Map of the places we visited in Italy
We spent 8 days in Italy. We divided the trip up into 2 nights Rome, 2 nights Venice, 2 nights Florence and 1 last night back in Rome before the flight back home. We took the chance while in Florence to take the one hour train ride to have lunch in Pisa, just so that we can get the famous pictures of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was a great trip and I would have to say that Rome is one of the nicest foreign cities with wonderful sights and history, good food, and of course great gelato. This is one of those places that I would go back to visit again.
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As I state above, Rome is one of the best cities we have visited. The history and old world charm left you with a good feeling while walking around the city. We found the best little restaurant around the corner from our hotel (Star Hotel) that had the best pizza. So light that you can eat a large by yourself. We also stopped in some of the restaurants that have the outside seating just for the ambiance and people watching. Of course visiting the historical sites and the Vatican made the trip to Rome. The best gelato in the world is found in Rome! Love that place.
We stayed in the Star Hotel one block from Saint Peters Basilica and Vatican City. It was a great location with a metro on the other side of the Basilica. The area outside of the Basilica, Saint Peters Square and Piazza Pio XII is fantastic night and day. We were lucky to be there during a Mass for Palm Sunday. We toured inside Saint Peters Basilica and it is very very impressive. We have toured churches all over the world and this one is awesome. Inside it is so massive with amazing art and sculptures. The Basilica centers around the Papal Altar where only the Pope celebrates Mass. It was consecrated by Clement VIII, June 5, 1594, on top of several other older altars. Rising above the altar is the baldacchino (95ft. canopy), Bernini's masterpiece and first work in St. Peter's. The ancient tomb of St. Peter lies directly below the altar. We went below into the grottoes but they only let you take a picture of one of the papal sarcophaguses. Overall this is a must see for anyone travelling to Rome.
The Unique Pontifical Swiss Guard of Vatican City.
The actual Sistine Chapel inside the Vatican is fairly small. When you go in, they are adamant about no pictures. I sneaked this one by holding my camera near my side and just kept clicking upward to Michelangelo's masterpiece.
The Pyramid of Cestius (in Italian, Piramide di Caio Cestio or Piramide Cestia) is an ancient pyramid in Rome, Italy, near the Porta San Paolo and the Protestant Cemetery.Due to its incorporation into the city's fortifications, it is today one of the best-preserved ancient buildings in Rome. The pyramid was built about 18 BC-12 BC as a tomb for Gaius Cestius, a magistrate and member of one of the four great religious corporations in Rome, the Septemviri Epulonum. It is of brick-faced concrete covered with slabs of white marble standing on a travertine foundation.
The bronze statue of Archangel Michael, standing on top of the castel Sant'Angelo
The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo (English: Castle of the Holy Angel), is a towering cylindrical building in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum.
