Ancient Rome is Everywhere

When you walk through Rome you constantly discover hidden piazas, narrow streets with interesting shops and the occasional ruin that goes back thousands of years.

While my parents were in town we were able to visit the Pantheon. The Pantheon, meaning "the temple of the Gods" dates back to 125 AD and is the oldest intact domed structure in Rome. There is an opening (pictured a.bove) in the center of the dome of the Pantheon called "the great eye".

Here are a few pictures of my visits to ruins within Rome and the Pantheon.

Vatican City and St. Peter's Basilica

Vatican City is a 110 acre enclave in Rome that is actually the smallest sovereign state in the world. It is the center of the Catholic Church, where Pope Benedict XVI resides and the home of the massive St. Peter's Basilical.

Vatican City or The Holy See was created in 1929 and has about 800 residents, granting them passports and issuing postage stamps. The Vatican Museums hold an incredible art collection and the Sistine Chapel holds the amazing frescoes of Michelangelo, Botticelli and Raphel.

While my parents were in Rome I made another visit to The Vatican. It is overwhelming to attempt to take in all of the art, architecture and extreme wealth that a visit to The Vatican has to offer. Photographing all of St. Peter's Basilica could take weeks!

As a tourist visiting The Vatican, expect long lines always- but especially on Friday and Saturday afternoons. The best time to visit is early in the morning one weekdays. The Vatican museum can take the better part of an afternoon to visit. Allow a full day if you are interested in exploring St. Peter's the tombs and the Vatican Museum.

The Colosseum

On my first trip back to the Colosseum, my roommates and I fell into the trap of getting our pictures taken with one of the "gladiators". Bad decision. Although we now have some priceless photographs the wimpy guy posing as a gladiator tried to rip us off. My advice, which worked for us- simply walk away. Our gladiator tried to charge us 10 Euro! That is $15 USD! I wish we could have fed him to the lions!
After our run in with the rob-you-blind-gladiator we enjoyed some cold beers on the lawn in front of the Colosseum. I highly recommend doing this in the evening because the Colosseum is beautifully lit at night.
Tomorrow I am leaving for Cinque Terre, expect some incredible photographs early next week!

Ciao for now!

Insalata Ricca

This weekend, while suffering from carb-overload my roommates and I decided to stop at a restaurant known for their salads. If you are craving a salad while in Rome then Insalata Ricca, located on Largo dei Chiavari in Campo d. Fiore, does not disappoint. Their menu includes a large selection of fresh salads with your choice of meat, seafood or simply veggie. Insalata Ricca also has a long list of small plates as well as pasta and meat entrées. My roommates and I found Insalata Ricca to be a nice change of pace- perfect for lunch to break up an afternoon of shopping!

First Return to the Trevi Fountain

Visiting the Trevi Fountain or in Italian, Fontana di Trevi was breathtaking. The Trevi Fountain may be a tourist trap during the day and early evening but late at night (between 1am-6am) visitors can have the fountain almost completely to themselves. Guards watch the fountain 24/7 so it is still safe to visit at night. The area between the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain is filled with great upscale shopping and dining.
When I traveled with my family to Europe at age 14 we visited the Trevi Fountain together. Legend has it that if you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain you will return to Rome again someday. Legend proved to be correct- and of course I threw another coin in this time around!

Ciao for Now!

(Photograph of Trevi Fountain by Brhea Lyke)

I Made it to Rome!

After a whirlwind 3 days I am finally settled into Rome. My first evening was spent visiting the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. I was exhausted from the travel but the astounding beauty managed to keep me awake! I arrived in Rome at 8am, but to me it felt like 1am since I traveled from Chicago. In order to beat the jet lag it is important that you do not go to sleep until it is "bedtime" in Rome. This was difficult to do but was definitely the best way to get myself on Rome time.

I hope to update again soon. On Sunday I leave for a tour of Northern Italy, including: Verona, Assisi and Ostia Antica.

Ciao for now!

(Photograph by Brhea Lyke)