Vlog #7: Contiki European Panorama: Rome, Italy

httpvh://youtu.be/A3kTulecTSg

I have mixed feelings about Italy and Rome.

On one hand Rome is one of a kind,  so much history and mind blowing things to see. You can’t help but be amazed at what the Romans had built and accomplished.  On the other hand, the only downside is, you have to share those feelings with the thousands of other tourists also wanting to see Rome. Blame me for going during the high season, when it’s 42 degrees outside and packed with tourists. So you can see where my love hate relationship stems from.

Now I’m not a huge fan of complaining about tourists since let’s be honest, I am one. I’m sure it would have been much more enjoyable in the fall or spring, and if I wasn’t sick. So there is my tip for you if you ever go to Rome.

The Colosseum

What can you say about this building that hasn’t already been said. It’s massive, incredible and iconic. Check off one more for the bucket list.

The Roman Forum

The Pantheon

Now I know the Colosseum is a pretty big dea,l however, I actually think the Pantheon is the most impressive building in Rome. It is an engineering marvel and although simple, it’s almost 2000 years old!

Trevi Fountain

Fountain of the Four Rivers

The Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica

Although all of Rome is really a “wow” moment,  the Vatican City and St. Peter’s Basilica are really the icing on the cake. The number of paintings, sculptures and extent of all the interior marble is simply something else. So much detail, time and dedication went into making the Vatican what it is today.

Now one of the highlights of the Vatican City is the Sistine Chapel. Unfortunately I was not allowed to film or take photos of the inside and I wasn’t brave enough to try the sneeky sneeky camera shots. Besides, there are tons of photos of the inside on the internet so I figured it wasn’t really necessary.

It’s crazy to think how they actually painted the ceilings in the cathedrals and churches. I can’t even sit and do a painting for more than a couple hours at a time. Imagine months of painting for hours each day and on the roof! Well I guess that’s why I never went to art school.