Vatican City - San Pietro and other Rome, Italy Things to Do Tips

WOW.. What can I say to describe San Pietro... well..... how long have you got?

It is massive, beautiful, powerful and reminded me more of one of the worlds most beautiful art galleries than a place of worship. The view from the top of the dome is spectacular and worth the rather twisting and tiring climb. There is an option of taking an elevator but you still have 320 steps after that. The view looking back inside the basilica really gives the place a sense of scale.

Also, the walk around the tombs is very good and you will see the resting place of Pope John Paul II - that was quite moving as I wasn't expecting it !

A point worth mentioning... when you are in the queue to enter the actual basillica it splits into two, the left hand queue goes to the crypt and the right hand queue goes to the dome.

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Think Gladiator, think BIG, think gore, think beauty, think amazing.... The colosseum is one of the most amazing monuments I have ever been to, it was just incredible.

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I was surprised at the location of Trevi Fountain, it is situated on a kind of side street which you get to by following the signs.. then suddeny.. BAM, a wall of beautifully sculpted marble sits before you. It is much much bigger than I anticipated and absolutely heaving with people. It is one stop along from the Spanish steps on the metro.

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I was not sure what to expect at the Spanish Steps, however it is a rather nice spot to hang around and take in the sunset.. The top provides a rather nice view over the rooftops of Rome with San Pietro in the distance. Eating around this area can prove costly.. After a reasonably priced meal at a local piazza we went for ice cream in a restaurant at the top of the steps and were charged 7 euro's each !!!!

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The Vatican museum is a place I havewanted to visit for as long as I could remember. Rome in July is busy and by 7:30am the queue for entry to the museum was already stretching 4 blocks so get there early!!!

It IS however, well worth the wait and if you like art, then you cannot get it much better than this. The cistine chapel with "The last Judgment" just had me standing in goosebumps, it is a truly incredible place and much bigger than I originally thought it would be.

Another great part (for me personally) were the Raphaello rooms, here you can see "The school of Athens" another brilliant piece of art.

Near the entrance is a collection of ancient Egyptian exhibits that are very interesting too.

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Just across the street from the Colosseum are the remains of the Roman Forum and Palatine. These are beautiful and a nice place to collect your thoughts and relax. The area itself is quite large but the ruins are superb and really make you wonder what life must have been like in those ancient times.

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