Today is our last day in Rome!
BIG tip for Rome: If you are going to go to the Vatican Museums and/or see the Sistine Chapel, buy tickets ahead of time! The line to get in is INSANE (but definitely way less chaotic than the audience with the pope), but with pre-purchased tickets, you can jump the line and walk right through the door!
I think one of the biggest things I wish I knew before going to Rome and planning the Vatican Museum day, is exactly just how much there is to see in it. I had NO idea how huge that museum really is. I also wish I would have gotten a detailed map before heading into it, so I could know exactly where I wanted to go rather than being shuffled along with the crowds into some less-than-thrilling exhibits I didn't care for.
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| Now that's an oldie... |
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| Seriously my most favorite statue I saw in the museums. I'm pretty sure this is the first piece of evidence that we have that is a result of an artist on drugs. |
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| I mean, the ceilings in this place are just ridiculously amazing... |
I have over 200 photos from the Vatican Museums, so I'll have to post a link to a photo-sharing site soon so you can see them all if you'd like. The really cool thing about the museum is that you will see things from the 8th century B.C. (or even earlier) all the way to modern times. We saw a really neat exhibit on Henri Matisse. This was my favorite work of his:
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| We had seen A LOT of paintings and statues of Mary and her child, Jesus. This was just so modern and simplistic that I really just loved seeing a different interpretation of it. |
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| Not the greatest, but at least I got most of it. |
1. Buy tickets ahead of time.
2. Wear good walking/standing shoes. Throw all hopes of fashion out of the window for the day.
3. Do not expect to get through the museums in a few hours. Plan for AT LEAST half the day.
4. Download Rick Steves' app on your iPhone or iPad for the Sistine Chapel. He does a great job explaining everything that you're looking at, because the room can actually be quite overwhelming right when you walk in. Bring headphones to listen to it while you're there!
5. Prepare to be shuffled along with other big tour groups of Europeans, and just know that they have different bathing routines than Americans do. Try to not breathe through your nose. Seriously. Gross.
6. Make sure your camera is completely charged the night before. Don't run the risk of missing out on some great photo-ops!
After the museums, our legs were tired, and our bellies were grumbling. We grabbed some quick lunch and headed right back out for some more of Rome. We mostly did a lot of people watching and roaming the streets, but two sights/places we saw will always stick with me, as they were incredibly gorgeous and a perfect way to end our time in Rome:
St. John Lateran Basilica
This Catholic Church holds some of the remains of St. Peter and St. Paul. It also holds huge, grand, beautiful statues of Jesus' apostles. I didn't think a church could blow me away like the Vatican did, but St. John Lateran came really close. I actually exclaimed to my Dad that this was the church I now dream of getting married in one day. It is breath-taking.
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| Looking down the main aisle in St. John Lateran. There are small chapels off to the sides of the main church, which are equally beautiful, but designed completely differently. |
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| The remains of St. Peter and St. Paul are in the gold statues of them up above the alter. |
This bridge is for pedestrians only, and lined with huge statues along the sides. It gives a beautiful view of the Tiber River and the Vatican (from a distance), which gave an awesome photo opportunity as the sun was setting on our day...
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| Walking down the Ponte Sant'Angelo |
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| The Vatican in the distance with a gorgeous sunset |
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| Thank goodness you can't tell just how mucky green the water is in this picture :) |
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| Just a perfect way to end our time in Rome... |
Ciao! :)
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