Mouth of Truth

The "Mouth of Truth", a marble carving of a man-like face at Santa Maria in Cosmedin was made popular in the movie Roman Holiday. The face and the church are both free to enter, however, a very long line forms to take photos with the Mouth of Truth. Even in the off season, we waited approximately 30 minutes to see the statue, and there was a guard monitoring guests so they would keep their photographs to a minimum (to keep the line moving).

Cripta Capuccini

The Cripta Capuccini is probably the most unique place we visited in Rome. While the top floor is a museum that goes through the history of the church and monastery that is also on site, the basement is the reason to visit, and something you will never forget.

There, you'll find rooms that are ritualistically decorated with human skeletons (not fake, but real ones) as a way to bury the dead. It is very artistic, but creepy at the same time. Pictures are not allowed inside, but we can safely say that a picture wouldn't do this place justice.

St. Peter's Basilica Dome Tour

While visiting St. Peter's Basilica is an excellent experience, going on the dome tour makes it ten times better. Yes, it costs some money (7 Euros) and you'll need to climb over 300 steps. However, the view at the top inside the basilica, as well as outside the basilica is well worth it. You'll get a great view of Vatican City and Rome from this vantage point that you can't get anywhere else.

Be aware, if you have health issues climbing stairs though, this is not something to do.

Basilica San Clemente

The highlight of the Basilica San Clemente isn't the present day church itself, but what it was built on top of. A first century pagan temple is in the basement of the church, as is part of a 4th century church. It is fascinating to see the evolution of this location and what it was like 2,000 years ago.

The spaces down in the basement can be a bit tight, so be aware of this on crowded days.

Monasterboice

The Monasterboice is a cemetery in County Louth. You'll find gravestones here dating back hundreds of years, as well as newly laid graves.

The site also holds the remains of two churches, built in the 14th century or later. The crosses, which are very well preserved despite their age, show biblical scenes in their carvings. The crosses, dating back to the 10th century, are some of the most beautiful in the area.

Monasterboice is definitely worth the drive out to County Louth, be sure to take some time to see theses beautiful and historic pieces.

Moone High Cross

The Moone High Cross can be a bit difficult to find. The GPS coordinates of N52.97879, W6.82468 should get you there. The opening into this space is just a crack in a wall, and there's room for only 2-3 cars to park. Having said that, it was well worth making the trek out to. The cross itself is a fantastic sight, as are the monastical ruins that surround it.

St. George's United Methodist Church

Lying at the northern edge of Old City is St. George's United Methodist Church, the oldest Methodist church in America. The Methodist movement first started here in 1769 and the building itself has not changed much in the past 240 years of use.

Services are still held here regularly. However, if you'd like a tour of the building itself and the museum and artifacts held within, you should make an appointment in advance. This can be done easily by contacting the church through their website at www.historicstgeorges.org. We were able to secure an appointment with Donna Miller, who spent an hour showing us around and giving us an excellent tour.

In the museum portion of the church, you can learn about the various contributors to the history of the Methodist movement and their contributions to Philadelphia. What stood out most to me is how one of its members in the early 1900s, Anna Jarvis, started Mother's Day. Originally, the holiday was meant to honor the mothers of this nation and she very much dis-liked how Hallmark made it a commercial holiday. At least she can rest in peace knowing how all Americans still celebrate this holiday.

For the church itself (which isn't air conditioned by the way for those of you thinking on visiting on a 100 degree day!), you'll see excellent craftsmanship and it is quite impressive.