Day 3: Visit to the Vatican + off to Florence!

Jet lag is a funny thing; you think you're over it and then it takes you by surprise just when you least expect it. Our second night in Rome, we tossed and turned, and couldn't fall asleep until almost 3:00am, so of course we overslept! We woke up at 10:00am, had a quick snack, checked out of the hotel, and hurried out to squeeze in a visit to the Vatican before we left Rome. Our hopes of seeing the Sistine Chapel were dashed on the rocks by the sight of a mile-long line waiting to get in. So, instead, in the light drizzle, we opted to just peruse the piazza. The Vatcian's buildings are just incredible; enormous, ornately decorated, and awe-inspiring. I must return to Rome to see the Sistine Chapel. I'll share with you an incredible link on the Vatican website that shows the ceiling in all it's glory.

Here's the scoop:

• Museums are open at 9:00 am - 6:00pm
• admission €15.00 for adults, €8.00 for children 6-18; children under 6 are free
• buy your tickets ahead of time to avoid the hours-long wait
• Getting there: take Linea A (red line) and exit at Ottaviano-S. Pietro. Walk south on Via Ottaviano toward St. Peter's Square, about 5 minutes. If you are heading towards the Vatican Museum, turn right when you come to the Vatican Walls and follow the road, or head into St Peter's Square. • Must-see things: Michelangelo's famous Creation of Adam fresco is in the Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica and St. Peter's Square.
• Here’s the family tour;
• A virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel

After we returned to the hotel to collect our bags, we caught a taxi back to the airport to rent a car to drive to Florence. This ride cost €45, but we figured it would be faster and less schlepping than taking the train. Our driver (very charming Roman lady) dropped us off near the entrance to the terminal where Hertz was located. Not long afterward, we were making our way out of the airport onto the Roman "beltline", in a very nice upgraded car, equipped with GPS. Roman traffic is very speedy, but my husband, with some NYC and Caribbean driving experience, was able to get the hang of it pretty quickly. We took the exit for the A1 highway, which is a straight route all the way to Florence. Italians dive fast, and lanes can get a bit narrow, but the A1 is a very well-maintained and well-marked highway and it was a beautiful ride northwards up into the Tuscan mountains. Around 8:00pm, we checked into the B&B, and settled in to figure out the next day.