schedules to agree! Especially with Doug's busy work/travel commitments... which almost derailed THIS trip, but thankfully he sacrificed a conference and we finally made it official! They celebrated their 20 year anniversary last fall and ours was coming up in July so we decided to make this our big anniversary trip! Neither Rach or I had ever been to Europe. It was time! So hard to pick where to go but we had heard good things about cruises. Neither of us had the bandwidth to plan out multiple cities/countries so a cruise seemed to do the heavy lifting for us. We ended up picking a 10 day Greece/Italy/ Turkey cruise through Royal Caribbean. It started in Rome and hit Crete, Santorini, Ephesus, Mykonos, Athens, and Naples then back to Rome. This was our itinerary: 

FRI 24 APR ROME (CIVITAVECCHIA), ITALY DEPART 4:00 PM

SAT 25 APR CRUISING 

SUN 26 APR CHANIA (SOUDA),CRETE, GREECE ARRIVE 11:59 AM  DEPART 9:00 PM

MON 27 APR SANTORINI, GREECE ARRIVE 7:00 AM DEPART 10:00 PM

TUE 28 APR EPHESUS (KUSADASI), TURKEY ARRIVE 9:00 AM DEPART 7:00 PM

WED 29 APR MYKONOS, GREECE ARRIVE 7:00 AM DEPART 5:00 PM

THU 30 APR ATHENS (PIRAEUS), GREECE ARRIVE 7:00 AM DEPART 7:00 PM

FRI 01 MAY CRUISING 

SAT 02 MAY NAPLES, ITALY ARRIVE 7:00 AM DEPART 6:00 PM

SUN 03 MAY ROME (CIVITAVECCHIA), ITALY  5:00 AM

We booked our flights for free using credit card points. Travis kept checking the first class rates over the weeks leading up to the cruise and they kept getting reduced until they were a fraction of what they would normally be. We decided to treat ourselves and call it a bonus anniversary present. Neither of us had ever flown first class before! Just getting to go to the lounge at the airport beforehand felt SO fancy. And a bit like we were imposters. Is this how some people live life??! We had a shorter flight to the east coast that was normal seating but then boarded the long stretch (I think it was 10 hours or longer) on first class. Me oh my! I quite enjoyed my set up!! How will I ever go back to coach?! I watched 10 Things I Hate About You, enjoyed the bougee meals and hot towels and napped! I didn't want it to end!  

I feel so dumb admitting this but I was surprised at my first glimpse of Italy! So many green fields, rolling hills and wide open spaces! I had assumed every inch of the country (and all of Europe for that matter) was cities and people! 

We landed in Rome around 11am and took about a one hour taxi ride to our hotel and left our bags. Doug and Rach were a few hours behind us and we didn't want to do anything without them so we decided to just walk around Rome. 

It's surprising how much is within walking distance of downtown Rome. It rained on us at first but then stopped and we had great weather! We walked past the Roman Forum...

Piazza Venezia...

A hundred picturesque roads and alleyways like this! I loved them all. Everything felt clean and well cared for. Pretty green plants and flowers in planters at windows. 

Tiber River

It is incredible to me how many ornate, Catholic churches there are all over the world, but especially in Europe. And this one didn't seem to be particularly important or notable. And yet so many intricate designs and artwork! It is one of Rome's oldest places of Christian worship dating to the 3rd century.

Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere 

Trastevere was supposed to be a very charming neighborhood to walk through so we went there for lunch.

Our first taste of Italian pasta and pizza! I have been taking peptides so my appetite wasn't as voracious as usual. I got teased by Rach that my quote of the trip was "this is rich" when I was eating. The pasta was definitely good! I just couldn't eat much of it. And the thing we learned about Italian food is that it is a bit bland. I had to ask for salt everywhere we went! And they seem to like the tomato in its most basic glory. Not a lot of spices. 

Seriously, how pretty is this?!

Castel Sant'Angelo

Built around 135-139 AD as a tomb for Roman Emperor Hadrian and his family. Later it was used as a fortress. It has a secret passageway that connects to the Vatican allowing popes to escape during dangerous times. The angel on top is Michael.

This building was a monstrosity! 

Palazzo di Giustizia (Palace of Justice) also knows as the ugly palace!

It's right along the Tiber River. Built between 1889-1911 it is home to Italy's highest court. Romans nicknamed it ugly palace because of it's enormous size and excessive decorations. 

We had walked a ton in just a few hours. Time for our first authentic gelato! The internet said Venchi was good and they were right! I LOVE hazelnut gelato!

Doug and Rach were finally here so we walked to the Pantheon to meet them! That was a happy reunion!!

The Pantheon cost money to enter. It is nearly 1,900 years old and is one of the best-preserved ancient monuments from the Roman Empire. It was originally built as a Roman temple dedicated to the gods of ancient Rome. It was first built in 27-25 BC. The concrete dome is 142 ft. across and is the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. At its center is a circular opening called the oculus that is 27 ft. across and open to the sky so when it rains, water actually falls into the building which is why the marble floor has drainage holes. It is also a tomb for Raphael, the famous Renaissance artist who died in 1520 and a couple of Italian kings. The pillars are granite, weighing many tons and were brought from Egypt two thousand years ago without modern machinery.

The words across the front say "Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, made this when consul for the third time". 

This is the Fountain of Neptune (Fontana del Nettuno), located at the northern end of Piazza Navona in Rome. The fountain depicts Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, raising his trident as he battles a giant octopus. Surrounding him are sculptures of sea horses, sea nymphs, cherubs, and other sea creatures.

This fountain was designed by the famous Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1651! The four enormous marble figures represent four major rivers, each symbolizing a continent: Nile River — Africa, Ganges River — Asia, Danube River — Europe, Río de la Plata — South America. The towering obelisk in the middle dates to ancient Roman times.

The church behind the fountains is Sant'Agnese in Agone, honoring a young Christian martyr. 

Ok, time for the infamous Trevi Fountain! Man, it was PACKED with tourists. And you have to pay to get close to the water and there are guards everywhere. We didn't pay. It is one of the most beautiful examples of Baroque architecture in the world. It was finished in 1762 and features Oceanus, the god who personifies the great ocean.. not Neptune as many assume! Oceanus rides a shell-shaped chariot pulled by two sea horses. One is calm and the other wild, representing the contrasting moods of the sea. Legend says that if you stand with your back to the fountain and toss a coin over your left shoulder using your right hand, you are guaranteed to return to Rome someday!

Thank you Chat for removing all the people!

Since it seemed we would have plenty of time to see all the things, I thought it would be fun to take a cooking class and learn how to make pasta! We walked to a neighborhood in the northern part of the city and learned how to make authentic pasta and gelato from an Italian chef! It was fun, although the gelato was actually sorbet and I don't like sorbet. The chef had a great accent and was fun to learn from.

 

And that was day 1 in Rome!

The next morning we woke up and started with a tour of the Vatican. I had planned out everything for us in Rome, so I was a little stressed that the tours and tickets would work out. When we arrived, there were people in lines around the block! Luckily, we found the right entrance and were allowed straight through security. 

The Vatican City is fascinating because it's not just the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, it's actually its own independent country, completely surrounded by Rome, Italy! And it's surprisingly small. Only 109 acres. The smallest independent country in the world.

We wore headsets and walked around in a group, starting with the museums. There seemed to be no end of marble statues, towering paintings, detailed mosaics and imposing hallways.

This relief is so cool because it looks 3D but it is actually flat!

This ceiling was insane.

There were murals that filled entire walls and hurt your neck just to take them all in!

This is not the original, but an authentic cast of Rodin's The Thinker.

However THIS is original! Van Gogh's "Pieta"  done just months before he died while living in a psychiatric hospital. Some people believe Van Gogh gave Jesus his own facial features.

We seemed to spend hours walking through countless rooms and halls before it was finally time to see.. The Sistine Chapel! You were not allowed to take pictures but I was naughty and held my phone at my side and took some inconspicuously. This is one of the most famous artistic and religious landmarks in the world. Michelangelo painted it in just 4 years (1508-1512). He worked high above the floor on scaffolding, painting directly onto wet plaster. Of course the scene of the creation of God reaching toward Adam with their fingers almost touching is so recognizable. There are 9 central panels depicting events from Genesis. The Last Judgment covers the wall behind the altar. The walls also have paintings by Botticelli and others. This is where a new pope is elected. After voting, black smoke signals that no pope has been chosen- white smoke announces a successful election. 

It was very quiet inside. There was no time limit, but after a while, your neck starts hurting. I wonder if binoculars are allowed?

After the tour, we took some pictures in the gardens... You can see the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the background. Then we walked over to go inside the Basilica.

Ok.

This place is indescribable!! I had NO idea what we were walking into. It is the most incredible, elaborate, MASSIVE, ornate building I have EVER seen. My jaw dropped open and stayed there the entire time we walked around. It is built over the traditional burial site of the Apostle Peter. It took 120 years to build! 1506-1626. 

My embarrassing confession: I didn't know Michelangelo's Pieta would be there!!! My eyes bugged out when I realized I was going to see it in real life! 

It is behind glass and you have to stand a bit away so that's a bummer, but it is still magnificent. I learned Michelangelo was only 23 when he sculpted it from a single block of Carrara marble. It's the only sculpture he's ever signed... the sash across Mary's chest. Mary looks unusually young. Michelangelo intentionally portrayed her with youthful features, associating her beauty with purity and holiness. Her expression is surprisingly peaceful. Rather than depicting Mary overwhelmed with anguish, Michelangelo gives her a quiet, contemplative expression. Look at Mary's left hand. It's turned upward and slightly outward. Art historians often interpret this gesture as Mary presenting her Son to the world, rather than simply holding Him in her grief. The sculpture seems to capture both the tremendous sorrow of a mother losing her child and the sacred significance of Christ's sacrifice.

This is Bernini's enormous bronze canopy standing beneath the dome. It's over the main altar, marking the traditional burial place of the Apostle Peter. It is 95 ft. tall... the height of a 9 story building!

This is the Chair of St. Peter. Made by Bernini. 

This elaborate golden monument surrounds an ancient wooden chair traditionally associated with St. Peter.

Above it is a beautiful stained-glass window featuring a dove representing the Holy Spirit, surrounded by golden rays and angels.

The chair symbolizes the authority and teaching responsibility of the pope as Peter's successor.

This dome was designed by Michelangelo and rises 448 feet above the ground.

We are standing in St. Peter's Square, which is the plaza directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica. The pope appears every Sunday at noon from a window on the 3rd floor and gives a message. He also usually appears on Wednesdays at 10am on a stage in the square. 

After that, we got lunch at a little restaurant a few blocks from the square. I don't care a ton for pasta but this ravioli was remarkable.

Then, we took an Uber to the Rome temple. It's about 10 miles northeast of downtown. It was dedicated in 2019 and I have wanted to go ever since.  

As we walked into the visitor's center we immediately recognized the senior missionary couple. He was the previous president of the Easter pageant! It was so fun to make that connection and tell them about our experiences in the pageant. 

This stained glass art in the visitor's center was so special to learn about. 

This little girl is Jairus's daughter! 

We have the picture of the prophet and apostles in this very spot, hanging in our home, so taking this picture made me so happy! Loved seeing it in person!

We got to do a session in Italian and join the prayer circle. Why did I think I could listen really intently and repeat the words of the prayer? Absolutely not. Could not even make out the sounds the man was making haha. 

I was on a naughty streak and snuck this picture of a beautiful painting of an olive tree inside the temple. I wasn't trying to be sacrilegious, but was hoping I could find a print for Olive's room. So far, I have had no luck!  

As we were leaving we happened to talk to this missionary who is friends with my Aunt Carla! So fun!

We drove back into the city for dinner and gelato of course!

Decided to see the Trevi Fountain and night and hoped for less people. Not so much.

Our final day in Rome I had gotten us an actual tour guide to show up around the Colosseum and other parts of Rome. She was great! So energetic and happy to tell us a million facts about Rome! Her name was Mia.

 First we stopped into this cute pastry shop for some breakfast. Sadly, they looked better than they tasted.

The Colosseum was built around 72 AD and could hold about 50,000 people. They watched gladiator battles, wild animal hunts and other public spectacles. Beneath the arena was an elaborate network of underground tunnels and chambers where gladiators and animals waited before entering the arena. It was used for entertainment for hundreds of years before falling into disrepair. 

The Arch of Constantine

The first time she bent down to slurp water like this I was so taken aback! But I guess this is totally normal behavior haha. Rome is also famous for its hundreds of small public drinking fountains, called nasoni, where residents and tourists can refill their water bottles for free.

Next, she took us through the Roman Forum which was the heart of ancient Rome and the center of its political and social life for more than 1,000 years. Julius Caesar walked these streets! 

The Forum was also home to the Temple of Vesta, where priestesses known as the Vestal Virgins maintained a sacred flame symbolizing Rome's eternal life.

The temple of Antonius and Faustina. An Emperor and his wife in 141 AD.

Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of Roman senators, including Brutus and Cassius. His body was brought to the Roman Forum and cremated in 44 BC. This is the site where people still leave flowers.

We walked to the top of Palatine Hill to get these views! It's one of Rome's seven famous hills. 

The Spanish Steps!

Anddd more gelato! Of course! We fit a lot into one morning! Then we took a private car to the port to make sure we got on our cruise ship in time. I have to say, I was ENCHANTED by Rome and would go back in a heartbeat! It was beautiful and clean and filled with amazing history and architecture. I think we visited at the best time of year. We were told that in the summer, the tourist situation is more than double what we experienced.