Europe Summer 2017 15/17 - Italy : Still at Rome and Back Again to Vatican for St. Peter's Basilica!

“Travel brings power and love back into your life.”

- Jalaluddin Mevlana Rumi

at Vatican City State :)

Day 16 - Thursday, 29 June 2017

Today, I woke up super late and we started our day around 11 PM from the hostel. We didn't feel so rush because we almost visited like all the main sites at Rome so no rushed for today. Our plan is go back to Vatican and go inside the St. Peter's Basilica, so from Rome Termini Metro Station, we were heading to Ottaviano Metro Station (Line A) cost 1.5 euro, then we will walk to Vatican.

Arriving at Ottaviano Metro Station and there are so many shops there, there was another Kiko store along the way then we went inside and buy couple things, they also have Free Wifi which is so cool. There are also some souvenirs shops.

at Rome Termini Metro Station

showcase at one of stores around Vatican

Finally, we arrived at Vatican and the queue was seems soooo long but we decided to join the line beside we have no idea where to go next, and while you in Rome, why not going inside the largest church in the world. Thankfully we went to the Coop Market when in Rome Termini Station to buy few things and already had late breakfast too. And we already prepared to wear proper clothes for today because we saw the dos and don'ts yesterday for clothes to enter Basilica like no shorts, no miniskirts or bare shoulders.

people start queuing to getting inside the Basilica

phew..what a long line~~~

thankfully I bought rhis bread haha

After waiting for 1.5 hours, it's our turned to get in, yay!! The security is really tight, and there was a lady in front of me wearing tanktop and when she wants to get into the church, the security was not allowing her to get in but she can get in eventually by borrowing a guy shirt.

Getting inside the church and you will feel so blessed to see with your own eyes, it's unbelievable and wonderful, the interior, and it is sooooo big, it's free to enter this church but there will be some people trying to offer you to put some donations if you want to.

St. Peter's Basilica has an area of 30,000 sqm and 158 m high. You can also climb to the top to see Vatican from the dome but I didn't go up. Apparently most of the paintings in the church are replicas of the original paintings created for the Basilica. The most famous monument in the St. Peter's Basilica is the Pietà, a marble sculpture of a young looking Mary holding the dead body of her son. It was created in 1499-1500 by Michelangelo. Now it is protected by bulletproof glass screen.

front facade of St. Peter's Basilica

soooo beautiful

look at the details

Baldachin, for me this is the highlight of St. Peter's Basilica

mesmerizing!! truly indeed!! <333

too beautiful!!

Wandered around until we finally lost one of our friends because we are being separated. We tried to text her but no reply back, we waited in the front door but she didn't show up. After waiting for like an hour we decided to leave her the place and hope she will be okay and found her way back.

From Vatican we felt so hungry so we looked for a nice restaurant and we found this petite restaurant, we had again pasta :) it's so cheap like mostly around 5.5 euro. It's so delicious, well maybe because we are too hungry at that time but it was indeed so delicious. They also have free Wifi, the restaurant called Pastascioutta, located still around Vatican and it's in the small alley (Via delle Grazie). My friend decided to go back to hostel while I still want to explore around Rome, so we separated and now I go solo this time.

let's eat :)

sooo delicious~~~

so many options for Pasta

I keep walking and walking, discovering something or place that I have no idea until I found myself go back to Piazza di Spagna through another entrance, so many shops there and I decided to enter some stores like Zara, Mango, H&M, Long Champ etc. I bought myself couple things there, haha so happy. Wandering around until around 9PM and then go back to my hostel. 

looks great but I don't know what is this building called, just found it

back to Piazza di Spagna

well-known brands around

shopping anyone?

Spanish Steps behind me :)

wish my country has something like this

or bread like this haha

My hostel, Hostel Carlito was mixed dorm with 4 beds, I am the first one going back to my room, the hostel was so cozy, it's more like hotel. But too bad they don't provide kitchen. Had a nice talk with new roomates on that night, a German who apparently, first timer to visit Rome. It's always great to have someone to talk with.

no sign for Carlito so go inside that Hotel Des Artistes instead

my room :)

my bed, sorry for messy haha

dining room

some meals that I bought, I am starting eat too much

Thank you for reading my travel diaries and I'll see you very soon.

Have a great week ahead!

MJ