Venice > Rome, Vactican Walking Tour (Honeymoon Day 4)

We woke up early (6am), showered and dressed and left the B&B. We boarded the Waterbus to "Ferrova" where we got on a ten minute train ride from Venice San Lucia to Venice Mestre, the city's main train station. There, we boarded our train to Rome. In Rome, we stayed at a really nice, new B&B Domus Emilia

At the hotel,  we did a little research on different things to do in Rome, and Aaron found a free evening walking tour of the Vatican. We arrived about an hour and a half early at the Spagna Metro and walked around looking for some pizza. After avoiding several touristy locations we stumbled upon Grano Frutta e Farnham, which served several foccacia-like pizzas. The pizza here was sold by the kilo and we opted to try several slices of the different pizzas: Veggie, Salmon and Arrougola, some meat one, and Margherita.  We really enjoyed the pizza.

After dinner, we walked around a little more before meeting our tour guide on the Spanish-style steps  (Scalinta di Trinita del Monte), that link the Church of Trinita del Monte with the Piazza di Spagna.  The tour was a little delayed because the other members of the group were late. The church is French property, has two symmetrical towers. As our tour guide mentioned, the French paid for the Spanish steps. At, the base of the steps, in the piazza, there is a 16th century fountain.

Did you know that all of the fountains in Rome are drinkable? There are 250 fountains in Rome, many built as gifts from Pope. 

Then we walked down Via Candotti,  a high end shopping street. Then we turned on Corso, a more common store shopping street. We walked to Piazza Cavour., one of the most expensive areas in Rome. Then we walked to the Castle of Santangelo. A private passage connects the castle to St. Peters Basilica. 

We walked through Piazza San Peitro. There are four papal bascillicas. San Giovanni is the most important bascillica in Rome. We finished the tour outside St. Peters Basilica and tipped the tour guide.

St. Peter's Basilica at night

On our way back to the train station we stopped at POMPI, a chain Gelato shop. Elisha had a scoop of Tiramisu and this hazelnut mix, and Aaron had cherry and Strawberry tiramisu. Then after, we caught the train and went back to Domus Emilia.

We had noticed throughout the course of our trip the extensive police presence. According to our tour guide, all of the monuments and public sites are being protected by armed military officers as a preventative measure in the wake of the Paris attacks.