Rome: Final Days

Rome from St Peter's roof

For their last few days in Rome, the four Canadians spent their time seeing sights and experiencing Rome as typical tourists. This time allowed Rob and Beth to focus on their last hours together ignoring the looming thoughts of their friends’ departure, as they would soon enough be returning to their normal lives with family and work.

In the Coliseum

They returned to the Coliseum on the coldest day of the visit to see the ruin from the inside and waited patiently in the long line. They chose to wait in lieu of paying a tour guide the exorbitant rate of 25€ each that would have allowed them to bypass the wait. When then finally found themselves in the stadium’s interior, the four basked in the warm sunny protection it offered, much as the Romans would have back in the day when the killing of Christians was a source of entertainment. After the self-guided tour was finished they spent the money they saved foregoing the tour guide to once again treat themselves to a delicious Italian meal at Luzzi’s Pizzeria.

Vatican Swiss Guard

Across the river on another day, the four ventured into the Vatican City to visit the lavish décor of St Peter’s Basilica, another sight that has its origins rooted in the killing of Christians. St. Peter himself was crucified in the Roman Circus of Nero on the grounds where the Cathedral was erected. Here the four gazed upon the illustrious marble interior and its many treasures including the tomb of the ‘Good Pope’, Pope John XXIII, and Michelangelo’s Pieta. They later climbed the 551 stairs up to the dome of the basilica where they crammed themselves into the already packed roof to glimpse a view of Rome’s endless urban sprawl. 

The walls of Orvieto

On the last full day together, they chose to make the long awaited trip to the town of Orvieto that sits atop a great rock that offered protection to the town in the middle ages.

After the seventy minute train ride they were dropped at the base of a great rock face, the four climbed aboard a funicular that towed its passengers up to the town’s medieval city walls. Standing atop these walls the Canadians looked out to marvel at the surrounding vineyards and olive groves.

More Orvieto

What is Beth explaining to Dave!??

They started the tour surveying the town’s perimeter walls searching for the most photographic sights.  They then walked down the town’s main ‘corso’, window shopping along the way until they found the town’s Basilica, where they gazed upon its large frescos and ornate marble carvings. When they grew hungry, they sampled pizza and an inexpensive porchetta sandwich, before finally stumbling upon a quaint Osteria. There they filled themselves on the wine and local seasonal foods that the proprietors offered. When satiated they worked their way back through the town to ride the funicular down to catch the 6:10 train back to Rome. Silently they rode home each lost in their own thoughts knowing full well that their time together in Italy was coming to a close.

Ciao