Flying into Rome around after a 9.5 hour nonstop flight from ATL
Toni and Dinah posing before our morning walking tour in Rome.
We celebrated 2 birthdays on this trip! This was Toni at our Welcome Dinner at Rossini Restaurant.
One of our two birthday celebrations was for Yvette during our lunch in Tuscany.
Waiting on our train in the Metro station in Rome. Taking the Rome Metro is a fast, cheap, and reliable way to cross long distances and reach major tourist landmarks without getting stuck in street traffic.
Pam posing at the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain is famous for its grand Baroque architecture, its deep ancient Roman history, and its starring roles in classic cinema.
Theresa the Gelato Queen! She had to have her gelato every day!
Yolunda and Edna at Cooking Art Brunelleschi cooking school in Florence. We rolled up our sleeves so that we could knead, roll, and shape pasta like a true Italian, and a good time was had by all. We also enjoyed bottomless wine which made the experience even more interesting!
Yolunda and Valentino, the chef that taught us how to make pasta in our cooking class in Florence.
The Colosseum in Rome is 1,946 years old, counted from its grand opening in AD 80. Theresa, Celeste, Pam, and Yvette strike a pose in front of the largest ancient amphitheater ever built!
The Dolce Vita Crew in the main square in Siena, Piazza del Campo, also affectionately known as Il Campo. Siena is a historic medieval hill town located in the Tuscany region of Italy, famous for its historic Palio di Siena bareback horse race.
Lunch at the beautiful Fattoria Poggio Alloro winery in San Gimignano. Fattoria Poggio Alloro is a family-run organic working farm, winery, and agriturismo located in the beautiful rolling hills of Tuscany.
Yolunda and Taylor posing at the Spanish Steps. The Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti) in Rome are special because they combine dramatic 18th-century Baroque architecture, a mix of international history, and a vibrant role as a cultural and social hub.
Toni and Edna posing near the Spanish Steps!
Firenze (Florence) is a shopper's dream! You can literally shop until you drop! We're not mentioning any names, but a few of our crew had to buy an extra suitcase to bring their purchases home!
Toni and Tess at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is known for its nearly four-degree lean, the result of an unstable foundation. The tower is one of three structures in Pisa's Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo) that are leaning, which includes the cathedral and Pisa Baptistry. Over time, the flawed tower has become one of the most visited tourist attractions in the world as well as an architectural icon of Italy, receiving over 5 million visitors each year.
Yvette posing on the Pointe Vecchio Bridge over the Arno River. The Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy, is famous because it is a medieval stone bridge lined with continuous shops and is the only bridge in the city that survived World War II.
Pasta and Clams!
Pam posing at the Siena Cathedral. Siena Cathedral (Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta) is famous as one of Italy's most magnificent Romanesque-Gothic masterworks, celebrated for its striped marble architecture, priceless art collection, and the ambitious "Duomo Nuovo" project left unfinished by the Black Death.
La Nicchia Cafè is a specialist gourmet food and wine shop in Rome that serves as the official meeting point and a primary tasting venue for The Roman Food Tour. Did we mention the bottomless Prosecco??
Now this is what real Italian pizza looks like!
Taylor and Dinah enjoying a glass of good stuff while people watching in San Gimignano. San Gimignano is a small, walled medieval hill town, famous worldwide for its iconic skyline of 14 surviving medieval tower houses.
The Chocolate Croissant! Deliciousness at its finest!
The Pieta in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. The Pietà (meaning "pity" or "compassion") by Michelangelo is a Renaissance marble sculpture depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion.
Pope Leo (Papa Leone) entering in the Pope mobile
The Pontifical Swiss Guard is the official armed force and honor guard of Vatican City, established on January 22, 1506, by Pope Julius II. Their mission is to protect the Pope, the Apostolic Palace, and the entrances of Vatican City.
A few of us attended the Papal Audience with Pope Leo, a weekly public gathering held by the Pope in Vatican City to teach, pray, and bless pilgrims and visitors from around the world. We were on the second row, and it was an amazing experience!
Toni and Pam toasting our amazing trip during our Farewell Dinner at Cafe Washington in Rome.