Rome, Italy

Monday, April 10, 2023

Like many of the other places we have visited on this cruise, Rome needs several days to explore. Determined to at least just get a little taste of it, we signed up for an excursion, “Rome on Your Own by Express Train.”

A luxurious bus with a wonderful guide (a young Italian woman) picked us up at the dock in Civitavecchia, a lovely city surrounded by lovely old forts and ancient walls. The port itself, which was very industrial, is the gateway to Rome. Civitavecchia was cleaner than Sorrento and Sicily. Most of the hotels, apartments, and condo buildings looked ike college dorms from the 1960’s.

Our guide escorted us from the bus to the train station, where our two tour groups had our own comfortable train cars for ourselves. The views from the train were lovely. On the outskirts of Civitaveccchia, as the landscape became more rural, we saw more elegant, older homes and hundreds of sailboats docked.

The train followed the sparkling coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea and its rocky shores, providing spectacular views of the countryside, with blooming trees, rolling hills, and lush green fields. Except for the sea and the palm trees, the scenery reminded us of Tennessee or Kentucky. Red poppies were scattered throughout the wild flowers that lay like a soft blanket along the banks of the railroad track. We passed many old villas, farmhouses, and small communities. In the distance, we could see foothills bordering the wide, rolling fields of vineyards and crops. Most of the fields had narrow irrigation ditches. We saw horses that looked like Clydesdales, donkeys, sheep, and white cattle with horns that took a horizontal turn outward halfway up.

The train ride was about an hour. The last third of the trip involved many tunnels, which pressurized our ears as if climbing high mountains. When we arrived in Rome, our tour guide led us through the maze out of the station and onto the streets of Rome. She showed us a constantly running water fountain that looked sort of like a hydrant and told us we could fill up our water bottles there. (Later we saw a man letting his dog drink out of it, its tongue lapping all around the faucet.) Next, she showed us a souvenir and snack shop with restrooms we could use for free. (It was the first toilet I saw in Italy that had a seat on it.)

Then our guide led us around St. Peter’s Basilica Square and Basilica (Piazzo S. Pietro), which was very crowded. Masses of flowers decorated the square close to the window from which the Pope would speak. We wanted to stop for a glimpse of him, but the lines through security were long, and our guide was hurrying us to a booth where we could buy tickets for the Hop-on-Hop-Off Bus. That process was lengthy.

Our guide told us to go past the gorgeous Castle S. Angelo (long lines to get inside), cross a beautiful bridge over the River Tiber, and cross the street to get to our bus.

We originally planned to get off the bus at the Vatican Museum, but it was the day after Easter, so it was closed. The streets and sidewalks were packed with people for the holiday. It was slow going for our bus. We tried to get photos of as much of everything we could. With the long stops and heavy traffic, we realized that we would not be getting off of that bus.

Everything we did see astounded us. Rome is spectacular, so we were thrilled with the glimpses we did catch. Yes, there is a great deal of graffiti, and homeless people were asleep on their dirty mattresses on the sidewalks, in even the swankiest areas; however, all of the historic buildings and fountains were just breathtaking.

When the Colosseum came into view, we gasped. How magnificent! “One of the largest sized iconic structures know to man,” constructed in 1 A.D., the Colosseum “was an entertainment hub for Emperors to engage the focus of the public.” People were crawling all over it like ants.

Across from that was the incredible architectural area around the Ancient Roman Forum that we would love to have explored.

We saw the Piazza de Spagna (Spanish Steps), from the bus, but did not get to see the Trevi Fountain. We were told by fellow passengers that they couldn’t get close enough to the fountain to take a photo because of the crowds.

Known as the Eternal City, as well as Cast Mundi (Capitol of the World), Rome introduced the world to many new ideas in architecture, including the arch, baked brick, and the use of cement and concrete. We saw these ancient features throughout our travels in the Mediterranean.

When our bus returned us to the spot near the bridge that led to the castle and the Basilica, we realized that we could not actually tour any of the famous sites because of the crowds, and get back in time for the train. We decided that we would not miss the other important part of touring Rome, which is enjoying the food, an integral part of Rome’s culture. First, we walked around St. Peter’s Square (and couldn’t believe the length of the lines to get inside the church itself).

Then we stopped at a souvenir shop for a booklet with CD about Rome. Nearby, we found a sidewalk cafe, where we ordered white wine and beer. I had a delicious bowl of bean and pasta soup with a tomato base, and Cliff enjoyed a dish of meatballs with arugula and fresh cherry tomatoes.

Other passengers saw us and chose tables nearby, joining us in our little celebration of Rome. That interlude was the best part of our visit to Rome, as we all sat in the sun on a chilly day, taking it all in. We loved it.