A Trans-Atlantic Cruise: A Day in Rome

Notice

In addition to this blog of our Trans-Atlantic Cruise, we invite you also to follow the blog of our trip to Thailand during Thanksgiving week 2013 . Follow that blog at Thanksgiving in Thailand. There you can join us on our trip and subscribe to receive email notices about posts as they are published.

We now resume our Trans-Atlantic Cruise Blog:

A Day in Rome

Like most in-port days on our cruise, our day in Rome was sunny and warm. Along with cousins Kate and Elliot, and friends Genevieve and Marc, we hired a car and driver first for a tour of the Vatican with a dedicated private guide, and then for a drive around the city with stops at some of the major sites including Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, Pantheon and Forum.

The port serving Rome, Civitavecchia, is located about 50 miles west of Rome, so any arrival by cruise ship for a visit to Rome starts with a ride in to the city by train, bus or car.

Here are some photos from our visit to Rome.

Our group at Civitavecchia, the port serving Rome. We arranged for a day tour with a car and driver/guide.

Our day in Rome started with a tour of the Vatican with a private guide. We didn't expect such large crowds in October. We learned this was a high season for tourists. Who knew.

The dome of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican .

The Popes collected all sorts of things that are on display for public view, including this sculpture. . .

. . . and this one

Nero's bathtub.

It's a foot.

Corridor after corridor of art and artifacts.

Looking in to the Pantheon. Once a temple to Roman gods, it is now a Catholic church.

Looking out from the Pantheon. We continued to be amazed by the hordes of tourists.

An outside view of the Pantheon

Next, a drive around town.

We stopped to see Trevi Fountain.

Cousin Kate and friend Genevieve demonstrate how visitors should toss coins into Trevi Fountain.

Our next stop was the Colosseum.

Friends, Romans . . .

We got a look inside the Colosseum.

We then visited the Roman Forum. The Forum was a center of government and commerce.

The metal-covered structure in the left center of this photo covers the cremated remains of Roman dictator Julius Caesar. He was assassinated in 44 BC.

A selfie with the Forum in the background.

This is a view of the Vatican and the dome of St. Peter's Cathedral as seen through the keyhole on the door of a small church on Aventine Hill in Rome. The site was previously was home to a palace and fort, a Benedictine monastery, and in the 1100s became property of the Knights of Templar. In the 1400s the property passed in to the hands of the Knights of Malta.

Did you know there is pyramid in Rome? A Roman leader who saw the pyramids of Egypt when that part of the world was under Roman control thought it would be a good idea to build one in Rome. Check out Pyramid for more information. Like so many great monuments around the world, it is shrouded in scaffolding.