The Best of Rome- - and The Coolest Thing I've Ever Done

Day One of our trip to Rome, Amalfi Coast, and Paris was just about as good as it could be! We were excited for the next few days, but one small tour ended up being the best travel experience we've ever had. And I gotta say, because of God's goodness, the generosity of friends and family, and my part time gig as a tour guide, we've been blessed to do many, many amazing things. But this topped them all.

The full photo from above zoomed out to show just how huge this area is.

After meeting our friends for a delicious and leisurely breakfast in our hotel- Lavazza Coffee with hot milk is just wonderful- we headed off for our tour of the Vatican. 

Neither couple had been to Rome, but our friends did as much research as we did to prepare. Our friend the Professor happily stumbled upon something that very few folks know of or even care about: The Scavi Tour.

Just what exactly is this? A very limited tour where they receive only 250 people per day, approximately 12 people per group. You must be 15 years old, and the tours run only Monday through Friday and with shortened hours on Saturday. In order to qualify, you must first email them a passport scan. You'll go through an extensive security check before you are approved. Then you will know if you have been approved and for what date and time. 

But what exactly is this tour?

The Professor asks questions of the Swiss Guard officers at the entrance.

Everyone who goes to Rome for the first time must go to all the main landmarks, including Vatican City's magnificent St. Peter's Basilica. Just as they should. This tour, the Scavi Tour, goes under the basilica. What's there? An area called the Necropolis and the home to the tomb of St. Peter- which is directly below the grand dome everyone sees. The hour and a half excursion takes travelers somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 ft. below ground exploring what was once an above ground cemetery. This includes walking around ancient streets and houses now buried centuries later.  

Enter the tour here.

We arranged our entire tour of the our trip's tourist attractions to accommodate this particular tour. And we would advise anyone going to Rome to do the same. For all four of us, it was easily the highlight of our entire time in the region. 

Make sure you bring your passport with you. You will not be allowed in without it.

To find the tour entrance, walk toward the Dome, and then walk past it on the left side. Look for the Swiss Guard on the left. The uniforms make them easy to find. They will graciously point you to the Passport Control/Security entrance nearby. We tried talking to the local police to ask, but they appeared unable to direct us to the right location.

After going through security and a passport check (Vatican City is its own country. after all), we were escorted past the Swiss Guard to the tour office. Here, we were screened once more before being let into a walled off area. Dignitaries, some walked and some in vehicles, (and there were many) passed by us on their way to meetings and such.

The lobby area before descending below ground.

No photos allowed beyond this point.

Right on time, our tour guide came out to greet us. She was a local Italian woman with a doctorate in Christian Anthropology. Not only was she very knowledgeable, she was very likable, and her English was excellent. No question was too small or unimportant. After counting heads, the descent downstairs began. The halls became slimmer and slimmer as the lights got dimmer and the area colder.

The Necropolis. This is the official Scavi photo from their website.

I'll admit it took some time to get used to the chilly temperature below ground, the narrow and  dark precarious paths, and especially the thick security walls that closed behind us after entering each area. This is  definitely not for the claustrophobic! One woman in our group couldn't handle it all, and after entering the first darkened room way below the surface, she had to leave. Our very kind and understanding guide excused herself and accompanied the nervous woman back to the main lobby upstairs. We quietly waited for her to return. It was a bit eerie. 

One more official photo.

We had taken the underground aqueduct tour in Istanbul a year earlier. That certainly was incredible, but we were even more awestruck by this experience, the history, and stories told. The Necropolis (Greek for "City of the Dead") contains the Tomb of St. Peter, but that is to be seen toward the end. Before that, you walk among the pagan burial grounds and see a side of the era's life from a new perspective. (For the record, this is not like the famous catacombs of Paris, so you won't be viewing thousands of skulls.) 

The Professor found this photo on line after we all got home.

Based on historical data, Peter was martyred in 64 A.D. under the hand of Nero. The apostle Peter insisted he be crucified upside down, stating he was not worthy to be killed in the same manner as his Lord Jesus Christ. (Jesus himself prophesied Peter's death in the Bible's Book of John, Chapter 21.) Mourning but wise believers took Peter's body and hid it, fearing others would take it and destroy it.

For centuries, Christianity was outlawed, but that did not stop early followers of Jesus from hiding subtle references to God's Son in the paintings and other artwork as part of their families resting place. This included Peter and includes references to where he was buried in a manner that could only be described as ancient graffiti. All this is pointed out on the tour, and the guide lays it out in a very compelling manner. 

Once Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in 313 A.D. by issuing the Edict of Milan, Peter's body was buried where it now is found. Right below the famous Basilica Dome. Once back above ground, if you look for the center metal grating at your feet, you can see the Necropolis deep below. 

St. Peter's Basilica. Just incredible.

This not-to-be-missed tour comes with a bonus: At the conclusion of the tour, you are taken upstairs to the Basilica, bypassing the lengthy lines. You can still veer off to the left side to go up into the dome itself, something we sadly forgot to do. To reach the entrance to the Basilica, you'll go through numerous hallways with the resting places of many other Popes to get there. This makes for a fascinating experience all its own.

To book Scavi Tour Tickets, go to the official site here. Don't be fooled by the numerous other companies' websites into taking a different tour.  They are more expensive- sometimes much more so- and may not include the underground experience.

Again, be sure to bring your passport with you.

I mean NO disrespect here,

but this cute photo makes me want to call them a "gaggle" of nuns 

because of their smiling faces.

What could top the Scavi Tour? Nothing actually, not even the Sistene Chapel in all its splendor couldn't match the powerful experience we had just witnessed. 

The dense crush of the crowds and the very limited time in the chapel itself made for a visit that was much different than we expected. It's loud, the poor security/guides have to yell to communicate with guests, and there's really no time to quietly enjoy the thousands of artifacts on display in the numerous hallways before hitting the chapel. 

Just unbelievable.

For all this, the payoff is worth it. The fresco by Michelangelo is just magnificent! The colors are quite rich, and it seems as if it could have been painted just a few years ago. This is due to the restoration that took place in the 1980s for several years. Contrary to what many think, the entire story of the Bible is painted on that ceiling and not just the creation. 

The Sister Chapel is surrounded by the expansive gardens.

Once we exited the Chapel, we worked our way out through a large maze of hallways that held very little signage in either Italian or any other language. We were rewarded with a nice bench and a break for a drink and a snack. The surrounding gardens are just lovely. Off in the distance is the entrance to the garages.

One of many "Pope-Mobiles" found in the garages below.

One of the most playful- if you can use that word- exhibits is found underground with very little announcement of its very existence. The carriages and cars of the Popes are housed below ground. There's no fee to enter. The plaques tell fascinating tidbits, and visitors are rewarded with a very views of everything from ancient carriages to almost James Bond type automobiles. Since few people go here, the touring is relaxed and delightfully peaceful.

Scenes from our walk back to the hotel.

Everywhere you go in Rome, history is found, and every turn of your head results in discovering beautiful architecture. We made a habit, (no pun intended), of walking into every church we found. Even the very humblest of buildings interested us with the variety of materials used. 

My more than average photo does not capture the beauty of this piece.

A full description.

We took the extra time to walk into the Cappella Della Pieta. I'm not a Catholic, but it was hard not to be moved by this sculpture. There's this feel about Rome that brings about a mix of emotions. The city seems to pulsate with youth and energy, a sense of respect for the ancient and traditional, and a combination of flighty carnality and rich spirituality. Where Paris feels both charming and glamorous, Rome has a sense of substance I've never felt anywhere else. The Eternal City indeed.

The next day would be our last full one here. The agenda held a tour of the Coliseum and Palatine Hill. There'd be a few surprises along the way before leaving the city for the towns of Amalfi. What a wonderful trip so far! Stay tuned.

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)