PART 101: It might be interesting to share how we pulled off living in Italy for part of the year. I will post some steps we took.
We live in Italy for part of the year; we have just switched to Spring and Fall (rather than Summer and Winter).
Step 1: As we explore sights in Italy, we discover some gems worth sharing. Some are well-known tourist magnets, and others are lesser-known but always amazing.
Let's travel to Rome and explore the Vatican Museums at night.
Step 2: Background.
We want to use our home in Italy (Tuscany) as a base to explore as much of Italy and Europe as we can. We decided to visit Rome to experience the Vatican museums, but it was tourist season. Would the crowds make it impossible?
Since I used to live in Rome, I have been to the Vatican Museums more than once, so I didn't need to see the whole collection again. "Wouldn't it be nice," I asked my friend in Rome, "to return to the museums and only focus on a few things?"
He agreed.
We knew that the museum is open at night during the summer and fall months, the crowds are fewer, the lighting is eerily wonderful, and the atmosphere is unique. So we pre-arranged our tickets, bypassed the line, and immediately went inside.
Step 3: Sights.
We had to decide what to focus on and what to skip at the museum. My friend was interested in the Etruscan collection, and I wanted to spend time with the Greco-Roman statues and the paintings (Pinacoteca).
We started in Ancient Egypt but quickly walked through, dodged some small tourist groups, glanced at the collection of Assyrian artifacts, got lost, asked a guard for directions, and then decided to go to the "Braccio Nuovo," where larger statuary from ancient Rome is displayed.
There were some tourist groups, but it was relatively quiet. Walking down the vast hall, we headed towards statues that caught our eye. A touching statue of "Silenus with Dionysus's child in his arms" beautifully captured the bond between man and child.
We also stood under the "Augustus of Prima Porta," where the emperor was displayed as a strong, muscular military man (imperial propaganda), with his arm outstretched as if speaking to his soldiers.
We also saw the bust of Hadrian and got into a discussion about whether he was handsome or not. The personification of the Nile from the Temple of Isis found in S. Maria sopra Minerva might be the most impressive statue in the wing.
After admiring the 2,000-year-old mosaic floor we were standing on, we made our way to the Etruscan collection.
Step 4: Etruscans.
The collection's star is at the beginning: the 5th century BC Mars of Todi. It is one of the few bronze statues from the ancient world. The statue depicts a warrior influenced by Greek sculpture preparing to pour a libation. The inscription uses an ancient form of the Umbrian language. The statue is truly amazing.
We then moved on to the various sarcophagi, made from stone to terra cotta; the figures were all reclining, symbolizing the Etruscan belief that death was a type of rest. It was astonishing to see the faces of those who lived thousands of years before us, hundreds of years before the founding of Rome, staring up at us.
At a certain point, I turned to my friend and remarked, "We are the only ones here." It was true; other parts of the museum attract more tourists than the Etruscan collection.
I wanted to spend my time on something other than the endless ancient vases in the adjoining rooms, so we quickly glanced at these and then resumed our quest.
Step 5: Choices and highlights.
At this point, we had to make some choices. Therefore, we decided to leave the Museum of Paintings for another time and go in search of sculpture.
My favorite statue from the ancient world is the Laocoon, which we found in the Statues Courtyard. The Laocoon dates back to 40-50 BC and depicts Laocoon, a priest of Apollo for the city of Troy. Laocoon is warning the Trojans about bringing the wooden horse within the city's walls. Athena and Poseidon, who were against the Trojans, sent two serpents to stop Laocoon and his sons from preventing the catastrophe.
I was able to get extremely close to the statue, something that is impossible during the day. From the front and then from the side, I saw the faces of Laocoon and his sons as the serpents wound around them and began pulling them into the sea. Expressions of agony and sadness are carved across their faces, together with the realization of destiny: that no matter how much they struggled, they could not prevent what the gods had decreed.
It is a sad yet magnificent sculpture, portraying humanity as struggling against destiny.
Step 6: The Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel.
In my 25 years of teaching high school social studies I integrated art history into my World History courses. One memorable experience was discussing Raphael's "The School of Athens" with my students as part of our Renaissance unit.
My friend and I stopped and admired the magnificent work for a few minutes until some loud tourists approached and broke the spell. So, we moved on to explore the former Papal apartments, where we marveled at the historical portrayal of the Papacy as both a worldly and spiritual power. In one frescoed room, the image of the Pope crowning a king captured the essence of that era.
Upon entering the Sistine Chapel, we encountered some bustling crowds. After looking around, we decided to save a longer visit for another time.
Step 7: Eating.
We were hungry and hoped to visit a nice Bistrot in one of the museum's courtyards, but unfortunately, it was closed. Then, my friend suggested a great Mexican restaurant nearby, but when we called, they told us they were fully booked. As we were about to leave the museum area, I decided to ask one of the guards at the entrance for a recommendation. He directed us to a newer, less touristy restaurant. We followed his advice and enjoyed a delicious chicken dinner there.
Insights.
From this experience, we learned that visiting attractions at night or during off-peak hours, asking locals for recommendations, and avoiding crowds can significantly enhance one's experience in Rome. Despite not seeing as much at the Vatican museums as we had at other times, we had a more intimate experience, allowing us to truly appreciate the art.
Overall, it was the best visit I've ever had.
More next time.
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