Rome, Italy

After Pompeii, we continued driving until we reached

our final destination...

ROMA!

We spent three nights in Rome.

Our first night we went on a driving tour of the monuments.

We were exhausted from Pompeii and the long drive

BUT this was well worth it.

Seeing the monuments lit up at night was breathtaking!

Teachers looking for gelato our first night in Rome 

The Arch of Constantine

Trevi Fountain at night
BEAUTIFUL

In front of the Trevi Fountain

I am loving Ellie's little pose to the right! S-A-S-S-Y!

St. Peter's Basilica -- at night

The next day was our big tourism day in Rome.

We went to the Vatican Museum, St. Peter's Basilica, the Colosseum,

the Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps.

Entrace to the Vatican Museum

Ceiling paintings in the Vatican
meant to look like relief sculpture

Sadly, I have no pictures from the Sistine Chapel because
photography was not allowed.
However, this was on of my most favorite experiences from the whole trip.
Seeing Michelangelo's Last Judgment and paintings on the Sistine Chapel ceiling
was literally a dream come true for me.
After visiting the Vatican Museum we explored within St. Peter's basilica.

A small dome inside St. Peter's Basilica

Michelangelo's Pieta

It truly was a moving experience to see this sculpture in person.

Right in front of the large altar in St. Peter's Basilica.
Supposedly at the crossing-square, St. Peter is buried underground.

The central dome by Michelangelo

I believe this is Pope John XXIII but I am not positive

Outside St. Peter's

Across the street from the Colosseum
{That is cool to say!}

Inside the Colosseum

Gladiator outside the Colosseum

Alex and a student pretending to be Gladiators inside the Colosseum

Inside the Roman Forum



High-Fiving on the Spanish Steps!



The next day we visited the Catacombes,
a local beach, the Pantheon, and had plenty of free time in Rome.

Sadly, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the catacombes
but it was really neat to see the ancient tombs.

Walking the streets of Rome

The Pantheon --
Unfortuantely, it was not open on the day we saw it because of a holiday.
I did get to peek in through the front door that happened to be cracked open
and I almost peed my pants -- it was so cool. 

In front of the Pantheon



Outside of the Pantheon
A horse named Derby!



Jonathan took me to a Cathedral that had Caravaggio's The Calling of St. Matthew

Some of our boys in front of a fountain designed by Bernini

Fountain designed by Baroque artist Bernini

After our farewell dinner,
we all wanted to take picture with our fabulous tour guide, Michael.



Katelyn and I at the Farewell Dinner in Rome