This morning, I went on a pre-booked tour of St. Peter’s Basilica. I don’t book tours very often, but anything with “skip-the-line” in the name is a good idea – and usually worth the price – when visiting The Vatican.  I had been to St. Peter’s the first time I was in Rome and I knew that on this trip I wanted to climb to the top of the cupola, but I wasn’t even sure how to access it or how to walk directly into the church (it had been the last stop on a Vatican Museum tour a few years ago). So, another tour was the simplest way to go.

I’m going to be honest. When I read that it was 320 steps to the top of the cupola at St. Peter’s, I was a little worried. I feel like I can walk for long periods of time when things are flat, but I am not a huge fan of uphill, or – in this case – up lots of steps.

But, I’m happy to report that it was much easier than I had expected.  Part of that was due to an older guy that was part of our group of 6. We HAD to take breaks that were a tiny bit longer . . . for him . . . yeah, for him.

It was a lot of fun and worth the climb. This was a great way to get this spring trip going.