Additional Info

​Gina shared more information: 

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Vatican museums are really one of a kind perhaps in concert with a visit to St Peter’s itself. The only alternative I can think of is Castel Gandolfo, about an hour away by bus. The papal palace there intertwines with a fascinating WWII story, and there’s a great collection of art. Did you know the pope gave his own bedroom as the maternity ward for the local women who sheltered in the palace?

 

Instead of the colosseum, San Clemente is right nearby. 

 

I can also add San Crisogono in Trastevere, which has an incredible subterranean ancient church, a domus, and an imperial Roman laundry turned baptistery. Blessed Anna Maria Taigi is there as well, and it seems her cause is moving!

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A few things to note: 

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The Trevi Fountain is currently closed for works and also they plan to reopen with some kind of charge. Boo.

 

The walk up the Gianiculum can be a hike for your parishioners who might be limited. View is spectacular, no doubt.

 

I love Trastevere and both Santa Cecilia and Santa Maria in Trastevere are excellent — the former boasts a gorgeous crypt and scavi of the saint’s home beneath; the latter has a portico filled with ancient gravestones. Speaking of graves, the Capichin crypt or “bone church” is wild if you need a memento mori moment! 

 

Other subterranean options include San Clemente— I’m hosting Fr. Boland for dinner next week and will ask if he’s available to meet a group of … how many Americans? Not 100% that this will work for a large group as it is open to the public.

 

Nettuno lovely, on the seaside, and if the buses take you you can also visit the site of Maria Goretti’s martyrdom . It’s super powerful — they’ve preserved the hospital room where she forgave Alessandro as a chapel. It’s called the tent of forgiveness and man was that an experience—I got to be in there alone for a while. 

 

If you do the city center walk (4), which you should, add a stop at San Salvatore in Lauro to visit a relic of St Jude  and some of Padre Pio’s vestments. 

 

Did you want to say mass in the catacombs?

 

Another idea is to train out to Ostia Antica.  This is fascinating and uncrowded— a Pompeii substitute. Not particular religious though, excepting that this is where St Monica died.

 

I’ll continue to think of more. Gina

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Here are Fr. Paul Carlson's recommendations for other Italian ideas off the beaten track...

 

Here are some other ideas for a morning or afternoon in Rome:

 

1)      Walk North of the city.  See the Trevi Fountain, head up to the Spanish Steps, the Piazza del Populo (amazing views of Rome), maybe even towards the extensive Borghese gardens or Villa Medici.    This might not be the most religious route, but you’d definitely see a lot of Roman landmarks.  Maybe best for a second or third visit.  Depending on where the hotel is, you could either visit the Purgatory Museum to the West or the famous Capuchin Crypt to the East.

 

2)      Head across the Tiber to Trastevere.  You can go across via the Island, visit the Church of St. Bartholomew on the Island, and go to the Churches of St. Cecilia and Santa Maria in Trastevere (an amazingly ancient church).  The neighborhood on the other side of the river is pretty fun, especially in the evenings.  Lots of outdoor dining.

 

3)      Walk the Passeggiata del Gianicolo: This is a pedestrian path that runs along the ridge of the Gianicolo hill on the other side of the Tiber from Trastevere to the Vatican.  This is good hike, but is wonderful anytime of day and even beautiful in the evening.  There are plenty of fountains and monuments along the route – its also where the noon cannon is fired.  I think you can see basically every landmark from the hill.  This route will take you by the NAC – and the parking garage tunnel that is the shortcut between the hill and the Vatican has just been redone, it looks great.

 

4)      Explore the city center: Visit Piazza Navona, Campo de Flori.  Often a lot of vendors and shopping.  Good churches to visit too: Chiesa Nuova (St. Philip Neri), the Pantheon, Sant Augustino (Monica), Santa Maria Sopra Minerva (only truly Gothic Church left in central Rome, burial place of St. Catherine’s body and Bl. Fra Angelico), the Jesu (its magnificent ceiling and St Ignatius and Francis Xavier), the St Ignazio (Sts Aloysius Gonzaga, Robert Bellarmin, John Berchamam), the Basilica of the Twelve Apostles (Sts. Philip and James).  Good Restaurants like Abruzzi (next to the Biblicum) – also you could pop into Barbiconi or Gammarelli and order some vestments for the new St Jude’s! This would be a great way to spend a day – and I’d highly recommend it over the Vatican Museum or the Roman Forum.  There really wouldn’t be that much walking, and it is all flat.

 

Some honorable mentions:

5)      Head south to the Circus Maximus, visit Santa Sabina (the church of St. Dominic, with one of the first-ever crucifixes depicted on its ancient doors).  This is the Church of Ash Wednesday.  The walk is beautiful, and includes the famous Knights of Malta Keyhole that perfectly frames the dome of St. Peter’s.  On the way, you will pass the Temple of Hercules and the Bocca della Verita –a lot of fun.

 

6)      If there is part of your group that has done Rome, have them take a quick and easy train to Nettuno.  The Trenitalia app makes this incredibly easy.  It’s a beautiful sea-side town, the burial place of St Maria Goretti, and the home of the American Cemetery from WWII – a truly amazing place to visit.  We did a sub-group to Nettuno on one trip and it was so well received that the full group went again on the next.  The kids even enjoyed swimming in the Mediterranean.