Monday’s in February is a great time to visit Rome. A long 1.5hr drive each way gets you from the port to the Vatican. Even at 9am there’s a massive line waiting to get in.
The greatest secret is to visit a trip under the Vatican to see the town which still exists from when Jesus walked these streets. Send an email sent to Ufficio Scavi, pay a small fee, and get a private entrance and private tour that others will spend hours waiting to see only a fraction of your visit.
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| The entrance for your tour. The thick wall you’re looking at is the actual width of the original Vatican walls |
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| A model of where we are, directly under the current Vatican. Constantinople didn’t waste time nor material and had his engineers just find a straight line and build over the old city. It wasn’t demolished just cut the top off of some of the buildings. |
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| One of the original Vatican columns |
At this point cameras were banned. This takes you maybe the holiest holy locations in all of the Catholic church. In the below image you’re walking in the black area. You’re taken to see the remains of St Peter and walk the streets the disciples of Christ walked. Not recommended you’re claustrophobic or can’t do heat as it’s muggy and warm here.
After the tour you pop out in a secret exit and enter the Vatican. No line waiting for you.
In the photo below, at the bottom of the stairs, is where the tour had been. However, we were on the other side of the wall, seeing the paint which researchers found during WW2 which helped identify it as the final remaining spot of Peter.
Last time I was here there were so many tourists. It was a treat having the building relatively empty.
Some may find this silly but I love finding these hidden treats.
As we’re leaving there is a Virgin cruise ship sitting at the port exit. Since the lockdowns this ship hasn’t seen a passenger. It won’t be back in service for another five months. It just sits here, idling. Kinda spooky.
