My trip to Rome
was quite the doozy! My friends and I took the train from Florence to Rome and
the train ride was beautiful. We watched the countryside and admired the
beautiful homes as we traveled. Once we got to Rome my first thought was
"This looks nothing like Las Vegas!" However, nobody thought my jokes
were funny... except for one cab driver.
When we got off
the train, we waited in the cab line for a ride to our hotel. Our first cab
driver was not a real cab driver! He waved us over and we got in his cab
and five minutes later he told us it would be 18 Euros for the half a mile he
took us. We paid the 18 euros then vowed for the rest of the trip that we would
not ride in any cabs drivers who don't have a true meter!
The first night
we were in Rome we didn't do too much. We checked into the hotel, unpacked a
few things, then headed over to the Colosseum. It was raining so we were only
able to look from the outside, however it was amazing! The Colosseum is
something that you look at your entire life in magazines, on postcards, and in
history books. So, when you see it in person it's breathtaking. It's almost as
if you are in a dream! The first night we grabbed something to eat at a local
restaurant and then headed back to our hotel. We were tired from the walking already,
so we figured it would be good to go to bed early and get a fresh start in the
morning.
The next day we
had plans to visit St. Peter's Basilica, so we were up early at about 6 in the
morning! Breakfast at the hotel was at 7 a. m. and we wanted to make sure we
were on the Metro early enough to get over to Vatican City. Here's something
you need to know about visiting Rome: Most of the museums and Cathedrals
require a reservation. So, for St. Peter's Basilica, our reservation was at
8:30 in the morning! There was no other time available, so we had to take it!
St Peter's Basilica is beautiful! When you're in Rome and you see all the breathtaking
architecture you stand there in awe trying to figure out how long it took them
to build these sites without the technology we have today. Because we went so
early to St. Peter's Basilica, we were also able to squeeze in the Colosseum,
the Pantheon, and the Spanish Steps on the same day!
Here's another
thing you need to understand about Italian weather. When the sun is shining
it's beautiful! However, in the summertime it is hot! Now when I say hot I
don't mean humid or regular ol' California hot. I mean hot like something
you've never been in before. I'm a true Southern California girl, and that
Italian heat was literally going to kill me! It felt like the sun was following
me around tapping me on the shoulder for 10 days! It was the hottest in Rome!
And when you visit the cathedrals you are require to have your shoulders and
legs covered! Shorts and a tank top or a cute dress is COMPLETELY out of the
picture! We were dying from the heat.
After visiting St. Peter's Basilica, we headed over to the Colosseum. The Colosseum is mind-blowing!
To think that Gladiators were there, and it was previously covered in marble is
something I'm still trying to wrap my mind around. We walked through the Colosseum, took pictures, listened to tour guides, and took it all in. We also
walk through the additional ruins that are outside of the Colosseum. That's
something so interesting as well. You're literally walking through ruins of an
old city!
Jumpsuit: Rebdolls//T-Shirt: Old Navy//Sneakers: Dr. Scholls//Sunnies: Quay Australia//Hip Bag: Jackie Robbins Leather + Jewelry
After the
Colosseum we took a taxi to the Pantheon. We almost got swindled by another cab
driver again, but I had him pull the car over and let us out. I didn't see the
proper meter, so I knew he was going to charge us too much. We were able to
catch a proper cab and get to the Pantheon. The Pantheon is another beautiful
church with architecture that's breathtaking. We walked around and admired the
artwork and architecture of the Pantheon then headed to the Spanish Steps. Once we got to the Spanish Steps, we each took a moment to take in the
breathtaking view. I went off on my own to sit on the steps and people
watch for a bit. (I was also able to scope out some places where I wanted to
shop later! There's some fabulous shopping across from the Spanish Steps.)
After visiting the Spanish Steps, we went back to the hotel, rested for a
while, and each of us went our own separate ways until dinner. I went back to
the hotel and took a nap. I knew I wanted to go back out and get some
shopping in. Sany.Delight went
off to explore the city on her own as well as our other friend. It was nice for
each of us to take time to enjoy and soak in the city in our own way.
On our third day
in Rome, we had reservations to go to the Vatican. Getting reservations to the Vatican is not easy. It's the most visited museum in the city so we were very
fortunate to get reservations for 8 a.m. It was early, but we took it! The
Vatican museum is unlike what I expected. I was expecting to see a big church.
But what I saw was beautiful art that has been collected over hundreds of years
from Popes, Priests, and Kings. I made my way straight to the Sistine Chapel.
When you get to the Sistine Chapel you must immediately lower your voice. The
lights have been dimmed and you are in a huge room with all the other patrons.
Pictures are not allowed, because they want you to buy the merchandise but when
you look up you see the artwork that you've been looking at in history books
for years. My friends and I purchase the audio tour and we listened to
information as we stared at this beauty. It was truly amazing. To be looking at
this artwork in person is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I don't know the
next time I'll be in Rome at the Sistine Chapel. I don't even know the next
time I'll be in Rome! So, taking the time to visit all of these beautiful
historic sites was something like a dream.
After the Vatican we headed over to the Trevi Fountain. This is something that Las Vegas
has gotten inspiration from! The Trevi Fountain dates back to the 1700s and is the
greatest fountain you'll ever see in your entire life. There are so many people
standing around it trying to get the best shot that it was even hard for
me, at all girl, to get a good picture.
We did so much
in our 2 1/2 days in Rome. I was honestly more exhausted than I've ever been in
my entire life. But it was all worth it! We saw so much, absorbed so much
history, and ate amazing food! Oh...and I drink a lot of wine! It was so
cheap...I had to!
Below is the link to the hotel we stayed in the restaurants we enjoyed the most! Also, check out the Omnia Pass. It was our entry into all of the museums and was a metro pass. It's a great bang for your buck!
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