Buongiorno, Roma!

I was lucky enough to accompany my parents in their recent Europe trip. We went to Rome, Paris and Mainz during the Eid Holiday. It was an amazing experience and I wish to share the experience with you. Maybe you'll catch the travel bug and plan your trip as well! :D

The view of the Swiss Alps from the plane.

All roads lead to Rome...

Ah! Rome! I never thought I would live to see it. Being a fan of old architecture, a trip to Rome was one the biggest items on my bucket list. Here is a city that melts old and new... a city that celebrates antiquity. The humidity and temperature was a bit like Manila during December. When we arrived at Fiumicino Airport in Rome, we rode a shuttle going to the city. The bus fare costs 5 euros per person and the trip took about 45 minutes.

This is the Terravision Bus that goes to Termini Station

The Termini Station in Rome

We passed through the countryside and when we started seeing old churches and buildings, I knew we were in Rome. The first thing we did was to check in and have lunch. We ate at a ristorante near our hotel. I learned that Italians really love tomatoes and their accent is the same as depicted on movies and TVs... they say Mama Mia! just like in the movies. Hahaha... 

Tomatoes.....

Lots of pasta and tomato fillings.

Hop on!

Amazing buildings still stand after all these years.

A bit provincial

Where old meets new

Here you will find temples built around the second century BC that are preserved through the ages. It just amazes me how talented and resourceful ancient Romans were.

Those are still the original marbles steps of the Roman Ruins.

Palatino Ruins

The Temple of Portunos

The Temple of Hercules

The first attraction that we went to see was the Roman Coloseo. It was originally called the Flavian Amphitheatre after the family that built it, but it was nicknamed the Coloseo because it was near the colossal statue of Nero. Ticket rate for an adult is 25 Euro and 17 Euro for kids. We also found the Arch of Constantine around the Coloseo.

The Roman Colosseum

The Colosseum is always teeming with tourists.

The Arch of Constantine

The next day, we decided to go Vatican City but before that we had our breakfast first. Then we hopped on the bus again to go to our first stop.

Simple breakfast

When we arrived at Vatican we went directly to St. Peter's Basilica. I must admit that I was awestruck by its grandeur and beauty. Even though I am not Catholic, I can't help but appreciate the architecture and all the painstaking effort that was done to make it so beautiful. The sculptures were bigger than people and they were so artistically done.

The Obelisk at St. Peter's Square

St. Peter's Basilica facade

If you're planning on visiting Vatican, be sure to read up about the dress code as well.

Vatican has a strict dress code.

The view of St. Peter's Dome from inside

The Swiss Guards.

We really wanted to visit the Vatican Museum but unfortunately, we didn't know it was a holiday that day. We only got to take a photo of the gate. Haha.. so lesson learned! 

Mvsee Vartican

After that we continued our sightseeing and souvenir shopping around Rome. Here are some more photos of the sights around Rome. 

The Trevi Fountain

The Senate House

We also visited the Italian National Museum and the Roman National Museum. The Italian National Museum showcases their history as an Italian nation, which started with the immigration and unification of the Italian provinces.

Old photos of Italians

Contemporary Paintings

The Roman National Museum which is near Termini Station, showcases the art and history from the Roman Empire. It houses original relics and replicas of famous marble statues.

Replicas of famous statues

Rome is a small city so you can cover most of the sights within 3 days. All in all, the trip to Rome was a surreal experience for me. One item from my bucket list, fulfilled!  But for us, this is just the beginning of the European trip! Our next stop? Paris! Stay tuned! ^_^

XOXO,

Sampaguita Pride