Roman Holiday?

[Angie]

I'm going with my mom rather than Janny, so I'm not sure who is riding handlebars of that duo!

Only tip that I’ll add is that there is a backdoor exit from the Sistine Chapel to St. Peter’s that can save you a lot of time by avoiding exiting the Vatican Museums and re-entering through the Basilica security lines.

The catch is that it’s technically only for tour groups and there are sometimes guards there. But if you have no qualms about hat sort of thing (and even though I’m not especially religious, it *does* somehow feel sacrilege to be doing it in the Vatican), finding a tour group to blend into usually isn’t too difficult.

Ooh, thank you! I'm really interested in the Sistine Chapel, as I love art. However, I know the lines for it are horrendous and we've emailed to ask about the papal audience and the Necropolis, so I think if we can get in to those is going to determine if we stand in line for the Sistine Chapel - if we do, I will be grateful for an escape hatch. I had read up on Michelangelo's statue of Moses elsewhere, and about a really interesting-looking museum that's got all kinds of ancient statues in the middle of an old power company. It's an interesting juxtaposition of industry and ancient form, and so I'm really curious about it!

You can do the Coliseum and Roman forum in a morning. Something near the Coliseum is the Basilica di San Clemente. It has 3 levels each taking you further back in time.

If you like art you can stop by any church and see works by many the Renaissance masters. San Pietro in Vincoli has Michelangelo's statue of Moses. It is Michelangelo's interpretation of Moses right before he broke the original tablets of the ten commandments. It's real near the Coliseum.

The Sistine Chapel will be crowded. By the time I got there I was tired of looking up at all the ceiling frescoes. You really appreciate it after you leave because all of a sudden everything else looks so flat and lifeless after seeing it.

Another thing at St Peter's. The Pieta is behind about 3 inches of bulletproof glass so when I took pictures the auto focus was focused on the glass. This was in the film days so I didn't know my pictures didn't come out until I had them developed.


Once you see the traffic in Rome you might rethink that option.

That's awesome to know about the Coliseum and forums time-wise. I really want to make sure to maximize our time, you know? If we can hammer out the stuff that's related and close geographically, that would be ideal. I'd read up just a little on the Moses statue, and it sounds just amazing!

I'm going to take a good DSLR (although not my full-frame), so that's a huge help to know about The Pieta!

You are going to LOVE Rome! My only rec is the the Basilica of San Clemente al Laterno, just a few blocks east of the Colosseum. The current church dates back to the 12th century and has a stunning mosaic, BUT the best part is going down to the crypt. There is a whole other church down there that was built in the fifth century. AND below that you can tour an ancient Roman temple, a mithraum which was a weird secretive cult that no one knows much about. You are literally walking through time as you descend to each level. I've spent months in Rome and haven't seen anything cooler. HIGHLY recommended.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/S...7e138e66d21b151!8m2!3d41.8893347!4d12.4975757

I'm just so damn excited. THANK YOU, I'm going to update my list to add the Basilica on there! I just love mosaics, and there are so many that sound fascinating to me that i need help narrowing it down! That's amazing to think that you're just descending down a time hole! I'm really excited!

The Italian name for church Saint Peter in Chains is San Pietro in Vincoli. It is within walking distance of the Coliseum. The statues, including the imposing-looking Moses, were sculpted for the tomb of Pope Julius II. The original plan called for 40 statues to be adorned on the tomb, but that goal was never achieved. The Pieta is the name of Michaelangelo Buonarroti sculpture of Mary cradling the dead Christ. It is the only statue he ever signed, and amazingly he sculpted it at the tender age of 24 years! It is believed he made Mary look very youthful as a tribute to his own mother who died when Michaelangelo was just a lad. If you get an opportunity to wander the Jewish Ghetto, stop and browse through one of the small grocery stores. One that we stopped at had maybe only 4 or 5 aisles, but one entire aisle was devoted to JUST olive oil! It is just an interesting little bit of entertainment that only takes a few minutes, but it is fascinating, nonetheless! Read one of Dan Brown's books, Angels and Demons, before going. The fiction story is set in Rome, but the places really exist and it is interesting to make those connections.

Oh my gosh, THANK YOU - this is such amazing information! My boss has been to Rome several times and was telling me to read Angels and Demons before I go (I'm an avid reader, but have never read any Dan Brown). I think it would be such a big help. She said that the necropolis and such would be really relevant after reading it. I'm so grateful!

 

[NWICY]

Hope you remember to post pics when you get back @Angie.

 

[Angie]

Hope you remember to post pics when you get back @Angie.

I promise!

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

This all makes me want to dig out my old photo album from when I went to Rome.

 

[Angie]

This all makes me want to dig out my old photo album from when I went to Rome.

Please do! I'd love to see photos!

Has anyone ever gone to Domus Aurea? I guess Nero had a gigantic, insanely opulent palace built after Rome burned, and then his successors buried it because it was too extravagant. In the 15th century, some dude out walking by the Forums just fell through the ground and into the halls. So, now you can go tour the archaeological site!

https://www.realmofhistory.com/2015...-aurea-neros-extravagant-golden-house-palace/

 

[Angie]

Sorry, just because I was hoping some people might have input on

We got tickets to the Papal Audience on Wednesday morning, even though our day to really hang out all over the Vatican is the day before. We got tickets to go straight to the Sistine Chapel before the chapel and museums actually open (at 7:20), so that we can then filter through the Vatican Museums and still make our 11:00 am appointment for the Necropolis and St Peter's grave. I'm hoping this wasn't a waste of money?

We have tickets to see Domus Aurea (see previous post) on Sunday, the same day that we are going to the Colosseum and Forums. I was curious if anyone had heard of or knew anything about the Mamertine Prison? LINK It's not very big at all, should likely take 20 minutes and is only about 6 euro from what I can tell - but it's supposedly where both St Peter and St Paul were kept before their executions. It dates back to 640-something BC, so it sounds fascinating... but looking at online tours, it also doesn't look like there's much to it.

I also found a tour of Quartiere Coppede (which is supposed to be amazing), and Villa Torlonia WITH a tour of Mussolini's underground air raid bunkers. I think that this would be fascinating, and the tour is only about 12 euro... but again, I was curious if anyone had any thoughts on the area, or if the tour was worth it.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Sorry, just because I was hoping some people might have input on

We got tickets to the Papal Audience on Wednesday morning, even though our day to really hang out all over the Vatican is the day before. We got tickets to go straight to the Sistine Chapel before the chapel and museums actually open (at 7:20), so that we can then filter through the Vatican Museums and still make our 11:00 am appointment for the Necropolis and St Peter's grave. I'm hoping this wasn't a waste of money?

We have tickets to see Domus Aurea (see previous post) on Sunday, the same day that we are going to the Colosseum and Forums. I was curious if anyone had heard of or knew anything about the Mamertine Prison? LINK It's not very big at all, should likely take 20 minutes and is only about 6 euro from what I can tell - but it's supposedly where both St Peter and St Paul were kept before their executions. It dates back to 640-something BC, so it sounds fascinating... but looking at online tours, it also doesn't look like there's much to it.

I also found a tour of Quartiere Coppede (which is supposed to be amazing), and Villa Torlonia WITH a tour of Mussolini's underground air raid bunkers. I think that this would be fascinating, and the tour is only about 12 euro... but again, I was curious if anyone had any thoughts on the area, or if the tour was worth it.

Unless you're planning on spending a month in Rome you just won't be able to see everything there is to see. Try not to over extend yourselves because you don't want to end up hurrying to get to so many sights that you can't appreciate the sights themselves.
I can't remember how many days you are spending there. I think I was there 4-5 days.

 

[cyhiphopp]

If you're looking for a good Roman Holiday, I'd go with Saturnailia. It's a true classic.

 

[dmclone]

I assume you've checked out tripadvisor?

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g187791-Activities-Rome_Lazio.html#ATTRACTION_SORT_WRAPPER

 

[Angie]

Unless you're planning on spending a month in Rome you just won't be able to see everything there is to see. Try not to over extend yourselves because you don't want to end up hurrying to get to so many sights that you can't appreciate the sights themselves.
I can't remember how many days you are spending there. I think I was there 4-5 days.

Yeah, we've only got six full days + two travel days. Which is wonderful, but I'm a little afraid we're over-extending. I found an app called Sygic where you can plot points, then make itineraries based off of them. It'll calculate the amount of time you will use in a day based off of how long you tell it you'll be at each place. I think there are bound to be some things I've got written in that we just won't practically be able to make, you know? And I want to make sure to have plenty of time to shop and eat and enjoy.

I assume you've checked out tripadvisor?

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g187791-Activities-Rome_Lazio.html#ATTRACTION_SORT_WRAPPER

I have looked a fair bit - because it's a great site (and thank you)! I think that I picked up a lot of great ideas there, and then went blog-hopping and such for unusual stuff. I want to make sure to hit the main stuff and the stuff that's highly rated on tripadvisor, and then also throw in stuff nobody goes to that are hidden gems!

 

[LincolnWay187]

You have to see the Pantheon. One of the cooler things I have ever seen on the inside. It isn't far from Trevi Fountain.

 

[Angie]

You have to see the Pantheon. One of the cooler things I have ever seen on the inside. It isn't far from Trevi Fountain.

I was reading up on the geometry of it (how it's made to hold a perfect sphere within an inch or so) - that's so fascinating! I think we're planning on doing those the same day (that and Trevi), and I am so excited!

 

[Angie]

I just realized that I had 1000 people ask me for updates of this trip, but I never got it posted. Here's our itinerary. I do have photos - I am working on putting them in an online gallery, but I do also have a book that I'm making for my mom for Christmas as a memento that I could theoretically share in the meantime if anyone wanted. Anyway - here's the itinerary, if anyone's going to Rome ever I thought it might be helpful:

Saturday 5/5

- La Boutique del Limoncello - LINK - amazing little family boutique for limoncello, booze, candies, etc. Best limoncello in Rome.

- Piazza Navona - beautiful, overwhelming. Very overrun with people, though. There's a purgatory museum in the church on the square, but we went during the hours the Consistory should have been open and it never was.

- Pantheon - we got there at just the right time, only about five people before us in line, and there was a service going on. The ticket office is almost complete, so it will soon cost money to enter. Overwhelming in its beauty and geometry, given its age.

- Armando al Pantheon - LINK - My first experience at a Michelin star restaurant, I believe. It was amazing - the cacio e pepe (cheese/pepper pasta) was incredible. Tiny little place, famous, have to get reservations.

- Trevi Fountain (near Palazzo Barberini) - Amazing. We got there when it was raining, so we were able to get near it. We went back by a few times, the coolest was at night.

- Church with 22 former popes’ embalmed hearts: LINK (Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio a Trevi). While cool, I wouldn’t seek it out - they were in urns back where it was hard to see them.

- St. John the Baptist’s head LINK (in San Silvestro in Capite) - this was super-cool. Neat little church with a side room where John’s embalmed head is in a little tower thing. Very humbling to think you’re right by Jesus’ cousin.

- Settimio All’arancio - LINK - Via dell’arancio 50-52 - Enjoyed the orange pasta a ton!

- Largo di Torre Argentina - LINK - Cat Sanctuary which is believed to actually be where Caesar was murdered.


Sunday, 5/6

- Domus Aurea - Nero’s hidden palace LINK - The story behind this opulent palace of Nero’s is amazing, got tickets WELL in advance for excavation and 3D tour. It was incredible, highly recommend.

• Basilica of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli - LINK - fanciest church in Rome
  
  
• Mamertine Prison - underground prison dating back to 640 BC, supposedly Peter and Paul were imprisoned there (LINK). Was really cool - such a tiny place to have so much history. Crucial if you’re researching Christian history, but predates Jesus by at least 200 years as a prison.
  
  
• Piazza del Campidoglio - beautiful! Designed by Michelangelo, right outside Ara Coeli. Is very cool!
  
  
• Knights of Malta Keyhole, Orange Garden, Rose Garden - the Orange Garden is beautiful, and overlooks the whole valley in Rome. Just lovely. Rose Garden was a sea of people, but pretty. Keyhole was awesome, but it felt bizarre to stand in line to look through a keyhole.
  
  
• Mouth of Truth/St Valentine’s head - bypassed Mouth of Truth and went behind it to the church to see Valentine’s skull. It was very cool. The guard liked me, so he gave us a special free tour of the crypt underneath.
  
  
• Il Negozio Benedettino Di Claudio Bruno - monastery that has a really cool selection of booze, soaps, candies, etc. that the monks make. Got “Elixir of Father Bernardo,” it tasted terrible but cool to have. Soap is awesome, though, and the candies we got were delicious.
  
  
• Emma Pizzaria - LINK - I’ve seen this on several specials about Rome. It was good, but ours was a little soggy in the middle. Not my favorite pizza that day.
  
  
• Otello Pizzaria - LINK - we stumbled across this and got the cacio e pepe pizza. It was amazing!
  

Monday, 5/7

- Colosseum/Forums/Arch of Constantine - humbling, but just so very many people. Made it a little hard to enjoy as I don’t like people, but was beautiful.

- Trastevere - shopping, Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere: LINK

- Pianostrada for lunch - LINK - I had really high hopes for this place, as it was highly recommended. It was good, and the atmosphere was neat, but was not as good of service as I would have thought. Also more expensive than was probably warranted by the selection.

- Gelato - Fatamorgana - reputedly best gelato in Rome, I got the lemon. It was great!

- Polvere di Tempo (in Trastevere): LINK, I really adored this little handmade shop. The owner is a former hippie who now makes all kinds of nautical and timekeeping things by hand. We got the most beautiful kaleidoscope there.

- Artigianino - LINK - I had done a bunch of research on the best places to get good leather for cheap, and this was #1. Got an amazing little bag here, just a few steps from Polvere di Tempo.

- Trappezino - delicious little triangle pockets that are filled with all kinds of things. It was really, really good, and is sort of becoming a big deal in Rome, as it now has multiple locations. Sort of fast-casual?


Tuesday, 5/8

- 7:20 early tour of Sistine Chapel - LINK - this is definitely the way to go to the Sistine Chapel. It’s before the Vatican actually opens, so it’s not anywhere near as crowded. Go on guided tour through Gallery of Candelabras and the Maps room, etc. The Sistine Chapel was amazing, and it was nice to actually be able to sit and just enjoy it without a swarm of people.

- Tour of St Peter’s Basilica - we were able to get out of the Sistine Chapel before the public was let into St Peter’s. There was a mass, so we sat and watched it and saw the basilica before there were swarms of people. Amazing. Snuck into a confessional for a pic.

- Post Office - send a postcard from inside the Vatican City to get their cool postmark! The one to the left of the stairs if you are facing the basilica has lots of great jewelry.

- St Peter’s Square - it was pretty busy with people in line by the time we got out of the Basilica, but it was fun to walk around. We couldn’t get to the reliefs on the ground because chairs were laid out for the papal audience the next day and those areas were cordoned off, but it was fun to look at the layout and such. Savelli is a great resource for religious jewelry and souvenirs.

- Necropolis @ 11 - NECROPOLIS. So, I went and found the secret hidden tour of St Peter’s tomb and finger bones underneath the Vatican. They only let in 120 people per day, so you have to reserve months in advance. It was amazing, humbling. The tour guide was great, and we met neat people who were also intensely interested.

- Castel Sant’Angelo - our flat was just a block away from this, so we went several times. We did not take the full tour due to time, but the bridge, river, and building are all beautiful.

- Bonci Pizzarium - LINK - Super-famous, super-inexpensive. Long lines, but worth it - probably the best pizza I had the entire trip. It’s not the super-thin Roman style, more like a fantastic pizza boat, but is all fresh, and Bonci is sort of THE chef right now in Rome. I got the margherita, and one piece was huge.

 

[Angie]

(Continued)


Wednesday, 5/9

10:30 - Papal Audience - LINK - got tickets ahead of time via that link to get special seating, but you can also just ask a Swiss Guard for one with a slightly worse view. It was easily my favorite part of the whole trip (I got a Pope selfie!!!). I’m not Catholic, but it was amazing to get just a few feet from him and watch him interact with the crowd.

- Gammarelli (POPE’s clothier - get Pope Socks - near Pantheon): LINK. Was pretty excited about this, but the Pope socks are 20 euro, and I felt wildly out-of-place here, as it’s a full-on tailor shop. It was interesting, but not a must-see.

- Olympic Stadium - neat, but not a must-see.

- Puttered around Trastavere, watched an amazing fight outside of a bar where the waiter had gotten drunk and the hostess threw an entire garbage bag’s worth of glassware at him.

- Roma Sparita - LINK - Must-do restaurant in Rome, but you have to get reservations. Awesome cacio e pepe made in bowls fashioned of parmesan. It was SO good. I’m not a big fan of zucchini, but we got the fiori di zucca, and it was also really good. The wait staff was probably the best of Rome - our waiter spoke English at our table, French to the table next to us, Italian to a group of ladies, and I think I heard him speaking Spanish to yet another table. He was incredibly helpful. It’s almost like eating in someone’s dining room at their house (we couldn’t eat outside, as it was pouring).



Thursday, 5/10

- Fabio Piccioni - LINK - Amazing jeweler who takes retro pieces and restyles them. I ended up getting a 1950s blue sapphire/sterling silver ring and a 1960s cat’s eye ring for 50 euro total.

- Quattro Fontane (Four Fountains) - this was very neat, but it was a little inconvenient from our location. Probably not my favorite fountain in Rome, and a long way from everything else except...

- San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane: LINK - This church has an amazing ceiling that was created by a bipolar architect (Borromini) in the 1600s. Its architecture is Baroque, but the ceiling was my absolute favorite. Other than St Peter’s, it was easily my favorite of the 20 or so churches we went into. There is a little crypt underneath that is worth a visit, as it’s just a small donation. Lovely church. Worth the uphill hike from the city center.

- Santa Maria della Vittoria - LINK - Houses the Ecstasy of St Theresa sculpture, so is crucial if you’re either a fan of Bernini OR doing the whole “Angels and Demons” tour thing. The statue was being refurbished while we were there, so there was all kinds of scaffolding that made it less enjoyable than it otherwise would have been. But still worth the trip - isn’t too far from Capuchin Crypts.

- D'angelo Gastronomia - LINK - I’d read up that this was one of the best places to get a panini in Rome, so we stopped here for lunch. I got a fabulous salami panini, a ciambella for the next day (they are my FAVORITE pastry in Rome), and a coffee. It was the best sandwich I had in Rome, even better than Pianostrada which cost at least 3x as much.

- Capuchin Crypt (near Piazza Barberini, 9-7) - TOURS THEIR SITE - After the Vatican, this was probably my favorite thing we did in Rome. Read up on history before going LINK. Entrance was 7 Euros, and you get access to both the crypt and the museum - which they casually do not mention has a Caravaggio in it! That alone was worth the 7 Euro, but the crypts were amazing. There are six little alcoves that they have decorated with the bones of particularly venerated monks of the Capuchin order (as well as a few members of the Barberini family) in intricate designs. It was awesome, and sort of weird (sort of really weird), and humbling.

- Supplizio - LINK - I had read that this was the best (and some of the cheapest) suppli in Rome. I really liked the cacio e pepe one, even though I’m not sure fried balls of rice are exactly my jam.



Friday, 5/11

- Campo de’ Fiori - did some shopping, got some pastries, sat at a diner and got a coffee

- Jewish Ghetto: LINK - got a piece of ricotta cake at Forno Boccione, absorbed the culture and history. Walked by the Turtle Fountain and Portico d'Ottavia, sat and watched old men converse in square. It was lovely and a very different vibe from the more commercial areas.

- Capatoast - went to a toast store for lunch rather than what we had planned (Baccanelle). I could not be happier - I want one of these in Ames! All toasts, toasted sandwiches, breakfast toast sandwiches.

- Theatre of Marcellus - can’t really get in, but is beautiful. Sort of like a mini-Colosseum.

- Volpetti - best meat/cheesery in Rome. Expensive, but great samples!

- Protestant Cemetery: LINK (near pyramid of Cestius). This was super-cool. John Keats, van Goethe, and Percy Bryce Shelley are all buried here - I was an English major, so this was super-cool for me. It’s also just really cool, as it’s incredibly crowded and unlike anything we have in the US. It was very unique, and old.

- Ristochicco - LINK - A few steps away from our AirBNB. It was delicious, I got aglio e olio pasta and aglio e olio bruschetta. Not a huge line, but delicious.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Sounds like you had a great time. So much history in that city.

 

[Angie]

Sounds like you had a great time. So much history in that city.

It's funny - Italy was always about #3 on my Europe bucket list, but it was amazing and I'm so glad it was my first trip overseas.