Rocky Start to the Trip
If I wasn’t so busy running toward the gate for my Houston to Chicago flight, I would have kicked myself for losing track of time reading in the United Lounge (which, by the way, is SO far from the gate…). Gosh, missing the first flight would just be the perfect way to kick off a month-long vacation, wouldn’t it? But a rocky start doesn’t have to set the tone for the rest of the trip. In fact, on this very flight, I made a new friend of a fellow traveler over our shared love of books.
Since Sam didn’t have enough vacation days, I met up with my friend Ross for the Italian portion of the vacation. A short train ride and a taxi later, we had arrived…. at the wrong address… Beware, there is some kind of glitch in the communication between Airbnb, email, and iCalendar. Thankfully the wrong address wasn’t that far from the right address, and we dragged our luggage over the cobblestones the rest of the way.
The flat I chose was located in the Trastevere neighborhood on the Vatican side of the Tiber River. It’s less touristy, full of bars, restaurants, and boutiques, walkable to pretty much everything, and probably costs a bit less than staying next to the Pantheon or Piazza Navona. Strongly recommended! The flat is located in a really old building overlooking a tranquil courtyard with a Corinthian column. The flat was spacious and the bed was super comfy, and hopefully, the futon wasn’t too bad for Ross either. Although, the Airbnb description didn’t include a SUPER steep hill to reach the flat or the fact that the only bathroom is located inside the bedroom… Read your reviews carefully, people.
First Meal in Rome Had to be Pizza and Pasta
As soon as we stepped outside in search of food it started to rain. We picked up a very low-quality umbrella for 4€, which didn’t prevent the car from splashing us with puddle water. Our first Roman meals were Carbonara and pizza at Ristorante Ponte Vittorio, which is right by the Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II on the east side of the river. Despite having a very touristy vibe, the food was quite good (at least in our famished states).
Castel Sant’Angelo
Bellies full and the rain had stopped, we crossed the Ponte Vittorio towards Castel Sant’Angelo. With its arches and statue-lined pedestrian walkway, it reminded me of the Charles Bridge in Prague. The billowing fabric on the sculptures was magnificent.
The near two millennia-old mausoleum turned fortress turned prison loomed imposingly at the end of the bridge. From the outside, it seemed a bit plain, like a cake without icing. Since it was a free Sunday, we decided not to join the long line to go inside.
St. Peter’s Basilica
From Castel Sant’Angelo, we walked straight down the Via della Conciliazione, hugged by its obelisk-like street lights, directly to the St. Peter’s Basilica. From afar the basilica somehow seemed smaller than I imagined, perhaps because I had dreamed of visiting it for so long it had grown to supernatural grandeur in my mind.
This was the moment the realization that I was in Rome at last finally sank in…except I wasn’t, because I was in the Vatican! We walked around Piazza San Pietro and gasped at the length of the line to get into the basilica (it wrapped around the whole square!). We sent postcards from the Vatican Postal Office with official Vatican stamps. Standing at the Centro del Colonnato plaque, all the columns surrounding the square indeed lined up perfectly… We would be coming back in three days to fully appreciate the Vatican and all its wonders, and thanks to booking ahead, skip the hours in line.
Outdoor Seating, Good Wine, Live Music
Much needed naps and showers later, we had dinner in a pretty restaurant on a small square in Trastevere. We got the last outdoor table which had perhaps a good 10 degrees tilt and prayed that our wine glasses wouldn’t fall off the table. But who can be displeased when you’re in Rome with a good bottle of wine and live music?
Oh and this is a thing: Priests of the Month Calendars. They were sold everywhere just outside the Vatican walls… How is this okay?!?!?
Yay!
C.