We arrived in Rome this morning and will be in Italy for the next six weeks, other than a brief trip back to Washington in mid-July for work. MaryKate and I are spending this week in Rome and will be heading to Florence next month. I’ll be working remotely and she will be completing a summer program in painting.
We took the train in from the airport and walked the few blocks from Rome Termini to Saint Mary Major Basilica and arrived just in time for Mass at noon. We walked a bit more before taking an Uber to Vatican City, near where we’re staying.
It’s good to be back in Rome for the first time in a few years and to see the Eternal City returned to life post-pandemic. The World Meeting of Families 2022 just ended yesterday, and so it feels like there’s a special changing of the guard in terms of pilgrims and visitors.
We’re staying at the Palazzo Cardinal Cesi on the Via della Conciliazione, a hotel with a fascinating story:
The Palace was built in 1400 and was bought by Cardinal Pierdonato Cesi who had it restructured and refurbished, turning it into an antiques and art museum, and installing a well-endowed library. Today, the Generalate of the Salvatorians has converted part of the building into an elegant and exclusive “welcoming home”, with 29 rooms all fully equipped with every amenity. Each room is a small cosy haven, furnished with taste and style.
Here the guests can personally experience the spirituality of this unique place, drenched in history at the very heart of Christendom. …
Located on Via della Conciliazione just a stone’s throw away from St.Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Garden, the Tomb of John Paul II Karol Wojtyla and also Auditorium Conciliazione, Castel Sant’Angelo Fortress, Bambin Gesù Hospital, the Monumental Complex of S.Spirito in Saxia, you can easily join the Hospital Policlinico Gemelli.
The Vatican district is a quiet and elegant area of the city centre of Rome adjacent to the Vatican City, world ’s smallest independent country. The area includes such resplendent sights as St. Peter’s Basilica (the largest Christian church), Castel St. Angelo and the astonishing Vatican Museums, one of the most beautiful and popular museums in the world.
By crossing the bridge on the Tiber you can easily reach on foot the historical centre of Rome including Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish steps and the Coliseum. Also, five minutes walking you will find the charming Prati district: via Cola di Rienzo and Via Crescenzio with their countless boutiques represent a true paradise for shopping lovers.
The area is also very well served by public transports which provide a fast connection to Rome’s major historical sites and districts. The typical Trastevere neighborhood full of trendy bars and quality restaurants is reachable with a 20-minute walk along via della Lungara, once the private street of the Pope. Yet this is another fantastic and convenient location to discover all Rome’s wonders on foot.
We won’t be visiting all of these sites, but we hope God gives us a good week.