In recent years we’ve visited the following Italian cities: Venice, Florence and Verona. Each of these cities had something unique – Rome however stood out!
We had the idea for this visit for some years now, but somehow we never took the time. “You have to go in spring”, a former colleague of us demanded. “The temperatures are nice and everything is green and blossoms”. Finally in April 2017 we arrived in the eternal city.
Airbnb
Rome Vatican Apartment Jubilee
Viale Vaticano 102
Under the roof, with a rooftop terrace inhabited by two cats from the neighbor, nicely decorated, directly in front of the Vatican Museum – we couldn’t have made a better pick! Carlo & Rafaela are experienced hosts and so everything is given a thought ’til the last detail.
1st day
It rained in Nuremberg as we boarded and on the decent to Zurich – our flight hub- we saw snow. Rome greeted us with sunshine.
At first we wanted to take the bus for 6 € to ride into the city, but there was a lot confusion at the bus stop due to road work. So we decided to take the Leonardo Airport Express train for 14 €. It was quick and convenient. At the Termini, we changed to the subway (Metro). We had to buy tickets – the machines work in different languages and are easy to understand.
Our Airbnb apartment made a very good first impression and because we were still fit, we bought online tickets for the Vatican Museum, as on the evening of our arrival the museum stayed open late.
We walked just a block from our apartment and found the first store with delicious pizza slices. From there we took a short walk to St. Peter’s Square. On our walk we saw a rainbow and the Dome was bathed in a beautiful evening light.
Tip: Evening in the Vatican Museum
We bought an audio guide and spend about 3 hours in the museum. Although we could walk straight in – no queues outside – the museum was filled with people. Hence in the smaller rooms it got warm and crowded.
Our personal highlights were for one the Map room, with a lot of medieval carpets displaying what was known of the world at the time. The unbeatable highlight was of course the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo – we saw some of his work already in Verona – created major parts of this impressive art. Having seen his work in pictures is something really different from seeing it in reality!
The only odd thing however was that although still a place of worship and silence and out of that reason forbidden, many tourists tried to take pictures, mostly with their mobiles and with flash. This however called for the museum guards who had no better idea than to shout through the chapel that taking pictures was forbidden …
2nd day
In the early morning, from the bed of our apartment, we could see long queues in front of the Vatican Museum. Yesterday we had made the right decision! As we found out in the days to come, the queues were only long or super long. We had breakfast like Italians. Standing, in the café Novecentotredici, ordering “cappuccino e cornetto con crema”. Although we gave our very best, the response was always in English – guess the Vatican and the stream of tourists like us is to close.
We took our first full day in Rome for getting an idea of the city. Just strolling around. Everywhere at major sights we saw large crowds and/or queues.
At these sights were many hawkers and the question came to our mind: How many tourists actually really buy selfie sticks?!?!
Pizza con porchetta was our snack near the Mercato di Campo dei Fiori. The statue in the middle of the square seems to no longer remind people of what happened here, because nowadays it’s a lively market during the day and during the evening filled with bar hoppers.
In a side street we made a pause for a Spritz. Which by the way was offered in a lot of different varieties.
On our way home we crossed the Tiber and saw the art installation “Triumphs and Laments” of William Kentridge. The 550m-long frieze depicting a procession of more than 80 figures from Roman mythology to the present. It’s a nice riddle walking by and trying to decide what you see and at what time in Romes history it happened. We did know them all, but it was a very nice walk at the Tiber.
We followed a recommendation of our Airbnb host and had dinner at Delle Comari. A good Osteria with fresh daily changing dishes. Nice extra only 5 minutes away from our temporary home.
3rd day
No queues in the morning at the Vatican Museum – maybe because the Pope appears in public around noon? No way! In fact it was more like the queues at the Mao Mausoleum in Beijing.
We had breakfast: Due capucinni grande, uno cornetto con crema para me e … We’re improving … but still the response in English 😉
Than we queued ourselves in because every Sunday at noon the Pope speaks from his window over St. Peter’s Square and recites the Angelus Prayer. We came to a point near to St. Peter’s Square where nothing moved anymore, we only could see through the columns and watch the pope on a big screen … but luckily we could proceed through the security check and finally we stood at St. Peter’s Square at noon. This time he didn’t appeared on the window, but stood on a large stage. Pope Francesco began on time, spoke a few words, the Angelus Prayer and was gone. 10 Minutes after noon it was over. The event itself – shouldn’t you be a believer – is interesting, but if you think about the long history of the catholic church, or just about what happened at and near this very place its is … quiet special.
With the masses leaving the square we walked uphill to the Fontana dell’Acqua Paola on Gianicolo Hill, which is the starting scene of the Oscar awarded Italian movie El Grande Belezza, with a stunning view over Rome – of course the fountain is nice as well.
We strolled after that through Trastevere, which has some very nice laid back streets. We had lunch at a nice piazza, sat on an outside table, enjoying the good food, warm temperatures and the easy going of the locals.
4th day
No traffic on the streets because of Labor Day, but to our surprise many shops were open. We took the Metro to get to the Forum Romanum.
We bought online tickets for the Forum Romanum and the Colosseum. Until now you have to change this reservation into tickets, which is a little outdated. We started with the Forum Romanum. Visualizations of the ruins in their prime could really help visitors like ourselves to connect the dots. The sight is still impressing, but you have to bring a full load of your imagination for visiting. Thinking of modern outdoor museums, it is quiet disappointing. Rome could and should do better!
The Circus Maximus – we saw it from above the Capitoline Hill. From that angle you see everything that is to see there today – just a deepened green flat area. It is really helpful to have watched Ben Hur – I mean the 1959 version. But still it is worth it to stroll around the Capitoline Hill and again with the help of your imagination this place is very impressive.
We decided to visit the Colosseum in the afternoon. It was less crowded and the light was far better for making pictures. It is really impressive – in sheer size, let alone the history. The arena in Verona is better preserved though. Inside is a quite good temporary exhibition, which blends very good int the building. We left this historic site quiet late in the afternoon and walked to the Metro Station Stagna – meanwhile it got quiet cold.
After a café at home, we dressed up and went dining.
La Zanzara was packed and Il Sorpasso closed, so we ended up in one of the restaurants nearby called Krugh. You really can’t fail with Italian restaurants.
For our after-dinner walk we – again – strolled to St. Peter’s Square, which is as beautiful in the evening. Big plus: only a few tourist are on the square and you can see if the Pope works late 😉
5th day
We walked to the Pantheon. From the piazza it is quiet impressive – as we arrived a sort of demonstration of clowns filled the piazza – but from the inside – especially the dome and the oculus when the light shines through it. For that reason a visit around noon seems to be quiet a good idea, as the sunlight can shine directly from the oculus to the bottom. It was the largest dome in the world until the building of the Florentine cupola – but the oculus is unique.
We strolled back in the direction of the Vatican to visit St. Peter’s Basilica and climb up to the dome. Again we had to queue – this time the queue was longer than half way of St. Peter’s Square. An hour and a more or less lax security check later we stood in Italy’s largest, richest and most spectacular basilica. We wondered if Pope Francis comes here after a long day and asks the janitor to turn on the lights again so that he can admire it’s beauty – we would!
Before the 551 steps to the top of the dome we had to queue again. The steps however are not that demanding – although we wouldn’t want to go up there in the middle of a summer day. The view – 120 meter above St. Peter’s Square however – is worth every drop of sweat.
Our nightly walk took us from our base at the Vatican Museum to Campo de Fiori, Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Piazza Colona, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and back again via Piazza Cavour. It was very nice and we felt save all the time. Although we had seen this places before, the nightly atmosphere changed the places in a way that it was a different experience. The ice cream at Don Nino was fantastic!
6th day
Termini baggage storage KI worked really well. Tip: Get your ticket before you queue. The Mercado Termini next to it is a nice place for a quick cappuccino or café and a quick eat.
By subway we drove to Circus Massimo. We had seen the circus yesterday from the top of the Capitoline Hill, so it was no surprise that not much is left to be seen. However standing on the former ground of this circus lets you much better get the cheer size of it! If you have seen Ben Hur, what a unbelievable spectacle this must have been!?
Just a few blocks away stands the little church where the Bocca della Verita has the fate to be visited by endless queues of visitors. Tom wanted go here because of the movie Roman Holiday, in which Gregory Peck has a lovely scene with Audrey Hepburn at the Bocca.
We strolled back through Trevi and found a nice quiet place for a little snack called La Prosciutteria. It was fantastic!
in the afternoon we had to claim our baggage and drove with the Leonardo Express to the airport. Tip: The tickets for the express train are available at every machine in the station. Just follow the menu.
Our top three learnings
- Rome is safer as you might think
- As visitor of the ruins of the Roman Empire you need a visual help especially for visits at the Forum Romanum
- As in other major tourist cities, take just one street parallel to the main tourist “highway” and it gets less crowded but not less beautiful
Our top three sightseeing tips
- The Vatican Museum is best visited on one of the evening openings, otherwise the ticket queue will eat you! The Sistine Chapel is one of the magnificent peaces of art that we have seen!
- The main tourist attractions make a fantastic impression on a nightly walk
- Rome is not too big to walk. We walked around 20 km daily.
Movies to watch before your trip
- Roman Holiday
- Ben Hur and/or Gladiator
- Grande Belezza
Ciao Roma, ciao Italia!
We will see us again!
P.S. In June 2017 we went to the theatre and watched an adaptation of William Shakespeares plays „Coriolanus“, „Julius Caesar“ and „Antony & Cleopatra“ called the “Roman Trilogy”. Although the production design was modern and scare, in our imagination we saw Ancient Rome unfold before our eyes.
