Last but not Least: Rome!
Day 7
Pit stop in Orvieto for a wine tasting lunch, please!
During the trek from Florence to Rome, we stopped in a city that holds significant meaning to us. Peter's brother Brad and his sister-in-law Kate met in Orvieto during college while they were both studying aboard! It was so special to visit a family winery in southwestern Umbria and learn about the various reds and whites. We ate small appetizers with assortments of meats and cheeses before loading on the bus to Rome!
When we arrived in Rome, our tour guide Donald took our group to the Spanish Steps, Trevi Foundation, and The Pantheon before dinner.
At dinner, we feasted on antipasti of meat and cheeses, eggplant parmesan, baked zucchini, fried zucchini with anchovies and melted mozzarella, artichokes, a tomato pasta with pig cheek called guanciale, and a chocolate covered chocolate and cherry gelato with whipped cream. It was my favorite meal of the trip!
Day 8
Our tour group arrived at St. Peter's Basilica where we lined up to enter the beautiful iconic church. Our local tour guide Illaria told us the palazzo was designed by Bernini in the shape of "the arms of God" reaching in and including all of us. After going through security, we went inside the church and listened to Rick Steves' audio guide app. We saw Michelangelo's Pieta, which depicts young Mary and Jesus after he was taken down from the cross. Peter and I wandered around the beautiful church and saw the dome, the crypt where St. Peter's bones are kept, the basilica crypt, and the special door that only gets opened every 25 years at the start of Jubilee.
We also visited the Vatican Museums where we saw countless artifacts- paintings, statues, maps, tapestries, jewelry, and more. We learned from Rick Steves' audio guide that the ancient statues were painted with color to look human-like (not white as they appear today), and that's why you can sometimes see pupils in eyes and other details, but the paint has faded away over time. We concluded touring the museum with the Sistine Chapel where we gazed in awe at Michelangelo's work. We learned that he used scaffolding and had to lean back to paint the ceiling. Incredible!
Lunch consisted of the L'Italiano sandwich and a coke at All'Antico sandwich shop. Yum! We also got gelato at Giolitti for dessert.
Day 9
The Colosseum and Forum were incredible to see in person!
Peter and I listened to Rick Steves' audio guide app as we walked through the arena. It's amazing that we can still see these ancient ruins rich with years of history.
We also went inside the Pantheon. From the outside, we could see the original couple with steps on the top! There is a hole in the middle which lets in rain, and there are drains in the floor down below. Our local tour guide Illaria said that every Pentecost after Easter, there is a service held where people climb to the top of the couple and drop red rose petals inside to rain down on the people. We walked on original marble floors from ancient times that are still used today!
Our Farewell Dinner!
Red Wine from Umbria
(ft. tour guide Donald and fellow avid-traveler Steve who informed me of this scrapbook contest!)