They say that all roads lead to Rome and for me at least, that’s certainly true. The seven hills stole my heart the very first time I visited this wondrous city, and I have spent all my time since wondering when I will next go back.167Please respect copyright.PENANA0h1dDJ6zaW
Never before have I felt so at home, so comfortable, in a foreign city. From the moment I first set foot on Roman soil, I knew I was home.
The city itself is an indescribable mix of old and new. The classical past meets the Renaissance on street corners and modern designer shops bookend monuments old and new. It is an eclectic mix of all eras, and you never know what you will find around the bend.167Please respect copyright.PENANAz4LEIiUkSP
There is something new around each corner, and the only way to truly discover something unique is to get yourself lost. Forgo the maps, and wander. You never know what you might find. For example, whilst walking from Vatican City down to Piazza Navona, we stumbled upon Piazza de San Simeone - a quant little Piazza with a fountain in the middle with drinkable water. It is a tiny square off the main road and not at all far from the Tiber. There were only three or four other people in the square when we wandered through, but all of them were locals and they were all more than happy to help us find Piazza Navona. Not far from there we discovered a small glass shop selling all sorts of beautiful hand crafted glass trinkets at very reasonable prices. Rome is full of hidden gems. Go out and find them.
Vatican City
Of course, the highlights of Rome are the major tourist attractions - the Colosseum, St Peter’s Square, the Trevi fountain, the Spanish Steps and, above all else, Vatican City and the Sistine Chapel.167Please respect copyright.PENANAIvY3VeDJ3Z
If you’re a little unsure of forking out the fairly pricey entrance fee for the Vatican museums, ask yourself these questions: 1) Are you prepared to walk around for at least three hours? The museums can hardly be enjoyed properly in less than two and half/ 3 hours. 2) Can you stand to be herded through galleries and rooms like cattle behind the other tourists? The halls can be narrow and they will certainly be crowded. 3) Are you remotely interested in art and/or history? If the answer is no, then, as much as the museums are utterly incredible, you may find it not to your liking. It is full of ancient artefacts from all over the globe (I personally love the ancient Egyptian section that has recently been refurbished and reorganised), and everything everywhere is painted with staggering attention to detail. Art, history and religion go hand in hand in the Vatican museums, and if none of these are your cup of tea… Perhaps it isn't for you. 4) However, even if you’re not into your arts and history, the Sistine chapel is the last stop on your way round the museums and I cannot put into words how much I believe that every person should see this incredible chapel with their own eyes at least once in their life. To stand there in that relatively small chapel and think that one man painted the entire ceiling and entire back wall on his own is mind blowing. Personally, I think it reassures you of the capacity for greatness humans possess. It makes me feel so humble, yet so empowered all at once. I physically cannot describe the power those images possess, and Google Images simply doesn’t cut it on this one.
The museums have so many highlights, and although the Sistine Chapel is the biggest, it is by no means the only thing to see. The Raphael rooms contain one of my own favourite paintings, The School of Athens, which is interesting in so many ways. Raphael has hidden within the painting the portraits of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo and also one of himself, and it adds something extra to the painting - a 16th century easter egg, if you will.
There is also the Borgia apartments. It currently houses a pretty sparse modern art gallery, and whilst this would normally bore me senseless, it is also home to the Borgia fireplace. Of little consequence to most visitors, I can stand at this fireplace for a lifetime. I can picture so vividly the scandalous Pope, deep in conversation with his equally scandalous son, sitting by this fireplace. His name, Alexander Borgia, is carved into the fireplace, and there is something about it that is incredibly alluring. Most people will overlook it, but I imagine it would have some fascinating stories to tell.
If you’re going to do the Vatican museums (which I really do recommend), allocate a full day. Do not attempt to do, say, the Vatican and the Colosseum in the same day. It is neither practical nor efficient. You are never going to get your money’s worth.167Please respect copyright.PENANAze571LhhDx
St Peter’s Basilica is a site that I enjoy, but am not willing to queue for hours to see. It is grand and beautiful and the architecture is incredible, but as you will likely visit after seeing the Sistine Chapel, I think it falls short. If the queue is small, I would always go inside and look around again (Michelangelo’s Pieta is inside, and that is, I admit, a work to see), but if the crowds are too big, I would settle for admiring the facade and Michelangelo’s magnificent dome. The square itself is a lovely place to be, and whilst I have heard tales of it being perpetually busy, the times I have been I have found it to be neither too busy or too quiet. In fact, the last time I was there it was almost empty. However, pickpockets are notorious in the area around St Peter’s Square, so keep a close eye on all your belongings and your surroundings.
Colosseum
The Colosseum is another site that I would allocate a full day for. Book tickets in advance and skip the queue. Get inside and explore.167Please respect copyright.PENANAkykHOu9O0i
Definitely wear sensible shoes. There are a lot of steps and it is a lot of walking. Once inside, there is a newly-opened gift shop on the first floor, and usually an exhibition of some sort, although the exhibition changes fairly regularly. There is a permanent exhibition of sorts; glass cases scattered around with things inside found at the colosseum - animal bones, pottery etc etc. It is fascinating.167Please respect copyright.PENANAp0QY4zhYek
What I love about the Colosseum is that you are able to touch the stone around you. You can physically reach out and touch a living, breathing monument. Incredible.167Please respect copyright.PENANAsdJuC4Y5k5
The only way to get onto the area floor (also a fairly recent addition) is to book a guided tour. However, only certain tours take you to the arena floor as I have been on the guided tour and it did not allow us access. I am dying to get down there and to look up into the stands. I imagine it would be incredibly easy to picture the roaring crowds cheering and chanting.
The Colosseum is undergoing its restoration at the moment, and is due to be finished within the next couple of years. Half of the monument is under the cover of scaffolding, but this does not detract in the slightest from it’s might. The facade is looking incredible, and when it is finished I imagine it will be restored to its former glory. Try and catch a glimpse of it at sunset - the pink of the sky really sets off the brightness of the limestone, and it is an incredibly beautiful sight to witness.
After the Colosseum, the Forum is a five minute walk down the road. Depending on which entrance you enter through, you will come through by the arch of Titus or the temple of Vespasian and Titus. The latter end of the Forum was, as of July, closed for restoration work, but the monuments are still clearly visible. Be aware that there are no signposts on the monuments, and so if you are without someone that knows their stuff about Ancient Rome, you will doubtless be looking at stone monuments with no clue as to their history. My advice would be to research the Forum to make the most out of the experience. My personal favourites are the Temple of Antonius and Faustina (the one with the door several feet above the stairs!) and the Atrium Vestae (House of the Vestal Virgins).
It is so easy to lose yourself in the Forum. When trying to reach the Palatine stadium, we ended up in the Farnese gardens and again, this is a classic example of the Ancient meeting the Early Modern. Walking up Palatine hill is where a map would be handy, and the sights at the top of the hill are incredible. It offers views of all of the Forum down below, set against the Roman skyline. Truly a sight to see!
After the Forum, a hidden-but-not-so-hidden gem would be the Circus Maximus. History buffs would recognise this as the famous racing track that could hold thousands more spectators than the Colosseum. Almost nothing remains now, but you can see the race track where the grass still doesn’t grow. All the rest is grass and there are hardly ever any tourists, despite it being a short two minute walk from the Colosseum. Most of the visitors to the Circus Maximus now are dog walkers, and it seems the history of the place is either forgotten or simply overlooked. It is a shame, but it’s nice to have a sight to yourself.
A very short walk from the Circus Maximus is a sight that I had never heard of before my latest visit. The Mouth of Truth is famous due to its appearance in the film Roman Holiday, and since I have never seen this film, I had never heard of it. It is an ancient work of stone that once was a fountain. Legend says that if you place your hand in the mouth and tell a lie, it will devour your hand, hence the name Mouth of Truth. It is attached to and outside a very small church. It is free to get a quick picture taken with it whilst the church is open, but if you happen to pass it after it has closed for the day, you will still be able to see the Mouth - there are no shutters, only bars, meaning you can still see the Mouth and take a quick photo.167Please respect copyright.PENANA6DWRYEFYDT
Bear in mind that as the only exit is through the church, shoulders and knees must be covered, just as they must when visiting Vatican City and some other churches or religious sites in the city. Knees I have found that they are generally quite lenient about (as long as you don't turn up in hot pants, you should be fine), but shoulders must be covered no matter what gender you are. They offer plastic rain coat-esque covers to put around your shoulders if you have nothing with you to wrap around yourself, but these are few and can be snapped up quickly. You may have to wait for one to be returned until you can leave, and this only wastes precious time. Be prepared, and tie a shirt around your waist like I chose to do, or opt for a t-shirt.
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Trevi
The Trevi fountain is on every tourists hit list when visiting Rome, and its not hard to see why. The restoration has only very recently been finished, but seeing it in the midst of the cleaning process was interesting and I could really see how clean the statues were getting. I can’t wait to go back and see them now they’ve been done. The fountain is always busy, but you can usually get to the edge fairly quickly to throw in your three coins over your shoulder. Legend says that if you throw in three coins, you will return to Rome, and so far it’s worked for me!167Please respect copyright.PENANA7QRupAfWOo
If you want to see it completely devoid of tourists, visit early in the morning or very late at night. The fountain looks beautiful both during the day and also at night when it is lit up, so I would suggest visiting more than once.
Pantheon
The Pantheon is a five minute walk from the Trevi fountain and the Piazza della Rotonda in front of the monument also gets quite busy. There is a lovely fountain in the piazza, and again contrasts the early modern waterworks with the ancient building.167Please respect copyright.PENANAoB7MPVuiBN
The Pantheon was a Roman temple before being turned into a church with the rise of Christianity, and it was this conversion that saved the Pantheon from the same fate as the myriad of temples in the Forum.167Please respect copyright.PENANAJpFUSEE1dh
Once inside, make sure to look up - the domed ceiling (which was never replicated until the Renaissance with the creation of Florence’s Duomo) has an interesting aspect. There is a hole in the middle that opens up to the sky. I am still not quite sure how the rain doesn’t get in, although I’ve been told a few times and I still don’t quite get it. Either way, it’s interesting.167Please respect copyright.PENANAsNG20AyyRy
Note: Silence is requested once inside, since it is still a fully functioning church.167Please respect copyright.PENANAOFi4zsS71M
Spanish Steps
It is best to see the Spanish Steps, like the Trevi, very early in the morning or late at night. It is usually submerged beneath hundreds of tourists and so it is impossible to actually see the steps. However, they are situated in Piazza de Spagna and it has a lovely atmosphere. The Fountain of the Ugly Boat sits directly outside the steps, and this is a beautiful little fountain. Its water comes directly from the aqueducts and so it's totally drinkable! Very refreshing on a hot summers day.167Please respect copyright.PENANA5BViJE4bcz
There are plenty of shops in the area around the Spanish steps and the metro station is a couple of minutes away. Make a day out of shopping and seeing the smaller sights and you can’t go wrong.
Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona has an atmosphere that cannot be described.167Please respect copyright.PENANAjptmPeFyQ8
Some days they have an art market set up, where local artists display their works on easels and there is always somebody somewhere playing some music.167Please respect copyright.PENANAKN3SSSix3T
The three fountains are always crowded, but the middle fountain is perhaps my favourite. The fountain of the Four Rivers not only had a starring role in the film Angels and Demons, it also has interesting little quirks. For example, the statue facing the church of Sant Agnese appears to be cowering away from the building. This is because the architect of the fountain and the architect of the church did not like each other in the slightest, and so the fountain’s architect created a statue shrinking away from the church to suggest that the church could fall down at any moment due to poor craftsmanship. Everything in Rome has a story, you simply have to dig to find it.
The Piazza is beautiful during the day, but, like everything in Rome, is stunning at sunset. It’s also very easy to work into your day, particularly if you are staying on the opposite side of the Tiber to the Vatican. It is situated very close to the Tiber and not altogether miles away from Castel Sant Angelo.
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A walk from the Vatican to the Colosseum would seem like a mighty task, since you need to take two trams to get from one to the other. But plan it right and you can spend the day at the Vatican and hit all the major tourist sites on your walk back to the other side of the city.
Exit St Peter’s square and walk straight down to Castel Sant Angelo on the banks of the Tiber. This is a site I have not yet had the chance to explore, but it is an impressive and imposing figure just from the exterior. From here, cross the river and turn left. This is where we discovered Piazza de Saint Simeone, and there are lots of tiny piazza’s scattered around this area. Have a wander, but head towards Piazza Navona and you can’t get yourself too lost. After reaching Piazza Navona, it is a 10 minute walk to the Pantheon, and from there a short walk to the Trevi. From the Trevi it is another short walk to the Spanish Steps, and from there a twenty minute walk to the Colosseum. The walk itself will take a while, but by hitting all the best stops on the way, it’s a great way to see the city.
Pros: The sheer beauty of the city and its wealth of history and culture. These are only the top things to see in Rome, but there are thousands more sites to see and hundreds of things to do. Every day offers something different and every street can surprise you.167Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3UUKgzdGJ
Cons: Food can be pricey, as can souvenirs and things in general. Budget your money and you'll be fine. Don't forget breakfast and be forced to pay 18 euros for a Caesar salad in a restaurant directly facing the Colosseum because you're too hungry and getting too weak to find somewhere else in 42 degree heat.
And don't forget: When in Rome...!
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Next Time... Florence
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