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Central Rome Walking Tour - Part 1

Everyone is waiting to begin my Rome Walking Tour

If you do not join us on this short, but heavily sight-packed walk, you won’t get to meet these beautiful, smiling police ladies along the way!

And, the guys in the sunglasses are wondering what the hold up is…they’re ready to go, and NOW.

So, let’s get going!!!

Summary of Today’s Short walk

In today’s Central Rome Walking Tour article, we start our walking tour. However, we hit only three of its highlights today, as follows:

The Spanish Steps
The Museum and Crypt of the Capuchin Friars
The Trevi Fountain

“A decision is needed by you as to whether you will want to see the first site of our walking tour. If you are particularly squeamish, then a decision definitely needs to be made.”

We will catch up with the remainder of the Central Rome Walking Tour in the next installment of my Italy, Our Italy blog articles.

Yes, today’s the day that we start our walking tour of the central part of Rome. Let me say at the beginning that this walking tour is based on Rick Steves’ “Rome” by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw. However, I will start us off in the opposite direction. I do that because we had our breakfast this morning only a few steps from the Spanish Steps. So, if you have not had breakfast, before we start our walking adventure, step THIS WAY to see a wonderful dining establishment.

And here is a one-photo refresher of our wonderful breakfast at the Antico Caffe Greco.

The pastry selection at Antico Caffe Greco

[Please remember that all photos can be viewed full-screen by clicking/tapping on the photo]

The Spanish Steps

The Spanish Steps are dead-center in the photo, marked by the red pointy-dot thingie.

The steps form a connection between the lower Piazza di Spagna, and the upper Church of the Holy Trinity of the Mountains. This church, which is seen in the upper part of this aerial Google photo, was constructed in 1502 by Louis XII of France.

By the way, if you are not familiar with how I got this aerial photo from Google maps, I will cover that soon in an article about the benefit of using Google maps for your trip planning. It can be both fascinating and informative.

And the Piazza di Spagna (Piazza of Spain) owes its name to the Palazzo di Spagna, the seat of the Embassy of Spain to the Holy See.

Here is my photo of the front of this Palazzo.

By the way…here’s the original snapshot that I had to transform for you to get the nicer photo of the Palazzo entrance.

One often hears people talking into their cellphone as they walk the streets of Rome, “We’ll meet you at the Spanish Steps". It is a very traditional meeting place, which is why we chose to meet there this morning after breakfast. It is within walking distance of anywhere in central Rome, which you will see as you continue to read below.

This is our view as we approach the Spanish Steps from just a few feet away at our Antico Caffe Greco dining place on Via dei Condotti…a shopping street for the well healed.

The fountain that sits proud on the piazza is called the Fontana della Barcaccia, or Fountain of the Boat. If you want to know more about the fountain than just what is looks like, you can check it Here.

Side view of the Fontana della Barcaccia

End-on view of the Fontana della Barcaccia

The Spanish Steps is not only a meeting place for us humans, but the equine folks like to gather here to horse around a bit.

(get it? “a bit”!

Here are folks of the human variety that you may recognize…

If you do not recognize these humans, they are from left to right: Jonathan, Sue, Jason, Marsha, Ellen and me, myself, and I

Here are a couple of photos of the sites of Piazza di Spagna…

And this beautiful column is to celebrate the Immaculate Conception, and is coincidently called The Column of the Immaculate Conception.

This marble column is 40 feet high and 5 feet in diameter. To say it weighs a ton is an understatement, and it took 220 firefighters to raise this marble column on December 8, 1857. This started a firefighters’ tradition of paying homage to the Virgin with a wreath of fresh flowers each December 8th.

At the top, that’s the Virgin Mary, who stands 13 feet high.

At the base you see two of these four biblical personalities: Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel and David.

I would guess that the gentleman to the right is King David, as he is wearing a crown, which none of the other three would dare to do.

On the left? My guess is a Ten-Commandments displaying Moses.

A BEGINNING-OUR-WALKING-TOUR DECISION

Yes, a decision is needed by you as to whether you will want to see the first site of our walking tour. If you are particularly squeamish, then a decision definitely needs to be made. We first visit the Museum and Crypt of the Capuchin Friars.

Recently, I brought to you a blog article titled A Significant Transformation - Involving "Danger of Death". In that article, we were not exactly sure what the danger of death was about. However, in our first stop on our walking tour, there is no mystery about the death aspects of this historical stop. The skeletal remains of 3,700 mostly monks’ bodies are artfully arranged for your viewing pleasure. Various rooms depict like skeletal parts artfully arranged.

We’ve been to this museum twice, and we’ve had no squeamishness at all. By the way, there is no odor at all, as these bones are hundreds of years old.

To help you make your decision, pictured here is a bit of the Crypt of the Skulls. If this photo offends you, then do not visit the Capuchin crypt.

More will be said below when I cover this first stop in more detail.

If you opt out, you will have no problem at all with finding your way without enduring this stop.

La Nostra Mappa di Navigazione di Roma

[Our Rome Map of Navigation]

I think that it is wonderful that the major sites of central Rome can be taken in within less than an hour and just a bit more than a mile. Of course, you have to add time to look at what you came to look at and not just stride by those sites. And having lunch in the latter half of the trip will be an enjoyment.

So, is it Capuchin, or no Capuchin? If it is “no” to the ancient bone art, then go below to The Trevi Fountain. If it is a “yes”, then follow the burnt-orange line above to the crypt of the capuchin friars.

What Was Your Decision Regarding the Crypt?

If you decided to take the Capuchin Friars Museum tour, then keep reading immediately below. If you’ve opted out, then you can skip down to “If You Skipped the Capuchin Crypt”…but, you might as well read until you get there, so you can see what you’ve missed…and perhaps when you go to Rome in real life and not just reading about it, you may decide to give the crypt a go.

The Museum & Crypt of the Capuchin Friars

In Italian, that would be “Museo e Cripta dei Frati Cappuccini”.

This is a good place to have a ‘Speaking Italian’ lesson. Notice that in English, we say “Capuchin”, where the ending of “chin” is just as we would say “chin”…that thing below your lips. Expressed in Italian, you see that the ending is “cini”. A “ci” in Italian is pronounced as ‘chee’. And, when you see a “chi” in Italian, it is not ‘chee’, but ‘key’. Zucchini is a good example of the ‘key’ sound as we say zoo-key-knee. And ‘cini’ is pronounced ‘chee-knee’.

Let’s Begin Our Walk to the ‘Museo e Cripta’

As we are at the Spanish Steps, let’s check out the steps themselves. We walk to the top of the stairs to the plaza in front of the church. Take a right at the church and we will immediately encounter a fork in the road. The left fork is Via Sistina, and the right fork is Via Gregoriana…we want the left fork of Via Sistina, which is a one-way road with traffic coming at you, but as we are walking, all is well.

Enjoy the sites and shopping along Via Sistina as you travel only 1/4 mile to Via dei Cappuccini…convenient, yes?

Here are just a few of the things you will see, like Ellen outside a shop of “Articoli de Regalo”, which simply translates to “Gift Items”. And then, there are the ubiquitous motorcycles and motor scooters of Rome.

At the first major intersection, you are suddenly walking with, rather against, the vehicle traffic…how does that work? The next street should be Via dei Cappuccini, and we take a left there. It is now just two short blocks to the Capuchin, with our destination building always visible ahead of us. That is our destination in this photo, which was captured using Google street view.

Just walk up the stairs and enter the building

The price of entry should be about 10€, which is much less than you wanted to spend walking down the Via Sistina. But, you did well not to make large purchases along the way, as you do not want to be carrying those things for the rest of your walking tour…come back later for those items…or maybe have them sent to your hotel.

Enjoy your visit to the museum. There is more to see than just the bones of friars. You can catch a glimpse of the exhibitions HERE.

There’s a current everyday use of the term “capuchin”, as in capuchino, as in a barrista produced coffee with a light tan foamy head of the Capuchin friars…yes, that’s the origin of the coffee treat’s name. See the tan hood of the monk below…now, enjoy your cappuccino knowing that 3,700 monks helped to create it.

All done now. As you exit the museum, walk left down the street (literally down the hill) along Via Vitorio Veneto. At the northeast corner of the intersection of Via Vitorio Veneto and Via di San Basilio you will see a nice little shell shaped fountain called the Bee Fountain. To see it in more detail, check out my older article HERE. Now keep going down a few feet to Piazza Barberini, where you will see this interesting fountain…but it will be daytime for you. Those fish seem to be upset about their day and night job of holding up that shell with their tails. I can sympathize with them, but not empathize.

It is now about 1/3 mile to our next destination, which is the famous Trevi Fountain, site of the 1954 movie titled, “Three Coins in the Fountain”.

If You Skipped the Capuchin Crypt

I’ll let you in on the point of the crypt and bones. As you are gaping at the artistic assemblage of bones, there is a sign along the way that says something like, “As you see us now, you will one day be”…I don’t remember the exact wording. But, the friars point is that you will die one day as they have, and you should be prepared for eternal life by finding Jesus Christ, just as they did and are now experiencing. Fair warning, my friend.

As you head south from the Spanish Steps, you will pass to the right of the Column of the Immaculate Conception (the purple star on the map)
Bear right onto the Via di Propaganda.
Bear right after crossing Via di Capo le Case onto Via di Sant' Andrea delle Fratte
Turn left at Via de Nazareno
Cross Via del Tritone at the crosswalk and bear right onto the narrow Via della Stamperia
Continue straight until you come to the Trevi Fountain on your right

If You Went to the Capuchin Crypt

I hope you enjoyed the unique art of the crypt. Fascinating, wasn’t it? After you headed down the street as you left the museum and you then passed through the Piazza Barberini, passing through the piazza with the fountain on your left, you will come to a major intersection.

From Piazza Barberini, the street that you are looking directly down to the west is Via del Tritone and that is the street you want.
Walk Via del Tritone for a block-and-a-half and then angle left onto Via dei Serviti, which is a very narrow street with traffic coming at you.
At Via del Traforo, cross the street and continue straight onto Via in Arcione. This street, which translates to “Off on Horseback”, is a very narrow walking street, but you may encounter some vehicles.
As you cross Via della Panetteria, the green guard box to your left and up the hill denotes the street to the Italian equivalent to the US White House.
Keep straint on Via in Arcione, which mysteriously changes name to Via del Lavatore. About mid-block, you will see a very small park on the right. That is where I took the photo that you can see in my blog article titled, “Transforming L’Uomo della Pizza”. The restaurant has changed dramatically since I took the photo 13 years ago. It’s just a few more steps to the Trevi Fountain.

THE TREVI FOUNTAIN

The Trevi Fountain (Fontana Trevi) is iconic Rome. It is possible that no one has ever been to Rome without visiting the Trevi Fountain.

The plot-site of the movie “Three Coins in a Fountain”, it is obvious from this next photo why visiting the Trevi is popular.

You too can take a photo from this same vantage point…see how below

PHOTO TIP: To get a view like the one above where there are no people blocking your view of the fountain, here is what you do. Surreptitiously go up to the second floor of the United Colors of Benneton store and there you have it.

Thank you Sue Lee for that photo tip!

The Trevi Fountain is the terminal point of the Virgo aqueduct, the only ancient aqueduct in continuous use to this day

The Aqua Virgo was one of the eleven Roman aqueducts that supplied the city of ancient Rome. It was completed in 19 BC by Marcus Agrippa, during the reign of the emperor Augustus

It has been suggested that when the Apostle Peter baptized saint Mark, he did so in this Aqua Virgo

In 1732, Pope Clement XII announced a competition in which the greatest artists of the time participated. Among the various projects submitted, that of the architect Nicola Salvi was chosen .

So, what do you do at the Trevi fountain besides gawk at it? You toss in coins. Everyone does it, and you are part of that illustrious group. Here you see Jason and Marsha doing just that.

Here you see Debbie tossing in a few coins.

So, it’s not like the fountain at the mall with the sign that says not to toss in coins.

The other thing you do at the Trevi Fountain is have your photo taken. Again, Marsha and Jason are into it!

And apparently, if you don’t have friends there to take your photo like I did for those above, you might ask a nice policeman to do it for you.

OK folks, it will soon be time to move on to the Piazza Colonna to see a true marvel of ancient craftsmanship…please don’t miss it. But, you will have to wait until we get together next time at your Italy, Our Italy blog.

But, I give you one parting shot from the Trevi Fountain. I grabbed this photo while standing at the fountain. This undressed gentleman seemed to be reading his Sunday paper. I just couldn’t pass this one up.

So, once again it’s ciao for now…but I’ll figuratively see you next time right here, as we move on through the heart of Rome and its marvelous sites.

Steve

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Eat Here: Antico Caffe Greco

Index of Articles

Yes, let’s eat here…it is a very tasty, elegant, historic, and well-located breakfast place. Its location is just yards (or perhaps I should say ‘meters’) from the Spanish Steps (it is actually 263 feet/80.16 meters from restaurant to the Spanish Steps), which is where we will start our Rome walking tour in my next Italy, Our Italy blog article. Here is a simple map…

Location of Antico Caffe Greco

However, before we begin our walk to the Spanish Steps, we need to have breakfast. Also, though I have shown barefooted foot prints on the map, I recommend that you wear comfortable shoes today. If you entered the restaurant with bare feet, you will find these stores right there within a two-block area on Via dei Condotti: Jimmy Choo, Ferragamo, Max Mara, Brioni, Sergio Rossi, Prada, Gucci, Dior, Hermes, Harry Winston, Celine, Buccellati, Patek Philippe, Loro Piana, Mont Blanc, Van Cleef & Arpels, Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Cartier, Damiani, and Moncler. I have no idea which of those have shoes for you, but I know for a fact that Antico Caffe Greco does not have shoes.

Enough shop talk…let’s go ahead and get to the restaurant!

Here is the exterior of the restaurant…

Exterior photo of Antico Caffe Greco in Rome

A Bit of Restaurant History

Before we go in, let me point out a couple of signs that are very significant. First is this banner…

This banner tells us that Antico Caffe Greco is 250 years old…it was at least that old at the time of our dining in 2023.

Since it opened in 1760, that makes it 263 years old when we entered the doors.

And, it is well recognized for its longevity. Here is a plaque that documents its significance.

A plaque celebrating Antico Caffe Greco in Italian

Since you carefully read my recent article titled, “A Significant Transformation Involving ‘Danger of Death’”, you will know how to pull out your cellphone right now to pull up your Google app to get instant translation satisfaction.

Just in case you do not have your cellphone handy, here is the translation, as seen on my own cellphone, using the Google translation feature.

Breaking the Language Barrier

Here is something of interest regarding the alphabet used in the Italian language: You will see the letter “V” often, which in our English language is shaped like our letter V, but is actually our letter “U”. It stems from the Latin alphabet, from which our own alphabet comes. This is why the letter shaped as W, which we pronounce double-yoo is formed by two letter “Vs”…or double-yoos (which look like two Vs to us English speakers, yet they are yoos in Latin). Probably 99% of you already knew this.

This means that the date of the decree is July 27, 1953. I find it strange that Google did not immediately translate LVGLIO to July, though as I moved my cellphone in and out it occasionally popped in “JULY” for me. The letters “G” and “L: found together before the letter “I” in Italian is pronounced “lee”. For instance “garlic” in Italian is spelled “aglio” and is pronounced ah-lee-oh. and “wife” is spelled “moglie” and is pronounced “mo-lee-ay”.

So “LVGLIO” is pronounced loo-lee-oh.

To help you in your own translation, here are the months of the year in order:

Gennaio, Febbralo, Marzo, Aprile, Maggio, Giugno, Luglio, Agosto, Settembre, Ottobre, Novembre, Dicembre.

My Apology!

I must sincerely apologize…I told you that we were going to have a fabulous breakfast, but all I’ve done is talk about shopping and language. So, without further ado, here is what Antico Caffe Greco is all about…food!

Let’s get a closer look at these pastries. As always, please click on the first image below to get a full screen view, and then use your arrow keys or mouse to advance through these tasty treats. When you have seen the starting photo once more, click on the white “X” in the upper-right-hand corner (not the black “X” in the EXTREME upper-right-hand corner, as that will close your browser and you will miss seeing all of the treats).

From their menu:

Fresh Fruit Tarts
Sicilian Cannoli
Saint Honorè Cake
Grandma’s Cake
Peach Charlotte
Absolute Chocolate Cake
Caffè Greco's Baba Cake
Greek Coffee Cake
Mixed Fresh Fruit Cake

Are there non-pastry items available? Yes there are. Though I didn’t see it on their on-line menu, we had an egg omelet while we were there.

And where might you sit to eat? There is The Red Room, The Gubinelli Room, The White Room, The Gallli Room, The Szoldaticz Room, The legendary Omnibus room, The Hall of Roman Views, and The Rome Room with Giovannini's Works. So, take you pick…or just sit where you can find a vacant table.

Our Visit

Here is a photo of our pre-Rome-walk breakfast…

And, were we satisfied?

This photo tells it all!

And, we had a Coke Zero…no Diet Cokes in Europe anymore.

And yes, Jason was also impressed.

But, good thing we brought our pocketbooks…right Jason?

Ellen and I are not coffee drinkers, but we made good with the hot chocolate. In Italy, it is almost the consistency of melted Hershey bar.

Polish Regulars

You have probably been wondering if any famous Polish painters, novelists, or poets were regulars at Antico Caffe Greco. Well here is the answer to mollify your curiosity.

Images of famous Polish celebrities who were Caffe Greco regulars

Visting

I couldn’t tell from their website whether they take reservations. Here is the salient information for making a visit to this very historic and delicious dining establishment.

Antico Caffe Greco is open every day from 9:00am to 9:00pm
The address is: Via Condotti, 86 Rome 00187
Telefono: (039) 06 6791700
Email: info@caffegreco.it
Website: https://anticocaffegreco.eu/?lang=en

That’s it for today with this rather varied article on a fabulous dining experience…and the neighborhood. Stay tuned for the rest of this day’s journey as we explore Rome by foot, seeing many of the major sites in one wonderful day.

Until next time, I say…

Ciao for Now,

Steve

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Eat Here: La Pergola

Index of Articles

[This is the first of 3 consecutive articles vis-à-vis Michelin-starred restaurants]

Italy…

The people…ahh.
The land…ahh.
The wine…ahh.
The food…ahhhhhhh!

Welcome to Italy…it has all that the heart could desire. And as you’ve gathered from the ahhs, above…the food has a special place in our hearts…and stomachs.

There are many, many nice restaurants in Italy, and we’ve been to a good number. However, La Pergola has provided fond memories for the past 10 years.

Email Transcript between Signore Burkett (me) and the Maître d’ of La Pergola

Me - August 10, 2012: Dear sirs, I would like to make a reservation for dinner for the evening of September 29, 2012 at 7:00pm.

Maitre d’ response: Signore Burkett, you must understand that for one to make a reservation at La Pergola, one must do this at least four months in advance. We are so sorry.

Maitre d’ - August 12, 2012: Signore Burkett, we are pleased to let you know that a cancellation has occurred at La Pergola for the night of September 29, 2012, this being a most uncommon occurrence, for which we are most confused. Should you still desire to dine with us, please reply with your intentions. And, please provide us your social-security number so that we may kindly check your credit score.

Me: Yes. Sure. Of course. Thank you. We will see you at 7:00pm on September 29th.

Maitre d’ - August 18, 2012: Signore Burkett, based on your credit score, please be sure that your credit card has sufficient funds for your visit to La Pergola.

I may have embellished a bit in jest on that email exchange, but you do get the gist…we were negated, and then affirmed. And, the Maître d’ didn’t say most of that, of course…though we probably had to provide a credit card number to guarantee our reservation…not uncommon.

La Pergola

So, where exactly is La Pergola? Good question. It is in Rome. To be exact, it sits on a hill less than a mile due north of the Vatican. It is located in the Waldorf-Astoria Cavalieri Hotel. As seen in this aerial photo, it is the roof-top terrace within the green box, atop the hotel.

I will present La Pergola to you along a timeline of our evening. The evening began at 7:00pm and ended at 10:00pm. This is typical of nice restaurants…particularly in Europe.

What you will see is not typical of most restaurants in Italy. La Pergola is in the rarified atmosphere of Michelin 3-starred restaurants in Italy, of which there are only 11 in the entire country. Expect slow. Expect numerous, and thus smaller, portions. Expect outstanding service. Expect outstanding taste, texture and presentation. And, when Il Conto (the bill) comes, expect it to be a bit larger than normal…but you did check your credit card balance, as suggested, right. You get the picture.

Next week we’ll look at how Michelin rates restaurants…and then we’ll look at some ways for garnering a star or two, or three.

7:00 - The Terrace

We arrived promptly at 7:00pm and we were taken to the terrace for cocktails and light appetizers. The view was outstanding.

Here you can see some of those exquisite grounds of the Cavalieri.

Why those three folks are swimming laps and not dining at La Pergola, I have no idea. Well, maybe I do have an idea…maybe they didn’t write for a reservation early enough!

I mentioned the setting overlooking the Vatican…and here you see the dome of St Peter’s in the early evening.

As we are certainly dressed for the occasion, it’s time for a couple of couple photos. And no, I’m not tickling Ellen…eight-years later, I don’t seem to remember what has amused her. And, Debbie and Scott look really nice.

7:15 - First Toast

As we sat on the terrace, we had our first toast…prosecco for the ladies, a martini for Scott, and a Negroni for myself.

Light appetizers were served whilst we sat enjoying the view from the terrace. Very tasty, indeed. And note the plating, including the special holder for those round crackers. This sort of accessory seems to be a feature, or requirement, for garnering 3 stars.

As our table is ready, it’s time for us to go inside.

7:45 - This is Us

We are, from left to right, Ellen, me (Signore Burkett), Scott, and Debbie Kennedy.

7:50 - The Menu

There is this really neat thing about menus in the nicer restaurants of Italy…at least I think it’s neat…but I guess I’m not part of this modern, non-chivalrous era…and more likely I’m part of the problem. The point of this photo is to show you that (using the dessert menu as an example), while the men’s menu has prices, the lady’s menu above it, does not.

Am I some sort of an old-fashioned pig for thinking that this is, in some way, charming? For thinking that there is a significant and wonderful difference between women and men? For thinking that it’s fun to celebrate that difference in small ways? If so, then ‘oink oink!’ (which I will not bother to translate in this setting…ladies are, after all, reading this article, too).

Not that you can read it all that well, but here is the dinner menu…obviously belonging to one of us gentlemen at the table.

8:00 - Amuse Bouche

I thought it was something about an amusing bush, but the waiter said, ‘No signore, it is a small complimentary appetizer offered at some of the finest restaurants’. OK, now we know. I really can’t remember what it was…but it was surely very tasty…and not a bit amusing…and quite the plating, right?

Now is a good time to show you how our table was decorated with a couple of vases of flowers, and a couple of great friends. And, don’t miss those fabulous wine glasses…very light, classy and made for enjoying a heady red wine.

8:15 - Appetizers

I wish I could remember what we were eating, as it looks really good.

8:40 - Entrées

While we are awaiting those entrées, Debbie does a fabulous job of showing us how to hold one of the beautiful wine glasses…and note that this one is different that what you had seen above…a tulip shape…thus a burgundy, perhaps?

Once again, I have failed to document each item that arrived at our table…my bad. But here is what I did manage to photograph before getting down to serous business.

9:15 - Look at Ellen Because She Looks Absolutely Radiant

9:23 - A Pre-Dessert Dessert

Was this a palate cleanser? I believe it was! Palate cleansers are designed to remove any lingering flavors from the mouth so that the next course may be enjoyed…and as the next course was dessert, this was very important.

9:25 - Our Just Desserts

Funny thing about the desserts. Debbie, Scott, and I each had our individual, yummy and scrumptious, desserts. Ellen saw something on her menu (the one without prices, remember?) that said ‘Grand Dessert’, and as everything so far had been grand, and wanting it to stay that way, that’s what she ordered. We lost track of how many plates came her way, but we think it was nine, perhaps…really, nine. It’s one of those little things that make for great memories…’Remember that time in Rome when Ellen got those nine desserts?!’

That third dessert from the left? There was enough foam on Debbie’s plate to put out a fire!

Scott’s dessert was very cool, so it gets special attention…an iced sphere of pomegranate with gianduia cream poured over…and an itsy-bitsy cannelloni filled with a salty pine-seed Chantilly.

9:40 - More Wine?

We do appreciate…and desire…a nice dessert wine, and this one was nice, indeed.

9:57 - A Post-Dessert Dessert

So, this is one of those restaurants that gives you a sweet, parting gift. It is often a chocolate truffle that you can eat whilst back at your hotel. But, this one had to be enjoyed right on the spot.

10:00 - Blow Out the Candles, the Party’s Over…

That’s right. The candles have burned down and its time to go. But, that’s ok, we have a busy day in Rome tomorrow…lots to see and do…and eat…and drink.

7:45pm, April 20, 2015 - Amsterdam - A Short Diversion

I know, I know, it’s not polite to talk about The Netherlands amongst people who want to talk and read about Italy. But, I have to share this fine-dining experience with you.

We were eating at Johannes in Amsterdam one fine evening in April, 2015…the flowers are at their peak then, so go!

Anyway, we had our first of several courses as seen here. A cute little pedestal thingie upon which were three most tasty treats.

Noticing that we had consumed course number one, our waitress came by to ask if we were ready for course number two.

‘Of course!’ we said.

She began turning over our course-number-one pedestal thingies and what was embedded up under the pedestal…course number two, of course!

Amazing.

That’s it folks. A fabulous meal with friends that we will remember for the rest of our years. We’ve most definitely talked about it over the past eight years.

Would we go back? Under one condition…we want you to be with us…and I just happen to have a couple of new credit cards to try out!

Ciao for now,

Steve

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Your Vatican Visit - Part 2

Index of Articles

In last week’s exciting and informative article (well, I hope you read it, at least), we learned a bit about the Vatican City in general, and St Peter’s Basilica in particular.

Today, you get your ticket to the Vatican Museums.

The Vatican Museums

In this image, you can see the Vatican Museums, almost in their entirety. The art museum is to the left of that small dome in the distance, while the Sistine Chapel is under the roof at the extreme bottom right of the photo. In between those two are the vast Vatican Museums. What do you need to come away with in looking at this photo? The Vatican Museums are huge! There are three floors and two, long galleries that are a quarter-of-a-mile each…that’s about a mile-and-a-half of walking! So, don’t try to see it all…I’ll tell you below how to best view the tens-of-thousands of artifacts.

To see where the Vatican Museums fit within the whole of Vatican City, see the map included in last week’s article, here.

How to See the Museum’s Sights

I’ll cut to the chase and give you the answer on how to visit the Vatican Museum and St Peter’s Basilica: hire a guide.

On our first visit to the Vatican Museums in 2000, due to time constraints and not knowing about the whole guide thingie, we got off an overnight train to Rome, stored our luggage at the station, taxied to the Vatican Museum entrance, lined up two hours ahead of opening time (we were 8th in line), and then we raced non-stop to the Sistine Chapel all the way down at the end of the museum. The Sistine Chapel is all we saw (and we were happy with that). Next up was a very long walk back to the museum entrance, then around the Vatican City to Vatican Square and the entrance of St Peter’s. Phew! That was a lot of walking. The next time we went, because we set aside more time for our visit, we used a guide and had a much more leisurely and enjoyable time…including the use of the special door from the Sistine Chapel to St Peter’s. So, that’s the secret…hire a guide.

With a licensed guide, you can skip the line into the Vatican Museums, which we’ve seen snaking around for blocks on end, because on average, 20,000 people visit the Vatican Museums every day. With a licensed guide, you get priority access to the museums, at a time of your choosing. And of course, an added benefit is that you will have someone with you that knows what’s what, and where the secret doors are located.

How Long Does it Take?

A very long gallery filled with marble heads…and bodies, too

How much time do you want to spend exploring the Vatican Museum? Weeks? There’s plenty to see and a week wouldn’t be unreasonable. There are over 70,000 items and 54 galleries. However, I imagine your eyes would glaze over before even one day was over. A day? My feet hurt just thinking about it. How serious are you about spending a whole lot of time looking at marble heads, like those in this photo? I didn’t think so.

Do you like paintings? They got ‘em. Tapestries? Ditto. Marble heads? Well, you know they have those, right? Frescos? Un-huh. Collections? They abound…like hundreds of meteorites collected in Antarctica by Vatican scientist…go figure.

So, how do you narrow down all of this to fit your interest? Use your guides’ knowledge. And, how do you fit all of this into your Rome explorations, including your important visit to St Peter’s Basilica? Tell your guide how much time you have available so they can tailor your visit to fit it into your day’s itinerary. Finally, tell your guide ahead of time exactly what time you would like to start your explorations.

Finding Your Guide

So, where do you find these guides? You Google for them. Here are a few recent findings…but before you look at these offerings, be sure to look carefully at what they offer. For instance, is it just a timed, special entrance to the museums, and then you are on your own? Do they parla Inglese? Will they also be taking you on to St Peter’s Basilica? You get the picture, right?

ToursByLocals - plug ‘Vatican Museums’ into their ‘Search by Keyword’ bar and then choose a guide
Viator
GetYourGuide
Vatican Private Tour Guide
Vatican Guided Tour
etc.

Rick Steves - And then there’s Rick Steves’ suggestions…and his suggestions are based on his personal experiences. As he points out, there is a big difference with getting a guide from an international company like those above, and getting a private guide who works independently. So, give Rick Steves’ recommendations a look…and hope that he keeps that list up to date.

A Few Museum Photos

Even the staircases have art at the Vatican Museums!

Expect a lot of variety in the paintings of the museums.

There is even a very large, and very old, tapestry modeled on DaVinci’s ‘Last Supper’.

I think that this next one is a lot of fun. These little winged putti seem to be having a bit of fun as they march along a wall in the museum. That poor guy second-from-left is missing his face, or is that a pillowcase over his head. What’s that about? But, not to worry, his friends are guiding him, and there’s an extra face laying (or is it lying?) on the floor to the right.

This next one is really cool! Look at the sculptural relief…or is that a painting? Can’t be a painting, can it? Yep, it is, and it is an excellent representation of Trompe-l'œil. What’s that you ask? It’s an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion of three dimensionality. In other words, those shadows are very carefully calculated to create a three-dimension look.

Here’s a modern interpretation of Trompe-l'œil. It’s just chalk art on a concrete walkway, but it’s the perspective that makes it work. Looking from any other angle just won’t reveal the ‘look’.

And, let’s not forget painted ceilings. Not sure what that elevated scene is about, but she seems to be in complete control of the situation. You go, girl!

The Sistine Chapel

Speaking of painted ceilings, now to the penultimate…the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo didn’t really want to take on this project, as he was working on a marble tomb at the time…and he considered himself a sculptor, not a painter. But, we can be glad he acquiesced and took on the job for Pope Julius.

And, we can also be glad that the ceiling underwent a complete restoration at the end of the last century…before that, it was covered with the soot of five centuries of candle use.

First, here is what you would have seen if you had been there in around…let’s say 1970. It was a rather mono-chromatic, obliterated, mess.

Now, let’s see the difference that 20 years of restoration makes.

It’s an astounding change, isn’t it? Wow! And here is a bit of detail as we see the God-Man attempt at connection.

OK, here’s the deal. They ask that you take no photos. They also tell you to be quiet…and not in a very nice way. You hear a loud ‘SHHHH!!!’ intermixed with ‘No Photos!’ whilst you gawk at the amazing ceiling.

The fact that they keep shushing the crowd is indicative that no one pays much attention. Treat the request for ‘no photos’ the same way. Go ahead and shoot away. Just don’t use flash. I think the whole ‘no photo’ thingie has to do with selling the books with photos in the gift shop. And, as we haven’t been in the Sistine Chapel for 8 years, they may have completely given up on the ‘no photos’ thing with the advent of cellphone photography.

That’s it for the Vatican sights that we are allowed to see…the Vatican Museums and St Peter’s Basilica. If you have not already seen these amazing sights, I hope that you are able to do so whenever we can begin to travel once more.

Ciao for now…and please stay safe,

Steve

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Your Vatican Visit - Part 1

Index of Articles

“St Peter’s Basilica is the world’s largest church in the world’s smallest country.”

The Vatican is a must see…don’t go to Rome without seeing it. And, how best to see it? That’s a good question. Read on for the answer.

The Vatican

“The Vatican” is composed of four entities, as follows:

Vatican City, the city-state ruled by the pope in Rome…we can’t roam around there

Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the pope…we can’t go there, unless invited
St. Peter's Basilica…yes, we can, and should, go there
Vatican Museum…definitely go there

As mere mortals, we can’t just wander around the Vatican City. However, we can visit the Vatican Museum and St Peter’s Basilica…so, that’s what we will look forward to seeing.

When visiting the Vatican, it is recommended that you first visit the Vatican Museums, and then head to the Basilica. There is good reason for doing this, and that reason will be revealed in next weeks Part 2 installment. Also, I’m reversing the visitation order by giving you St Peter’s Basilica today, before we visit the museums, next week. I know, I know, you are anxious to learn the mysteries of Vatican visitation, but you’ll have to wait for next week’s installment to have them revealed to you. So, in the meantime, I give you the…

Vatican City Layout

Before visiting the Basilica, let’s look at the layout of Vatican City, and where the Basilica and the museums lay within.

In this map of Vatican City, I have outlined the Vatican Museums in blue. The museum complex is huge, with many artifacts that will be revealed next week. In the red, you see St Peter’s Basilica, fronted by St Peter’s Square. The square is a gathering place for the faithful to see the Pope when he makes an appearance, as well as a place to gather for many other Vatican-related events…it’s a beautiful venue. The areas shown in green are the parks of Vatican City…you can look from several vantage points, but, please don’t touch.

Though it is referred to as ‘Vatican City’, it is actually a country unto itself.

St Peter’s Basilica

Just a small bit of history today, but mainly photos of the interior of he Basilica.

Is it actually a cathedral? No, it isn’t. A cathedral must be the seat of a bishop…and this isn’t. Though the Pope is the Bishop of Rome, his cathedral is actually the Cathedral of Saint John Lateran.

The Basilica was consecrated on November 18, 1626. However, understand that it was a work in progress for 120 years. The Basilica is huge, at 720 by 490 feet, and with a height of about 450 feet. It’s the largest church on Earth…and maybe the whole Universe? We’ll never know! But, we know that St Peter’s Basilica is the world’s largest church in the world’s smallest country.

Because it took so long to construct the church, there were at least 8 architects involved over the years. Donato Bramante is credited with the plan, while Michelangelo was the chief executer of that plan.

You might remember that Christ said, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church”. After his own crucifixion (upside down at his own request, by the way), Peter was buried where the current church sits today…that’s why the Basilica was located there.

OK, let’s move on to see what St Peter’s Basilica looks like…here is the exterior, taken on a dark and stormy day whilst in Rome in 2012. One almost expects to hear dramatic organ music and to see lightening descending to strike the dome.

The stone work of the exterior is very…stone like.

And who provides the security for the Basilica…why the Swiss Guards do, that’s who.

Nice looking guys, right? Wouldn’t they look a bit more formidable with black outfits, weapons (other than a spear thingie) strapped on, and Kevlar vests? I think we might have seen someone dressed like this in a Cirque du Soleil show. Though I jest, they are a proud and capable group of dedicated Vatican guards.

When you enter through the massive doors, you are struck by the sheer magnitude of the Basilica’s size.

The baldacchino can be seen way down there…under the dome. Here is a closer view of the baldacchino.

To give you an idea of the size of the Basilica, the top of the baldacchino is 95 feet.

And speaking of domes, here is a view of the 136’ diameter main dome, with the baldacchino below.

Just inside and to the right as you enter the Basilica through the massive front doors, you find the magnificent Pieta. I wrote about the Pieta in September of 2015. You can see that article here.

Here are various photos that I have taken of the interior of St Peter’s Basilica.

See that female (yes?) figure with the bow in the bottom-left of the last photo above. In this detail photo below, you can see that these figures adorning the support for this small dome are mosaics. Don’t ask…I have no idea what the head under foot represents, or how it got there.

I will leave you with one, final dome (there are many within the Basilica)…not the main one, but an impressive one, none the less.

That’s it for our short visit to St Peter’s Basilica…well, almost. I need to share a humorous (maybe, maybe not?) anecdote…and a warning…about entering St Peter’s.

We visited St Peter’s in 2000, when the church was celebrating one of the recurring Diamond Jubilees (25-year anniversaries). The men in our group neglected to wear long pants (I have not taken shorts to Italy, since). We were stopped at the giant doors with, “Hey, you can’t go in like that…what do you think this is? A tourist site?”. Well, at 10,000,000 visitors a year…yes, that’s what I thought it was. There is a standing tradition of passing down, at the cost of $10, a pair of simple nylon pants with elastic waist…one size fits all. After coming out of the Basilica, there is absolutely no problem in holding them up and selling them to get your $10 back. So, be prepared to wear long pants, or to have $10 ready for temporary ownership of nylon pants. While we were waiting, two girls from Germany were stopped because of their shorts, so they stepped to the side of the massive doors, stripped down to bra and panties, reached into their backpacks, and then dressed in something more appropriate. Was that strip show less offensive than bare knees?

As I stated at the beginning, don’t go to Rome without seeing St Peter’s Basilica…it is a worthy, inspiring stop on your journey. You too will stand in awe at the magnitude of this beautiful structure. And, don’t forget that next week, you will understand how best to visit the Vatican Museums in Part 2.

Ciao for now,

Steve

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