Civitavecchia (a.k.a. “How Do You Even Say That”)
Our gateway to Rome, and the place we all pretended we could pronounce. Civitavecchia has been Rome’s seaport since the 1200s, which means people have been stumbling off boats and standing here looking confused for roughly 800 years. We carried on the tradition proudly. Fun fact for Franko to ruin dinner with: the harbor fortifications were designed by Michelangelo and Bernini, so even the parking lot for boats here was done by legends. From the port it’s about an hour into the Eternal City – plenty of time for Kimmy to get lost and Rondo to walk ahead of the bus.
St. Peter’s Square & Basilica
A massive piazza where, on a good week, the Pope shows up to bless the crowd. It frames the entrance to St. Peter’s Basilica – the spot where St. Peter himself was martyred and buried. Enormous, ornate, and humbling enough that even our group briefly shut up. Briefly.
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
Home to one of the greatest art collections on the planet, capped off by Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. You’ll crane your neck until it hurts, you’ll be told repeatedly to be quiet, and it is 100% worth it. SuSu kept the group moving; Franko kept narrating like he painted it himself.
The Colosseum
The big one. Built in the 1st century so emperors could entertain the masses with spectacularly violent games – basically ancient pay-per-view. Still an engineering jaw-dropper two thousand years later, and somehow more impressive in person than every photo you’ve ever seen. SuSu had snacks ready in a Ziploc, naturally.
Trevi Fountain
Rome’s most famous Baroque fountain and its most aggressive crowd. Legend says if you turn your back and toss in a coin, you’re guaranteed a return trip. Frank threw one…like a left fielder trying to gun a runner out at home plate. We’re also pretty sure that’s just a clever scheme to fund fountain maintenance, but he did it anyway. Send it.
The Pantheon
Almost 1,900 years old and barely looks a day over 500. Sixteen towering columns out front, a giant dome with a literal hole in the roof, and one of the best-preserved ancient buildings anywhere. Genuinely the kind of place that makes you stop and feel small in a good way.
The Spanish Steps
Rome’s prettiest staircase, designed in flowy Baroque style with a butterfly shape if you squint. Once the beating heart of the city’s old Bohemian quarter, now the beating heart of “where do we sit and rest our feet.” Kimmy approved.
Piazza Navona
A long, lively Baroque square packed with street performers, outdoor cafés, and three knockout fountains. This is where Rome shows off, and you just go with it – order a coffee, watch the chaos, let somebody overcharge you for gelato. Rondo, naturally, had already scouted the best café before anyone else found their seats.
