So how we reached here, that's an interesting story. Our flight got canceled and we reached the…read morenext day in Rome at 430 PM at ROMA Termini. We just thrown our luggage at the Airbnb and literally ran for this church cause closing time was 5 PM. we reached at 4:55 PM and managed to get inside and why I did this? My wife made me do this, she is so fond of history and so wanted to see Ecstasy of St. Teresa statue (apart from Pieta in the Vatican) Well, it's very famous now thanks to Robert Langdon aka Dan Brown's "Angels & Demons". But this is most famous for Ecstasy of St. Teresa statue by Lorenzo Bernini Outside, it won't look very impressive, but its interior is extravagantly decorated. Since there is very little natural light inside the church, it is filled with candles, which create a very special atmosphere. One of the most notable parts of the church is the Cornaro Chapel that houses the "Ecstasy of Saint Teresa", a sculpture by Bernini. It is nothing short of stunning, and the detail of Bernini's Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is truly incredible. see, it won't take more than 30 minutes so I would definitely recommend this to include in your itinerary. it's free. You can donate at the gate though.

I wish it hadn't been under construction when I visited because that made me a major sadface! I…read morereally wanted to see what the outer facade looked like. I probably would have liked it more had it not been in renovations. There's actually a pretty large number of tourists who come here, most likely due to the church's "appearance" in The Da Vinci Code (technically it didn't really appear in the movie because they created a set for it, but I digress). Though I had seen the movie, I came here not because of the movie but because I'm a major art nerd and this church has one of the most famous statues by Giovanni Bernini, "The Ecstasy of St. Teresa." This church is pretty amazing though, a lot of detail and thought went into the building and it's definitely one of the better kept churches in Rome. Maybe due to its recent popularity, there's more donations perhaps? Definitely will be back to see it when it's out of renovations!

Beautiful cathedral to see!…read more The catacombs are interesting but as this is till holy ground, the bones have been relocated out of public eye. The tour guide was very informative and friendly. I would recommend it for eduction and history, but not for just seeing bones like the Paris catacombs.

This was a great experience! The Catacombs and crypt were really interesting and the museum was…read morevery informative. Our guide Matteo was awesome!

Let's talk about the name of this church: first, what does it mean? San Lorenzo fuori le Mura (or…read more"St. Lawrence Outside the Walls") means it is just barely outside the city center. Emperor Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, first built an oratory here in the 4th century; the church came in the 5th century and the Byzantines reconstructed it in the 6th century. Just inside the entrance is the tomb of Guglielmo Cardinal Fieschi, who died in 1256 and buried in an ancient sarcophagus, incidentally, decorated with a relief depicting a pagan marriage feast. The Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura is one of the most important basilica churches and one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome. San Lorenzo is buried here as well as Pope Pius IX. The story goes that San Lorenzo was grilled to death - which I guess that is why he is the patron saint of cooks and chefs - yikes! There is a marble slab behind the altar that they believe is where San Lorenzo's body was laid after he was grilled. You can still see a stain. The church also has the remains of the martyrs St. Stephen and St. Justin, also beneath the altar. There is a beautifully decorated Chapel of Pope Pius IX (where he is buried), the longest-reigning pope in history as well as the pope who convened the First Vatican Council and decreed the dogma of the immaculate conception of Mary. The pope, who died in 1878, has been kept visible for the faithful today, with just a silver mask covering his face. There is a lot to see here.

Visiting the Basilica di Sant'Andrea della Valle is an impressive experience. I knew nothing about…read moreit until we accidentally walked by it during one of our daily explorations in Rome. This beautiful church is near the Piazza Navona and has an interesting history linked to the Theatines religious order, which started building it around 1590. A number of famous architects, including Giacomo della Porta and Carlo Maderno, designed the church, which is a major example of late Renaissance and early Baroque architecture. It is famous for having the second-highest dome in Rome, just below St. Peter's, and for being the setting of the first act of Puccini's opera, Tosca, which adds to its cultural significance. The inside of Sant'Andrea della Valle is stunning. The size of the space and the beautiful decorations are very impressive. The walls and ceilings are covered in exquisite marble, gold, and vibrant frescoes by Baroque artists like Lanfranco and Domenichino. This church is a good example of the Roman Baroque style, giving visitors a sense of beauty and awe. Whether you are looking for great architecture or happen to find it, the Basilica is a worthwhile stop in the Eternal City.

This is probably one of my favorite churches in Rome because it holds fond memories for me. Ten…read moremembers of my family represented the United States singing at a Christmas Concert back in 1962. Sant 'Andrea boasts the second largest dome in the city next in line to St. Peter's Dome. Use the handy mirror that is provided to examine the early-17th-century frescoes by Domenichino in the choir vault and those by Lanfranco in the dome. (Bring a few coins to light the paintings, which can be very dim.) The three massive paintings of Saint Andrew's martyrdom are by Maria Preti (1650-51). Richly marbled and decorated chapels flank the nave, and in such a space, Puccini set the first act of Tosca. We were lucky to be able to see The "Nato per Noi" exhibition, which featured over 40 nativity scenes from around the world. The nativity scenes here blended tradition with artistic innovation. They varied in sizes from large to tiny - each one very unique and beautiful.