Ciao Roma!

We landed in Rome, and went straight out to find some good Italian Food - it was rather late at night, but there was a restaurant (like Italian fast food) up the street from our hotel, and it was delicious!

Then we woke up the next morning and headed to Vatican City - to explore St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums.

We started with the Vatican Museums!

My favorite Art History professor gave me amazing advice to following when exploring new places - "Always Look Up" - and when one is exploring the Vatican, this is something that you must ALWAYS do!

This is one of my favorite pieces of art - The School of Athens by Raphael. This is one of the most famous frescoes of the Italian Renaissance. It was painted between 1509 and 1511 as a part of Raphael's commission to decorate the rooms now known as the Stanze di Raffaello, in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.

You are not allowed to talk or take photos in the Sistine Chapel - they get VERY upset! So the below images are from the Vatican website. The art inside the chapel is very over-whelming, but the detail - it is beyond epic!

I don't know why - but I just connected with this fresco...

Below is the Holy Door of the Vatican. The doors are normally sealed by mortar and cement from the inside so that they cannot be opened. They are ceremoniously opened during Jubilee years designated by the Pope, for pilgrims who enter through those doors may piously gain the plenary indulgences attached with the Jubilee year celebrations.

The amount of art inside St. Peter's is immense!

Below is The Pietà - which is a work of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti, housed in St. Peter's Basilica. The sculpture, in Carrara marble, and was made for a cardinal's funeral monument, but was moved to its current location, the first chapel on the right as one enters the basilica, in the 18th century. It is the only piece Michelangelo ever signed, and it is breathtaking.

All the chairs lined up for Sunday Mass - which is ALWAYS packed.

Some people do not realize it, but Vatican City is actual considered a completely different country.

It is an ecclesiastical/sacerdotal-monarchical state (a type of theocracy) ruled by the Bishop of Rome – the Pope.

Finally! Lunch! Haha - We ate at this amazing restaurant called "Arlu". Then it was off to tour The Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forums.

The Arch of Constantine is a triumphal arch situated between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill.

It was erected by the Roman Senate to commemorate Constantine I's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312. In addition, it is the largest Roman triumphal arch.

Palatine Hill is the centermostof the Seven Hills of Rome and is one of the most ancient parts of the city. We had wonderful weather, and the sun was perfect for our tour around.

The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum, is a rectangular forum surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. It amazing the history behind all these ruins - nothing like it.

Can you spot any trouble makers???

Hmmmmm..... Haha

And (of course!) we ended our crazy busy day with some Gelato!