Luxurious Stay in Rome

On May 12, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy5 Comments

Since our trip to Italy was the last of our six-month stay in Europe, we decided to treat ourselves to a little bit of luxury while we were in Rome. We stayed at the Lifestyle Suites Rome, which has suites that overlook Piazza Navona. Our room was absolutely beautiful with Swarovski chandeliers. It was also located close to all of the attractions and there were plenty of wonderful restaurants within walking distance.

Every evening we were treated to turn down service and slippers placed next to our comfortable, king-size bed. We also received sweets, fresh fruit, and cheese when we ordered a bottle of wine for our room. On our last night, we were given a pastry with frosting and chocolate shavings that was quite delicious. Every morning we were able to order a fresh cooked breakfast or choose from items on the buffet. Since there are only eight suites in the hotel, there was never a crowd and we felt like we were being personally pampered.

Probably our favorite feature of our suite, which was the Tempesta Suite, was the hot tub for two with waterfall and chromotherapy. After a long day of visiting all of the tourist sites that Rome has to offer, it was very relaxing to put on some soothing music using the remote controls and enjoy a glass of wine while soaking our tired muscles. With the wonderful views of the piazza, all of the amenities, and the gracious staff, it would have been easy to sleep in and stay in our room all day, but there is just too much to see in Rome to indulge ourselves that way.

We don’t often treat ourselves to such extravagant surroundings when travelling since you don’t normally spend too much time in the hotel room, but this was well worth the expense. Whenever we return to Rome, we will definitely come back to the Lifestyle Suites Rome, it was one of the best hotel experiences that we have ever enjoyed. We tended to stay at the hotel group that we have loyalty points with during our time in Europe, but we were glad that we decided to select something different for our time in Rome.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

On April 7, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy6 Comments

One of the things that we always recommend to people is that, if you are spending four or more days in a city, you take time for at least one day excursion into the surrounding area. While we were in Florence, we took our own advise and did take a day tour, which ended with a couple of hours in Pisa. Obviously the main reason that people travel to Pisa is to see the famous leaning bell tower. The bell tower is a freestanding tower, meaning that unlike most bell towers that are attached to the main cathedral, this tower is an independent structure. Rarely do you ever visit a location just to see something that was a completely unintended result.

View of the Cathedral Roof and the Baptistery

The tower started leaning during its original construction due to the soft ground and not allocating a large enough foundation to support the tower. The tower has been stabilized a couple of times in recent years to ensure that it doesn’t actually fall over, so it doesn’t actually lean quite as much today as it did a few decades ago. The tower started leaning during its construction, so the architect and builders made slight adjustments as they finished the tower, so you can see a slight difference in angles between the lower rings of the tower and the final ring that holds the bells.

If you want to go to the top of the bell tower, you will need to be sure to buy your tickets in advance as only a limited number of people are allowed to enter every thirty minutes. We went during the off-season, but there will still plenty of crowds and we purchased our tickets a few days in advance. The ticket to the tower also includes visiting either the Pisa Cathedral or the Baptistery. We chose to visit the cathedral, which is certainly beautiful, but perhaps not as remarkable as some of the other cathedrals found in Italy and Europe in general.

After climbing the almost three-hundred stairs to the top of the bell tower, the views are certainly amazing. The marble stairs are very worn and can be quite slippery, but the leaning of the tower makes for an odd effect as you circle around, leaning different directions as you climb or descend. As people exit, you can see slight symptoms of dizziness on their faces as they reacquaint themselves to level footing. Despite the overcast skies, we truly enjoyed seeing the historic rooftops of the city of Pisa.

We would certainly recommend to anyone that they visit this iconic sight, but you really only need a couple of hours to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Pisa Cathedral. Not that the town of Pisa isn’t a pleasant place to visit, there are several other smaller cities in Tuscany that are worth a longer visit. You won’t see any photos of us where we look like we are trying to hold up the tower, but almost every other tourist seemed to be attempting to create that classic image. We were just happy to enjoy seeing the tower and take a few pictures to capture the memory.

Visiting Vatican City

On April 3, 2017April 3, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Italy8 Comments

When visiting Rome, one of the places that everyone should take the time to see is the Vatican City. We highly recommend getting a tour guide when seeing Vatican City as there is so much to see and learn. We only had about five hours during our visit, which was barely enough time to see the main sights. Our tour started with the Vatican Museums, followed by the Sistine Chapel, and then St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square.

From the Front of the Basilica, You Can’t See the Dome

The Vatican Museums are a collection of galleries and contain a wealth of artwork, too much to see in a single visit. Just like visiting a museum like the Louvre in Paris, you have to choose what is important to you and make your way to those exhibits. We focused on the many famous statues and will have to find time to return at another time to see all of the famous paintings contained within the complex. Of course, no visit to the museums is complete without going to the Sistine Chapel, which concludes the tour of the museums. We were fortunate to be able to spend as much time as we liked in the Sistine Chapel as most of the time people are limited to just fifteen minutes to absorb the beauty of the artwork on the ceiling as well as the walls. Obviously we don’t have any photos from within the chapel as photography is not allowed, but seeing the paintings of Michelangelo was definitely a highlight of our time in Vatican City.

Saint Peter’s Basilica is an overwhelming sight to see. Equally amazing is that all of what appear to be paintings are actually tile mosaics. The detail and beauty of each piece is exquisite. Walking through the basilica and gazing at the statues, which are all uniform in proportion and size, is an awe inspiring experience. Leaving the basilica, you enter Saint Peter’s Square and take in the beauty of its design. If you stand at just the right spot, each series of columns combine as if they were each just one column.

We were grateful to have the opportunity to visit Vatican City while we were in Rome. The history, architecture, and artwork make this one of the most special places in the world to see.