This blog is the fifth part of an eleven part series where I cover our adventures in Italy. You can click here to read the previous blog which covers our first day in Rome. Click here to read about our next day in Naples where we almost get stranded on top of a volcano.
The highlights and structure of the trip are detailed in the first part which can be read here.
Vatican City
Vatican City, the smallest country in the world, is completely surrounded by the city of Rome. Apart from being the home of the Pope and the headquarters of the catholic world, it is also a treasure trove of art, architecture and history. More than five million tourists visit Vatican every year, just to crane their necks upwards and marvel at Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Dominated mostly by the St Peter's Basilica and St Peter's square, the entire landmass of Vatican is heavily crowded through the day, with lines sometimes being longer than the country !
Traveler Introduction
Just in case you missed out on our introduction in the previous blogs.
We caught the red line metro from Roma Termini and rode six stops to Ottaviano. There is no one particular stop to get to Vatican. With more than four metro stops surrounding the country, it depends where you are coming from and where you plan to enter Vatican from.
Since we wanted to go to the museums first rather than St Peter's square, we chose Ottaviano as the destination. The Vatican museums were only a short walk from the metro station.
Our hopes to be the first (or even among the first) in line were crushed when we saw the line outside the ticketing booth.
Expenditure Estimate
We had spent the night in Rome. The hostel charges are already included in the expenditure of estimate of the previous blog. The breakdown of expenses per person for this day is detailed below:
a) Traveling within the city was free: Covered by Roma pass.
b) €61 for entry tickets: €45 (guided tour of Vatican Museum, includes Sistine Chapel) + €7 (Castel Sant'Angelo) + €9 (Capuchin Crypt). Entry to St Peter's Basilica, Spanish Steps, Trevi fountain and Il Vittoriano is free.
c) €8 for food: €4 (lunch) + €4 (dinner at McD)
d) €13 for travel: FlixBus from Rome to Naples
Our total expenditure on the second day in Rome came to around €82 per person. The expenditure breakdown does not include purchase of souvenirs.
06:30 hrs | Legends Hostel
With barely six hours of sleep, our day started very early. To save time in the morning we had already packed our bags at night. We rushed through the complementary breakfast of doughnuts and coffee and headed for Roma Termini to catch a metro to Vatican. The plan was to be the first in line for the tickets to Vatican museums.
The line was literally longer than the boundary wall of the country. There was no way we were going to have the morning session in the Vatican museums. The waiting time in the line was more than four hours. We knew we were not going in with conventional methods. There is no waiting period for guided tours and skip the line tickets. But they are very expensive as compared to the €16 ticket of the museum. But this was no time to be penny wise and pound foolish. We could forego the museum visit and just see the St Peter's basilica. But there is usually a big line to get in the church as well. However, there is a internal connection between the museum and the church, saving the museum goers waiting time in line for the church. We had also targeted this. Unfortunately now we would have to go and wait in line for the church because there was no way we were entering Vatican museums before noon.
While we were still contemplating our choices, an Indian looking guy walked up to us. He was actually Bangladeshi and was trying to sell a guided tour package. He said we can join the first group and get inside Vatican as soon as it opens at 9 o'clock. His price was €80 per person. Now that is a lot of money. But there was a cultural connection here and we got to bargaining. After exchanging pleasantries and a little mutual sycophancy we were able to strike a deal at €45. That is a huge bargain and believe me, only Indians can do that. We walked with him to their office. He requested us to not tell the other people about the amount we paid. We were actually the first customers of his for the day. They did not accept card payment so we had to shell out cash. We waited at the office while he again went out and brought more customers. By around 08:45 hrs he had only managed to collected six people, including us. We were worried if the group was not big enough we would have to wait longer, which could spoil our plans further down the day. Fortunately, that is not how his business model worked. He asked us to follow him outside the office and guided us to a spot where the real guide was waiting. Other tour operators were bringing their small groups to her as well. Around twenty people assembled near her in the next five minutes. There were similar clusters of tourists and guides around us. After handing us over to the guide, our Bangladeshi friend left.
The guide was a very sweet and soft-spoken lady. She gave us a briefing on what will happen inside and pasted pink colored identification stickers on our jackets. Then she tied her pink colored scarf to a selfie stick and conjured a makeshift flag. Exactly at 09:00 hrs we entered into Vatican.
09:00 hrs | Vatican Museum - €45
We were now inside the Vatican museum complex. This museum has one of the largest art collections in the world. Competing closely with the Louvre in Paris, Vatican museum is also one of the largest in the world. The seven kilometers of halls and corridors house exhibits ranging from Egyptian mummies, ancient statues from different civilizations, artifacts from all over the world, Renaissance paintings and a spectacular collection of sculptures.
The entrance/ welcome building for tourists also houses some interesting articles. One of them was a custom spacesuit for the pope.
One does not simply walk into Vatican. It is a different country altogether. After completing our security check at the entrance we had to undergo a sort of emigration where our passports were checked. Subsequent to that, all participants of the guided tour had to collect a radio based listening device with an earpiece. Using this device the guide could easily explain things on a microphone without having us crowd around her.
The starting point of all routes through the museum is the Giardino Quadrato, a rectangular garden where boards have been put up to help guides explain the different rooms and artworks in the museum. We followed our guide to a relatively non-crowded information board. She gave us a brief introduction of Vatican museums and outlined the structure of our guided tour.
After that we followed her through the building into the famous pinecone courtyard on the other side. The courtyard is named after the huge Augustan-era bronze pine cone which decorates it. This giant pinecone was originally located near the Pantheon.
We crossed the courtyard, climbed a flight of stairs and entered the first long corridor of Museo Pio-Clementino. This hall is home to Vatican's finest collection of classical statues.
We exited the entrance facility onto a terrace which provided a majestic view of the dome of St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican gardens.
The centre of the courtyard is decorated with a purposefully fractured giant orb title Sfera con Sfera, which translates to Sphere within a Sphere. It is a bronze structure which shines golden in the sunlight.
The boundaries of the courtyard are decorated with Egyptian, Greek and Roman statues.
The long corridor opened up in the octagonal courtyard which displays a collection of mythical masterpieces. Most famous among these are the Laocoön and Apollo Belvedere. The Greek god Apollo is depicted as a standing archer having just shot an arrow. The sculpture of Laocoön shows the Trojan priest and his sons being attacked by sea serpents.
The collection in the octagonal courtyard also comprises of statues of other Greek & Roman gods and bewildering ancient artifacts such as a bathtub carved out from a single piece of granite.
The next exhibition we entered was the Sala degli Animali or the Animal Room. The statues on display were all of different animals.
A staircase from here led us up to the Galleria dei Candelabri or the Gallery of Candelabra. It is the first of the three long galleries along this extremely long corridor. We were funneled along this gallery by the crowd and emerged in a long room lined with tapestries.
The walls of Galleria degli Arazzi or the Tapestry Gallery are lined with ten tapestries, all produced by Raffaello Sanzio. These wall hangings depict two catholic stories, one of St Peter and one of St Paul. The roof of this gallery is a masterpiece in itself. The pastel colored engraved ceiling gives a very pleasant vibe along the entire length of this corridor.
The next exhibition was Sala delle Muse or the Room of Muses. At the centre of the room is the famous Torso Belvedere. This fragmented marble torso is fabled to be of the Greek hero Ajax.
As we moved ahead we entered the Sala Rotonda, the round room. This circular room has a set of statues centered around a huge red porphyry basin red basin. The floor of the room is an assemblage of mosaics from the 3rd century. The construction of this room was aimed at imitating the structure of Pantheon.
Next we entered the neighboring Sala Croce Greca or the Greek Cross Room. In the centre of the floor is a magnificent mosaic with a bust of Athena. Each side of the entrance is flanked by an Egyptian style pillar-statue in pink granite, which date from the beginning of the 1st century.
At the end of this hall we emerged into an even longer Galleria delle Carte Geografiche or the Map Gallery. Huge topographical maps are hung across the length of this 120m long hall. The golden gilted ceiling of this gallery gives a very imperial look. The maps which decorate the walls cover cities within Italy and major countries in Europe.
10:45 hrs | Sistine Chapel
After more than hundred minutes of walking through the hallways of the Vatican museum, we were now standing under the most famous ceiling in the world. This masterpiece by Michelangelo which covers the entire 800-sq-meter surface of the ceiling took him more than four years to complete and is regarded as the greatest feat of painting ever accomplished by a single artist. The artwork is based on Biblical stories which are portrayed on nine panels depicting the Creation, Adam and Eve, the Fall, the plight of Noah and the Last Judgement. Sistine Chapel is the official residence of the pope and the site of the papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected.
The Sistine Chapel is very crowded during the regular working hours, with barely enough space to stand. If you desire a more relaxed and serene experience to enjoy the beauty of art in this room, you can consider the early morning tours by paying a premium price, usually in the range of €90 - €100. Such tours can be found at walksofitaly.com
Photography is prohibited inside the Sistine Chapel. You can take a virtual tour of the Vatican museum as well as the Sistine Chapel on their website museivaticani.va
The long walk through these galleries led us to the first of the four Stanze di Raffaello or the Raphael Rooms. Anywhere else these magnificent frescoed chambers would be the star attraction, but here they just serve as the warm-up for the grand finale in Sistine Chapel.
Our guide took us through a passage which connects the Sistine Chapel to the St Peter's Basilica. This is the benefit of going to the museum first as it helps in avoiding the waiting period in the queue for the church. We thanked our guide as she left for a second batch of tourists.
11:15 hrs | Basilica di San Pietro
We could see the long queue at the edges of the St Peter's square and felt lucky to have decided to take the step of getting on a guided tour through the Vatican museums.
Entry into the church is free. Strict dress-code is followed for entry into the church. Shorts, mini-skirts and bare-shoulder dresses are not allowed.
Rome is home to many churches, but none compare to the St Peter's Basilica. It is the largest, richest and most spectacular church in all of Italy. The construction of this basilica took almost 120 years. The lavish interiors of the church are no less than a palace. It also contains many celebrated works of art, most prominent of them being Michelangelo's Pieta. This sublime sculpture depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the crucifixion. Carved in carrara marble, it is also the only piece that Michelangelo ever signed.
12:45 hrs | St Peter's Square
The giant central area overlooked by the St Peter's Basilica is designed to resemble a keyhole. The two semicircular colonnades which encircle it are said to resemble the motherly arms of the church. The entire piazza is huge, at its largest it measures more than 340 meters across. This area mostly serves as a gathering place for people whenever the pope is addressing the community.
Adjacent to the colossal facade of the church is a small check-post manned by two members of the world's smallest army - the Swiss Guard. Aimed at protecting the pope and the apostolic palace, they are among the oldest military units in continuous operation. Their uniform of blue, red, orange and yellow has a distinct Renaissance appearance.
Majority of the churches in Italy are designed as a cross and the St Peter's Basilica is no exception. Right at the the intersection of the cross, underneath the giant dome and over the high altar is a large sculpted bronze canopy. Technically called a baldachin, it was designed by Bernini and was intended to mark the tomb of St Peter which is situated underneath it. The bronze for the baldachin is said to have been taken from the Pantheon. The pope is the only priest permitted to serve at this altar.
The soaring dome of the church is a masterpiece in itself the design of which is attributed to Michelangelo. Sadly, he did not live to see it built completely. It is possible to climb the dome at a fee of €7 to get stunning rooftop views of the Vatican.
It took us around two hours to maneuver through the slowly moving crowd and cover the entire area of the church. It was only after we exited that we saw the glorious facade which includes statues representing Christ the Redeemer, St John the Baptist and the eleven apostles. The balcony at the center of the facade is known as the Loggia della Benedizione. It is from here that the pope delivers the blessings of Christmas and Easter.
At the center of the piazza stands a 25m tall uninscribed Egyptian obelisk made of red granite. The obelisk was originally erected at Heliopolis in Egypt.
The obelisk is flanked by two fountains. The older fountain by Maderno is on the north side and the relatively newer one by Bernini is on the south side of the obelisk.
It was almost lunchtime when we left the St Peter's square. We enjoyed a small and cheap meal of coke, pizza and carbonara pasta at an eatery just outside the Vatican.
After satiating our hunger we walked the 500m of the Road of Conciliation which connects the Vatican to Castel Sant'Angelo. This road on the west bank of river Tiber is the primary access road to St Peter's square. The road is bordered by a number of historical and religious buildings.
14:15 hrs | Castel Sant'Angelo - €7
Built as a mausoleum for emperor Hadrian, this former fortress now houses a museum with collections of paintings, sculptures, military memorabilia and medieval firearms. Many of the weapons on display were actually used by soldiers who fought to protect the castle. A secret passage from the Vatican connects to the castle and was used by many popes to escape danger. The castle has a terrace on the upper floor which offers unforgettable views of Rome.
The open area outside the castle is a resting spot for a lot of tourists. Many of them walk from Vatican to the castle and then want to rest by the side of river Tiber. This makes it a prime spot for musicians and artists to perform. We were lucky to catch a beautiful live performance.
After the refreshing musical experience we crossed over the river Tiber on the majestic bridge built by emperor Hadrian. It was to serve as an approach to his mausoleum. The angelic sculptures on the bridge which give it its characteristic look were designed by Bernini.
We continued on the road till we reached a bus stop. Our next destination was a bit far to be covered on foot. Within 15 minutes we were in this lovely, fresh and different part of the city.
This are was very different from the classic Roman architecture that we had been seeing until now. The streets were more homely and the architecture was a bit more modern. A short walk brought us to the Capuchin Crypt.
16:45 hrs | Crypt of the Capuchin Friars - €9
This place is one of the strangest that you will see in Rome. Under the church is a crypt which contains the skeletal remains of around 4000 bodies believed to be of the Capuchin friars buried by their order. The bones are used to create a mesmerizing macabre memento mori (reminder of the death). The crypt has a total of six rooms, and each room features a scene which is an arrangement made from particular bones of the human body. Photography is prohibited inside the crypt. Although a bit expensive, the eerie experience inside the crypt is worth it.
You can wash off the eerie and revolting experience at the museum and the church of St Mary above the crypt. Photography is not allowed in the museum as well as the church.
18:00 hrs | Spanish Steps
The Spanish Steps are a magnet for visitors. Crowds flock over here in the evening to enjoy the romantic set-up this place offers. It is not uncommon to find vendors selling overpriced rose bouquets. The steps were built on the order of a French diplomat to connect the Trinita dei Monti church on the top with the Spanish embassy located below. The steps are crowded throughout the day, particularly in the evenings when the weather is cooler and people are finishing a tiring day.
We found vacant steps in the upper level of the stairs and sat there for a while before heading down to the Piazza di Spagna. The sun had not set yet and we decided to visit Trevi fountain once again and catch its features in the waning sunlight.
Enroute to Trevi fountain we stumbled upon a McDonald's store. This was the first McD we had seen after Florence. The lunch had not been adequate and we decided to settle the day with an early dinner. Coincidentally this outlet was the first McDonald's store to open in Italy. We were back on the road after a satisfying meal of hamburger, fries and coke.
19:45 hrs | Trevi Fountain
On our second visit to the Trevi Fountain we witnessed even more crowd. There was barely enough place to stand, let alone reach till the ledge of the fountain.
After the crypt we walked to yet another noteworthy and film-famous site in Rome.
Above the steps stands the Sallustiano obelisk. It is an Aurelian copy of the Flaminio obelisk of Ramses II that is placed in Piazza del Popolo.
Our two days in Rome had been very fulfilling. We had tried to maximize the attractions that we saw by compressing our itinerary to the fullest. From Trevi Fountain we walked till the Piazza Venezia to catch a glimpse of a relatively modern sight in Rome and one of the national symbols of Italy.
The gates of the monument are flanked by two fountains, Fontana dell' Adriatico and Fontana dell' Tyrrhenian. They represent the two seas that surround Italy.
Right across the road is the beautiful church of Santa Maria di Loreto. It is most notable for the adjacent erection of a similarly domed, but pale marble, 18th-century church Santissimo Nome di Maria al Foro Traiano, giving the semblance of twin churches.
The church overlooks another iconic memorial - Trajan's Column. This 30m tall Carrara marble structure was built to commemorate the triumph of Roman emperor Trajan in the Dacian wars.
Trajan's Column looks over the ruins of Caesar's forum. This forum was planned as an extension to the Roman forum but later became a separate place for Caesar himself.
We walked till the Colosseum which was on the other end of the road which runs alongside the Roman forum. The glow cast by Colosseum at night appears like a divine halo in the darkness.
00:00 hrs | Roma Tiburtina
By midnight we reached the bus station. It was desolated. We were the only people there. The entry gate into the premises was locked. We braced the cold night while waiting outside, huddled together to keep warm. We were slowly drifting towards sleep when a ghoulish scream startled us. We opened our eyes to see a few more passengers and an apparently mad woman who was periodically screaming. We were happy that there were more people there. We somehow managed to catch a nap through the screams and shrieks till our bus came. Our bus came dot at 02:45 hrs. By 03:00 hrs we were on a our way out of Rome and towards our first coastal experience in Italy.
I hope you enjoyed this account of our second day in Rome. The day in Naples where we visit Mt Vesuvius and its victims are covered in the next blog. Click here to read about the Day 5 adventures and how we almost got stranded on top of a volcano.
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Until next time.
It was 10 o'clock at night and the streets were getting empty. We debated whether to take a bus or a metro back to the hostel. The bus option seemed much relatively safer as it did not involve going underground. We caught a bus to Roma Termini and were back at our hostel by 22:30 hrs to collect our luggage. We had packed our bags and kept them at the reception in the morning. Our bus to Naples was scheduled at 02:45 hrs early morning. The receptionist allowed us to stay in the common area for some time, but ultimately we had to leave the cozy hostel premises and head out to the bus stop. Our bus to Naples was from Roma Tiburtina bus stop, which was 3km from the hostel. Rather than walking in the night, we took a bus from outside the hostel which took us till Roma Tiburtina.
20:45 hrs | Il Vittoriano
This massive marble mountain which looks over Piazza Venezia is a monument to honor united Italy's first king, Victor Emmanuel II. It is also known as the Altar of the Fatherland. Inside the monument is a museum where the history of Italian unification is documented. There is also a military memorial called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
It was dark and way past the closing time when we reached the gates of the monument.
