Rome Travel Date: 2023.09.08 – 2023.09.18
Destinations: Vatican City, an unnamed Korean restaurant, Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, Capitoline Museums, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon
Day 8 of my 9-night, 11-day Western Mediterranean cruise. I’m recording a day in Rome. Personally, my memory of this Rome trip is tinged with disappointment regarding the local guide’s style, so I’ve focused on photos of the tourist attractions. There are more of my photos than information, so please use this as a reference. If the local guide isn’t fixed, I believe changing them would significantly impact tourist satisfaction.
The flat peaches I bought at the Palermo market the day before were cheap, around 1.75 euros for four. They were sold by weight, so the amount didn’t require change.
This is the route from Civitavecchia port, where the cruise ship docked, to the Vatican. Our first transfer in Rome started with a tour bus, but after lunch, we were divided into groups and moved by van. Little did I know this was the beginning of ‘hellish tourism’.
This is presumed to be the Vatican wall. While the wall itself is a famous tourist spot and many photos are taken, I didn’t feel it was worth capturing extensively, so I only took a picture of the wall itself.
The Vatican Gendarmerie is entirely composed of Swiss nationals. This tradition stems from the history of Swiss guards who defended the Pope until their deaths in the Middle Ages.
Vatican City: St. Peter’s Square
Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
I took a commemorative photo with the obelisk as a backdrop in St. Peter’s Square. Due to the immense crowd and the scorching sun in the square, I had to give up on entering the Vatican. The line was so long that I couldn’t even consider waiting. I wondered if I would regret it later, but at the time, it seemed truly impossible.
Leaving the square, I bought a drink from a street vendor to cool down, as there wasn’t enough time to go to a cafe.
As expected in a Catholic country, I saw nuns and soldiers. Feeling a bit nervous, I quickly entered a souvenir shop.
On the way back, I spotted a fluffy and cute rabbit doll and impulsively bought it. I don’t usually buy such things, but there were so many colors that it was hard to choose. I remember it being palm-sized and costing around 12 or 20 euros.
Returning to the square, I took some emotional photos in front of the Bernini Fountain.
I took a selfie with the long lines of people still in the background, and also took photos with a cute dog and the grand columns.
This is a landscape shot on the way to lunch.
Tiber River
Italy Tiber River
Tiber River
During the transfer, the guide explained about the Tiber River. This place is said to have been a crucial foundation for the historical Rome Empire.
Rome Korean Restaurant
I don’t remember the exact name of the Korean restaurant we visited for lunch, but it was likely ‘Seoul Restaurant’. Foreign Korean restaurants tend to be heavy on seasoning, but the stir-fried shredded potatoes here were truly delicious. I don’t recall if side dishes were refillable, but they probably weren’t free, so I didn’t ask for refills.
The menu included kimchi jjigae, stir-fried squid, and bulgogi. The kimchi jjigae was rich and oily, which I enjoyed because I like strong flavors, but it might have been a bit much for the elderly.
This is the road to the Colosseum after lunch. We switched to a van, which was narrow and hot, making it very uncomfortable.
Colosseum
Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
The moment I finally saw the Colosseum in person, I felt the most overwhelming emotion of the trip. However, the guide’s photo-taking instructions were disappointing. Despite his boasts about his photography skills, the results were not good, and I ended up asking my mother to take pictures. I was offended by the hurried phrase “”빨리빨리 움직여요!””, which made me feel like I was there to work as a photographer. It was unpleasant, but still tolerable.
Arch of Constantine
Via di S. Gregorio, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
There were many people in front of the Arch of Constantine, located right next to the Colosseum. I was able to take a two-shot with the Colosseum, but I quickly took a few photos while avoiding the crowds.
After taking photos of the Arch of Constantine, we immediately got back in the van and moved to the next location. There was no time to spare. We were told it was a place with a fantastic view.
This place was known for its views, but I don’t remember the exact location.
Capitoline Museums
Piazza del Campidoglio, 1, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
I didn’t go inside the Capitoline Museums, just took photos from the outside and moved on. I was smiling while taking pictures, but my expression soured as soon as I put the camera down.
Piazza Venezia
Piazza Venezia, Roma RM, Italy
We took the van again to Piazza Venezia. It was a short distance, less than 2 minutes, but the process of getting on and off made the heat even more unbearable. Nevertheless, I took pictures.
Trevi Fountain
Piazza di Trevi, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
It is said that throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain has three meanings: returning to Rome, finding new love, and breaking up. I only threw one coin with the wish of returning to Rome. I thought about coming back someday for a leisurely independent trip.
I chose the tiramisu flavor from a gelato shop right in front of the Trevi Fountain. There were too many people, so I had to eat it standing on the street. The gelato melted too quickly, so I had to eat it in a hurry.
On the way to Pantheon, I found the exact same rabbit doll I had purchased at a souvenir shop nearby. I was relieved that the price was the same.
Pantheon
Piazza della Rotonda, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
I only took a photo from the outside of the Pantheon as well, and then went to get an iced coffee to escape the heat.
Tazza d’Oro Coffee
Via degli Orfani, 84, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Tazza d’Oro Coffee
This was a place where I could get an iced americano in Italy, but honestly, the taste was not great. It was made by pouring pre-made coffee stored in the refrigerator into a glass of ice, and there were coffee grounds left in it, making the taste disappointing. I think iced americanos are best in Korea. I suspect it was made carelessly because it’s a menu item for tourists.
We took the van again. My mother already looked exhausted.
Terrazza Belvedere
Via Cristoforo Colombo, 74, 19031 Ameglia SP, Italy
I don’t know the exact location of this place either, but it seems to be an observatory. We were brought here because of the pretty view, but by this point, I wanted to give up on sightseeing altogether. I even thought about taking a taxi or returning by boat separately.
The view was truly beautiful, and I got a great photo. Fortunately, this was the last stop. However, due to the exhausting itinerary, my impression of the Rome tour was not a good one.
For dinner, we enjoyed a generous meal of mozzarella cheese salad, cod, ragu pasta, tomato cream soup, beef neck steak, seafood sea bass, and an additional Bolognese pasta. I ate more than usual that day, likely because I was so tired.
For dessert, I tried orange mocha and tiramisu. It was the last dinner on the cruise, and it was the most delicious of all the dinner courses I had eaten so far. I had just started to get used to the cruise meals, so it was a shame it was the last day.
Despite the regret of having to disembark tomorrow due to the packed schedule, I did nothing but rest in my room. After dinner, I found a note left by the staff. I thought that if I ever took a cruise again, I would want to do only a little bit of local sightseeing.
