This was the beginning of our first ever visit to Europe. And we were so glad that we chose Italy to be our first country in Europe. Also that we chose Rome as our first city. To say that Italy as a whole, and the city of Rome, made a huge impression on us is an understatement. We both fell hard and fast for Italy. It really is a feast for the senses! We loved it so much we went back for another three week holiday a couple of years later.
On our first trip, we stayed in an area called Palatine Hill, close to the river and also Circus Maximus, the Colosseum, Roman forum, etc. All of central Rome is dripping with history, ruins, churches, plazas, architecture, restaurants/bars and tourist attractions so it doesn’t really matter too much where you stay. And it is a very walkable city or you can get on the metro when your tired feet start screaming. Believe me they will because there is just so much to see that you will be walking all day (which means you will walk off all the pasta and red wine!).
We did spend some time in the evenings in an area called Trastevere which we loved because it had so much atmosphere, was more affordable for meals than other areas and lots going on in the plaza, street entertainers etc. Really loved this area!
Note: Photos are John’s.
Mid-September was also a great time to go, still warm in the 20’s but not stifling hot and not quite so many people as during summer.
Tourist Attractions
Some thoughts on the tourist attractions we visited (all of them I would recommend):
Roman Forum and Palatine Hill complex
This is huge and amazing, so allow plenty of time to see this. You wouldn’t want to go in the afternoon when your feet are already tired! So please go in the morning.
The Colosseum
A must! Next door to the Roman forum and something most have us have been familiar with since children and to see it in person was truly amazing. Built in the first century AD, it has an amazing history. To avoid long queues, buy an combined Roman forum/Palatine Hill/Colosseum ticket or arrive early (opens 8:30am) or buy the Roma Pass (link below).
City Hop-on Hop-off tour
This is really one city where I would definitely do one of these tours as there is so much to see. And get up on top (unless raining) because you will get a much better view.
Trevi Fountain
Trevi fountain is great but be prepared for masses of people. It is made from the same material as was the Colosseum – travertine marble. An early visit would be great if you want to take some good photos. I was surprised how big it is! Comforting to know also that any coins you throw in are used for charitable works by the Italian charity Caritas.
Spanish Steps
Another famous location in Rome is a popular meeting place for locals and tourists alike. It is located in an upmarket area so the restaurants/bars and shops will be more pricey than other areas of Rome. At the base of the steps is the Piazza di Spagna and at the top of the steps is the beautiful twin tower church dominating the skyline. In spring time it is festooned with flowers. It’s really a great people watching place too – lots of beautiful Italian people!
The Borghese Gardens
Located are at the top of the Spanish Steps and are a welcome shaded green space in the city for everyone to relax and recuperate. Much needed at times! We tried on both our Rome holidays to visit the Borghese Gallery next door and missed out both times due to just being there are the wrong time so if it was something you really wanted to see, check times etc first.
Pantheon
I still remember the awe when we walked around the corner and there it was – a breathtaking sight. It was built originally as a temple to pagan gods but was converted to a church early in the seventh century (it is still a church). Architecturally it is a marvel, due to the weight and size of the dome. The dome is still the largest unreinforced solid concrete dome in the world! It has a hole at the top (called an oculus) and during noon at equinox the sun shines through at an angle that lights up the adjoining courtyard.
It is the best preserved ancient Roman monument – even the marble floor is the original. For all these reasons and more it’s really something you don’t want to miss.
One of the biggest piazzas in Rome, the Piazza Navona has the obligatory church – Church of St Agnes which is huge and definitely worth a visit. And there are three big ornate fountains and an Eygptian obelisk to see. There’ll also likely be some entertaining street performers and somewhere to stop and have a very expensive coffee.
The Vatican
So much to see, where do I start? Well, there are several parts to the Vatican you might want to visit. On our first holiday we went to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. Again these get really crowded, particularly the Sistine Chapel. So get there early if you can. But they are absolutely amazing! The art and beauty of these places are really hard to describe.
When we came out we saw the queue for St Peters and decided it was too long – our feet were already aching. So we didn’t visit St Peters till our second holiday. It was certainly worth waiting for. Not only were we gob-smacked by its size and beauty we also took the stairs to the Dome. The view from the top of St Peter’s was really a highlight. Definitely for the Vatican I would recommend buying some ‘skip the line’ tickets. Link is at the bottom of this blog.
Castel Saint Angelo
Now for some reason I don’t understand there were no queues when we got here. Maybe we just picked the right time, I’m not sure. Lots to see inside, but what really blew me away was the view of Rome from on top – it was gob-smacking. Domes everywhere you looked! I got a few photos in before my camera/phone battery died!
Trajan markets
The Trajan markets is situated very close to the Roman Forum and the Colosseum. We didn’t have time on our first visit to Rome to explore here so made sure we did on our second visit – and I’m so glad we did. A large complex of warehouses, shops and offices where the Romans would gather to purchase goods and conduct business, was built in the second century AD. And now they have a museum and gallery here.
When you wander through the upper outside levels, you have a view overlooking the street and the Roman Forum area. I remember standing there for a while on a perfect sunny day, listening to a talented accordion player on the street, looking at the fantastic vista and imprinting this moment firmly in my mind. One of the moments in life where everything is perfect!
Food
We enjoyed a lot of good food such as simple pastas with salads, cod with peppers, pasta alfredo with black truffles, ricotta pistachio cheesecake and many other meals. In some parts of the city e.g. Trastevere, it was surprising cheap and in other areas near the Spanish Steps and near the Pantheon it was quite expensive. We were quite random where we ate but Rome is a great place for food and you could make it the focus of your holiday if you were so inclined.
Lovely Memories
There were other little moments in time that stick in my memory that really helped me fall in love with Rome. Things like: walking home one night we passed Jazz in the Ruins, seeing an artist drawing one evening whilst sitting in a massive upstairs window in the Trastevere Piazza, watching cars get through the narrow little streets, the violinist playing for pleasure on a bus, etc. So many special moments in this city!
Useful links:
https://www.rome.net/colosseum
https://www.rometoolkit.com/whattodo/roman_forum.html
https://www.rome.net/roma-pass
http://www.st-peters-basilica-tickets.com