Much like pulling into Livorno to get to Florence, you’ll have to make a pitstop in Civitavecchia to get to Rome. There are two ways to get to Rome from this industrial port: charter bus (a good option if you’re participating in a larger tour) or train.
Even though I’m a sucker for trains, we chose to head to Rome as part of a tour group. This goes against everything that I stand for as a traveler, but, as a first time visitor to Rome with only a few hours to explore, we knew it would be better to choose a tour that took us exactly where we wanted to go. If you’ve been to Rome previously & feel comfortable getting around this sprawling city, taking the high speed train is a good option.
When visiting Rome for the first time, we had one goal: to visit the Vatican City & the famed Sistine Chapel. Our ship-sponsored tour included an added bonus of a stop by the Colosseum as well.
As with Florence, Vatican City was packed with people. Standing in a long line to get into the Vatican Museum is not everyone’s idea of the way to spend time on vacation, but I knew it would be worth it once we got inside.
(C) Christina Saull – All Rights Reserved
Once inside, the long winding hallways of the Vatican Museum were the only thing that separated us from the Sistine Chapel. Luckily, these were no ordinary hallways. Gold details & intricate paintings filled every corridor. We walked through history with every step, enjoying the amazing art surrounding us.
When we finally made it to the Sistine Chapel, there was a moment of disappointment. This historic, holy (for us Catholics, at least), revered place was packed with tour groups just like ours. I’m not sure what was more distracting: everyone’s loud conversations or the guards “ssshhhhh-ing” them. We took a spot on a bench along the wall & sat quietly for a moment. We said a prayer together & tried to take in the significance of where we were. Keeping it in my lap, I turned my camera toward the famous ceiling & clicked the shutter a few times. It was turned on auto & I could only hope for the best.
After a few minutes, we were ushered out so the next group could come in – not exactly the peaceful, holy experience we were hoping for. We moved with the masses through St. Peter’s Basilica, eventually taking out our ear pieces to ignore the tour guide’s endless banter. We wanted to appreciate St. Peter’s for what it meant to us, to our religion, & to history.
Eventually the tour was over & we walked through St. Mark’s Square on the way back to the bus. By now a light drizzle started to fall, which matched our disappointed mood. “We’ll have to come back some day,” I told B.
The tour made a quick stop by the Colosseum, which was surprisingly less crowded than the Vatican, on the way back to the port.
It was a very quick day in Rome & one that left us with a bit of a bad taste in our mouths for this epic city. We will have to come back one day, to give the Eternal City another chance.
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