Chuck and I went to Rome on Christmas day to meet up with Dustin, our friend from Seattle, who flew into Rome that day to visit us and Europe. Early in the morning, Chuck and I drove our rental car and parked it five minutes away from the train station. We were uncertain whether or not the parking space was timed nor free, but we hoped for the best that the car would still be there by the time we came back from Rome on Sunday....thank goodness, it was!
After a subway and train ride from the train station, we met up with Dustin who got us a hotel about three or four miles from the city center. Figuring out the public transportation can get difficult in Italy, especially when it's a holiday and you know little Italian! After settling down at the hotel, we decided to go to the Vatican. We didn't know that the subway closed early and could not take it into town. Though we did figure out that the train stations were running later and was able to head down to the Vatican city. It was really cool to be at the Vatican for Christmas!
Nativity scene at Piazza San Pietro. St. Peter's Basilica is in the background.
Swiss Army Guard at St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica was open to the public, though they had quite a bit of it sectioned off and the stairs to the cupola was also closed. Unfortunately, the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel were closed at that time. Instead, we decided to see it on Sunday as it's free on the fourth Sunday of each month. Unfortunately, we got in line late as the direct subway line to the Vatican was closed and had to walk to another station to catch the subway to the Vatican! It's too far to walk there from the city center (where the train station is located) and there was a long line for a taxi. So we had fifteen minutes to get to the entrance of the Museum and we were far from it!! It was already closed and we weren't anywhere near the entrance. Oh well, it's a good excuse to visit Rome again in the near future!!
Piazza Navona on Christmas Day.
There was a Christmas fair at night on the Piazza Navona. There were tons of games, similar to those at American fairs, food, and a Peruvian flute band! 
We moved to a different hotel, at the city center, on the Via Veneto and spent two nights there. The hotel upgraded us to the Presidential Suite with a huge oval living room, 2.5 bathrooms with a jetted tub, and a huge master bedroom. To welcome us, we got a complimentary bottle of wine! Via Veneto is one of the most famous and expensive streets in Rome. Federico Fellini's classic 1960 film La Dolce Vita was mostly centered around the Via Veneto area. The film made the street famous and turned it into a center for upscale cafes and shops. Before calling it a night, we went across the street to Harry's Bar and enjoyed a $20 drink! Harry's Bar which was immortalized in La Dolce Vita is a well known hangout for celebraties in Rome. It was a pretty cool restaurant and bar, but I've had better mixed drinks...and for less than $10! Anyways, I'm not a huge fan of mixed drinks in Italy as they aren't as strong as those in America.
Palatine Hill. We were too late to see it, the Roman Forum and the Colosseum on the first day. So, we came back the next day instead and finally saw it!
Archaeological site. Old Roman ruins.
Buon Natale! Merry Christmas!! Look at that yummy food.
Walking through the Jewish Ghetto.
Wanting to let our tired feet rest, we find an Irish Pub, Mad Jack's, and drink a few beers!
The Fontana di Trevi.
The Trevi Fountain is the largest, standing 85 feet high and 65 feet wide, and most ambitious of the Baroque fountains of Rome. The backdrop for the fountain is the Palazzo (Palace) Poli. A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome...well, I'm still going to go!! Approximately 3,000 Euros are thrown into the fountain each day and are collected at night. The money has been used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome's needy...now I wish I remembered to throw some coins! But there are regular attempts to stean coins from the fountain.
Tons of people gathered around and in front of the Fontana di Trevi.
Tons more people at the Spanish Steps.
The Spanish Steps are a set of steps climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinita dei Monti, dominated by Trinita dei Monti, the church that was under the patronage of the Bourbon kins of France. The Spanish Steps are the longest and widest staircasse in all Europe. It has 138 steps. During Christmas time, a 19th-century crib is displayed on the first landing of the staircase.
How to parallel park a Smart car, even in the narrow streets of Rome!
Palatine Hill.
The Palatine Hill is the centermost of the Seven Hills of Rome and is one of the most ancient parts of the city. Recent excavations show that people have lived there since approximately 1000 BC. The ruins of the palaces of Augustus, Tiberius, and Domitian can still be seen.
Beautiful Roman trees.
Up on the Palatine Hill with St. Peter's Basilica in the back background.
Old drawings on a tunnel.
Roman Forum.
The Roman Forum is located between the Palatine Hill and the Capitoline Hill. It is the central area around which the ancient Roman civilization developed. The forum served as a city square and central hub where the people of Rome gathered for justice and faith. The forum was also the economic hub of the cit and considered to be the center of the Republic and Empire.
The Colosseum.
To avoid the long lines at the Colosseum, I would recommend getting tickets at the Palatine ticket office. You can buy a combination ticket for the Palatine, Roman Forum, and the Colosseum and thus, bypass the very lengthy line to get inside the Colosseum.
The Pantheon.
We tried to see the Pantheon on the first night in Rome, but it was closed. The second day we were fortunate enough to go inside it. We were very lucky as we made it ten minutes before they were closing it for mass.
The Pantheon was originally built as a temple to all the gods of ancient Rome and rebuilt circa 126 AD during Hadrian's reign. It is the best preserved of all Roman buildings and perhaps the best preserved building of its age in the world. It has been in continuous use throughout its history. Since the 7th-century, the Pantheon has been used as a Catholic church. The Pantheon is the oldest standing domed structure in Rome.
Inside the Pantheon.
The dome of the Pantheon.
I am grateful that Chuck and I were able to visit Rome once more before I leave for Seattle. There is much to do and see in Rome and recommend spending at least a week for quality sightseeing...though you could spend much more time than that! We'll definitely make Rome and Italy itself as a place to vacation again.....I'm adamant to see the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, The Last Supper in Milan, and the Ufizzi in Florence!!
