Day 2: Adventure Awaits! 

After a night of good rest, we felt rested and ready to take on day 2.

Varsity Blue

For the first full day in Rome, Varsity Blue headed to the Vatican. Did you know the Vatican is a country of its own? Consisting of only 110 acres, it’s the smallest country in the world! Because of our awesome trip organizers, we hopped to the front of the (very long) line and met up with our specialized Vatican tour guides. They took us through rooms and rooms filled  art and history from thousands of years ago. Our favorite? Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. It was absolutely breathtaking!

To end the tour of the Vatican, we headed to St. Peter’s Basilica. The Basilica is considered to be the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and is the largest church in the world. Let me tell you, it was HUGE. After making our way around the massive Basilica, groups then had the opportunity to climb the 551 steps to the top of the dome for some of the most incredible views of Rome.

When the Vatican tour concluded, we all had the chance to explore the neighborhood surrounding Vatican City. We grabbed lunch at local restaurants, checked out the Castle of Sant’Angelo, shopped, found unique streets and of course, ate more gelato. What a day!

Tomorrow Varsity Blue will head out on the city tour that Varsity White did today. Check out their recap below!

Varsity White

Starting the day off with a tour of Rome, Varsity White hopped on buses and headed for the city. We learned about several historical parts of the city that were built as long as 1,893 years ago. Seeing the most momentous views of a place that was created in 753 BC, was incredible. The history behind the streets of Rome had us completely blown away!

Once our bus tour concluded, we continued on foot for a closer look at the imperial city. One stop that had us mesmerized was the Pantheon. This structure is the oldest and best preserved building in Rome. We joined the masses and we entered the Pantheon, only to find it was even more regal inside. Needless to say, we are at a loss of words when it comes to describing this experience!

As if seeing the city wasn’t enough, we finished our day by shopping around and eating at the tastiest pizza spots we could find. Varsity White will be topping today’s adventure by visiting the city of Florence tomorrow. Be sure to stay tuned for an inside look at the new scenery!