I can't believe it, but our cruise is actually over. The MS Noordam docked back in
Civitavecchia early this morning so we packed up and said goodbye to her. We still had a full day to spend in Rome before returning home, so we had booked a private tour of Rome. Our knowledgeable and handsome (just ask the girls) driver,
Daniel, took the five of us (Ken, Ceil, Vi, Susan and me) on an 8-hour tour in his spacious van. We started off by walking through the
Catacombs of San Sebastian (no cameras allowed), then drove past a portion of the
Appian Way that was built in the mid-4th century BC
and went out to see the beautiful
St Paul's Basilica.
We saw the only
pyramid in Italy which was built in 30 BC,
drove past the
Circus Maximus,
and walked through the
Piazza del Campidoglio 
to see the ruins of the
Roman Forum.
After a delicious lunch in a local, non-touristy, restaurant, we visited the world's smallest country,
Vatican City. Inside
St Peter's Square,
there was a huge line of tourists waiting to get into the
Sistine Chapel (we skipped this). The Pope had spoken there shortly before we arrived (
oh well, we can't see everything I guess) and so we saw
St Peter's Basilica with empty seats (everyone was in line now).
Then we drove to the awesome
Victor Emmanuel Monument with all of its huge statues
and went on to tour the
Flavian Amphitheatre (best known as the
Roman Colisium) completed in 80 AD.
As if that wasn't enough, no trip to Rome would be complete without visiting
Trevi Fountain 
and
throwing in a coin so we'd return someday.
We then drove by the
Spanish Steps 
and stopped in to see the
Pantheon in all its glory.
From there, it was back to the hotel for a night's rest before our long flights home. What a marvelous day to cap off an amazing trip!
and went out to see the beautiful St Paul's Basilica. 
We saw the only pyramid in Italy which was built in 30 BC, 
drove past the Circus Maximus, 
and walked through the Piazza del Campidoglio 
to see the ruins of the Roman Forum. 
After a delicious lunch in a local, non-touristy, restaurant, we visited the world's smallest country, Vatican City. Inside St Peter's Square, 
there was a huge line of tourists waiting to get into the Sistine Chapel (we skipped this). The Pope had spoken there shortly before we arrived (oh well, we can't see everything I guess) and so we saw St Peter's Basilica with empty seats (everyone was in line now). 
Then we drove to the awesome Victor Emmanuel Monument with all of its huge statues 
and went on to tour the Flavian Amphitheatre (best known as the Roman Colisium) completed in 80 AD. 
As if that wasn't enough, no trip to Rome would be complete without visiting Trevi Fountain 
and throwing in a coin so we'd return someday. 
We then drove by the Spanish Steps 
and stopped in to see the Pantheon in all its glory. 
From there, it was back to the hotel for a night's rest before our long flights home. What a marvelous day to cap off an amazing trip!
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