Visited Rome on their bank holiday, which they consider the last day of summer, so the Vatican was closed and the streets deserted. We took a tour bus to St. Peter's Square and were left on our own to see the sights. We walked the empty streets to the very crowded Colosseum (lots of tourists!). We had purchased tickets in advance, but the entrance for individual ticket holders was so long we ended up joining a tour group so we could get in sooner (definitely the way to go!). We got to experience a thunder storm while inside the Colosseum, just hoping that the ancient walls continued to stand if struck by lightening! The Colosseum is massive and overwhelming, especially with so many other tourists visiting. Can only imagine what it must have been like during the heyday of the Roman Empire.

After touring the Colosseum, we skipped the Roman Forum so we could have lunch. Emma was looking forward to eating at Emma Pizzeria (recommended in NY Times travel section). We walked back the way we came and found the restaurant off the beaten path. The restaurant opened for lunch just as we arrived and had the best pizza of our entire trip. After lunch, we walked to the Pantheon and then back to St. Peter's Square to meet our tour bus.

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