The final destination of our unforgettable honeymoon was the historic Italian capital, Roma.
Rome is one part charming European metropolis, one part living museum. Walking down a street of quaint coffee shops, modern business offices, and classical government buildings, you are almost guaranteed to pass ruins that have been standing for 2000 years or more. In every corner of the city are little relics of Rome's important role in western civilization.
We started our short stint in Rome by checking in to the IQ Hotel which was modern, minimalist, but very convenient. It even had a wine and beer vending machine! We used our first night to explore the area around our hotel, grab some food at a local Irish pub (yes, they are everywhere), and try some Italian Lardo. Yes... Delicious, cured pig fat. When in Rome, do as the Romans do eh? I've always wanted to say that! :) We finished the night with some AMAZING penne a'll arrabbiata (Spicy pasta). It was so good that writing about made us want it again. I'm not lying, we're eating some right now (though its nothing like the dish in Rome).
Anyway, we started the next morning with some hardcore tourism! We grabbed a quick cab ride to the Roman Forum and Colosseum. It was about a 10 minute ride, but we passed nearly a dozen archeological sites, ancient cathedrals, and other types of ruins from over the millennia. No matter where you turn in Rome, history is all around you.
The colosseum box office had a very long line, but our friend had given us a hint that you could purchase multi-use tickets at the nearby Palatine Hill/Roman Forum which also got us into the Colosseum. GREAT HINT! Anyway, we quickly got through the line at the Palatine Hill and explored the first settlements of ancient Rome. After walking through the ruins where the first Romans lived since nearly 1000 BC, we eventually moved to the homes and palaces of some of the Roman Empire's famous leaders. Finally, we reached a cliff-top overlooking the ancient Roman Forum where the Roman Senate would meet and discuss politics. To this day, SPQR is still written all over the city... Senatus Populus Que Romanus. S.P.Q.R. Very Cool.
From the Forum we moved on to the Roman Colosseum which must be one of the most recognizable pieces of architecture on the planet. Kate gives us a short tour of the historic arena.
From there we walked up to the famous and amazingly beautiful Trevi Fountain to toss in some coins, have a smooch, and make a wish. This fountain is literally the entire side of a 3-story building.
From Trevi we moved on to the Pantheon, an ancient domed building which is still used as a Catholic Church and was the largest dome in the world for over 1,700 years. We rounded out the day with dinner and some drinks in the Piazza Navona with beautiful fountains and hundreds of local artists selling their wares.
Our second day of wandering the city started early at Vatican City. We learned our lesson in Florence and booked our tickets online. That was one of the smartest things we did as our pre-booked tickets let us skip a queue 2 blocks long! We were literally some of the first people to enter the famous Vatican museums.
We toured the halls of ancient Church collectibles and finished our museum tour in the breath-taking Sistine Chapel. Words or pictures cannot convey the feeling in this room where every surface of the walls and ceiling tell the stories of the bible from creation of the universe, giving life to Adam, the life of Christ, the passing of "the Keys of his Church" to Peter, and the Last Judgement. We were so glad we got an audio tour for this room, because we spent almost an hour just looking up and around at the stories we've heard for so long come to life in images by Michelangelo and other greats. By the time we finished in the Sistine Chapel, things had gotten busier, but we were still able to walk through St. Peter's Basilica and even the underground tombs of the popes below.
As the crowds continued to grow we decided to put off visiting the top of St. Peter's Basilica and decided to relax and get some food. We ended up at the Spanish Steps and enjoyed the sunset as we listened to sounds of guitar, the sites of "Frada" (fake Prada) purse merchants avoiding police, and the quench of a Peroni beer.... or two...
Well, lets just say that by the time the sun set and we wandered back to Trevi fountain for a night viewing, our narration was not as crisp, and our smooches not as subtle... Sorry kids. But just down from Trevi we had a meal so delicious, we were literally singing its praises. No really, we sang to the food. We think the other patrons enjoyed or livery.... here's hoping.
We didn't start the next morning quite as early as we'd hoped, but we still set off in time to head back to the Vatican to climb the 8 million steps (ok more like 600) to the top, but it was well worth it.
We had amazing views of St Peter's Square and all of Rome. When we returned to Earth, we were surprised to find a formal procession of Bishops/Cardinals making their way through St Peter's Basilica with a full church chorus, incense, and ceremony of some importance. We didn't get to see too much, but it was cool to see anyway.
After being impressed by the Vatican for a second day in a row, we grabbed some food and some Gelato from the famous, nearby Old Bridge Gelateria.
After resting our feet for a bit, we went to see one more historic site, the Castle Sant Angelo where Popes could escape from the Vatican in times of war. It was connected by a long, raised walkway that snaked its way from the Vatican through the Roman streets to the Castle.
Needless to say, Rome was an exhausting tour of historic, religious, and culinary wonders.
We climbed more steps in 10 days in Italy, than we ever had before, but I don't think we quite managed to burn off all of our delicious calories. Ah well, you only live once.
The honeymoon may be over, but we are so grateful for the time we spent in Italy, and we can't wait for a chance to return to see more of this wonderful country.
