Day 14
We are off to the Vatican today. Lyn made reservations from home for us to take the Vatican Garden tour. We can now vouch for this being a very wise thing to do. We decide to throw caution to the wind and actually use a cab rather than chancing the bus schedule which seems to know no rules. We arrive in plenty of time at the Vatican Museum and as we have reservations we walk right in. There is a very long line up outside for the Vatican Museum. It goes waaaaaaay down the block.
We were warned this would be an ordeal and difficult to manage but we are pleased to say that we enjoyed it and with pacing ourselves had a wonderful day. The garden was the perfect start to the day. The guides inside are an excellent value but I would hesitate to take one of the tours that include the Vatican in their agenda of seeing Rome.
We are inside and get ourselves organized with our little head sets. Guides no longer have to shout over each other and at all their followers. We all have little Walkman like receivers with ear plugs and the guide has a speaker and can speak in a normal speaking level. Our guide is a lovely older lady who has an enormous amount of knowledge about the Vatican. She has met or had audiences with every one of the Popes in her lifetime. She had all the best stories on all the Popes and made the tour a great success.
All sort of present we head off around to the gardens. We are on a hill and the gardens (there are more than one) go up to the top of the hill. The gardens are situated behind the Vactican Museum and St Peters Bascilica. This is where the Pope comes for a walk at 1:00 every day he is in residence. Different Popes have followed different routes and areas.
It was a sunny, warm day and the gardens were just beautiful. We follow the roads up to the into the French Garden. Various Popes have had hideaways on the Vatican grounds and each was designed to that Pope’s requirements and preferences. The first one has a lovely little piazza with a beautiful fountain. This Pope loved poetry and verse and his place is very lyrical and has a wonderful avenue of laurels leading to the front gate.
Further we go up the hill and walk up a wonderful avenue of trees and views. We enter what is called the English garden which takes us to the top of the hill. Again, another place of rest and refuge for another Pope. Apparently it reminded him of the Austrian hills where he traveled in his youth. There are a flock of green parrots that were started by a colony of two escapees on the Vatican grounds. These parrots now are so many they have spread out over the whole city. Very entertaining.
You need to have a certain level of fitness for seeing this garden and we felt very sorry for an older British couple traveling with their adult children who were determined to see this garden. They had to stay behind about half way and join us later. The tour took about 2 hours in total.
We went down to the cafeteria then and had lunch and a rest. If you go to the pizzeria in the basement there is access to a patio with chairs and tables in the gardens of the palace where you can eat the lunch your brought and no one will bother you. There are 3 spots like this we found so take your choice and bring your lunch and spend the difference on a cab.
Next was the tour of the Vatican Museums and passage ways and smaller museums including the Galleria delle Carte Geografiche. Amazing. So much to take in. Can’t imagine how long it took or how many artisans. This leads us to the Sistine Chapel. No talking, no pictures.
The art work has recently been cleaned and the colours are so vibrant and strong. You can see where Michelangelo’s technique changed part way through when he realized how it was seen from below. He stood there head upturned for 4 years after losing the argument with the Pope that he was not a painter but a sculptor. At the end of the chapel at the alter end he returned to paint the complete wall and when the Pope came to see the completed wall he apparently fell to his knees and wept. We had Rick Steves podcasts for the Sistine Chapel and we sat in the seats against the walls and listened to his presentation. It was very valuable. We were both expecting a larger room but I guess the word Chapel should have given us a hint. Never trust Charlton Heston. Hollywood exaggerates!
We next head to St Peter’s Basilica. Now you want size? This one delivers. Massive and a product of many of the world’s greatest artists. We temporally attached ourselves to a tour group and manage to avoid the lineup to visit the Basilica. There is a little door to the right at the end of the Sistine Chapel that is a short cut to the Basilica. Through the door and down the stairs and off to the right will get you up the front to the main door. You may get sent back but it is worth a try. All we were doing was following the crowd. It is a fairly lengthy lineup when we look back.
We visit the Pieta which is now behind glass. Pity. We wander and marvel at the interior and beautiful statutes and decorations. It is well proportioned and accommodates so many people. Speaking of which when we are ready to leave the crowds are pouring in the door. Walking into the piazza we were astounded to see huge and I mean huge lineup of people around the circumference of the piazza which is gigantic. Must have been 1500 to 2000 people. When I asked what they were lined up for some were going to the Sistine Chapel and others to the Basilica. This was about 3:00 in the afternoon and they all were from tour companies. I don’t know if they ever made it in but they were having a long hot wait.
We splurge and take a cab back home and it is half the price we paid in the rush hour in the morning. A bus is cheaper but we had done a lot of walking and deserved a nice ride home. Quick shopping trip to top up our supplies and we are good to go again.
Travel Tip:
Book your tickets to the Vatican Museum before you go. You have a choice of 3 tours. Vatican website
http://www.roninrome.com/ - this is a great site for info about Rome
We are off to the Vatican today. Lyn made reservations from home for us to take the Vatican Garden tour. We can now vouch for this being a very wise thing to do. We decide to throw caution to the wind and actually use a cab rather than chancing the bus schedule which seems to know no rules. We arrive in plenty of time at the Vatican Museum and as we have reservations we walk right in. There is a very long line up outside for the Vatican Museum. It goes waaaaaaay down the block.
We were warned this would be an ordeal and difficult to manage but we are pleased to say that we enjoyed it and with pacing ourselves had a wonderful day. The garden was the perfect start to the day. The guides inside are an excellent value but I would hesitate to take one of the tours that include the Vatican in their agenda of seeing Rome.
We are inside and get ourselves organized with our little head sets. Guides no longer have to shout over each other and at all their followers. We all have little Walkman like receivers with ear plugs and the guide has a speaker and can speak in a normal speaking level. Our guide is a lovely older lady who has an enormous amount of knowledge about the Vatican. She has met or had audiences with every one of the Popes in her lifetime. She had all the best stories on all the Popes and made the tour a great success.
All sort of present we head off around to the gardens. We are on a hill and the gardens (there are more than one) go up to the top of the hill. The gardens are situated behind the Vactican Museum and St Peters Bascilica. This is where the Pope comes for a walk at 1:00 every day he is in residence. Different Popes have followed different routes and areas.
It was a sunny, warm day and the gardens were just beautiful. We follow the roads up to the into the French Garden. Various Popes have had hideaways on the Vatican grounds and each was designed to that Pope’s requirements and preferences. The first one has a lovely little piazza with a beautiful fountain. This Pope loved poetry and verse and his place is very lyrical and has a wonderful avenue of laurels leading to the front gate.
Further we go up the hill and walk up a wonderful avenue of trees and views. We enter what is called the English garden which takes us to the top of the hill. Again, another place of rest and refuge for another Pope. Apparently it reminded him of the Austrian hills where he traveled in his youth. There are a flock of green parrots that were started by a colony of two escapees on the Vatican grounds. These parrots now are so many they have spread out over the whole city. Very entertaining.
You need to have a certain level of fitness for seeing this garden and we felt very sorry for an older British couple traveling with their adult children who were determined to see this garden. They had to stay behind about half way and join us later. The tour took about 2 hours in total.
We went down to the cafeteria then and had lunch and a rest. If you go to the pizzeria in the basement there is access to a patio with chairs and tables in the gardens of the palace where you can eat the lunch your brought and no one will bother you. There are 3 spots like this we found so take your choice and bring your lunch and spend the difference on a cab.
Next was the tour of the Vatican Museums and passage ways and smaller museums including the Galleria delle Carte Geografiche. Amazing. So much to take in. Can’t imagine how long it took or how many artisans. This leads us to the Sistine Chapel. No talking, no pictures.
The art work has recently been cleaned and the colours are so vibrant and strong. You can see where Michelangelo’s technique changed part way through when he realized how it was seen from below. He stood there head upturned for 4 years after losing the argument with the Pope that he was not a painter but a sculptor. At the end of the chapel at the alter end he returned to paint the complete wall and when the Pope came to see the completed wall he apparently fell to his knees and wept. We had Rick Steves podcasts for the Sistine Chapel and we sat in the seats against the walls and listened to his presentation. It was very valuable. We were both expecting a larger room but I guess the word Chapel should have given us a hint. Never trust Charlton Heston. Hollywood exaggerates!
We next head to St Peter’s Basilica. Now you want size? This one delivers. Massive and a product of many of the world’s greatest artists. We temporally attached ourselves to a tour group and manage to avoid the lineup to visit the Basilica. There is a little door to the right at the end of the Sistine Chapel that is a short cut to the Basilica. Through the door and down the stairs and off to the right will get you up the front to the main door. You may get sent back but it is worth a try. All we were doing was following the crowd. It is a fairly lengthy lineup when we look back.
We visit the Pieta which is now behind glass. Pity. We wander and marvel at the interior and beautiful statutes and decorations. It is well proportioned and accommodates so many people. Speaking of which when we are ready to leave the crowds are pouring in the door. Walking into the piazza we were astounded to see huge and I mean huge lineup of people around the circumference of the piazza which is gigantic. Must have been 1500 to 2000 people. When I asked what they were lined up for some were going to the Sistine Chapel and others to the Basilica. This was about 3:00 in the afternoon and they all were from tour companies. I don’t know if they ever made it in but they were having a long hot wait.
We splurge and take a cab back home and it is half the price we paid in the rush hour in the morning. A bus is cheaper but we had done a lot of walking and deserved a nice ride home. Quick shopping trip to top up our supplies and we are good to go again.
Travel Tip:
Book your tickets to the Vatican Museum before you go. You have a choice of 3 tours. Vatican website
http://www.roninrome.com/ - this is a great site for info about Rome
1 comment:
Please passs along my best to His Holiness, the Pope, and as an aside, I could use a bottle of his blessed Holy Water. Glad you are having a great time and all the best and be safe!
Greg
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