Rome

I caught an early flight from Catania to Rome Fiumcino Airport and from there the Leonardo Express to Termini Station, where my hotel was located nearby, I had booked a tour around the Vatican Musrum and Sistine Chapel in the afternoon so I was free to wander around some of Rome's more famous locations. My first stop was the iconic Trevi Fountain, which shows Neptune ensconced in his marbble chariot and being driven by two seahorses, one wild, the other docile representing  the changing moods of the oceans. The mesmerising scupture virtually takes up the entire piazza, Anita Ekberg introduced it to the world in "The Dolce Vita" when she jumped in and displayed her charms. From the Fountain I made my way to the 18th century Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps, which honoured the Spanish Embassy, which was at that time the dominant power and a great place to linger and do a little people watching. Before heading to the Vatican I went to the Plaza del Popolo, which was used for public executions in the 16th century. In the centre is a gorgeous 36 metre high obelisk, which the Emperor, Augustus 11 brought back from Heliopolis in Ancient Greece. The Piazza is dominated by the Church of Saint Maria del  Popolo, one of Rome's oldest and richest Renaissance Churches. Along with the beautiful frescoes are two masterpieces by the great Caravaggio. My tour of the 5 hectare Vatican Museum, founded by Pope Julius 11 in the early 16th century was sensational and took about 4 hours. It had beautiful floor mosaics, sculptures and glorious paintings by such masters as Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio and Bellini. The Sistine Chapel, depicting Michelangelo's ceiling frescoes was an absolute treat. His most famous one is the "Creation of Adam", which shows a bearded God pointing his finger at Adam. There were other magnificent frescoes showing showing scenes from the life of Moses on one wall and the life of Christ on the opposite wall paimted by Botticelli and other great Renaissance masters. On my return to Termini I found a trattoria near my hotel which specialized in classic dishes from Abruzzo, which made a most enjoyable finish to my day.