Our last stop in Italy was in Rome. We took a train from Florence and a bus to our Airbnb. Buses are crowded in Rome. You have to be ready to get off the bus, or you will get stuck on the bus like Michael, Melissa, and the kids. They had to get off at the following stop and walk back.
Our Airbnb finally had a couch, but no fourth bedroom, so the couch was the bed for Lucas and Violet. Also, the internet did not work, which is always a pain. The Airbnb is near the big attractions, so that is a plus.
On our first day, the kids went to gladiator school. They learned about the history of gladiators, went to basic training, and then battled to the death in the arena. Henry begged for mercy at the
end of his battle, but I voted for execution. He died a valiant death.
We clocked about 12,000 steps per day. We tried to take buses a few times, but they were too crowded to get on. Walking is a good alternative because there is so much to see. It is nice to be able to stop and take it all in.
On day two in Rome, we got up early to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. It was the day before the former Pope’s funeral. We saw his body lying in state at the basilica.
We toured the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel with our guide Valentina. We chose to get a guide in Rome for the Vatican and the Colosseum because of the crowds. It was a good decision.
Aside from having a fast track to get in and help navigate, Val provided information about what we were seeing. The amount of art and artifacts in the Vatican Museums is incredible. The kids were excited to see a mummy. I was excited to see the Sistine Chapel.
After our tour, Henry tried a Big Mac at the Mc Vatican. It is the closest McDonald’s to Vatican City. There was a controversy surrounding it when it opened in 2017. The cardinals thought it was disgraceful. Henry thought it was delicious. Lucas and the adults ate sushi, and we all ate gelato on the way home.
The Roman Forum and Colosseum were on our agenda on day three. Val met us at the entrance to the Roman Forum. The sheer size of the remnants of the buildings that made up the forum is awe-inspiring. It is surreal to step into the Colosseum and see how colossal it is. We learned more about the gladiators and the citizens of Rome who came to watch the entertainment.
On our last day in Rome, we went to the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps. The crowds were out in full force. In addition to people coming to Italy for the Pope’s funeral, it was the end of the Italian Holiday.
The biggest hit of the day was the park. We found Borghese Park, which had lots of green space, a playground, and a six-person bicycle. We rented it for an hour, and the kids had a blast! Michael and Melissa cycled them around the park. The kids were jumping on and off the bicycle pretending to be a security team.
We did a lot in the few days we had in Rome, but we only scratched the surface. We were tired of pizza, pasta, and even gelato by the end of our Italy trip.
We loved seeing Melissa, Mike, Violet, and Barrett. We will see them in four months, but first, we have more to explore. Next stop, Bulgaria!
