Italy

Palazzo Nuovo

We concluded our visit to Capitoline Museums by touring the Halls of Palazzo Nuovo, as well as the ruins of the Temple of Jupiter, and the Tabularium.

Palazzo dei Conservatori

The primary wing of Capitoline Museums is Palazzo dei Conservatory, where you can see pieces of a giant statue of Emperor Constantine, and the Capitoline She-Wolf.

National Museum of Rome

Palazzo Massimo also contains ancient mosaic and fresco.

Palazzo Massimo

The best Museum for Ancient Roman Statuary is National Museum of Rome.

Via Appia Antica

Appian Way is in really great shape for being 2300 years old.

Acquedotto Claudio

We travelled by Metro from Central Rome to Giulio Agricola and hiked across Aqueduct Park.

Sant Ignazio

Chiesa di Sant' Ignazio di Loyola is the premier manifestation of the Jesuit affinity for trompe-l'œil, baroque illusionary fresco painting.

Santa Maria Maggiore

Originally built in the 5th Century, Santa Maria Maggiore has the opulence which is characteristic of the four major Vatican Basilicas of Rome.

Palatine Hill

We climbed to the top of Palatine Hill to admire the view.

Roman Forum

We continued our tour on the south side of the Roman Forum, where surrounded by 2000-year-old Virgins, we felt right at home.

Foro Romano

After visiting the Colosseum, we toured the Roman Forum

Flavian Amphitheatre

We visited the Colosseum, so named on account of Nero's Colossus, which stood there previously.

Vatican Museums

We continued our tour of Vatican Museums in the Renaissance Wing.

Palazzo Apostolico

Vatican Museums is full of art and we began with sculpture.

Tiber After Dark

Hiking back to our flat, we crossed the Tiber in darkness. Upon awakening the next morning we stopped on Capitoline Hill to take photos of the Roman Forum and King Victor Emmanuel II Monument.

Cupola di San Pietro

From the roof of St Peter's Basilica, the view is panoramic.

Basilica di San Pietro

St. Peter's Basilica is the greatest Church in Christendom.

Piazza San Pietro

We visited St. Peter's Square in Vatican City.

Santa Cecilia and Villa Farnesina

After stopping at a Cafe for Breakfast, we filled up on more art, history, and culture at Basilica Santa Cecilia and Villa Farnesina.

Trastevere

We spent the morning exploring Trastevere, beginning with Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere.

Altar of the Fatherland

The Victor Emmanuel II National Monument is Rome's largest modern monument and City Hall.

Rome After Dark

Our Sunday Evening ended by visiting Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and Quirinal Palace.

Galleria Doria Pamphilj

Rome's Greatest Palace still under private ownership is a Gallery of the family's private art collection with a tour narrated by the Prince himself.

Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is an ancient athletic stadium reborn as a baroque public square.

Ghetto in Rome

From the 16th Century until 1870, Jews in Rome were forced to reside inside a walled Ghetto.

Saint Peter in Chains

Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli commemorates the Apostle Peter's imprisonment.

San Paolo Fuori le Mura

St Paul's Outside The Walls was rebuilt in the 19th Century, is lovely if somewhat sterile, contains mosaic portraits of all 266 Popes and translucent Alabaster windows.

Castel Sant'Angelo

Castel Sant'Angelo was originally built as a Mausoleum for Emperor Hadrian, was alternately used as a Fortress and Prison.

Piazza del Popolo

Piazza del Popolo is the historic North Entrance of Rome.

Borghese

Borghese Gallery nestled in the vast Villa Borghese Gardens, high atop a bluff overlooking the entrance to Rome, is a Palace Museum displaying the private art collection of Cardinal Borghese.

Pantheon

Pantheon is the best-preserved ancient monument in Rome. "Pantheon" means "all the gods", thus Pantheon was originally a temple to all the gods.

Gesu and Sopra Minerva

On our way to see the Pantheon, we swung by Teatro Marcello, Gesu Church, and Sopra Minerva.

San Giovanni in Laterano

Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran is the Cathedral of the Pope as the Bishop of Rome, and as such, ranks even higher than St. Peter's Basilica.

Exploring Rome

We traveled by train from Florence back to Rome and immediately began exploring Circus Maximus, Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, Piazza Farnese, and Campo de' Fiori.

Boboli Gardens

We marinated in the stunning views of Boboli Gardens behind Palazzo Pitti.

Accademia

On Thursday we visited the Accademia in order to see David, the greatest sculpture in the World, carved in Marble by the World's Greatest Sculptor.

Salone dei Cinquecento

We continued our tour of Palazzo Vecchio, viewing the Grand Hall, touring Pope Leo X's Apartments, and then visited the Christmas Market at Piazza Santa Croce.

Palazzo Vecchio Apartments and Terrace

At Palazzo Vecchio we were delighted by the Bust of Macchiavelli, enjoyed the view from the terrace, and were awed by the Hall of Justice.

Bargello First Floor

We continued our tour of Bargello viewing Verrocchio's David, Donatello's David (bronze), Donatello's St George, and the famous Baptistry Doors Contest submission.

Bargello Ground Floor

At the Bargello, we began by viewing the Courtyard, Michelangelo's Bacchus, Giambologna's Flying Mercury, and Donatello's Marble David.

Uffizi Lower Floor

The lower floor in Uffizi contains High Renaissance Paintings by artists such as Titian, Raphael, Da Vinci, and Parmigianino.

Uffizi Top Floor

Chronologically, Uffizi begins on the top floor, starting with Medievel and Early-Renaissance Art.

Giotto's Campanile

We climbed to the top of Giotto's Campanile (Bell Tower) to admire the views.

Opera del Duomo Museum

Many of the original works of art from the Cathedral, Baptistry, and Bell Tower in Florence reside now in Duomo Museum for preservation.

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Florence Cathedral is the fourth-largest Church in the world, with the largest brick dome in the world.

Basilica of Santa Croce

In Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence, we visited Baroncelli Chapel, Pazzi Chapel, the Sacristy, and Refectory.

Basilica di Santa Croce

Santa Croce, Church of the Holy Cross, is the largest Franciscan Church in the world and was built in the 14th Century.

Brunelleschi's Dome

From the summit of Brunelleschi's Dome, Florence glows in the Tuscan Winter Morning Sun.

Cupula de Santa Maria del Fiore

It's 463 stairs to the top of Cúpula de Santa María del Fiore, and the view is great.

San Miniato al Monte

San Miniato al Monte is a Romanesque Church (and abby), with a Romanesque Marble Facade, the place to hear live Gregorian Chants.

Oltrarno

We spent the afternoon exploring Oltrarno, including Brancacci Chapel, enjoying the views.

Galileo Science Museum

The Galileo Science Museum in Florence Italy is full of historic scientific equipment and curiosities!

Pitti Palace

Too much Palazzo Pitti for one post, so we continue.

Palazzo Pitti

Palazzo Pitti is the Grandest Palace in Florence, primary residence of de' Medici family, and second-most prestigious art gallery in Florence.

Basilica di Santa Maria Novella

Santa Maria Novella is the first large is the first large Basilica in Florence. Right next to the train station, it is also the first Basilica you see upon arriving.

Cappelle Medici and Piazza Santa Maria Novella

We visited Cappelle Medici inside Basilica of San Lorenzo, and then photographed the facade of Basilica di' Santa Maria Novella, from Piazza Santa Maria Novella (before touring the basilica).

Palazzo Medici and San Marco

We visited Palazzo Medici and San Marco Basillica and Convent in Florence.

Exploring Florence

After arriving in Florence, we went exploring and took pictures of Basilica of Santa Croce, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, and Palazzo Pitti.

Traveling to Florence

We flew to Rome with a stop in Atlanta, and from there took the train to Florence.