When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do
If you are going to Rome and you want to take full advantage of what it has to offer but are not sure where to start. The best idea is to hook up with a tour company that can advise you on what to see, how and when to see it. The eternal city is also one of the few places in the Europe easily navigated by foot. So a great place to start is with a walking tour of Rome which will help you gain a feel for the city but at the same time cover some of its highlights.
Rome is a living breathing museum, a city overflowing with culture, historic architecture and of course art so it really helps having a guide, someone educated in these subjects to explain what you are looking at. A walking tour allows you to savor the moment, get up close and personal so you aren’t reduced to whizzing by the sites in a tour bus, minivan or taxi. This is important as many of Rome’s most famous sites can’t be seen from the main roads and with legislation in place to prohibit vehicles from entering certain historical areas it just makes more sense to walk.
It’s important as well when choosing a guide or tour company to get someone who speaks your language well. Also remember to check the size of their groups and whether or not their tours are presented in multiple languages or just one. Once you have decided which company you are going to use the next thing is what you want to see. These can be broken up into two categories the “must sees” and “other places of interest”
First on the “must see” list is the Coliseum, the quintessential Roman Monument. Basically an enormous amphitheater that can hold up to 55,000 people built in AD 80 by Emperor Vespasian. You probably already heard about the wild animal fights and deadly gladiatorial clashes that were held in the Coliseum for the entertainment and amusement of the upper class but this site has so much more to offer. A venue that is both fascinating yet kind of creepy because of its brutal history.
Next is the Pantheon, the temple to all the gods. It was constructed in 118AD and is the most well preserved ancient building in the city of Rome today. Originally created as a pagan structure it was converted into a Christian church in 609AD. It is the current resting place of 2 Italian monarchs and 1 renaissance painter and is an architectural triumph that will leave you completely awestruck.
Although not technically part of Rome but situated within the walls of the city is the Vatican, home to some of the most famous art works in the world. Firstly is St. Peter’s Basilica which is actually the second largest Catholic Church in the world but probably the most famous. Covering nearly 5 acres of land and taking 219 years to build it stands today as a living testimony to how far Catholicism has come since the time of St Peter. Highlights include Michelangelo’s Pieta, Bernini’s Baldachin and Chair of St Peter. Next is the Vatican Museums a labyrinth of over 1000 rooms divided into 54 galleries of which the Sistine Chapel is but 1. This is defiantly somewhere having a tour makes a huge difference as it is extremely vast and not very well labeled.
Other places of interest include museums such as the National Roman Museum, which is in several, rather than just one. These include the Palazzo Altemps, the Baths of Diocletian, the Crypta Balbi and the Palazzo Massimo. In these historic museums you will be able to see relics of Rome from the Imperial and Republican periods including frescoes, earthenware, jewelry, mosaics, coins and sarcophagi.
On the grounds of Villa Borghese Park, visit the Galleria Borghese which is renowned for its classical sculptures by Bernini and Canova as well as paintings by artists such as Raphael, Caravaggio and Correggio.
Another fascinating site is Piazza Navona, which was originally built as a stadium where chariot races and athletic contests were held. It is now an area filled with wonderful cafes where you can eat tartufo, which is an ice-cream dessert which is believed to have originated in this spot.
If you are looking for something more modern try the MAXXI featuring an ever changing array of art from the current century as well as a permanent piece by Turner prize winner Anish Kapoor.
If churches are your thing then check out Rome’s cathedral San Giovanni Laterano and make sure to visit its baptistery situated next door and the Sancta Sanctorum across the street. Another church worth visiting is Santa Maria Maggiore with its impressive bell tower, marble flooring and mosaics as well as on the triumphal arch that date back to medieval times. The ceiling of this church is believed to have been decorated with the gold that Christopher Columbus brought back to Italian from the new world. Finally within the neighborhood of Trastevere is Santa Maria, one of the oldest churches in Rome and the first dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Built in the late third or early fourth century it was reconstructed in the 12th century and remains the heart of this residential area.
Basically there is so much to see in Rome that your only problem is going to be finding the time to fit it all in.
To know more about Vatican Tour please Vatican Tour
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