A Walking Tour of Rome and the Vatican

While I was reluctant to leave the seaside splendor of the Cinque Terre, it was time to move on. There is so much to see in Italy and I wanted to squeeze in as much as I could. I boarded the train in Monterosso on the morning of June 4 and several hours later arrived in Rome. The contrast couldn’t have been more striking. From the colorful villages and picturesque vineyard terraces clinging to the rugged hills over the Mediterranean Sea to the sprawling mega-metropolis of modern Rome! In short order I found a good hotel (The Hotel California, of all things!) for the equivalent of $83.00, including breakfast, and it was close to many of the historic destinations that I wanted to see.

Ancient Rome

For the rest of the day I took a walking tour of Rome and the Vatican, visiting a good number of the ‘must see’ sights that the capital of Italy and one time capital of the Roman Empire has to offer. After starting at perhaps the most recognized symbol of Italy, the Colosseum, I then found the other nearby monuments of the ancient city, including Palatine Hill, the Circus Maximus, and the Roman Forum.

The Vatican

From there I walked along the Tiber River to the Vatican, taking in the many tree-lined boulevards and architecturally beautiful bridges that bisected it along the way. Unfortunately, the Vatican was closed by the time I got there, but I had already seen the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica on previous visits. After spending an hour or so checking out the Piazza San Pietro and the outside grounds of Vatican City it was getting on towards the end of the day.

St. Peter's Basilica Across the Tiber River — St. Peter’s Basilica Across the Tiber River

Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps

As the sun went down, I explored the labyrinthine streets and alleys of Rome, and came to realize just what a huge city it is! With some difficulty, I found the Pantheon with its 2000 year old dome and then the Victor Emmanuel II Monument, a tribute to the first king of a united Italy. As darkness was setting in I made it to the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, where I could finally rest my tired feet and just enjoy mingling with the locals and other tourists who were out on a beautiful evening. For the first time visitor, Rome deserves several full days, at a minimum, to do it justice, but for a returning visitor, hitting the highlights was a perfect way to reconnect with one of the most important ancient capitals of the world.

The Highlights of Rome