Italy > First impression of Saint Peter's

While I am putting the last items into my small suitcase, I hear the European weather forecast during the morning news. Extreme heat in Spain and Italy. On the Italian islands, temperatures can rise above 45 degrees. I am going for a weekend in Rome. I can clearly leave my rain gear at home. At a quarter to nine, I get on the train to Schiphol Airport. The reports about crowds at the airport have varied greatly in recent days. I choose to be on the safe side and arrive well ahead of time. At check-in, there is no one in front of me. I can even choose which counter I want to use. For the baggage check, I have reserved a time slot. I find this a bit odd, because they know exactly how many people will come and when. Just check the flight schedules, I’d say. But to avoid having to wait longer because other people with reservations get to go ahead, I made a reservation as well. At baggage drop-off, there is also almost no one. More out of principle, I use the fast lane thanks to my reserved time slot. In the departure hall, it is noticeably busy, though. I struggle to find a free seat. I order a coffee and check the latest Dutch news on my phone. Around eleven o’clock, the ITA Airways plane arrives at the gate. People disembark. The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee conducts an exit check. Good thing they do that. A little later, I can board. Aside from a small delay, the flight goes smoothly. Around 2:30 PM, the plane lands at Rome–Fiumicino Airport. At the baggage carousel, I meet Sandra. She is the tour guide for my trip from travel company TUI. She herself is still waiting for her own luggage at the carousel. Several fellow travelers approach. The group consists of 19 people. When everyone has their luggage, we walk to the bus. The bus is not allowed to park in front of the terminal building, so we walk a bit. In half an hour, we drive to Casa San Juan de Ávila, on the edge of the city center. The hotel is part of the Pontifical Spanish College of San José. A section of the complex is made available for pilgrims and tourists. Sandra suggests changing the afternoon program a bit. There isn’t much time left for a city walk, so we can first put our luggage in our rooms and relax for a moment. Those who want to take a shower can do so. At five o’clock, we depart for the center. I stick my head under the tap—wonderfully cold water. Then I head to reception and order a beer at the small bar. I can only pay in cash. When the group is complete again, I follow Sandra to the bus stop. Everyone has been given a small transmitter with an earpiece, so we can hear Sandra clearly. At the bus stop, she can give instructions easily without having to shout. Especially for the first bus experience, it’s handy if the whole group can get on at once. Fortunately, the bus that arrives isn’t too crowded. Sandra keeps us informed via the transmitter about where to get off. This is at the final stop, Via Paola. Through narrow streets, we reach the Tiber River. On the opposite bank, I can already see the impressively large Castel Sant’Angelo, the Mausoleum of Hadrian built in the second century.

Italy - The wide Via della Conciliazione

Today, we walk around the fortress. Maybe on Sunday there will be time to visit it on my own. In 590, Pope Gregory I prayed to God to end the plague epidemic. The Archangel Michael appeared above the fortress. A chapel was built there, and the statue of the Archangel still stands atop the castle. We stroll through the garden around the fortress. Castel Sant’Angelo is located close to Vatican City. The Passetto di Borgo is a fortified escape route from the Vatican to the fortress, allowing popes to find safety in times of danger. For a long time, the Vatican was part of Rome. The Lateran Treaty of 1929 made Vatican City an independent country—the smallest in the world, at just 100 hectares. Via the broad Via della Conciliazione, I arrive at St. Peter’s Square. The impressive St. Peter’s Basilica stands before me. In the middle of the square rises a 40-meter-high Egyptian obelisk. The colonnades on each side of the square consist of 284 Doric columns and 88 pillars. On top of the colonnades stand 140 statues of saints. The evening sun is already setting behind the church, casting a lot of backlight that makes it hard to see the details of the basilica well. I will certainly come back here later this weekend. In one of the side streets, Sandra has reserved a place for dinner. Although a table inside is ready, there are plenty of spots available outside—much nicer with Rome’s warm temperatures. I order lasagna. After dinner, we walk again across St. Peter’s Square. On the other side of the square is the bus stop. It takes only a few minutes before the bus arrives. Luckily, Sandra is with us; in the dark, it would be hard to guess at which stop we need to get off. On the terrace at the hotel, I end the evening with a beer. The receptionist has to manage both the reception desk and the bar. With a sigh, he hands me my drink.

Italy - The sun sets behind Saint Peters Basilica