From the Colosseum to the Sistine Chapel, few places unite culture, history and spirituality like Rome and the Vatican. In November, our Champittet boarding students spent a memorable five days discovering the rich heritage of Italy’s capital.
First impressions, the Vatican and Trastevere
To get acquainted with the city, upon arrival our boarders explored the vibrant Piazza del Popolo and Piazza di Spagna. They also walked down Via del Corso. Our group then admired the illuminated beauty of the Trevi Fountain at night before sitting down to a delicious Italian dinner.
The next day, our young travellers walked along the Tiber River and explored Castel Sant’Angelo. Originally commissioned as a mausoleum for the Roman emperor Hadrian, Castel Sant’Angelo has been used as a fortress and a castle over the centuries and today serves as a museum.
In the afternoon, our Champittet students visited the awe-inspiring Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica. They admired the Vatican’s cupola and later attended a tour with the Swiss Guards. Our group marvelled at the artistic grandeur of these spaces, as well as their cultural and spiritual significance across the centuries. We ended this splendid day with dinner and a stroll through the cobbled streets of Rome’s lively Trastevere neighbourhood.
Experience Rome as the Romans
Our boarders continued to explore the cultural and spiritual identity of Rome with visits to two major basilicas: Saint John Lateran and Saint Mary Major. Later on, we also climbed the marble Holy Steps to reach the papal chapel. And of course, no visit to Rome would be complete without seeing the famous Colosseum.
Finally, our group took some time to experience Rome as the Romans do – enjoying some shopping in the city centre, people-watching in the piazzas, and savouring the sweet taste of gelato.
Ancient Rome and a final farewell
On our fourth day, our boarding students travelled back in time to Ancient Rome. We started the day at the Circus Maximus, the ancient chariot-racing stadium, and climbed up Aventine Hill, one of the city’s seven hills. From there, we enjoyed fantastic views over the city, including a peek through the famous keyhole at the Knights of Malta gate.
We continued with one must-see historic destination – the Imperial Forums. Afterwards, we walked through the vibrant streets of the Jewish Ghetto, contemplating the many layers of history within this neighbourhood.
As our travellers discovered, the Eternal City is truly an open-air museum of wonder. It was hard to say farewell on our last day, but we did so in the best way possible – by attending mass in St. Peter’s Square, where we even saw the Pope waving from his car.
It was a memorable end to an unforgettable journey!
