The Vatican

This morning we toured the Vatican with Roman professor, Enrico Bruschini. On our first trip to Rome, Enrico led us through the Forum, the Coliseum and the Vatican. When we began planning this trip, we immediately contacted Enrico to see if he was available for a second tour of the Vatican. Enrico is an expert on the history of the Vatican and its contents. He worked on the cleaning of the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. The museums in the Vatican are incredible. You will see sculptures, frescoes, paintings, tapestries, and relics of the past. You can rent one of the audio tours, but it is nothing like having Enrico making the contents come to life.

One of our first stops was to see the replica of the Pieta. This original is house in the Basilica of St. Peter. In the museum, you get a chance to look at the replica up close and see the details.

For me and my love of textiles, the tapestries are truly amazing. Their size and detail are unbelievable. No pictures can do the tapestries justice. It is one of those times when you have to see it to believe it.

As you look at the many treasures in the museums, nothing is like seeing the Sistine Chapel in person. Enrico brings the frescoes to life. His knowledge is incredible.

After the museums, we head for the Basilica of St. Peter. There you will find the tomb of St. Peter and the Pieta by Michelangelo. Once again, we are astounded by the enormity of the Basilica.

After leaving the Vatican we stop for a pizza before boarding the "Hop On, Hop Off" bus for a tour of the city. This is a great way to see the city. But next time we will do a little research to determine the best bus line for the tour. Unfortunately some of the route was closed and we were unable to do a loop of the city.

Our evening ends with a delicious dinner at La Buca di Ripetta, a delightful trattoria close to our hotel. The food was not only tasty, but beautifully presented.

What a great day in Rome!