08/02/2020
First vacation in Rome?
Well, crossing the narrow and “twisty” streets which were built around the chariots and horses, you’ll really enjoy the city and avoid the crowd. I remind you that in the golden period of the Roman Empire, (Trajan 117), with the largest geographical expansion, Rome had over 1 million citizens.
To find again an European city at this size we have to wait until the XIX century, and the city is… .Londinium.
Yes! You have a mausoleum where the tombs of some of the most important emperors of Rome are located. guessed it. London was “invented” by the Romans.
If you have more time available, it might be good to think about a 3 or 5 city break days so you can visit the Colosseum’s Archaeological Park (including Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum),
Sistine Chapel with St. Peter’s Basilica, Pantheon,Navona Square, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps… .. to list only the most important attractions.
Rome is one of the capitals you can visit in three days. Do not imagine that, after such a holiday you will know all the secrets of the city, but surely you will return with memories and photos from the monuments I have described above .
Maybe you’ll have time to visit also, Campo di Fiori with the statue of Giordano Bruno, Capitoline Museums, (important collection of Roman statues)
Appian Way (the first motorway in the world, built in the 4th century BC) with its Catacombs, Aurelian Walls… ..dating back to the III BC. with a length of 19 km in the past … today we can only see , not more than 12 km … Still a thing…. eh ?!
Good people, I didn’t touched yet the secret places of Rome otherwise called the hidden sights. Some of them being:
Circus Maximus (Ben Hur, movie with Charlton Heston), tha could accomodate 250 thousand spectators during Trajan Emperor. Castle Sant’Angelo (the gigantic tomb of Emperor Hadrian), Quirinale Palace (for centuries the pope’s residence), Villa Borghese, The Keyhole on the Aventine Hill, Pyramid of Caius Cestius, Moses in the Basilica San Pietro in Vincoli (famous statue created by Michelangelo), The stunning view of Gianicolo Hill, The unique streets of Trastevere, The port of Ancient Ostia,
A capital with such a rich history is itself an “all’aperto” museum. You clearly understood what does mean! Rome is like a History book open to all. In many places you don’t even have to buy a ticket. Why ? Because art, architecture, beauty are on the streets, all over in the open squares.
Ancient Rome
The visit of Rome must follow in a chronological order. Start your tour where the story of the city has began, the first stops to be in the ancient center, at the Colosseum, perhaps the most impressive building left behind by the Romans.
The Palatine hill – the legendary birthplace of Romulus and Remus, the twins being suckled by a she-wolf, later she has been the symbol of the city of Rome.
The Palatine was also the residence of the Roman emperors with the Palaces and Domus facing the amazing view on the Circus Maximus, the Roman stadium where horse races were organized.
The Roman Forum – the spiritual center of Roman civilization and the place where you will discover the basilicas, arches, roads, temples, in few words the roots of the future Western civilization.
Pantheon – an impressive building that was originally the temple of all the gods of ancient Rome, becoming later a Christian church.
Next to the Archaeological Park is the
Bocca della Verità, an ancient marble disk, depicting a human face, which was used in the past as a “lie detector”, as the legend states.
Facing the Forum, in Piazza del Campidoglio (the square made by Michelangelo 1534-38 under the Pope Paul III.) you can visit the Capitoline Museums, which houses mostly Greek and Roman sculptures.
The historical center
Of course, many of the buildings already listed are in the center, but in Rome you can also visit places that are not dating back to the ancient time which you can include in a second tour.
The Trevi Fountain, (being supplied by Acqua Virgo, Roman aqueduct) the most beautiful fountain in Rome, built in the 18th century;
Piazza di Spagna, with its Spanish Steps covered with flowers in the Spring season or for special occasions, fashion etc;
Via del Corso (horse racing street in the past), today ,the main shopping street in Rome;
Piazza del Popolo (with the Egyptian obelisk built in about 1200 BC and brought in Rome in 10 BC by Augustus. This obelisk together with the one on the Montecitorio square, both stood in Circus Maximus. In Rome there are 13 in total) .
Piazza Navona, (Baroque style signed by Bernini) with the three fountains: Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi with the Egyptian obelisk from Circus of Maxentius, Fontana del Nettuno and Fontana del Moro.
Villa Borghese, former residence of the family having the same name, surrounded by gardens and become an art gallery, but also
The Quirinale Palace, the official residence of the President of Italy today (formerly the residence of the popes).
Vatican City
The Vatican is a separate tour, because it’s located on the Western part of the city, on the other side of the river Tiber and to visit the Vatican with all that means , well …… will take you away a lot of time. The Vatican has been on the UNESCO’s list since 1984, and inside the city-state is the famous Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo ,also the Basilica of San Pietro – with the famous Pietà statue sculpted by the genius of Michelangelo, the Bernini’s Baldachin, a large Baroque sculpted bronze canopy, over the tomb of St. Peter
Castle Sant’Angelo, is a mausoleum wich host the remains of the emperor Hadrian.
Some of the sights in Rome are open to the public with no fee for entrance as
the Pantheon, the churches of San Clemente, Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Maria del Popolo and the Villa Borghese .
The oldest airport in Rome is Ciampino (CIA), and the largest, Fiumicino, or Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (FCO). From here you can grab the Leonardo Express train, to the main station in the city, Termini (the price of a ticket is 14 euros).
If you have landed on Ciampino, the train is not the solution, but the buses parked in the area of the Terminal Departures, which bring you to the same destination …. Termini (the price of a ticket is 6 euros).
Both airports allow you to use taxi or Uber .
Termini is not only a railway station, but the main transport point in Rome, where you will find intercity ,buses, but also the metro stations.
The subway in Rome has three lines, A, B, C and the trains are in service, until midnight .
For any other information do not hesitate to contact me and I will be glad to help you!
