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OllycHong Kong, China
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Rome: Day and Night

Day 1: Attractions: Trevi Fountain (evening), Spanish Steps (evening) After landing at the airport around noon, I took the ITA train directly to Rome's central train station. My accommodation, Hostel, was a 15-minute walk from the station. Both attractions are within walking distance from the train station. For dinner, I randomly chose a restaurant (Caffe Washington Rome). The grilled ribs were quite good, and the rest of the dishes were decent as well. The prices were within an acceptable range. Day 2: Attractions: Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Mouth of Truth, Circus Maximus, Trevi Fountain (daytime), Spanish Steps (daytime) If you're interested in history, I recommend joining a local tour for the Colosseum, as the guide provides detailed explanations. Even if you're not into history, joining a tour is still advisable since tour groups use a separate line to enter. Note that there is a security check before entry. Depending on the type of tour you join, some include nearby attractions in addition to the Colosseum. The tour typically lasts 2 to 3 hours. You can spend the rest of your time exploring Palatine Hill, which offers stunning views of Rome from the top. For lunch, consider dining at a restaurant near the hill. I stumbled upon a place serving a delicious mushroom fish dish at a reasonable price. As for the Mouth of Truth, you can visit it, but the long queue for photos with the stone discouraged me, so I just admired it from a distance. Near the Mouth of Truth, there's a market called Campagna Amica Market, which offers a variety of food and ingredients. It's worth a visit. Day 3: Attractions: Vatican City, Vatican Museums, Piazza Navona For the Vatican Museums, it's best to purchase tickets in advance to avoid long queues. If you're interested in history, consider joining a tour. There's a lot to see inside, and a detailed visit can take up most of the day. Security checks are required before entry. Entry to Vatican City also involves security checks and queues. Photography is allowed inside, and if it's sunny, your photos will turn out beautifully. You can also send postcards from within. Piazza Navona: It's worth a visit, though it can be crowded. If you have extra time, explore the nearby streets. The alleys often make for picturesque photo backdrops. **Must-Visit Attractions:** Rome has countless attractions, and this list only scratches the surface. If you're interested in religious history, there are many churches to explore. **Must-Try Foods:** 1. 2. Ristorante Dulcis in Fundo - They have a mushroom sauce appetizer that's delicious, though I forgot its name. **Accommodation Recommendations:** Suggested area: Near the central train station Hotel name: Free Hostel Rome **Photo Spots:** Many alleys are perfect for photography. Take your time to explore and find hidden gems. **Tips:** - Rome has many drinking water fountains, so bring a bottle to refill and save on buying water. - Be cautious when going out at night. - Staying near the train station can be noisy. During my stay, I often heard ambulance or police sirens at night.
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Posted: Apr 25, 2025
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Soldiers in colorful striped uniforms are always seen standing guard at the right aisle entrance of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. They are the Swiss Guard, the Pope's personal bodyguard and one of the world's oldest active military forces. This unit is composed entirely of young men from Catholic Switzerland. Since the Middle Ages, Swiss mercenaries have been renowned in Europe for their strict discipline, bravery, and loyalty, often employed by monarchs as personal guards. In 1506, amidst the turmoil of war in Italy, Pope Julius II recruited 147 Swiss soldiers to protect the Vatican, establishing the Swiss Guard. Every January 22nd, the Swiss Guard holds a solemn oath-taking ceremony to commemorate their arrival in Rome. The Swiss Guard's most famous historical event is the 1527 Sack of Rome, when Pope Clement VII allied with King Francis I of France against the increasingly powerful Charles V (Carlos I of Habsburg Spain). In retaliation for the Pope's betrayal, Charles V acquiesced to the attack on Rome. Charles's army, lacking supplies and unpaid, suffered from low morale and hunger. After the Duke of Bourbon was shot and killed during the siege, the army lost control and began looting, slaughtering, and destroying the city on a massive scale. Rome fell within hours, leaving the defenders powerless. However, the Swiss Guard fought bravely and successfully escorted Pope Clement VII to the Castel Sant'Angelo for refuge. The Swiss Guard was nearly annihilated, with only 42 of 189 soldiers surviving. Castel Sant'Angelo, where the Pope took refuge, was originally a mausoleum built by Emperor Hadrian in 123 AD for himself. It is located on the banks of the Tiber River. It was converted into a fortress in the Middle Ages and served as a military refuge for the Pope. In 1277, Pope Nicholas III ordered the construction of a secret passage, the Passetto di Borgo, connecting the Castel Sant'Angelo to the Vatican, allowing for an emergency papal retreat. This passage played a key role in the Sack of Rome in 1527. Castello's name stems from a legend: During the plague of 590 AD, Pope Gregory I saw the angel St. Michael appear on the castle's summit. He sheathed his sword, symbolizing the end of the plague. From then on, Hadrian's Mausoleum was renamed "Castle Sant'Angelo," and a statue of St. Michael with his sword drawn was erected on top. The bronze statue we see today was recast by Peter Anton von Verschaffelt in 1753. Ponte Sant'Angelo, connecting the Castel Sant'Angelo to Rome, was built in 134 AD and is the main access point to the fortress. The bridge's most famous features are the ten angel statues depicting the instruments of Christ's Passion, designed by the Baroque master Gian Lorenzo Bernini and his studio. Two of the sculptures, the "Angel with the Crown of Thorns" and the "Angel with the Nail," were sculpted by Bernini himself; the originals are now housed in the Castel Sant'Angelo, while replicas are displayed on the bridge. Castel Sant'Angelo once housed a prison, and as a result, a legend casts a shadow over the site at night. It is said that every year at midnight between September 10th and 11th, the ghost of a woman named Beatrice Cenci appears on the bridge. She slowly walks across the bridge, carrying a bloody human head. At the stroke of midnight, she turns toward the Tiber River and disappears in the wind and darkness. Beatrice Cenci was a Roman noblewoman who, unable to tolerate her father's tyranny and incest, conspired with her family to murder him. She was sentenced to death and publicly beheaded in front of the Castel Sant'Angelo in 1599. The crowd witnessed her fearless walk toward the guillotine, and one witness is said to be the painter Caravaggio. This experience likely inspired his later famous painting, "Judith Beheading Holofernes." Judith, with a stern and resolute expression, raises her sword to behead the enemy commander. The scene is bloody yet majestic. This tension, a mixture of pain, justice, and violence, is strikingly similar to Beatrice's fate. In Rome's Palazzo Barberini, there is a painting called "Portrait of Beatrice Cenci" by the Italian Baroque painter Guido Reni. This portrait has become a symbol of Cenci's memory for generations to come. The painting employs soft light and shadow, showcasing her holy and serene features. However, the overall image is shrouded in an atmosphere of unease, as if narrating her grievances and the call of her soul. In his travelogue, Notes on France and Italy, American author Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote, "It is the most unforgettable face I have ever seen." Many subsequent artists and writers have been deeply moved by this painting and the story behind it. Percy Bysshe Shelley used her life as the model for his epic poem, The Silence, to criticize tyranny and injustice. Stendhal referenced her repeatedly in his works, viewing her as the embodiment of history and emotion. Castle Sant'Angelo, originally the mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian, now stands as a meeting point for Roman memory: history, faith, myth, and art intersect within this ancient fortress. This scene from the third act of Puccini's opera "Tosca" features the opera's heroine, Tosca, leaping from the walls of Castel Sant'Angelo. Today, Castel Sant'Angelo often appears in dramas, such as the films "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels and Demons." Beatrice Cenci's midnight apparition may not be a vengeful spirit, but rather a gaze upon truth and an enduring memory, silently telling an unforgettable story. #Europe #Vatican #Rome #Switzerland #Italy #TravelRecommendations #TravelPlanning

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