May 4 - 8, 2026 - Rome

Rome - May 4 - 8, 2026

Rome is very beautiful. Walking everywhere is like being in Roman times. The old buildings have statues, columns, and beautiful balconies from BC to the present.  In Rome, we vsited the Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Vatican Museum, and St. Peter's Square. In Rome, putting on high heels is quite a challenge. The heels can easily get stuck in between the 12 cm x 12 cm stones used to pave the walkways. These iconic paved ways also are not friendly for luggage wheels.

"The iconic cobblestones that pave the streets of Rome are called sampietrini (sometimes spelled sanpietrini).

The Origin of the Name: They are named after St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro), because the stones were first used there in the late 16th century to make it easier for heavy papal carriages to roll through the square smoothly.

The Material: They are hand-cut, pyramid-shaped blocks made from black basalt, a volcanic rock. Most of it was historically quarried from the volcanic areas near the Alban Hills just southeast of Rome.

How They Are Laid: Unlike modern paving, traditional sampietrini aren't cemented down. Instead, artisans wedge them tightly into a loose bed of sand and river gravel. This allows the ground to "breathe," flex, and absorb water during heavy rains."