Meet Langdons' Angels and Demons in a adventure trip through Rome.

-

Did you, like me, fall in love with Dan Browns books about Robert Langdon and his pursuit for truth and discovering of the religious aspects in the Da Vinci Code and later Angels and Demons then check out my Christmas Special for a half marathon around the city of Rome in the hunt for cardinal’s sacrificing places from the book. I don’t know if you have a Robert Langdon in your life to take you on this trip and tell you all the fascinating facts about Christianity, religion, Illuminati, the Vatican and all the conspiracies surrounding topics but if not, bring Angels and Demons in paper-bag and head to Rome. If you, like me, want to get the real vibe and experience of Roma, there is only one way to get around, walking…put on some comfortable shoes with good support and start walking. It is a lovely walk.


Dazzling Rome is a vibrant, pulsating city and if you go in the peak season you will have to fight your way through millions of tourists to get to some of these marks.
The first stop in our book is the Pantheon. It isn’t really a stop on the path to Illuminati. Regardless, the temple is beautiful and worth a visit. Initially, Langdon believed it to be the first Altar of Science but no cardinals got sacrificed here. On the surrounding Piazza, they have excellent ice-cream to refresh your taste-buds on your way onward. Whether you love gelato or sorbet, Italian Ice cream is amazing and there are a lot of choices here. I personally love the coffee gelato and the after eight.



Our second stop and the First Altar of Science is, of course, the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo. This is where we find the first altar of science, the one representing the element earth. The church is located in Piazza del Popolo. You can get there through Villa Borghese. Once through the park, you reach Piazza del Popolo. Here you can get a picture with the lions on a pit-stop to Santa Maria. Once inside the church try to find the Chigi Chapel. Here you find the last resting place of the first cardinal. The cardinal is found dead waist-buried and with his throat stuffed with earth and with the word ‘earth’ on his chest.



The third stop and Second Altar of Science is located in the astonishing St Peter’s Square. Like Langdon, we will now visit the religious headquarters of the man who speaks to God, Vatican City. Here you can’t miss St. Peters Church. The Piazza is grand and the church majestic. The earlier you arrive the fewer people will be here to share your experience. Avoid public holidays and anything that Christianity celebrates unless you want 20.000 + people to be around. In the morning you have a chance to take in the daring outside the church on an almost empty piazza. St Peter’s Church is the center of the Catholic faith and where all Catholics pilgrim to at least once in life if they have the chance. The St Peter’s Square is where the second cardinal was murdered, in the square, with lungs punctured and with the word ‘air’ on his chest. We will come back visit the church more thoroughly later on, as you know from the book and/or movie.


Our fourth stop and third Altar of science is Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria.
Rome has thousands of churches and this is one of the less frequented both by tourists and locals. Because Maria is the holy mother of Jesus so many Churches, cathedrals, and Basilisks are named in her honor. The best way of making sure you find the right one is to use google maps to pinpoint in your route to make sure you get the right way. The Church is a baroque church known for the masterpiece of Bernini, the Ecstasy of Saint Tersa. It is located on Via 20 Settembre just around the corner. Inside the church is where the third cardinal was burned alive hung in the middle of the church with the word ‘fire’ on his chest.



The fifth stop and the Fourth Altar of Science is the Fountain of Four Rivers. Piazza Navona is where the last cardinal was discovered drowning in the fountain. A lot goes on in Piazza Navona. There are churches, which they are always renovating, cafes and around a million street artists selling everything from cartoon drawings to bracelets. Chill for a while and enjoy the pulsating life that takes place all around you. You must get an overprices espresso macchiato here while enjoying the vibrating life all around you.



The sixth stop is The Illuminati Lair at Castel St. Angelo and Ill Passetto. Here Langdon finds the secret passage to the Vatican, which you, of course, can’t take on to your final stop, the Sistine Chapel in the St Peter’s Church. The entrance to the church, itself, is free, but remember to wear appropriate clothes for entering a Catholic church. Cover knees, shoulders and everything in-between. The church is marvelously impressive, to say the least. It is huge and shows the pride and glory of Catholicism and the long story of worshiping and love of God. To get into the Sistine Chapel you have to take a tour and pay, but it is worth it. It is splendid and sensational and worth every penny.


If this trip didn’t take you closer to God and in better Christmas Spirit stay tuned for my next Christmas Special…..


* All photos are private and taken by me.


Location: Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome, Italy

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

5 weekend destinations in Asia

-
Image
Did you ever just want to escape your life to a secluded island in the middle of nowhere? Lie on white beaches, swim in crystal clear waters, sip cocoa while lying in a hammock and not have a single wonder for that very moment other than whether to move a bit further into the shade....? 1. Koh Rong Sanloem This is a beautiful little chill and a relaxing island around an hour boat ride from the mainland where you can chill all-day and chill all night. Take the speedboat and get off at M’Pai Bay. Pick a hostel in the first row for waves lullabying you to sleep at night, or 2nd or 3rd row for a bit cheaper and quieter nights. Nighttime is good for enjoying a bonfire, the Milky Way, and the amazing experience of the glowing planktons in the water - which actually make the stars appear 3D - 360 degrees around you. In the daytime you can relax on the beach, snorkel the sea, or go trekking in the jungle - remember to get a guide because without a machete you won't ge...
Read more

An intoduction to the Kalahari Desert, South Africa - and a lot of other countries.

-
Image
  The Kalahari Desert gets its name from the Tswana word Kgalagadi which means the great thirst. And for most people when they think of the word desert it makes them conjure up huge expanses of yellow, dry sand. Furthermore very limited or no green vegetation, no flowers, and little too limited animals, a scorpion here and there, maybe a snake, but nothing more. These animals will only be sneaking out in the middle of the night when the temperature is cooled down to avoid the blistering daytime heat. . The choices of the desert you will see below, however, will give you so much more than just sand and death. In the Kalahari, you can find lions, leopards, cheetahs, and caracals. Many do not even know what it is or where it is located, but wow, is it worth a trip. The Kalahari Desert is 360,000 square miles of utterly beautiful nature stretching across not only South Africa but also Botswana and Namibia. It is a window into a world so differen...
Read more

Is the difference between a tourist and a racist really three weeks in Africa…??

-
Image
Most travel blogs always write about how amazing and beautiful a place or a location is. Everyone hides the bad stuff, the ugly things. No one wants to buy the ugly truth. We all want to buy the dream, the beautiful, filtered wonder of the world. Who wants to buy cockroaches, racism, harassment and dirty laundry… I will give you a little bit of everything in this blog post. So... Cape Town What is the difference between a tourist and a racist? Three weeks in Africa… This was something I was told once in South Africa when I first visited. First I thought he was crazy, I mean it was such a weird thing to say. He did laugh when he told me but I was skeptical to his intentions. But three weeks into my stay in South Africa I got my first experience of what he meant. I would underline the fact that most of my experiences in Africa have been amazing. I love the continent and would recommend it to everyone. Africa gets under your skin and once you have been here you will al...
Read more