Two of Vatican City’s most famous landmarks are St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square seen below. The square is a massive beautiful open plaza just before the St. Peter’s Basilica. In addition to being a place of worship (and modern day busy tourist attraction), the Basilica also houses more than 100 tombs underneath the church, 91 of which are occupied by past popes.
![St. Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica [photo-St. Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica Rome]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6098/6346634636_7154125c2b_z.jpg)
St. Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica. © Copyright. All rights reserved.
![Pontifical Swiss Guards of Vatican City [photo-swiss guards in uniform vatican city]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6037/6346635080_997d14e7ce_z.jpg)
Swiss Guards in uniform protecting Vatican City. © Copyright. All rights reserved.
![Top view of Vatican Museum from St. Peter's Basilica dome [photo-view of vatican museum from st peter's basilica dome]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6214/6345885543_671ce72cce_z.jpg)
View of the Vatican Museum and Rome from St. Peter's Basilica dome. © Copyright. All rights reserved.
I later met an American woman from Modesto California who was stranded in Vernazza when the rainstorm hit. She had come to visit her daughter who was studying aboard in Italy. While hiking along the Vernazza hill top, she quickly became soaked from the heavy rainstorm. The mudslides that followed eroded roads. She couldn’t return to her hotel to sleep or to get her belongings. She was fortunate to have later found a church in Vernazza that allowed her to sleep there at night. After a full week, she was finally able to retrieve her luggage from the hotel and get out of the devastated town. I am glad to have met this woman days later in Florence in well being, and to hear her story.
![Coastal town Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre Italy [photo-shoreline of coastal Riomaggiore in cinque terre]](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6034/6346635578_afa803b5c5_z.jpg)
Shoreline of coastal town Riomaggiore. © Copyright. All rights reserved.
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My dream to visit Italy got bigger and bigger as I saw your pictures…. thanks for sharing all these beautiful pictures! I really like cities with long history. It’s fun to see. I hope your jet lag is cured!
Thanks Nami! There is definitely a lot of history in Italy. And yeah, I’m finally over the jet lag. Thanks for the wish! =)
Beautiful photos.
Your pictures are just beautiful! My husband and I went there a few years ago and the Colosseum was something else. To think of how many people and animals died is just insane! And all for sport. Its terrifying!
I’m not easily imeprssed but you’ve done it with that posting.