St. Peter's floor plan in the shape of a Latin cross

The Cross:  Sure this is an easy one because it is probably the most recognizable symbol in the world, but there are more than one kind and you will see it applied in the most interesting ways.  The Latin Cross is the one that we all know where the arms are about half the size of the leg and is associated with Jesus.  Obviously you will see this all over the place, but did you know that many churches are shaped like a cross?  St. Peter’s surely is, and that is no accident.  The Greek Cross is different from its Latin brother in that the arms and leg are the same length.  Usually this cross is associated with St. Andrew who was St. Peter’s brother.  St. Andrew was crucified in Greece, with the style of cross they used there, thus the name Greek Cross.

Man holding a sword:  This represents St. Paul the Evangelist.  The onetime persecutor of Christians was converted to Christianity by a vision of Jesus.  Paul then tirelessly traveled throughout the world at the time to spread the Good Word (gospels).  St. Paul was eventually executed for his beliefs in Christianity and because he was a Roman citizen law dictated that he be killed in a humane way, so he was decapitated with a sword.   You can always recognize St. Paul because he holds his sword and also he usually sports a straight beard.  For the most part when you see Catholic statues or paintings and the subject is holding something that looked like it could kill, then it was probably used to kill that person.  It is common practice to have the martyr hold the device that they were killed with and for St. Paul it was the sword.

Upside down cross:  In the same vein as St. Paul’s execution by sword is St. Peter’s execution by crucifixion.  Legend says that St. Peter was granted a final wish before his execution and he asked to not be killed in the same way as Jesus so his executioners obliged him by putting the cross upside down.  This method would have been a quicker death because of blood rushing to the head causing massive hemorrhaging as opposed to the suffocation inflicted with standard crucifixion.

Two Keys:  One gold, to open the gates of heaven; the other silver, to close the gates of heaven.  These are the whole reason why the Vatican exists because Jesus told Peter: “you are my rock, upon you I will build my church and give you the keys to heaven.”  Assuredly these keys are probably, after the cross, the most used symbols in Rome.  You will see them used in a bunch of different ways including crossed on coats of arms, which represent Popes, simply by themselves and directly in the hand of St. Peter.  The only person who will ever be represented actually holding the keys is St. Peter, all other Popes will only have them on their coats of arms to signify that they were or are the Pope.  Oh, as opposed to St. Paul’s straight beard St. Peter will always have a shorter curly beard.

The Gospels: The word “Gospel” comes from the Old English “God Spell” and generally means “Good news or good words”.  The Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament that describe the birth, life death and resurrection of Jesus.  Since the late 100s tradition has each of the four authors Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have been associated with a winged living creature that are written about in the Book of Revelations.  The rational is that at the beginning of each Gospel one of the four winged living creatures that surround God on his thrown is alluded to: Mark is the winged lion, Luke the winged ox, Matthew the winged man (not an angel) and finally John is the eagle.  The reason why the lion is in so many places in Venice is because St. Mark is the patron saint of the city and the lion is his symbol.

Veil of Veronica or simply the Veronica:  On his way to be crucified a woman wiped the sweat from Jesus’s face and an image of his face remained in the cloth.  The Veronica has not really been seen in the last 100 or so years in the Vatican but at one time it was the most venerated of all the icons of Rome.  In 1527 when Rome was sacked the looters may have found the Veronica leading to its destruction.  During the subsequent century there were a number of counterfeits being passed around which leads to a lot of questions as to what if anything is still stored in St. Peter’s.  During the 1200s when the icon was at its most revered it was credited with a lot of miracles including healing blindness, raising the dead and most famously curing the Emperor Tiberius, the Roman Emperor at the time of Jesus’s execution, of seeping boils on his face.

The Holy Lance: After Jesus had been hanging on the cross for some hours a Roman centurion who we know as Longinus (in Latin, “Man with a spear”) stabbed Jesus in the side to insure that he was indeed dead.  The puncture released a blood and water gush that was dramatic enough, along with the other events of the day, for Longinus to proclaim that Jesus was the Son of God.  Volumes and volumes have been written on the Holy Lance and indeed there are a few different places that claim to have the true relic.  The reason why it is so important?  Because the legend is that whoever carries it will be invincible in battle.

The Trinity: According to Catholic theology The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the three functions of a single God.  Churches consistently blend the trinity into architecture and artworks.  For instance, many churches will only have three doors: the church symbolizes heaven and the three doors represent the Trinity with the deeper meaning being that the only way to enter heaven is through The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  In St. Peter’s the Trinity is blended into the main alter in a very interesting way.  The canopy that covers the alter has the dove hovering over the alter, on top of the canopy is a cross which represents Jesus and then all the way at the top in the dome you can see a red and blue swirl which is the Father.

The Dome: Starting with the Pantheon, also in Rome, the use of the dome is meant to represent the heavens.  In St. Peters, the main dome, which was done by Michelangelo, floats hundreds of feet above the ground and represents the promise of heaven.  As a matter of fact the deeper symbolism is that God is in heaven looking down on us.  And that is why you will look all the way into the top of Michelangelo’s dome you will see the mosaic of God in a red and blue swirl shining down from heaven (i.e. the dome).  This mosaic was not done by Michelangelo.

The Blessing Fingers: Many times you will see holy figures holding up their hand with their forefinger and middle finger extended; from there the variations of how the thumb is held varies.  Often, this hand symbol is thought to symbolize the Trinity with the forefinger, middle finger and thumb representing the three functions of God.  But the interesting thing is that this symbol was appropriated from a non-Christian (i.e. pagan) hand symbol of warding off evil spirits.  So this hand gesture predates Christianity and has been used in Rome for 1000s of years.

By- Chris

The Vatican Museums can be a daunting and overwhelming experience so it is necessary to prepare both mentally and physically to get the most out of your visit.  Here are 15 tips to help you squeeze out every possible drop of enjoyment.

1. The Vatican Museums do not accept credit cards AT THE TICKET OFFICE  so have cash ready. Pay online for a 4€ extra per ticket fee but make sure to read everything carefully.  They say that the benefit of booking online will help you skip the line but that depends when you will be visiting because often there is no line, more about that below. €14 and €8 for students.
2. The Vatican Museums contains the Sistine Chapel so to get to Michelangelo’s masterpiece one must first navigate through about close to a mile of museum. In my experience people have only wanted to see The Sistine Chapel without seeing the Vatican Museums, this is not possible.
3. You will be hit up for “guided tours” by kids hustling tourists saying things like “skip the lines”. I recommend skipping them. I am not a big fan of this system because when I was recently there (granted it was Feb of ‘09 and very slow) I was told by these touts that the line was 2 hours when there was no line at all.  In 2008, from my discussions with tour guides visiting the Vatican scores of times, lines were not the same issue as they have been in the past because of the extended hours.  Furthermore, nobody I have ever talked with has experienced a 2 hour wait in the Vatican Museum line.
4. Pack a snack and water. Food and water are not readily available in the museums so I recommend having some food ready to nibble on to keep your strength up.  I am not suggesting that you chow down while taking in the Raphael Rooms or under the Sistine but there are a couple of outdoor venues that would be appropriate.  And being discrete about taking a couple of bits won’t hurt anyone.
5. Be prepared for some confusion. Understandably for most people the main point of going to the Vatican Museums is to see the Sistine Chapel but be forewarned that these museums are basically one way so once you see the Sistine it is pretty difficult if not impossible to backtrack.  Make the decision before hand if you want to see the Raphael Rooms, because if you do don’t take the short-cut to the Chapel.
6. What is this short-cut? After the Hall of Maps there will be a second set of tapestries (huge wall hangings).  From there follow the signs to The Sistine Chapel by either going straight or by looping through the room with the huge oil painting called Hall of Sobieski and or the Hall of the Immaculate Conception (you will notice a huge gold plated case enclosing a number of books).  They use this area as a kind of spicket to control crowds so it can be confusing but what you will be looking for is signs that only say “Sistine Chapel” with no other options.
7. Use the restroom directly when you enter into the museums. After you make the line and arrive in the entrance hall (actually before purchasing tickets) use that restroom.  There are a few others throughout the museums but for the most part the one in the main entrance is the best and most convenient.
8. Do not waste a minute looking for Raphael’s famous little cherubs because they are not there. I have no idea why these cute little angles show up on postcards in Rome and Florence because they are in Germany.
9. Take some time to explore the Pinacoteca. The trick is that when coming up the escalators to veer to the right rather than taking an immediate left that leads to the garden of the Pine Cone.  There you will find a nice, usually not crowded, picture gallery with works by Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio.  Plus, there is one of the few reproductions of Michelangelo’s Piéta that was made from the cast used to repair the original after the 1972 attack which is why the original is behind glass.
10. Do your best to avoid Saturday’s and Mondays, unless there is a free Sunday. Remember that the Vatican Museums are free the last Sunday of the month which takes some of the pressure off adjacent days that as a rule a pretty busy.  My pick of the best days to visit the museums are Tuesday to Friday, with Tuesday and Thursday afternoons being the least crowded days.  Generally afternoons after 12:00 will generally be much less crowded than mornings, except for Saturdays and free Sundays. Crowds in the Vatican Museums are not just about the wait in line, they are also about a lot of confused people in relatively tight hall ways taking pictures and constantly bumping into one another.  However, as I have stated the lines and crowds have significantly diminished since the Vatican extended the museum hours in 2008.  I have even heard that sometimes the line to pick-up reserved tickets is longer than the non-reserved line.
11. If you rent headsets then you cannot take the opportunity to exit to St. Peter’s from the Sistine Chapel. Headsets must be returned at the end of the museums.  An old trick used to be to exit directly from the Sistine which neatly leads to St. Peter’s saving a cool 45 minutes and almost mile walk if you are planning on visiting the Basilica afterward (remember the dress code).  You can still do this (with you back to the alter you will see an exit at the back of the Chapel on the right) but if you have rented a headset you have to go through the rest of the museums to get your I.D. and turn in you set.  Just know this going in.
12. The Vatican has a website: www.vatican.va which you should check prior to traveling to insure that the museums will be open.  Remember that the Vatican works on Catholic holidays so it is possible that everything in Rome will be as normal with the museums closed.
13. Pack light and leave your knives at home.  The Vatican (both the museums and the Basilica) have airport style security systems complete with x-rays.  Frequently Swiss Army knives are confiscated.
14. Remember the dress code. The dress code for the museums and St. Peter’s Basilica are not the same in that men can wear shorts and women do not necessarily have to keep their shoulders covered.  However, if you are planning on visiting the Basilica on the same day, as many people do, remember that there is a dress code and have the necessary clothes.
15. Pictures are allowed in most places but not in the Sistine Chapel. Don’t leave your camera at home.  Taking pictures is permitted in most places in the museum, howbeit usually without flash.  Pictures are not allowed whatsoever in the Sistine.

Remember: Vatican Museums' ticket windows do not accept credit cards

Having been to the Vatican Museums close to 1000 times I am sure that by taking these simple tips into account that your time there will be much more enjoyable.  Remember to click through on this photo to visit our flickr group to get more tips accompanied with pictures.

An admirer kisses Oscar Wilde’s grave

By Chris–

While working through, and getting lost in Paris’s Cimetière du Père Lachaise, I finally found my destination after hearing the giggles of some young American girls who were about to leave their madness of kisses on Oscar Wilde’s grave.  This was a twist because the great author, playwrite and poet would have rather gotten kisses from young, swarthy and dangerous young men.  At least this irony was understood by the girls who laughed at their male companion when he asked if they thought if it would be okay for him to kiss the headstone.  “Actually”, one girl chuckled, “he may have liked that more.”  “Why?” he asked, and then he must have gotten it because his face turned as red as the lipstick.  “What did you get in that class again?” and “Go ahead, you may as well just kiss it now that you have my lipstick on” were what I heard as I walked off thinking that Oscar Wilde must have turned over in his grave.

In Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, Marc Anthony states, “The evil that men do lives after them whereas the good is oft interred with their bones.”  What he does not mention is that a person’s legacy, or what people do at their grave anyway, can be determined by obscure words, deeds or mere coincidences that may not have even registered with the popular voice during their lifetime, for example: the founder of the Roman Empire has a makeshift memorial maintained by small group that he did a favor for 2000 years ago.  A fisherman from Galilee met a carpenter, moved to the Caput Mundi, was executed, buried and literally has become the foundation of a church nation.  A man who preferred young and slender boys has his headstone consistently kissed by women.  Two philosophers who maintained that everything must be defined by the individual have their resting place covered with symbols even though their basic philosophy discourages symbolism.  Lastly, a rock star that burned quickly yet brightly may still haunt us today with more than his memory.

Julius Caesar:  Grave site: Rome, Italy- Roman Forum (cremated remains missing).

Julius Caesar invented the Roman Empire by doing what a modern captain of industry does: he created growth, ran an innovative marketing and PR campaign, successfully invested capital reserves and understood how to take care of his employees.  True, he was still stabbed 37 times with possibly the death blow being delivered by his son.  Surprisingly there is no grand monument dedicated to Caesar’s legacy.  Rather what exists is a piddly dirt mound in the Roman Forum that marks where he was cremated and where Marc Antony gave his funeral oration.  In ancient Rome this was where a temple stood for the Divine Caesar that housed his remains.  As with many buildings in the Forum the temple to the Divine Caesar was quarried, overgrown and forgotten about until the 1870s.  Today, the dirt mound is commonly covered with flowers that are usually put there by Rome’s Jewish community, which has never forgotten that Caesar allowed the practice of Judaism outside Palestine.  Also, on July 18, Julius Caesar’s birthday (July is named after him), Roman Jews decorate this spot and the statue of Caesar just outside the Forum.

Simon of Bethsaida (aka St. Peter):  Grave site: The Vatican

This fisherman from Palestine was told by Jesus, “you are my Rock and upon you I will build my Church”, which has literally happened.  Peter (i.e. rock in Greek) became Simon’s nickname, he then became Jesus’s stand-in (i.e.Vicar) on earth the first Pope.  After Jesus died, Peter moved to Rome and was there during the Great Fire of 64.  The Emperor Nero blamed this fire on the Christians which began the the Christian persecutions that lasted until 312, or 248 years.  Peter was arrested, crucified upside down and buried in a mass grave outside of Rome (i.e. the Vatican).  Christians immediately started visiting his grave, which in almost 2000 years has not stopped.  Since St. Peter’s death and burial in 67 there have been hundreds of millions of visitors, two major basilicas built over his grave and in 1929 the .44 sq km(0.17 sq mi) above and around his remains became an independent country.  Today the Vatican is ruled by Pope Benedict XVI who is the only absolute monarch in Europe.

Oscar Wilde:  Grave Site:  Paris, France- Cemetery Père Lachaise #83.

Oscar Wilde lived life on his own terms in spite of the constraints and consequences of Victorian era England.  The author of The Picture of Dorian Gray lived his last years in Paris before succumbing to cerebral meningitis.  Convicted of gross indecency in 1895, a piece of evidence that was used to convict him was a letter that he wrote to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas in which he talked about a “madness of kisses.”  This phrase, representing a glimpse into his passion that he paid two years of hard labor and imprisonment for, may be what has inspired the scores of pucker marks that are decorating or vandalizing the grave, depending on who is asked.  Originally, Wilde was buried outside Paris but he was moved to Pere Lachaise.  The monument was commissioned by one Bob Ross who asked that a compartment be created for his ashes which were interred in the monument in 1950.

Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beuvoir:  Grave site: Paris, France- Montparnasse Cemetary

Jean-Paul passed away in 1980 and his life partner Simone de Beuvoir followed him in 1986.  The basics of Sartre’s philosophy is that each person must define meaning for themselves.  Philosophically speaking Sartre was a fellow-traveler, which means that he may have agreed with a movement (i.e.Communist, Maoist, etc) but he would have never have officially joined any group.  During the turbulent 60s and 70s Sartre supported a number of Leftist movements including the French Maoists, which acted at times like Robinhood in that they stole from the rich (i.e. government) and distributed to the poor (i.e. workers).  One of these acts was inspired by a price hike for the Paris metro.  In response to this act, which directly impacted French workers, the group stole metro tickets and gave them away.  Sartre helped the Maoist cause by taking over its newspaper after the group’s leadership was arrested in 1970.  Today the grave of Sartre and de Beuvoir it is likely that some unused Metro tickets are on the grave which commemorate Sartre’s and de Beauvoir’s support of the French Maoists and perhaps of socialism and labor in general.  Notes are put on the grave for Simone de Beauvoir, the author of The Second Sex and who famously said, “one is not born a woman, but becomes one”.  The notes that I saw were written in a few languages including Arabic, English, Spanish and French.  The notes written in English, Spanish and French, the languages I could get the gist of, referenced a woman’s strength and thanked de Beauvoir for her inspiration.

Jim Morrison: Grave site: Paris, France- Cemetery Père Lachaise #30

The lead singer of the Doors died at just 27 years old after being in Paris for two months.  It is hard to believe that the Lizard King rose to fame and died in less than four years.  However, for the last 30 or so years his humble grave has seen and continues to see quite a lot of action. By some estimates the grave is the 4th most visited destination in Paris so it is consistently visited by camera carrying tourists, it has made cameo appearances in movies such as the 1991 Doors, Kate Moss and her boyfriend danced on it while singing Alabama Song, there are stories of seances, drugs, booze and the list goes on.  The grave has been vandalized, chipped at and has had its memorial bust of Morrison stolen.  Oh, did I mention that the site may be haunted?  In 2002 a Rock and Roll historian named Brett Meisner had a picture snapped of him, which later someone noticed that there seemed to be an apparition in the background.  Unfortunately, when I took the picture for this article I did not discover any background transparent dancers, but if you look closely it does seem that the rust on the headstone has made a face, that looks like Jim Morrison, maybe?  Even 37 years after his death this rock star still inspires hordes of fans to visit him, supermodels to dance on him while the whole time he just might be hanging around to enjoy the show.  

Père Lachaise greets about 1.5 million visitors a year and Morrison’s grave is definitely among the most popular.  If 50% of visitors to Pere Lachaise visit Morrison’s grave then it would be more visited than Elvis’s grave at Graceland which receives about 660,000 visitors per year. I recommend budgeting about two hours for the cemetery so you can get the most out of it.  However, if you are just there to visit Jim then 45 minutes should be sufficient.  There is no admission for either Père Lachaise or Montparnasse cemeteries. TRAVEL TIP:  There are no signs pointing to famous graves so when I was there I noticed quite a few people getting lost and confused, including myself.  I recommend taking a bunch of pictures of the master map when you enter and remember to include some with the list of names and their corresponding numbers.

Hello Travelers,

For those arriving in Paris this coming week-end (Sept 12-13) a certain added buzz might be noticed along with a few more logistical challenges because Pope Benedict XVI will be in town before going to Lourdes for the 150 year anniversary of the visions of the Virgin Mary.  Furthermore, it will be impossible to miss the more than 9,000 police and other security officers that the Interior Ministry announced will be on duty for the Pontiff’s visit.  For those arriving in Rome this weekend this means that there will not be a Papal Blessing in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday September 14, 2008.

According to the official agenda published by the Vatican Press office there will be a few opportunities to see the Pope in person during his Parisian visit.  Click through for the details on how catch the Pope and for critical logistical information that you should if you are visiting Paris on 12, 13 September 2008.

1. The Pope will be arriving at Notre Dame de Paris at around 7:15 pm after making a visit to Collège des Bernardins also in the Latin Quarter; he will be in the neighborhood from around 5:00pm  At 8:30 His Holiness is scheduled to greet the crowd outside Notre Dame for a brief address in Italian and French.  This audience will be limited to those already invited which is why Paris will set up 15 large screens along the Left Bank Quais.
2. The Pope will preside over a High Mass at the Esplande des Invalides which is about a ten to fifteen minute walk from the Eiffel Tower on a regular day.

Important logistical things to know and prepare for:

September 12, 2008:  Notre Dame / Left Bank Visit-

• Between approximately 6:45 and 7:00 pm the Pope will be traveling in the Popemobile to Notre Dame de Paris. 
• The following Metro Stops will be closed from 2:00 pm (14:00):  Cité, Saint-Michel, Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame et Cluny – La Sorbonne.
• Use these stops instead:  Odéon, Maubert-Mutualité, Jussieu, Pont-Marie, Châtelet.
• At Midnight there will be a “Procession of Light” at midnight from Notre-Dame cathedral to the Invalides.  The procession can be joined at any time.
• If you are planning on visiting Notre Dame on Friday 12 then make it your early stop as access will be limited after 2:00 pm.
• As mentioned there will be no access into Notre Dame Square but to the left is a map of where the 15 large screen monitors will be set up.  The green also approximates the rout the Pope will be following in his Popemobile.

September 13, 2008:  High Mass with the Pope on the Esplanade of Invalides-

• Between 150,000 and 200,000 people are expected so be prepared for a crowd
• The High Mass is at 10:00 am
• No ticket or inscription is necessary.  The Mass is free admission.
• Arrive before 8:30 am, I recommend shooting for about 8:00 am.
• The metro and RER will be working as usual but the “Invalides”, “Pont de l’Alma”, “Varenne”, and “La Tour-Maubourg” stops will be closed.  Instead use the closes stops.
• For security reasons luggage and large bags, knives, glass bottles, gas containers, large flags, banners, signs or notices and animals will not be allowed on the Esplanade.  Remember to leave that Swiss Army knife at the hotel.

Check www.papeaparis.org for further information at to check if the schedule has changed.

Happy Travels,

Chris

Hallelujah and Praise Be! The Vatican Museums have become a lot easier to see and more hassle free to navigate because they extended their opening hours, which means less of a wait in line and not having to arrive in the morning to see the Sistine Chapel. Click through for new schedule and tips.

The Vatican has announced the new opening hours starting January 2, 2008. The museums will now be open all year from 8:30 to 18:00 (6 pm) (last entry 16:00 (4 pm)) .

The opening time has been brought forward to 8:30 a.m. from 10:00 a.m. Closing hours have been extended from 15:20 to 16:00, including Saturdays which used to produce nightmare lines because the museums used to close at 12:20 on what is typically very crowded day. Free Sundays (the last Sunday of each month) remain the same (tickets dispensed between 8:45 – 12:30). Click HERE for full schedule, including days closed. Furthermore, the governor of the Vatican City State, Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, has announced that starting June 1, tickets for the Vatican Museums will be available for purchase online at www.vaticanstate.va. So, it’s looking like the terrible lines to the Vatican Museums are a thing of the past. Let’s hope so!

The Vatican Museums’ line has struck dread into tourists’ souls since lines became outrageous beginning with the opening of the new museum entrance in 2000 and especially since additional security measures were implemented after Sept 11, 2001. The Vatican’s 2007 decision to actually diminish the opening hours in the morning caused huge lines that, according to Chris Felts who has shown 1000s of tourists around the Vatican, commonly caused a 90 minute wait, and that’s before the 1 to 1.5 hour walk to reach the Sistine Chapel. A common tourist strategy has always been to arrive to the Vatican early in the morning to avoid the legendary long lines; however, with the extended hours, according to Mr. Felts, visitors can rest assured about going to the Vatican in the late morning or early afternoon. Actually, he said, the line should be a lot more manageable and the museums less crowded later in the day.

What this information means to your Vatican Museums visit:

• To pay for the extended hours, ticket prices were raised by 1€ to 14€ regular and 8€ reduced.
• Lines should be considerably shorter, especially on Saturdays which used to be particularly grueling because of the short hours.
• Still, if possible consider visiting the museums Tuesday to Thursday as they are historically much less busy than the other days of the week.
• Throw away the conventional strategy of arriving to the Vatican at the crack of dawn to wait in line. Now it’s possible to go to the Vatican Museums in the afternoon, which is usually a much quieter time, and you won’t have to deal with the morning tour group rush.
• You no longer have to feel like you need to pay a premium for a tour company that advertises that they can “skip the line”. Save that money and have a nicer dinner, a gelato or a pint.

The Vatican Museums are a must for everyone visiting Rome. They are truly a fantastic exhibit of the culture and art that the Vatican has preserved for the last 2,000 years. Now, thankfully, with these new hours the lines and crowds will thin and tourists will be able to focus on the grandeur and splendor of the Sistine Chapel, Raphael Rooms and other thought provoking artworks rather than getting frustrated and tired in line.

Happy Travels!

By the way, here is the schedule of the remaining free and closed days in 2008. Remember that this is only for the Museums and not for other parts of the Vatican. Moreover, as of this update on August 14, 2008 all lines are down so it is looking like the long lines of the past are gone the way of Caesar.

NOTE:  For you non-Italian speakers the calendar is as follows: starting from the top: L= Monday, M=Tuesday, M=Wednesday, G=Thursday, V=Friday, S=Saturday and D=Sunday.

Ciao Travelers!

Let’s face it, when the traveling is finished and the experiences fade from memory, all that will be left are the photos. So why not get the best ones? Frequently tourists waste time and energy trying to find the perfect angles of monuments only to snap shots of strangers’ heads. iKangaroo has created and mapped out this list of some of Rome’s best and most famous photo locations to save you the chance of unwittingly passing the Coliseum’s best angle or wandering for hours to find the Bocca della Verita or Aventine Keyhole.

1. The Colosseum or Coliseum: From any angle this classic beauty is going to shine, however, the higher vantage points get you above the crowd and a better overall Coliseum picture.

Around the Coliseum there are a few platforms to take fantastic pictures, here are two:

• Just above the Metro stop. To get there take either the escalator in the station or the stairs around on the station’s right side, which are a favorite pickpocket hangout.
• The road that stretches from the Coliseum to Piazza Venezia is called Via dei Fori Imperiali. On this Via, facing away from the Coliseum you will see four maps on the left hand side that represent the growth of the Roman Empire. Facing the maps, go up stairway next to the left map, which leads to the terrace. I think that this is the best spot because with the trees positioned just right on the right it looks like the Coliseum may have looked when it was fully intact. Furthermore, this point offers only the Flavian Amphitheater and no unwanted people in the background. (see headline picture).

Hot tip: About the costumed people near the Coliseum and why they are there. Plain and simple: they are working for tips, so if you take a picture with them then give them a Euro or two, not more.

2. Monument to Victor Emmanuel (a.k.a. Wedding Cake): This huge white monument imposes itself smack in the middle of the city. Tourists are allowed to ascend this structure, which presents a different panoramic of Rome in that it is not present. Free of charge. Last admittance: 4:30 winter / 5:30 in the summer.

3. Bocca della Verita: Located in Santa Maria in Cosmiden the Bocca della Verita is an iconic Rome photo op. Made famous by Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn in 1953 movie ‘Roman Holiday’, The Mouth of Truth may be the world’s most famous drainage cover. The tradition is that if you are telling a lie with your hand in the Bocca (i.e. Italian for mouth) then it will bite you. If you stand in front of this random disk long enough you will notice that about two out of three people flinch when they insert their hand, as if they came up with the clever reaction themselves. Not! Mr. Peck played this gag (i.e. lie) on Miss Hepburn during the famous scene without telling her beforehand, so her reaction is supposed to be real. The line to get at the Bocca can be challenging because it is a favorite destination for tour buses, however, they have tight schedules so they usually move along pretty quickly.

Make sure to pop into the church called Santa Maria in Cosmedin. It’s built on a 2000 year old foundation and the modern structure is made of recycled Ancient Roman buildings; look closely to see that the columns don’t match. Hot tip: ask inside the gift shop for a tour guide (they work for tips, but are not the hustlers found in the Forum). This church has a fantastic history which includes the face of Jesus in a column, an underground pagan temple, a rock used to kill Christians and the 1800 year-old head of St. Valentine.

4. Aventine Keyhole: Seen quite frequently on postcards, the Aventine Keyhole is a bit of a hassle to get to but getting there will bring you through the Aventine which is one of Rome’s most exclusive neighborhoods. The famous keyhole view frames St. Peter’s Basilica by two rows of trees. Getting an actual good shot through the keyhole is tough but it is only a 15 minute walk (1/2 mile, .9km) form the Bocca della Verita, so within 20 minutes you could knock out two of Rome’s most difficult to find picture opportunities. Specifically located in Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta.

5. Piazza del Quirinale: One of Rome’s original seven hills, the Quirnale offers an excellent photo opportunity in the middle of Rome. Just 5 minutes from the Trevi Fountain getting to this terrace will get you an excellent shot of St. Peter’s Dome and the open space will give you a break from the crowds. The Quirinal Palace is the official residence of the Italian Head of State, who is the figurehead of the Italian Government.

6. Spanish Steps: As with most places this vantage point gives a great view of St. Peter’s Dome. However, I am putting this point in because it is particularly great for sunsets.

7. St. Peter’s Dome: Towering 440 Ft. (137 meters) above The Eternal City this dome seems to be, and to a large extent is, the focal point of the Roman cityscape. To reach the ecstasy of the top of Rome there is a bit of agony that must be endured in the form of 500 narrow stairs (or 300 with the help of a lift). Granted it can be done, but note that climbing the dome is time and physically intensive.

Cost 4 € without lift and 7€ with lift. The line can take sometimes two or more hours. Also, and this is very important: Do not confuse St. Peter’s Dome / Cupola with the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, because they are two different things. Yes, this happens.

8. Janiculum Hill: The site of one of the definitive battles for Italy’s Independence in 1848, which is why there are busts of Italian patriots that line the way. Go to Piazzale Giuseppe Girabaldi and make your way down the Passeggiata del Gianicolo to the lighthouse (i.e. faro) given to the Italy by Argentine Italians. The view from the faro is considered by many to the most spectacular Roman panorama.

Happy Travels,

Chris

John Paul II died in Rome on April 2, 2005 after serving 27 years, which is the second longest pontificate in the 2000 years of the office.  Since his death there have been a number of changes in Catholic tradition including the wait for consideration for beatification being waived and “The Great” being attached to his name by Pope Benedict XVI and a number of newspapers, which if this designation sustains it will be the first time that “The Great” has been applied to a Pope since Nicholas I, 858-867.

On April 2, 2007- the same day that this picture was taken- John Paul II became a step closer to being Canonized as his cause moved to the scrutiny of the committee of lay, clerical, and episcopal members of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

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More research:

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/  The official Vatican site dedicated to Pope John Paul II.

http://www.visionsofjesuschrist.com/miraculous_images.htm  Website with a bunch of pictures of other mysterious images of Saints, angels etc.

http://www.cptryon.org/ask/ask/beat.html  Get a better idea of the Canonization process that the Catholic Church goes through to name a Saint.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/csaints/  The office of the “Saint Police” who do the research on miracles associated with declaring Saints.

Follow this advice to be a green traveler, save money and the frustration of ordering the wrong kind of water. Yes, there is more then one kind of water.

The water from the street fountains in Rome is safe to drink! According an article published to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Rome’s water is the best in Italy. The article also states that Rome’s water has a high quality calcium which is particularly good for babies and woman suffering from osteoporosis. So when you are in Rome make sure you bring your water bottle and fill it up as much as you want with Rome’s delicious water.

What this information means to your Roman Holiday:

• You know that you can drink the water from the fountains on the street and not from the statues spewing water like the Trevi and the ones in Piazza Navona.
• If the water is not good to drink then it will be clearly written, “Aqua non-potabile.”
• Save money by filling up a water bottle.
• Think about it: if you buy 2 bottles a day at 2 Euro then by simply filling up your water bottle you will save 12 Euro in 3 days. Not that much, but it adds up when on a budget. 12 Euro is a ticket into the Sistine Chapel or 2 pints.
• If you order mineral water in a restaurant or bar and prefer non-fizzy /gas/carbonated (fizzante) water then order aqua liscia (leesha), which means smooth.
• It is perfectly acceptable to order tap water in a restaurant. You may get a funny look when you do, but ordering “aqua da rubinetto” will get you tap water and save on the bill.

Happy Travels!