Degustación de Tapas - Part 9

A 6 day cruise from Barcelona to various ports continues...^_^

After visiting Monaco and Monte Carlo, our ship cruised slowly onward to the next destination. Our next port was a small town called Civitavecchia, but many people (including myself) would travel about an hour inland to....Rome, Italy! ^_^

I prepared a lot before the trip -- reading guide books and reserving online tickets. My friend would be the navigator, having researched train schedules and maps.

We caught the local train from Civitavecchia station to Rome San Pietro.

Scenes from TrenItalia... (Italian Rail):

Top left, to bottom right:
1. Cutenekko in the freezing cold. / 2. Inside the train.
3. How to open the door. / 4. The station, San Pietro.

Due to our cruise schedule time constraints, my partner and I agreed to visit four places in Rome: The Vatican, the Vatican museum, the Coliseum and Trevi Fountain. From San Pietro station we walked about 15 minutes to Vatican City. Despite the rainy weather, we both were in awe at the immensity of the square...

Vatican City:

I had made reservations to explore the Vatican museums, starting from 10.30 AM, as my friend really wanted to see the Sistine Chapel. Online reservations are highly recommended; otherwise, be prepared to wait in lines of 4+ hours! 

We took the short route through the museum, enjoying views of the intricate ceilings. Be prepared for a sore neck as you will be looking up a lot here! 

Scenes from inside the Vatican Museum: 

Top left, right and bottom right: various ceilings
Bottom left: the spiraling staircase which exits the museum

Photos are not permitted inside the Sistine Chapel, but you can take a look HERE. (wiki) The Chapel is famous for Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam". I read online that bringing a mirror to the chapel is best for those who want to prevent neck pain. 

After the Vatican, we used our BIRG ticket (see travel tips at the end of the blog), to ride the metro and visit some famous sights in Rome. First, Trevi Fountain, famous for its appearance in "Roman Holiday" (which all Japanese love!). Of course, I threw a coin over my shoulder in hopes of returning again. Next, we headed over to the Coliseum and the Arch of Constantine. 

Roman Holiday, cutenekko style:  

Top Left: Arch of Constantine/ Top right: Coliseum
Bottom left and right: Trevi Fountain

In between all the walking and sightseeing, we took a lunch break. My friend wanted to eat pizza. I got to realize my dream of eating Italian gelato (in Italy! Woo!!) near San Pietro station...^_^

Italy: a foodie's delight.

1. water and free breadsticks. 2. pizza! 3. the gelato selection ^_^

After a long, rainy day in Rome, we headed back to the port and had some time to explore Civitavecchia. As the rain had stopped, we walked from the train station to the port entrance (about 20 minutes). I enjoyed a huge statue recreating the famous World War II photo -- "The Kiss".

Civitavecchia -- quite a romantic little place..^_^

Inserts: our ship, the Liberty of the Seas 

Funny how the rain stopped only when we were leaving. Oh well. It was grand day. Back on the ship, we enjoyed dinner and a show. Visit again soon to see more from the Liberty. 

The restaurant we ate at was great. The staff were extremely friendly -- even when we asked for something not on the menu. Highly recommended! Ristorante - Pizzeria La Fontanella Sistina. 

**Travel tips: 
Travel from Civitavecchia to Rome by train:
If you want to visit the Vatican, don't go all the way to Rome Termini (station). Get off at Rome San Pietro and you can walk (there are lots of signs-- takes 15 minutes). This tip will save you about 30 minutes, plus spending money on the metro, as the Rome Termini is quite far from Vatican City. Also, Rome Termini is notorious for pickpockets and thieves, San Pietro is quieter and much safer. ^_^

On buying Italian Gelato:
There are many scams. Buy only from shops that have the prices clearly displayed. A typical double cup should be 3 Euros. Anything more than 5 Euros is a scam.

Going to Rome? Buy a BIRG Ticket:
This is a great travel deal. A BIRG ticket costs 12 Euros and is valid for one day. (two day passes are also available for more) You can ride TrenItalia, Rome's buses and their metro. Get on and off as much as you like. You can purchase the BIRG ticket at any TrenItalia station. More info from Trip Advisor is HERE.

Want to see the famous sights? Book online -- in advance!
If you don't reserve ahead of time, you'll have to wait in line -- long lines. You can reserve the Vatican Museum, inside the Coliseum and other museums around Italy, all online. Best to reserve at least one month in advance to secure your ideal date and time. Just Google what you want to see and compare prices. I recommend the website Weekend in Italy. They were excellent and reasonable.