Our final full day in Rome was action-packed – and by far the hottest of our entire trip. We skipped the hotel breakfast, needing to be 20 minutes across the city at The Vatican bright and early. Thankfully, we found a little café open nearby where we grabbed a much-needed coffee and cornetto (sandwich for Craig) – thank goodness we did, because I think it saved me from passing out later on.

We’d booked a guided tour through a different company this time, and the setup was… intense. Between the over-ear audio devices, the guide’s strong accent, the crushing crowds, and the heat radiating off everyone, it was a full-on experience. The slow shuffle through the Vatican Museums, trying to keep pace while absorbing the info, was a bit much – but it was interesting. Seeing the Sistine Chapel again, with more knowledge under my belt (shoutout to the movie Conclave), made it even more interesting. We learned about the restoration project that cleaned off years of candle soot – there’s a small patch left untouched so visitors can see just how dark it used to be. We also discovered that the reason for not being able to take photos in the chapel is not for any kind of protection of the art, or religious reason, but rather that Japan’s Nippon TV funded the restoration project and then had exclusive rights to photography and film of the restored ceiling offered in return, which meant a copyright. This has since expired but the Vatican has continued the no photos rule.

We definitely enjoyed it all more than one of the couples in another group, whose husband declared before we even started that the last guided tour he did was the worst thing he’d ever done in his life… 😆 Dramatic! (Though not quite as much as the teens we saw hiking the Duomo in Florence.)

By the time we emerged, sweaty and with aching feet, we dashed back to the hotel for a quick nap – we hadn’t slept well the night before, and it made a huge difference. We were refreshed just in time for our 3:30pm tour of St Peter’s Basilica.

Last time I visited, it was in the early morning and, although I knew it would be busier, I didn’t realise what a massive difference that made. Even though we had a “skip the line” tour, you still have to pass through security with everyone else, and thanks to it being the Jubilee year and the Jubilee of Youth pilgrimage, the place was wild.

We were packed into fenced queues like livestock, surrounded by chanting, clapping teenagers waving their country’s flags and bumping us with backpacks. Craig said it felt like being at a footy match, minus the competition. Their energy was great… but not ideal when you’re sardined into a crowd for 90 minutes in 30°C heat.

Once through security, things moved quickly. The guide (this time using those direct-to-ear audio devices – thank goodness) was brilliant, explaining everything from pilgrim rituals to the history of the basilica. Turns out we’d actually been grouped onto the wrong tour – we’d booked an express one-hour visit, but this was the full dome climb. No complaints!

There are about 500 steps up to the dome, but taking the elevator cuts it down to around 200- which we gratefully did. Our feet were done. The climb was manageable – far easier than the tight spiral staircase in Strasbourg – and when we reached the interior dome platform, it absolutely took our breath away. Seeing the details of the dome up close, and looking down on the basilica with mass taking place below, was unforgettable. The engineering feat of it all just blew our minds.

We continued up to the outdoor viewing deck, where we got a beautiful panoramic view of Rome. The guide pointed out Vatican landmarks and key Roman sites, though Craig and I both agreed that the interior of the dome and the view from the ground up were even more impressive.

We had to duck out a little early, since dinner was booked for 8pm and the “one-hour tour” had turned into two. It took a while to get a taxi, but we made it back in time for a quick shower before heading up to our hotel’s rooftop bar.

I’m so glad I’d booked for 8 – just as we sat down, the sky turned gold and orange with a stunning sunset. We enjoyed beautiful food, drinks, and the most perfect final evening of our Europe trip.

One Last Morning in Rome

Craig got up early to go for a run past Rome’s iconic sites, while I took my time getting ready. We then indulged in the incredible hotel breakfast spread – Craig even had another shot of rocket fuel (no thanks for me). We popped out for one last look at the Trevi Fountain, where we were amused watching a poor guard frantically blowing his whistle at the endless line of people sitting on the edge for selfies. Chaos. But also… hilarious.

Afterwards, we ducked into Uniqlo for a final bit of shopping, then headed back to the room to pack everything up – which involved quite a bit of squashing and strategic layering. We placed our new purchases on top just in case we needed them handy for the tax refund process.

Departure Drama (Light)

The ride to the airport took about 30 minutes – 30 minutes too long, in my opinion. The driver’s erratic speeding and braking nearly did me in. I barely made it out of the car without being sick. (Coke No Sugar, if you know you know.)

The tax refund process was straightforward – nothing like Japan, where it’s handled at the register (though I hear that’s changing). There were two different companies, so we had to do two separate claims, but one was just via a DIY kiosk and no one asked to see a thing. You can either get instant cash or wait a few weeks for it to land back on your card (the guy at one counter looked almost annoyed that we wanted the card option).

We relaxed for a bit in the airport lounge, which was user-pays if you’re not flying business. It was actually nicer than a lot of lounges we’ve paid for elsewhere.

And now, as I type this, we’re mid-flight to San Francisco. Two more flights and then we’ll be home to see our Jessie Bear – we’ve missed her so much. Huge thanks to Craig’s mum for looking after her, and to my lovely friend Kirsti for taking her out to lunch 💛

Thanks so much for coming along for the ride with us – we’ve had the best time. So grateful for these memories, the incredible places we’ve seen, the laughs, and the time together. Already looking forward to planning the next family adventure.

See you next time!

💛 Laus