For our first day in Rome we had a lot planned, and it was all worth it. We woke up for a nice breakfast and then hopped on a bus to head for a ton of different places. We visited the Chiesa di Sant’ Ignazio di Loyola, or the Church of Saint Ignatius, which was absolutely magnificent and resplendent. Its walls and ceilings were decorated with elaborate sculptures, paintings, and a beautiful color scheme with lots of greys and golds.
Following the Church of Saint Ignatius we visited the Pantheon, a former Roman temple from the second century. It was crazy to see how intricate the architecture had been at such an early time in modern history.
After the Pantheon, we headed to the Church of St. Louis of the French, which was gorgeously decorated with a ton of gold accessories and again lots of intricate sculptures and paintings. Some of the paintings included those of Caravaggio, an artist infamous among the Art History students. We then headed to lunch at the beautiful Piazza Navona, where we took many pictures alongside the beautiful buildings and fountain.
We then took a nice trek around the city and saw the Trajan’s Market, a complex of ruins from ancient times, as well as the Altar of the Fatherland, which was a spot for impressive views of the city as well as an intricate building and monument for the leader who unified Italy.
Our last sightseeing spot of the day was the world-famous Colosseum. We walked around and got to see everything that’s always talked about, and it was just as amazing as it looks. The fact that so much of it is still standing today is so impressive.
After the Colosseum we had a three-course meal and some of us returned to the hotel, but many students went to a wonderful cafe. Each student had their pick of a beverage, including cappuccinos, Italian hot chocolates, and macchiatos, as well as their pick of a dessert. There were plenty of panna cottas, tiramisus, and pasta fillo with nutella and cream for everyone, and we had a great time. We then headed for the hotel and can’t wait for a jam-packed warm day tomorrow! Thanks to Joella Chase (AVPA’19) and Ella Fendian (AVPA’19) for the photos!