Third Stop!

Day 7 on the itinerary stated we would stop for wine tasting at a family-run winery on our way to Rome. Little did we know this stop would be another one of our favorite memories of our trip. Our bus wound up a steep and narrow road in the hills of Umbria.

When we arrived…wow. Location, location, location! The dreamy views from our elevated vantage point of vineyards and a village across a small valley built into the hillside fulfilled all the visions we had of the Italian countryside. We could even hear the tolling of the church bell from the distant town. 

Surprises galore filled our senses. There was an ancient wine cellar one-third of a mile long, dating back 2,000 years. The chill of the underground cavern and carefully stacked dusty bottles still filled with wine stirred our minds with so much curiosity. 

Our guide, Cecilia, gave us a heads up about the accelerated pace of life we were about to experience in Rome. It so happened that our weekend visit included the celebration of All Saints Day. Italians had a four day weekend to savor. So we prepared ourselves for a people filled city.

The afternoon and evening included an experiential tutorial on how to ride the metro. We were joined by a local guide who gave us our neighborhood orientation walk. We visited the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and caught a glimpse of the Pantheon. As darkness fell our group ate off of red and white checkered tablecloths in the Piazza Navona. The exquisite courses of classic Italian foods such as melon with prosciutto, salami, artichoke, caprese salad, bruschetta, egg plant lasagna, bread, and dark chocolate gelato made mouth-watering memories!

How thankful we were to be on a Rick Steve’s tour with a local guide at Vatican City on day 8. A flood of people were there but timing and expert guiding helped us skip the gigantic line. With so much to see and history to hear, a great guide is a must. Our highlight was the time spent marveling at Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Silence is required in this sacred space and our group was given an allotted time in the chapel. A priest spoke a blessing over us while we were in the chapel which was a special moment. 

We went at our own pace through St. Peter’s Basilica listening to the Rick Steves audio tour. We gathered excellent information along with the wonder of Michelangelo’s Pieta.

Monuments of Ancient Rome was the theme of day 9. Experiencing the grandeur of the Colosseum did not disappoint. There was so much to take in visually and introspectively. Our guide knew to lead us through the history of the actual structure and the activities that took place there centuries ago. What would it have been like to go back in time and live through this era? Our guide was masterful at painting a picture from all angles of society to give us a greater understanding of the time. She narrated the happenings at the Roman Forum, making connections to Rome's influence on world history. Outstanding!

In the afternoon, we caught a taxi with two friends and wandered the Basilica of San Clemente. We descended below the church and saw medieval frescos from the 8th and 11th centuries. There was even and area from the 1st century that we walked through. Afterwards, we lunched with our friends at an outside cafe.

Our tour’s farewell dinner put the cherry on the top of our time together. We visited and laughed as close friends, enjoying the ambiance of a restaurant which had walls that had been a part of the Roman Baths.

When we arrived that night at our hotel we gave hugs and handshakes knowing that some would not be at breakfast because of early flights. It was a bitter sweet moment to bid each other arrivederci. It was time to return home. Our tour had been phenomenal and a big reason was because of the people with whom we shared this once in a life time experience.