Adventures in Rome: Days 1 and 2
After weeks of lectures, slideshows, and readings, we finally made it to Rome, and it was nothing like what we imagined. Everything we had learned in class suddenly felt real the moment we stepped off the bus and walked into our first church.
On June 13, our first stop was Chiesa del Gesù, followed by St. Ignatius of Loyola, and let me just say… WOW. The frescoes on the ceiling were so intense. Photos definitely don’t do these churches justice. We were told that due to the illusionistic perspective, it’s hard to see where the ceiling ended and where the fresco began, but during our lectures, none of us believed it… the real-life lesson proved us wrong. We had to squint just to figure out where the ceiling ended and the frescoes began.
Our next stop of the day was the Pantheon. We gathered in a circle inside, underneath the oculus, and Wladek pulled out some papers and gave us a quick lesson. It was such a cool moment being surrounded by ancient Roman architecture while learning about it right there on the spot. Built around 113–125 AD under Emperor Hadrian, the Pantheon was originally a temple for all Roman Gods. What’s especially impressive is that it still holds the record for the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. The oculus at the top isn’t just for light; it was also an engineering solution to reduce the weight of the dome.
After that, we headed to Piazza Navona. The fountains were beautiful and the atmosphere was lively. Then came the Trevi Fountain, which was very crowded, but still worth the visit. We could barely get close, but the parts we could see were amazing.
We ended the day at the Spanish Steps, right at sunset. The lighting was perfect, and yes, we were allowed to sit on them. A few of us stayed there for hours, just talking and enjoying the view.
Day two started with a walk across the St. Angelo Bridge, which gave us a great view of the city. We made our way to St. Peter’s Square and then went inside St. Peter’s Basilica. It was packed, but still stunning. The space itself felt peaceful despite the crowds, and as we were leaving, Pope Leo XIV made a surprise appearance. Many of us sat and watched as the mass began.
Next was the Vatican Museums, where we had an amazing tour guide. We saw works like The School of Athens, The Transfiguration, and then, of course, the Sistine Chapel. Seeing The Last Judgment and The Creation of Adam in person was a huge moment. The amount of detail was overwhelming. We were in the museum for roughly two hours, but it felt as if we were listening to stories instead of an educational lesson.
The rest of the evening was open, and a lot of us took the chance to explore the city on our own. By the end of day two, most of us were exhausted but completely amazed by how much we had seen and experienced in such a short time. Whether it was standing under the oculus of the Pantheon or catching a surprise glimpse of the Pope, every moment felt packed with meaning. And the best part? We still had two full days left to go. Stay tuned for part two, where we dive into ancient ruins, rooftop views, and our final moments in Rome.
To be continued…
Daria Facchinato