Vacationing on the Beaten Path in Rome, Italy

My hotel room overlooks the Vatican, right at the entrance to the Vatican Museums

Some people say they like to travel "off the beaten path." Me, I prefer the slightly beaten path. I like a place familiar with us tourists, with a tourist infrastructure, but not one that is over-run, where you have to make reservations for museums and restaurants well in advance.

This year's spring vacation was supposed to be to such a place: Tbilisi, Georgia. But with all that is happening in the old Soviet Union, I thought it could be a place where I easily could get stranded if things went kablooey. And, given that we are still emerging from two years of COVID hysteria, I thought this is probably the perfect year to go somewhere "on the beaten path," where I've wanted to go but haven't because of massive tourist hordes. 

Such as Rome. The one in Italy.

St. Peter's Square in the rain. Look at that colonnade!

When it comes to ranking places 1 to 10 for being "on" or "off" the beaten track, with "10" being London or New York or Paris, and "1" being Yemen. Or Irian Jaya (the Indonesian half of the island of New Guinea). Or Hartford, Connecticut. (Seriously, Hartford. Does anyone know anyone who ever CHOSE to visit there?) Rome is a solid "9." And I prefer places in the 4, 5, or 6 range.

The sky looks even more ominous facing south on St. Peter's Square toward the obelisk at the center of the square.

But there are no massive tourist hordes anywhere in 2022 (except, apparently, the Las Vegas Strip, where I am decidedly not going). Is anyplace even a "7" on the scale this year? So here I am. In Rome. Crossing off another from my "must see before they chop my feet off" list.

The neighborhood around the Vatican is called "Borgo." My hotel is an older building, which means the room has high ceilings, too few outlets, and marble-like tile on the floor.

It's big. It also may not be air-conditioned. Which is not an issue right now.

I went out for a walk to find a restaurant for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised to see the Vatican open.

For those keeping count -- and I know I am -- when I entered Vatican City tonight -- and it is a sovereign nation as you know -- the Holy See became the 35th country that I have visited.

I've been to Italy before. If you count an afternoon in Trieste, along the Adriatic Coast.

But the Vatican exterior was open for walking about. Even if it was raining.

It did not deter people who wanted their picture with St. Peter's Basilica in the background.

Anyway, it was late. I wanted a good night's sleep. But I also wanted supper. I chose La Soffitta.

A nice restaurant with a small crowd of us tourist types.  I had a "suppli" for an appetizer.

It is deep-fried ball of rice with cheese in the middle. Tasty. I'm not sure if these rice balls are Italian, however. They might be ... Sicilian.

And since I was in Italy, I had a pizza. I chose the sausage and mushroom. The sausage was OK, but the mushrooms were incredibly delicious. Best mushroom topping I have ever had on a pizza.

And for dessert?

I was getting full so I just went with an amaro, an Italian after-dinner drink. I chose a Montenegro.

Time to head back home for a good night's sleep (which I did not have on the airplane) (because it was on an airplane) (who can sleep on those?). I got a Vatican to tour tomorrow bright and early.