Packing again

It has been an exciting visit to Rome but it's time to get ready for the second part of the trip. We visited two museums earlier today. We started the day at the Vatican where for the first time in many years we were able to see the Augustus Prima Porta.

After one last Roman pizza for lunch and a final visit to the Spanish Steps, we made our way through the park to the Borghese Museum.

Hopefully everyone has used the late afternoon to pack so we can be ready for an early start tomorrow.
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Ostia

The day started with a tour of some impressive churches, S. Maria Maggiore and St. John Lateran. We then walked back through Rome's history at San Clemente which has four levels, from an eleventh-century church to a first-century home.

After a stop at Keats' grave, we took a train to Ostia. I'm sitting in the sun as the students take some time to explore following the formal tour.

Tomorrow is our last day in Rome, just as everyone is becoming comfortable in the city. I expect they'll be excited for a break from the crowds.
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Trajan's Column

Today has provided some excitement and some rest. We started the day in the Imperial Fora and talked about the transition from Republic to Empire as seen in architecture. The high point of the morning was a chance to walk up Trajan's Column for an unparalleled view of the city.

After lunch, we visited several churches, including the Pantheon. We're now all taking a short break for shopping and sitting in piazzas, just like the rest of the Romans.
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A Day in Ancient Rome

Today was spent in Rome's past.  Dr. Hartnett led us on an exciting tour of the Forum and Mr. O'Donnell helped us make sense of the different levels on the Palatine.  After a lunch of pizza, we were all renergized for the trip to the Colosseum.  Ms. Bryant took us through the building,  mixing important architectural details with stories about the exciting events there.

We're taking a coffee break in a piazza before a trip back to the hotel and a well-deserved rest before dinner.

Morning in Tivoli

We were treated to a tour of Hadrian's Villa this morning by Dr. Hartnett. We were dragging a bit at breakfast after a long day on Sunday, but the site was invigorating. Everyone was amazed by the vastness and complexity of the villa. We had a pleasant lunch in Tivoli and now we're off to Licenza for Horace's much more modest villa and the Fons Bandusiae we have read about in Horace's poem.
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Safe in Rome

After a long and uneventful flight, we've arrived safely in Rome. After dropping our bags at our hotel, we will head out on our initial tour of the city.

Everyone is a bit tired, so we'll have a brief rest after lunch. I'll encourage everyone to get in touch somehow soon.
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Warm Weather in Rome

We've seen a return of winter here in Southborough, so it may be cruel to point out what the weather will be in Rome. It is important that everyone pack based on the forecast and it does look like there will be some rain while we're there. Here's the ten-day forecast.

We will depart from the Front Circle at 2:45. If you don't plan to ride with us, please let Mr. Conti or Dr. Hartnett know.