Throughout the men’s basketball program’s tour of Italy, GoStanford.com will chronicle the experience with several posts during their 14-day journey to Rome, Florence, Venice, and Lake Como.
Hello from Italy!
The Cardinal took an overnight flight from Washington, D.C. and arrived in Rome Sunday morning. The team and staff went straight into a day of exploring. First stop was the Roman Forum and the famous Coliseum (Piazza del Colosseo). The Roman Forum is a large area near the Coliseum surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome.
The student-athletes took the opportunity to explore both venues and dive into the rich history of Rome.
After touring, it was time for the Cardinal’s first Italian dinner. A full meal, including an assortment of homemade pastas and other Italian specialties, was completed with some Gelato. From there it was back to the hotel for some much-needed rest.
Monday morning began with a walk around the capital of Italy to explore some of the city’s famous landmarks, including the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps (all 135 steps).
After a lunch break, the entire traveling party boarded a bus to Vatican City. The smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world by both area and population, Vatican City is 110 acres with a population of 842. It is the home of the Pope of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis.
The Cardinal spent the entire afternoon and early evening exploring the Vatican, including St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the various museums. The experience also included a tour of the Vatican Scavi underneath St. Peter’s Basilica. It was a unique experience, viewing a whole new world underground that was revealed during excavations in the 1940s.
With evening now upon the Cardinal, everyone was allowed some free time. Most enjoyed an Italian feast and went to bed for the evening.
Tuesday is GAME DAY!
Make sure to return to GoStanford.com for a photo gallery of the team’s first two days in Italy.
