We started our day with a 6:45 am wake up. We went down for breakfast and had our usual Italian spread. At 8 am, we hopped on the bus after loading up all our suitcases. Most people slept deeply on the journey. We stopped in Cortona, an Italian town situated on the side of a hill, and saw a lovely church with the remains of Saint Margaret of Cortona. Afterwards, we did a good deal of downhill walking to make it to the center of town. We explored the area for about 45 minutes, and lots of people got very good croissants and cappuccinos (a favorite now for many of us). We hopped back on the bus, and stopped at a rest stop for some lunch (which was surprisingly very good). We then got back on the bus for another two hours (many of us slept again).
Later in the day, we arrived at our final destination: Rome! We hopped off of the bus and were on our way to the Pantheon. At the Pantheon, we learned about its history, including the meaning behind the wide open ceiling. When the temple was originally built, the ceiling was meant to send prayers directly to the gods, without any physical barriers in the way. The group moved over to the Trevi Fountain, where we made wishes with coins. One coin meant our return to Rome, two coins indicated our relationship statuses, and the third coin would determine the fate of our mothers-in-law. All of us got some gelato after spending some time exploring around the fountain. We then went to dinner where we were served bruschetta, caprese salad, and chocolate mousse to finish the meal off. Our tour guide took us over to the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) to end the night. We climbed the steps and took lots and lots of pictures! The day was loads of fun, even though most of it was spent on a bus. Our time left in Italy is limited, but we’re all excited to make the most of it!
By Jenna