I knew the day was going to be long; an hour train journey both there and back followed by (little did I know at the start) seven miles of walking. However, it was all worth the beautiful sights which Rome had to offer.
15,000 steps earlier…
In true Italian temperatures, we stood waiting for the train stocked up with water and sweets – the essentials for a sight-seeing day! Finally, a good 20 minutes later the train approached the platform and we climbed aboard to find a seat – although they were sparse! Music in, sweets open and ready to get on with the journey.
As we stepped out of the station, we had our first glimpse of architecture (a glass, dome-shape) which peaked above the residence nearby. Intrigued, I was excited to see more!
Midday struck and we had arrived at the Vatican City; home to the bishop of Rome commonly known as the Pope. Tuscan colonnades with statues on the top surrounded this country – you could definitely feel the importance of this holy ground. We braved the queues and went inside.
Vatican City is made up of St Peter’s Square, which is where St Peter’s Basilica stands as the World’s largest church of Christianity, and the Pope’s home, Apostolic Palace. Looking at this, from the second window to the right, draped a luxurious, red cloth. Silence struck across the thousands of people in the Vatican City, as they listened to the Pope’s precept, which was interrupted by the occasional thunderous applause. Definitely an experience! It was perfect timing on a Sunday! A few selfies later, (ok maybe the selfie-stick made an appearance!) and we were on our way to the next destination.
Ah the Trevi Fountain…wow! There it was. The 18th-century, sculpted fountain stood bold and prominent on a busy corner in Rome. Some people were traditionally throwing in a coin with a wish; others were in admiration of its beautiful, white stone. A few snaps and onto our next tourist hotspot. Today was definitely about seeing the sights!
On we plodded and I started to feel hunger ripple in my stomach. There was only one solution – pizza! A quick street-food grab it was and a water bottle top-up. Places to go…things to see! When in Rome!
As we walked through the narrow streets, (observing more tasty pizza and pasta!) we stumbled across the Pantheon. An ancient, roman temple (now a church) which had historical tombs. Like many other churches around Rome, I observed they all had Roman Composite columns, similar to the Ancient Greek Corinthian floral-style. Also, the Pantheon acquired another fountain close by and this one had some Egyptian hieroglyphics engraved into it. Perhaps it was a tribute to an Egyptian god or goddess?
Google maps open. Next destination. The Colosseum!
Small pockets of ruins surrounded the outskirts of this iconic area. Then, straight ahead stood the Colosseum with its roman, gladiatorial presence. In all honesty, yes it is a fascinating piece of history, but not something that would be on the top of my list to visit usually. Still, you guessed it, a few more snaps (the standard tourist thing to do) and on we went.
Sadly, time was running away from us as we had to get back to the port, which was around an hour away from Rome. In spite of this, we found a few minutes to purchase some souvenirs!
After an italian metro experience, a double-decker train ride and a leisurely sunset stroll, we were back at the ship’s port.
15,000 steps, seven miles and surprisingly, no blisters…what a beautiful day in Rome! I would advise a couple of days to see the true beauty of this capital city and eat as much pasta and pizza as you like! Rome, I will be back! 😋
The View From the Window 