
Day 13: Rome

Yesterday we visited the crumbling ruins of Pompeii, but today we experienced the ostentatious country of the Vatican (it is the smallest country in the world!) where the museum housed famous works by Renaissance artists such as Raphael, da Vinci, and of course, Michelangelo! We weren’t allowed to take pictures of the Sistine Chapel but we are so glad to see it with our very own eyes. I even laid down to admire the ceiling before the Vatican security promptly shouted out to me “This isn’t a beach!”.
The view of St. Peter’s Square from the Vatican within the arms of Bernini’s colonnade
The entrance to the Vatican Museum
Laocoön and His Sons
The Belvedere Apollo
Rich in front of a few sarcophogi
The Gallery of Maps
This ceiling was created as an illusion of being three dimensional
My personal favorite…mosaic floors!
Bernini’s baroque-styled canopy within St. Peter’s Basilica
(Everything was massive here! The words outlining the dome are each 6 feet tall!)
Michelangelo’s Pietà
An obligatory postcard to send home from the Vatican’s mail box
Because it’s St. Patrick’s Day, we had to find beer
My excitement to finally taste authentic Cacio e Pepe…and it did not disappoint!
We have taken the motto “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” to heart by ordering the same as those around us. In this case, the owner sat a few tables from us and ordered this simple but oh so delizioso buffalo mozzarella with green beans dish
The Colosseum
Ruins next to the Colosseum with Altare della Patria to the right
What an amazing last day in Rome before our train to Florence tomorrow!