The sun was not winning against the heavy morning air, but we arrived in time to find the entry line, taking a few moments to rub the sleep out our eyes. As the gates opened we shuffled into the depths of the Colosseum, not knowing where to go. Signs pointed us to the arena floor and we leaned up against the guard rail and looked out.

Slowly we started to see the wooden floor materialize across the arena, but we couldn’t make out much of the wood since it was covered with sand. We cast our glance to the left and noticed a couple look at each others eyes and then part ways. The men were all gathering together in traditional cloth robes and the women in different areas of the stands covering their hair with veils. Sounds of talking filled the air and we could feel the electricity of excitement building. Rubbing our eyes again, we looked at each other and then towards the end of the stadium where the elite had taken their seats, the light reflecting off their jewelry. We couldn’t believe our eyes, the grandeur of the sparkling white marble, the strength of the gladiators, the might of the lions, bulls and crocodiles.

As the sun broke through the clouds we found ourselves waking to the travertine structure that remains. We are thankful the Colosseum was preserved and able to give us a moment to glance back at what was. For 450-500 years this very Colosseum was used for public spectacles, such as gladiatorial combat and animal hunts. Inaugurated by Emperor Titus in 80AD. It attracts around 7 million visitors a year.

The Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel

Nothing prepares you for your first glance of the Sistine Chapel, the ceiling comes alive with scenes filled with emotion, vibrant colors and vivid emotion portraying profound messages. It is certainly nothing that can be fully appreciated in the 10 minutes you are able to pass through, only a touch of the monumental glory.

A day at Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is one of Rome’s most beautiful squares, located right in the historic center. Perfect way to unwind and eat your way through the day.

[The logistics, something I wanted to capture, but can be a bit dry. The quick 3 hour flight from Lisbon to Rome went without a hitch. The only tricky part was finding our gate which they only announce 30 minutes before the flight, bit of a nail biter when its your first time. We had stuck to our plan of driving the 3 hours from Portimao to Lisbon in the morning, checking in the rental car and flying out at 3:05. Even the Uber to our Airbnb in Rome worked out well. After dropping our bags it was a beeline to the restaurant across the street for our first order of carbonara and straight to sleep at 10pm, having started our day at 6:30, we were ready for shut-eye.]