More sites from our Rome visit

Our Rome trip was awesome. We were able to see most everything we wanted to see and was able to relax at a few cafes along the way. We saw the major sites like the Colosseum and the Vatican, and also the Forum, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona and Pantheon.

I'll leave Rome with a collection of pictures.

Pantheon at night

Trevi Fountain

Outside Vatican Museum

Vatican

Pantheon during day

Palatine Hill

Palatine Hill

Street cafe by our apartment

Piazza Navona

Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers

Inside the Pantheon

The Vatican

We spent our Saturday morning in Rome at the Vatican and St Peters. Once again, I want to suggest that buying your tickets online before your trip is the way to go. Otherwise you could be standing in a very long line.

The Vatican is a very large museum with artifacts collected from all around the globe. The Sistine Chapel is dangled in front of you as the prize at the end of the museum tour. Pace yourself as it is a lot of walking but the exhibits are well worth it. One of my favorites is the map room with maps of different areas around the Mediterranean as it existed years ago. As you walk through the exhibits you finish with the apartments of the popes and then end up in the Sistine Chapel. The time to tour the Vatican is up to you. You can spend a few hours or a full day.

After the Vatican we then went to St Peters. From the Sistine Chapel there is a way you can go directly to St Peters but we choose to walk around the block and go in that way. You don't need a ticket and there is a long line but the line moves rather quickly. One word of advice is since it is a religious site there is a dress code and women are not allowed to enter with bare shoulders. You may think you are ok but they won't let you in with bare shoulders. If you are all ready there buy a cheap scarf from a vendor and wrap it around your shoulders.

For me, I like St Peters with all it's artwork over the Vatican but it is just my preference.

Swiss Guard

St Clement Basilica

On a recommendation from a family friend who now lives in Rome we went to see St Clement Basilica. The funny thing is it was about a block from where we were staying and is assuming. Without her recommendation we probably would have just walked by it everyday.

The present day basilica was built in the year 1100. The treasure lies beneath. The basilica was built on top of a 4th century basilica that was converted from the home of a nobleman that goes back to the 1st century. Underneath that are the ruins of a villa and warehouse that was destroyed in the great fire of 64 AD.

Inside the church you can pay to explore the ruins under the church. The further you go down the farther you go back in time.

The address is Via Labicana, 95, 00184 Roma RM, Italy in the Laterano district not far from the Colosseum. If you have the time it is worth a look. 

Ad Hoc Restaurant, Rome

From a recommendation by a friend we went to Ad Hoc in Rome for dinner on a Saturday night.  The restaurant offers a taste of Roman tradition and specializes in truffles. The address is Via di Ripetta, 43 in Rome just northwest of the Spanish Steps. We had reservations which I would recommend as it is hard to get into without.

I ordered a pasta dish which I enjoyed but my son ordered the truffle tasting which was many courses each with truffle. He said the meal was awesome. We sat in a small room to ourselves surrounded by wine that was served in the restaurant. Service is great making it a perfect dining experience. At the end of the meal they brought a bag with a small bottle of olive oil for the women in our group.

If you are going to Rome this is one restaurant I would recommend. Go to their website and get reservations before you go.

Italy 2018 - Rome

We scored again with a great Airbnb in Rome. The location was perfect as we could see the Coliseum from the entrance to the building. From there we could walk to most places.

The first day we arrived in the late afternoon. After getting settled in the apartment we walked to Piazza Navona for dinner. Along the way we saw the Coliseum, Pantheon, The Church of the Gezu and Piazza Navona itself with the Four Rivers fountain by Bernini. After a nice dinner outside we made our way to The Trevi Fountain which is best to see at night.

After a long drive that was enough of the first night and we made our way back to the apartment.

Pantheon

Trevi Fountain

Borghese Gallery

Rape of Proserpina

On our trip to Rome I was able to go to my favorite museum and to see work of my favorite artist Bernini. My recommendation would be to go to the Borghese Gallery on your first day in Rome.
The reason is the gallery features works from Bernini and after, when you are touring Rome, you will see many works by Bernini like fountains around the city and statues at the Vatican, to the alter in St Peters.

My favorite piece of work by Bernini is "The Rape of Proserpina". The work was completed in 1622 when Bernini was only 23 years old and depicts the abduction of Proserpina by the god Pluto who took her to the underworld. What I like about his work is that it shows motion, emotion and the very fine detail like the impression of his hand on her thigh. There are many pieces of his work there as well as works from other artists. Bernini was a favorite artist of his time and was a favorite of popes so you will see a lot of his work in Vatican city. Also, go to Piazza Navona and see his "Fountain of the Four Rivers". My advice would be to read about Bernini's work and see how many you can find in Rome.

The alter in St Peters

Depicting the escape from Troy

Bernini's David

The museum is in the Borghese villa located in a large park not far from the top of the Spanish Steps. The villa itself would be worth the price.

Tickets for the museum are limited to a two hour window and tickets sell out. If you are going, buy your tickets online before you go. They limit the number of guests during the two hour window and at the end of the window every one must leave for the next group. By doing that you don't have to fight crowds and you can walk right up to the sculptures.  I would put this as a must see when you are in Rome.

Airbnb Rome

I wanted to give a shout-out to Airbnb. I already wrote about our amazing stay in Florence in the Ancient Tower. After Florence our next stop was Rome. I booked the Airbnb in Rome the same way I did in Florence by looking at location and reviews. Again we weren't disappointed. 

We stayed at the Esplora La Citta in Appartmento, Classico, a Colosseo in the heart of Rome. The address is Via di San Giovanni in Laterano 226, Rome, Lazio 00184, Italy. When we arrived I called our host Marzia and she had her son meet us to let us in. He gave us the keys and showed us around the apartment. He also had a binder that had all the information we needed for our stay. The binder had information on markets, sites, restaurants. Everything we needed.The apartment had two bedrooms and slept four people, five if you used the sofa. 

Now for location. When you walk out the building onto the sidewalk and look to the left the Colosseum is right there. We were able to walk to almost all sites and when we needed to drive we took Uber. Street parking was ample and we left the cars there for our stay at about 10 euro a day by meter. 

If you have ever thought of Airbnb but haven't tried it yet do it. I have never had a bad experience.