Day 2
Today we traveled back in time and visited the Roman Forum and the Colosseum!
We started our day at Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli (Saint Peter in Chains) where we met Francesca who was our local guide for the day. After admiring Michelangelo's statue of Moses we took a quick break to have some gelato and moved on to the Forum and Colosseum. This was certainly a highlight of the trip!
Evan, who is 15 has been a fan of Roman history for most of his life and walking trough the ruins was an awe inspiring experience. Going inside of the Colosseum was a once in a lifetime opportunity!
Afterwards we went on our own to the Basilica of San Clemente, which was recommended by our guide. This is an extraordinary place to visit. There are three levels to explore as you walk down deeper into history. The above-ground basilica was built in the Middle Ages around 1100. Going deeper down we toured the 4th century basilica. Further down still is a mithraeum with an altar to Mithras. The feeling of exploring further and further back in the past was amazing! Unfortunately pictures weren't allowed underground, so you'll have to visit and see for yourself!
We were lucky our hotel was so close to the Colosseum (and a gelato shop) and we walked by every night. Some of Evan's evening pictures are featured here. Seeing the Colosseum lit up and all the people out-and-about was amazing. Rome is a very safe and pedestrian-focused city, though we did need to learn some aggressive walking strategies when crossing the streets. It's all about committing to your path and when possible, following the crowd! The norms are very different from the United States.
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