The moment we landed at the airport in Rome, it felt like we were about to embark on an exciting adventure. And it definitely was one. We were ushered out of the airport by our tour group leader and directed to our tour bus that was waiting close to the entrance. The bus was very modern and had very comfortable seats with USB outlets. The USB outlets proved to be an important accessory since it allowed the convenience of charging our phones so we could seamlessly continue taking pictures during the entire trip. We were provided with bottles of water and small snacks which was a thoughtful touch. The person driving the bus had a charming personality and demonstrated extreme dexterity in maneuvering the bus. Everyone in our group felt very comfortable and soon we all settled in for the drive to Vatican City.

St. Peter’s Basilica

The streets of Rome were clean and everything felt very charming. There was no heavy traffic and it did not take us very long to arrive at the parking ramp from where we could walk up to St. Peter’s Basilica. We were there early morning and was one of the first groups to arrive so the parking lot was almost empty. And regarding the parking lot, this was one of the cleanest and best ones I have ever seen. 

Parking ramp for St. Peter’s Basilica

We had to take an elevator from the parking lot and found ourselves on a winding passage that eventually gave way to a narrow corridor leading outside to the Via Della Conciliazione avenue where a left turn took us directly to St. Peter’s Square.

View of Via Della Conciliazione avenue

View of St. Peter’s Square

Entry to St. Peter’s Basilica

Inside St. Peter’s Basilica

View of St. Peter’s Square from St. Peter’s Basilica

The view from St. Peter’s Square was breathtaking especially for a first timer like myself. Here I was surrounded by Renaissance architecture that was not only deeply entrenched in history but also stood as a functional center of the Catholic world and one of the holiest sites in Christianity. After a brief moment of soaking up all the grandeur around us, our tour group leader ushered us to the security checkpoint where after a quick scan we stood in queue to enter St. Peter’s Basilica. The line moved quickly and soon we are close to the entrance of the building. I got inside the hallway past the entrance but had to buy tickets to go beyond that. Although I wanted to go inside and explore the building further, I decided against it since it was crowded and I also had to ensure I did not detach myself from my tour group or keep them waiting. We were provided a generous amount of time to explore the area and take plenty of pictures. Eventually, we had to make our way back to the bus for our next excursion.

Colosseum

Our next trip was to the Colosseum which was not too far from St. Peter’s Basilica. The Colosseum is the largest amphitheater ever built and all I knew about it were mostly from pictures and videos. So this was an important historical structure that I was really looking forward to seeing and experiencing in person. Our bus parked on the street side along a road that lead directly to the Colosseum but it still required about a ten-minute walk. It was an easy walk and I was fascinated with all the historical building along the way. The path also provided some interesting views including buildings and alleyways that offered fantastic photography opportunities. Finally, the Colosseum came into view and I still remember how excited I felt.

Views on the way to the Colosseum

Views of the Colosseum and the area around it

The place was teeming with tourists by the time we got there. It was still in the earlier part of the morning and the weather was excellent. The bright sun paired with a cool breeze created the ideal combination to walk around and soak in the views. Tickets were available for purchase to enter the Colosseum but I refrained due to time constraints. It was still wonderful to walk about and enjoy this important monument from different angles. We were provided ample time to spend at the Colosseum after which we headed to our bus for the next part of the tour.

Streets of Rome and lunch break

The remaining two spots on our agenda were in the same vicinity and within walking distance of each other. Our bus was parked a little further away this time since the streets were narrower. But it was still a reasonable distance to where we needed to go and it also provided us a good opportunity to enjoy the area on foot. Since it was around noon time, our group decided to get lunch before heading to the next tour location. We stopped by Tien Tsin Chinese restaurant. It was not the most amazing Chinese food I had but it did the job and we all left with a full stomach.

Trevi Fountain

Our next destination on the list was the Trevi Fountain which, not surprisingly, is located in the Trevi district of Rome and is undoubtedly, one of the most famous fountains in the world. And fortunately for us, it was about a ten-minute walk from the restaurant where we had lunch. All we needed to do was cross some streets and follow some cobblestoned pathways to reach the Trevi Fountain. Our tour group leader convened the group to give us instructions before heading to the actual location.

Way to Trevi Fountain

At the Trevi Fountain

Church around Trevi Fountain

The place was packed with tourists and the instructions given to us came in handy. We all managed to get as close as possible to the fountain, take pictures, and maneuvered around the crowd like experts and managed to make it to our meeting point on time. From there we started walking toward the Spanish Steps which was our last destination of the day.

Spanish Steps

The walk took about ten minutes but the sheer volume of people along the way blew me away. By the time we reached the Spanish Steps, the crowd soared in numbers and I was struggling to find an empty spot to stand and take in the view. There were people everywhere as we started ascending the stairs. Once we were at the top though, it felt much calmer. Most of the crowd was lingering on the steps or at the very bottom of it in Piazza di Spagna.It was a relief to get away from the crowd and we strolled around a bit while waiting for any remaining members of our tour group.

View of streets of Rome on the way to the Spanish Steps

At the Spanish Steps

View at the top of the Spanish Steps

Once everyone was accounted for, we slowly headed toward the area where our bus was waiting to pick us up and take us to our hotel. Thus ended the first day of our tour in Rome. It was filled with back-to-back activities and although it was a little tiring, everyone was thrilled and was eagerly waiting for the advent of the following morning to begin another day of exploration and sightseeing.