They say all roads lead to Rome. If you travel Italy, Rome is truly unmissable. It was once the center of ancient civilization, and a place where civilization blossomed through plunder and war.
A trip to Rome means a very busy schedule from the morning. That’s because Rome alone deserves more than a week, but Koreans usually rush through in one to three days, seeing only the hotspots.
A must-visit in Rome is Vatican City. It’s the smallest country in the world, with a birth rate of zero but the highest death rate, because it’s the Pope’s country, where the Pope lives. The Vatican Museums always have long lines even from dawn. We thought of skipping it, but since it was my mom’s first time in Rome, we went in.
Security is tight, no doubt because of the many cultural relics and for religious reasons.
This is the Pinecone Courtyard. The Vatican takes a full day and more, but since we decided to see it quickly, we skipped quite a few spots. In the Vatican, you can’t skip Michelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci. Michelangelo especially was an artist Italy loved, though he reportedly had a complex about his looks. His famous works include the Pieta and the David, and as a sculptor he even shook up the painting world with the Creation and the Last Judgment. He was a genius, they say.
Passing the Pinecone Courtyard and browsing artworks, we reached the Gallery of Maps, the room with ancient maps.
It’s all glittering gold, and they say photos come out well here.
After seeing various rooms and finally the Creation and the Last Judgment, you enter St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world. It shows how high the Pope’s authority was then, and also the corruption of the religious world at the time. After seeing the Pieta in St. Peter’s, the Vatican tour is over.
Next we headed to the Pantheon.
In front of the Pantheon stands an obelisk plundered from ancient Egypt. I wonder why Italy won’t return the Egyptian obelisk taken through war. Thanks to that, even Egyptians come to Italy to see their own heritage, which left me bittersweet.
We entered the Pantheon. They say rain doesn’t come in through the open hole even when it rains, because the warm air inside rises and pushes the rain out.
The Trevi Fountain was under construction.
Legend says tossing one coin brings love, two coins bring a breakup, and three coins bring you back to Rome. I tossed three coins 10 years ago, and I really did come back to Rome.
The Spanish Steps were also under construction, the place made famous by the movie Roman Holiday.
It was where Audrey Hepburn walked in the movie, though the trap is it’s less romantic than the film. Then the ancient chariot racing stadium.
In ancient times, chariots raced here to see who was fastest, like modern racing.
The Roman Forum was also under restoration. In 2014 when we went, Rome’s signature relics were all under construction. But thanks to constant restoration, the heritage is preserved to this day.
The Mouth of Truth, where liars get their hands bitten off.
The trap is it was just a sewer manhole cover. Piazza del Campidoglio.
The Capitoline Hill has the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor. A classic Renaissance-style building. And the famous Colosseum.
It was also under heavy restoration. Next time, hopefully we can see it without the construction. Rome with my mom left much to be desired in many ways. Rome is hundreds of times more fun when you know the history.
Prices, hours and details in this post are from our visit in May 2018 and may have changed, so check the latest information before you go.