I left just after 10am for the Vatican. Walk past a very very long queue that reminded me of Wimbledon. The advantage of booking online a few days ahead that you jump the queue and go straight through security and you are in a different country – The Vatican City, the smallest country in the world (49 hectares). Technically it’s not in the EU and I guess when you buy your tickets in euros your are in Italy! We had a great guide to take us for 2 hours through a huge area of marble sculptures, paintings, mosaic floors (when you could see them), tapestries, maps, painted walls and ceilings. And the place was absolutely full of tourists – 25,0000 a day! It was amazing.
The tour finished as we entered the Sistine Chapel. No photos (there’s plenty available online) and no talking. Really? This is the noisiest place in the Vatican City with huge numbers of disrespectful tourists ignoring the loud speakers telling them not to talk. Crazy. I had a quick look at the other Vatican museums but I think I had got to overload. Though a great list of Popes carved in a stone wall.
Next was an hour in St. Peter’s Basilica (built 1506-1626) the largest church in the world and it is huge, 218m long and the dome height 136m. Huge marble statues of Popes. A bronze statue of Peter with his foot worn down by pilgrims kissing it. The crypt was full of dead Popes.
Out into St. Peter’s Square. That was an intense 3 ½ hours. Walked via Piazza Navona to the Pantheon where I spent 45 minutes online trying to buy a ticket.
The cash and credit card queues were basically not moving. Two credit cards were rejected (found out you needed a EU card only) and finally paid via PayPal (using a credit card! ) and PayPal fee was a third as much as the €5 entry. It was do this or not get in. Once had ticket it was straight in. At nearly 2,000 years old it is the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome at 43m diameter and 43m in height. Impressive even if I spent twice as long buying the ticket than being there. That’s the peak season for you.
Next stop the Trevi Fountain (1762). And the crowds. They throw coins in and the €3,000 per day is used to feed the citizens of Rome in need.
On to the Spanish Steps. Built with French money in 1725 and the steps lead to a French church, so the French Steps? The 135 steps were not as busy as expected but a lot of people below them.
The French church, Chiesa di Trinità dei Monti, had a sundial on it that said 4pm, but it was 5:15pm. Interesting fact is Italy advanced its time by 10 minutes in1893 (to be 1 hour ahead of GMT) and with daylight saving the sundial was accurate! Near this church is a lovely view back over Rome.
You don’t need to carry much water around in Rome as you can fill up at the countless water fountains that are safe to drink from. Walked down to Piazza del Popolo, People’s Square.
A great App for transport in Rome is “Moovit”. But each time I’ve checked it today walking is not much longer than taking public transport. So decided to walk back to accommodation beside the Tevere, River Tiber. It’s certainly not like the Seine or even the Thames though.
Also found a car smaller than a Smart car, the EV Renault Twizzy. Though its easy to park a Smart car too.
Back at 7pm. Out for dinner at a real Italian time of 9:30pm. It was very busy and eventually found a nice table overlooking a square for a seafood risotto and wine for my last night of this trip.
Rick's travels 