2019 Anniversary Cruise Day 2 - Sightseeing Rome
Our next day in Rome started out great. We decided to wake up pretty early to start our touring so that we could see as much as possible before getting on the train to the cruise port.
We packed up all of our things and left them with the concierge at the front desk. One of the perks of the location of our hotel is that it was actually only one block from the Termini train station. The Termini is a main station that is like a central hub for trains, the subway, and the busses. The train from the airport runs directly to this station.
We are basically Romans now...
We skipped breakfast, although it came free with our hotel room, and headed straight to the Termini. We boarded the subway, which is way easier than you would think. The signs were in several languages and the fare was easy to purchase. The fare card is actually cool because it works on both the subways and the busses. The subway was easy to navigate as all the sites are labeled clearly; very tourist friendly.
St. Peter's Basilica...
Our first stop of the day was St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican. Terry was beyond excited to visit here. I was just as excited to see one of the places that I have ever only seen in movies or read about in books. The day of our visit just happened to be the last Sunday of the month; this is the day that the Vatican Museum and everything is open to the public for FREE. This is exactly why we left so early. We wanted to beat the crowds because not just tourists go to the Vatican Museums on Free Sundays. Plus, this is also the day the Pope speaks to the crowds. YES, the FREAKING POPE!
We arrived to St. Peter’s Basilica right at opening and it took our breath away. The expanse of the courtyard makes you feel so small. We decided to forgo the tour and do our own thing. But, we did want to go to the top to take pictures. When we went to purchase our ticket (this was translated into a donation to the grounds and not a fee), we were asked if we wanted to take the stairs or the elevator. We should have taken this as a hint. We said the stairs because it was 5 euros cheaper and we consider ourselves to be pretty fit. WE HAD NO IDEA. Our brains did not think that we would be climbing stairs to the top of a Cathedral. So. MANY. STAIRS.
So. MANY. STAIRS...
Taking the stairs to the Cupola, or the Dome, is not for the faint of heart. Or for those that are not in shape. Some of the stairways are very narrow. One in particular doesn’t even have a handrail. It has a rope dangling from the ceiling because it is that steep and that narrow. And just when you think that you have made it to the top, nope…there’s more stairs.
The Workout is Worth It...
But the view was absolutely worth it. You get to see the complete landscape of Rome. And we had a gorgeous morning for it; clear skies and sunny. Though at the very top, it was very windy and that wind was cold.
Breakfast Finally...
On our way down from the dome, we decided to stop at this little makeshift coffee shop that is on the clearing on top of the building. This coffee shop provides snacks and coffee to the staff and clergy working at the Basilica. Here, we ordered probably one of the most simple but most delicious breakfasts ever. We ordered a coffee with milk and a cornetto filled with whipped cream. A cornetto is the Italian version of a croissant but is sweeter and softer, and not as flaky. It was so good!
In Awe of the Beauty...
Continuing our descent, we finally made it inside the Basilica and it again was breathtaking. The artwork and detail is just mesmerizing. We could have spent hours in there just walking around and looking at everything. One thing we noticed and thought was cool, was the confession booths. They were marked for different languages. So that anyone from around the world could enter and be able to speak their home language.
As we were touring, we noticed that the clergy were preparing for Mass. We stayed and watched the processional and felt really small looking at the ginormous altar in the middle of the Basilica. So humbling.
On our way out, we got to witness the changing of posts by the Swiss Guard. Don’t wanna mess around with those guys. But, I loved their uniforms!We then tried to go to the actual Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel but the lines by this point were just way too long and we still had more we wanted to see before leaving Rome. So the next stop, the Trevi Fountain.
Next stop in Rome...
The Trevi Fountain was really cool and it is a must see. The fountain is HUGE. But because it is such a tourist spot and it was already early afternoon, it was completely crowded. Everyone there was nice and accommodating and moved out of the way when asked to for taking pictures. But if you are claustrophobic, I wouldn’t visit here while busy.
Next Stop...
Our next stop was a quick walk over to the Pantheon. This church is considered to be the most preserved and influential building of ancient Rome. There was a line here but it moved rather quickly. Visitors here also were very kind and considerate of others taking photos. We were fascinated by the construction of this building. The dome has a huge hole at the top for letting in sunlight, and that was the only source of light that we saw. But because it is a giant hole in the ceiling, there are little holes in the tiling on the floor, so that if it rains, the water can drain to the sewer system. How smart is that?!
Time to Say Good-bye to Rome for Now...
After sightseeing, we headed back to the subway to go to the hotel to pick up our luggage and head to the train to take us to the cruise port in Civitavecchia. The train to Civitavecchia was about a 45 minute ride. We opted for the First Class seats so that we could have bigger seats and wifi. Only an extra 8 euros to go First Class, we wished that flights were like that!
The train drops you off at a little terminal and we walked over to the shuttle to take us to the actual ship. But once we checked in and they realized we were Yacht Club guests, we were treated like ROYALTY.
Up next, checking in and our first impressions of Yacht Club.
To see our YouTube vlog of this day...
