The Vatican

Catching the train at Poggio Mirteto.

The Vatican is a fortified country. The walls and huge lines of tourists.

St. Peters.

Before our museum tour begins.

Sistine Chapel in the background with the square windows.

Vatican Museum.

Laocoon and His Sons.

Hall of Tapestries.

St. Peter's Square.

Inside St. Peters - each letter is over 6 ft tall.

The Pieta by Michelangelo

Touching for good luck - like thousands have done before us.

Hey - Swiss Guards!!

The Pope speaks from the 2nd window from the left.

St. Peter's

Having had a great first day in Rome, we traveled back to see the Vatican and to spend an afternoon doing something fun for the girls. We met Luca outside the Vatican walls for our tour of the Papal State.

Even in low tourist season, the Vatican was busy. We can’t imagine what it must be like during the busy tourist season. Having Luca with us was the way to go as we avoided waiting in lines and he was able to provide the highlights of the Vatican museum for us. The Vatican museum is enormous. Like most the of world’s great museums, one could spend a week listening to audio guides – they can be overwhelming. Luca knew right where to go and gave us the “best of” tour. Of course the Sistine Chapel was amazing. We had the same spellbound feeling as we gazed at the ceiling to see the paintings that we had seen in so many books over our lives. It was a real treat.

As if the Sistine Chapel wasn’t spell-binding enough, the trip to St. Peter’s was an amazing experience. The size is somewhat hidden. It isn’t until one sees how other great cathedrals of the world would fit inside of St. Peter’s is the true size of this great cathedral apparent.

The holiday season is a busy time in St. Peter’s square. Thousands of seats were set-up awaiting the next event.

After an incredible visit we headed for another delicious lunch and prepared for a fun afternoon of kid activity.