Rome (11/2-4)

Ahh...Rome! Such an amazing contrast of ancient and modern, religious and secular, traditional and contemporary...This was Daniel's first trip to Rome, so we had to hit all the major highlights. It was my fourth, so I had to go back to old favorites.

For photos, click here.

Rome

Kimberly

The first thing that struck me about Rome was how crowded it was for November. It seems that Italy, and especially Rome, has become incredibly popular with the tourists. The day that we went to the Vatican, we had to wait almost two hours in line to enter the museum...and this was after joining up with a tour group to cut half-way in the line!

But it is popular for a reason. There is simply so much to see! During our time here, we visited the ancient sights of the Pantheon, Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill. We spent an entire day exploring the Vatican: it's museum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Cathedral and square. And we visited all the Baroque highlights too: The Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, and Piazza Barberini.

Rome is full of tourist highlights, so rather than go into detail about the well-known monuments and museums we visited, I want to focus on one little-known museum, my favorite museum in the whole world, the Borghese Gallery. Located in the Borghese Gardens, this museum is actually the Cardinal's mansion which has been painstakingly restored and filled with his most prized art works. The museum has gone to great lengths to ensure an ideal viewing experience. First, you must make reservations in advance....several days, if not weeks, in advance. (You can make them online here.) They strictly limit the number of visitors during each two hour window, so book ahead. Second, they have organized each room of the museum around one important piece of art. So, rather than walking into a room and being overwhelmed with all the different pieces, here, you are guided through in a more harmonious experience. The Baroque sculpture is just amazing, including Bernini's Daphne and Apollo (my favorite piece of art, click here for a photo). And the paintings are world-class, featuring masters such as Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian, and Rubens.

And my other favorite thing to do in Rome is eat. My favorite restaurant in the whole world is here, just off the Piazza Barberini. It is not well known by tourists, but always packed with locals from all different parts of society. And the food is stellar, especially their famous beef canneloni. If you are going to Rome, please try it and tell me how your meal was.
Tullio
Via s. Nicola da Tolentino, 26
Tel: 39/06 474 55 60
Closed on Sunday