1st February Field Trip - to Rome,Italy to see the Vatican - Sunday
- Feb 6, 2022
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 7, 2022
Coffee and croissants will again be delivered to members' rooms in the morning before we travel by private transport to St. Peter’s Basilica for our CityWonder tour at 7:00 am.
(arrangements will be provided for a later transport to St. Peter's Basilica for those who do not want to climb to the Dome. We will meet up for the 8am portion of our tour)
We take an elevator to the first viewing platform in the basilica. From there you can climb the narrow stairs to the top.
On website:
Be among the first to climb the dome in the morning, get breathtaking city views and learn about St. Peter’s Basilica in a completely different light.
Climb to the highest point in historical Rome for stunning 360-degree views of the Vatican City and beyond.
From the viewing deck, you will be surrounded by Rome’s iconic landmarks, including the Papal Gardens, Colosseum, Pantheon and Villa Borghese.
On the way back down we will stop at the first viewing platform.
From here you will be able to see down inside St. Peter’s Basilica. Most visitors don’t know about this level, so you will be among the few who have seen it from here. Beneath, you will see the top of Bernini’s amazing canopy, the largest piece of bronze in the world. Above, you will see the glorious figure of God inside the lantern, and the light streaming through Michelangelo’s windows hitting the blue and gold mosaics on the walls. Your guide will point out and translate the Latin inscriptions and symbols along the walls as you bask in this building’s immense brilliance.
This portion of the tour will take about an hour.
We then go down into the basilica where we will be given a guided tour and then get to see Michelangelo’s Pieta.
This section of the tour will take approximately an hour to an hour and a half.
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Example of walking tours
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We have an audience scheduled with the Pope today at 9:30am for an hour. During that time the Pope has decided to give a lecture on the history of the Papacy & It Affect on World Events.
He will cover how each Pope has used his office to institute change - both internally and externally - what internal & external political factors of the time shaped their choices and how those choices affected the trajectory of the Church and outer world. He has indicated that he will offer his own aspirations for change both internally in the Church and in the wider world, what factors have led him to these decisions, what he hopes he can accomplish and what obstacles he faces.
If there is time in the allotted hour, he will answer questions.
Our guide then takes us to St. Peter’s Square, where your expert English-speaking guide will place the dome in context as it appears in the Vatican skyline.
If there is time we will be given a guided tour of the Vatican gardens.
At noon the Pope appears at the window of an apartment at St. Peter’s Square. It is a 20 minute experience during which the Pope gives a short speech followed by the Angelus and an Apostolic Blessing.
We are eating lunch at the Cul de Sac wine bar / cafe.
From Romewise:
Cul de Sac claims to be Rome's oldest wine bar.
We often just get some of their mixed platters of salumi (cold cuts) and/or cheeses, or pâtés. And, as soon as you order, they will bring you freshly sliced, thick crusty bread.
To be completely honest the one thing I don't love here are the pastas.
After lunch we head to Tre Scalini in Piazza Navona for their famous tartuffo chocolate bomb.
Attending mass and an informational lecture beforehand is optional, but open to all members.
Those who do want to attend mass are required to attend the informational lecture.
Depending upon the time and which option members choose, members can either return to the hotel to rest or see the Gallery Borghese (an hour is allotted for those who will be attended the lecture/mass) Private transport will take and return members in time for a 3:30pm lecture at the hotel explaining a Catholic Mass and what to expect and do during the Mass we will attend at 5:30 pm at St. Peter’s Basilica.
After Mass ends, we return to the hotel by private transport.
The rest of the day is open.
Dinner will be at 8:30pm at Roberto e Loretta .
Tomorrow is our last day in Rome, so get a good night’s rest.
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