Rome, Italy
The monuments
The Colosseum
The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world, despite its age. I recommend visiting it to gain a better understanding of its ancient functions.
Pantheon
The Pantheon is a former Roman temple and, since 609 AD, a Catholic church (Basilica di Santa Maria ad Martyres or Basilica of Saint Mary and the Martyrs) in Rome, Italy. It was built on the site of an earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa during the reign of Augustus, then, after the original burned, the current building was ordered by the emperor Hadrian and probably dedicated around 126 AD. Its construction date is uncertain, because Hadrian chose not to inscribe the new temple but rather to retain the inscription of Agrippa's older temple. It is one of the most astonishing buildings especially from a structural point of view that ranks it among the best preserved ancient Roman buildings.
Roman Forum
What can you see today when visiting the Imperial Forums? They are essentially remains, portions and fragments that, when seen together, still manage to give an idea of the grandeur and importance that this area had for many centuries.
Of the Forum of Caesar, some columns and the podium relating to the Temple of Venus remain today, as well as portions of the colonnades and porticoes that delimited the square and numerous architectural fragments scattered throughout the area.
Of the Forum of Augustus, the conspicuous remains of the temple can be appreciated today, with its splendid Corinthian colonnade, the entire northern exedra and a good part of the southern exedra.
The Forum of Peace has been almost entirely buried under the modern road: some parts are visible in correspondence with the Basilica of Maxentius, the church of SS. Cosma and Damiano and in the Torre dei Conti, at the end of Via Cavour.
The Forum of Nerva, actually built by Domitian, is almost entirely buried under Via dei Fori Imperiali: a small portion of the foundations of the Temple of Minerva survives.
The last and largest of Rome's forums, Trajan's Forum, whose complex includes the splendid Trajan's Column, the emperor's funerary monument, the only perfectly preserved monument.
Trevi Fountain
One of the most famous fountains in the world, majestic, in Baroque style is the Trevi Fountain. Walking in front of it you are flooded by a feeling of magic and you have the feeling of being in a movie. It was in fact the setting of films such as "La Dolce Vita", the iconic film by Fellini.
Don't forget to throw in a coin 🙂 The best known and most persistent tradition consists of throwing a coin into the fountain before leaving "the eternal city", a superstition associated with the fountain being that whoever makes this gesture would favor a future return to the city.
Panoramic Points
PINCIO
From the splendid Terrace of the park, part of Villa Borghese, you can appreciate one of the most beautiful views in the world and a truly evocative sunset. It is impossible to remain indifferent to a panorama that includes much of the historic center of Rome: the Piazza del Popolo below, the Dome of St. Peter, Castel Sant’Angelo, the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, the sixteenth-century architecture of the ancient palaces and, in the distance, the equestrian monument of Garibaldi on the Janiculum.
GIANICOLO
From the viewpoint of this hill, located on the right bank of the Tiber, near the statue of Garibaldi, you can admire fascinating views of the historic center. It is one of the walks and one of the favorite panoramic points of the Romans, from where the profile of the city appears as a suggestive succession of roofs, domes and monuments.
TERRACES OF THE VITTORIANO
From the Terrace of the Quadrighe, at the top of the Vittoriano Complex, you can enjoy a truly breathtaking view. Two panoramic elevators allow you to reach the highest point of the building, from which you can see Rome at 360 degrees. The view ranges from the majesty of the Colosseum and the Imperial Forums to the churches of the historic center, from the Tiber to the Ancient Jewish Ghetto, from the Piazza del Campidoglio to the Quirinale, from the contemporary architecture of EUR to the characteristic Castelli Romani.
QUIRINALE TERRACE
A few steps from the suggestive alleys that wind around the Trevi Fountain and Via del Corso, the heart of the capital's shopping, stands the fascinating terrace of the Quirinale, one of the privileged panoramic points of the city. Although not particularly high, the belvedere offers, however, a view as far as the eye can see that ranges over iconic places such as the Dome of St. Peter and a sea of near and distant roofs that stand out against the sky. If you want a higher view, extraordinary during the day, but even more so at dusk and in the evening, when it is open to the public, you can go inside the magnificent building overlooking the square, the Scuderie del Quirinale. From the window on the third floor, designed by Gae Aulenti, you can enjoy a 180-degree panorama from the highest of the Seven Hills of Rome.
GARDEN OF ORANGE
At the top of the Aventine, one of the most elegant hills of Rome, between the medieval walls of the ancient fortress of the Savelli family, is the enchanting Savello Park, also known as the Orange Garden. It is a small rectangular garden, which takes its name from the trees planted in memory of San Domenico. It is one of the favorite places for lovers, from which to enjoy a wonderful view of Rome, which goes from the bend of the Tiber, including the Trastevere district and the Tiber Island, to St. Peter's Basilica, all the way to the Gianicolo hill and Monte Mario.
Museums
Visit the Best Gardens in Rome
Villa Borghese is the most popular park in Rome and is considered its green lung.
The Villa Borghese Gardens are located on the Pincian Hill, close to Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo. The Gardens cover an area of 80 hectares and were developed in 1606 by Cardinal Scipione Borghese, who wanted to turn his former vineyard into the most extensive gardens built in Rome.
In the same period, the Cardinal commissioned the building of the Villa Borghese Pinciana to the architect Flaminio Ponzio; today this elegant building houses the Galleria Borghese, The gardens were completely redesigned in the naturalistic English style in XIX century and became a public park in 1903.
The Squares
Food in Rome
You can't come to Rome and not taste the typical Roman dishes that drive tables all over the world crazy. Here are the main dishes:
Carbonara
Amatriciana
Coda alla Vaccinara
Carciofi alla Giudia
La Gricia
Baccalà fritto alla romana
Supplí alla romana
Cacio e pepe
Abbacchio
Restaurants
There are some very famous streets that host the best fashion houses and where you can go shopping.
Trastevere
Trastevere is a quaint and original neighborhood with a bohemian atmosphere that has its roots in the working class for centuries. It is known for its traditional and innovative trattorias, craft breweries and artisan shops, but also for its simple B&Bs and budget hotels. Set out to discover the neighborhood in the early afternoon, you can also get there on foot by crossing the Palatino bridge and then sliding along Via dei Vascellari to reach the church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere from the suggestive Piazza dei Mercanti, with its ivy-covered walls.
From here, go back up towards Viale di Trastevere to explore the heart of the neighborhood that revolves around Piazza di Santa Maria in Trastevere, just 500 meters from Ponte Garibaldi. The ancient Basilica of Santa Maria enchants with its sun-kissed mosaics while the large fountain in the center, one of the oldest in Rome, offers refreshment when the heat is felt thanks to the legendary Acqua Paola; it is said that it quenched the thirst of the inhabitants of Trastevere until the arrival of the water system. The cobblestones all around speak an ancient language like the small antique shops and artisan workshops that line the streets.
If you then go back up towards Piazza di Sant’Egidio, you will come across the headquarters of the Museum of Rome in Trastevere, a true bath in the history of the city’s folklore; from here you can head towards the famous Piazza Trilussa that overlooks Ponte Sisto to enjoy an aperitif comfortably seated at the bar, enchanted by the comings and goings of students, street artists and musicians who alternate here at all hours.
Itinerary in Trastevere: between taverns and pubs
From Santa Maria in Trastevere to Piazza Trilussa it is all a passing through characteristic alleys that smell of good food; vicolo del Cinque, vicolo del Bologna and again via della scala or vicolo del Moro offer typical pubs and trattorias where you can stop for dinner and taste one of the many typical Roman products, from gricia to carbonara, perhaps in one of the historic taverns such as Cencio (vicolo de’ Cinque 3), where you can expect to be mocked by the waiters, as is the best tradition of the place.
After dinner you can choose to wander around the streets of the neighborhood that changes face at night with the many outdoor tables crowded with people and the general chatter; stop for a late-night beer in one of the many pubs in the neighborhood such as Bir and Fud (via Benedetta 23), which offers a wide range of craft beers.
Conclusion
My advice in Rome is: get lost in the streets, don't follow a precise plan but live every moment in contact with the beauties of the city. Get in touch with the friendliness of the Romans and stop to admire the monuments that have made history.
There is a quote that I particularly like about Rome and its monuments and it is taken from the film "Eat, Pray, Love". The protagonist says:
"...a friend took me to a surprising place the other day, the Augusteo [...]It is one of the quietest and most solitary places in Rome. The city has grown around it over the centuries... it is like a precious wound, like a sadness that you don't want to give up, because it is too pleasant a pain [...] we are afraid of changes, of things falling apart, but I looked at this place, the chaos it has endured, the way it has been used, burned, plundered, then returned to being itself, and I felt reassured [...]Ruins are a gift. Destruction is the path to transformation. Even in this eternal city the Augusteo has shown me that we must always be prepared for endless waves of transformation..."
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