Rome, places to visit?

The unparalleled charm of the eternal city

The moment you arrive in Rome you are aware you are setting foot in a unique and eternal city. Nobody can say they know it really well, even if they are a frequent visitor.

It is a multifaceted city full of well known attractions and other less known and hidden, but always interesting, places.

Piazza di Spagna

Famous for its steps and fountain known as “la Barcaccia” (the old boat), so called because it is in the shape of a half-sunken ship, Piazza di Spagna is a meeting place for both Romans and tourists. At the top of the steps is the Trinità dei Monti church and the streets leading from the square have some of the most famous designer shops in the world.

The Trevi fountain

The Trevi fountain is certainly the most spectacular and famous of Rome’s fountains. Among the legends surrounding this famous monument, the most well known says that if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the water you will return to Rome.

St. Peter's Square

St. Peter’s Square, framed by a splendid colonnade four columns deep, welcomes visitors with its majestic spaces and architectural beauty. The square is located in front of the Basilica that is the symbol of Christianity and the largest church in the world, which houses the tomb of the apostle Peter and The Pietà by Michelangelo, and has 330 steps leading to a dome designed by Michelangelo. A visit to see the works preserved in the Sistine Chapel, one of the masterpieces of the history of Italian art, and in the Vatican Museums are a must.

Castel Sant’Angelo

From St. Peter’s, crossing the Tiber, you come across Castel Sant’Angelo (Hadrian’s Mausoleum) and Piazza Navona, where you can admire three interesting fountains; in the centre is the Fountain of the Four Rivers (Nile, Ganges, Danube and Rio de la Plata) designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

The Pantheon

The Pantheon, with tombs of important artist and kings of Italy, is an expression of the most exquisite architectural techniques of ancient Rome. The structure of the building is that of a sphere within a cylinder with the height from the floor equal to the diameter.

The Coliseum and the Roman Forum

A symbol of Rome throughout the world, the Coliseum is also a sacred place and part of an itinerary that includes the Roman Forum, Rome’s most important archaeological area, and the Imperial Forums.

Piazza del Campidoglio

Another monumental complex of great historic and artistic importance is that overlooking the Piazza del Campidoglio.

Vittoriano

A walkway open to the public connects the square to the terraces of the Vittoriano from where there is an incredible 360° view over the city.

Villa Borghese

Equally exciting is the view from the tethered air balloon in the public park of Villa Borghese, which houses an art gallery that is a genuine trove of artistic treasures.

Appia Antica

Finally, along the Via Appia Antica (Appian Way) you can find historic attractions in an unrivalled natural context, including the catacombs and the underground burial chambers of the first Christians.

Spaghetti all'amatriciana

Roman cuisine

It is based on ancient recipes handed down from generation to generation. The traditional dishes are: the coratella, the lamb with artichokes, the saltimbocca alla romana, the fried artichokes, the spaghetti alla carbonara with bacon eggs, pepper and pecorino cheese, the spaghetti all'amatriciana with guaciale, pecorino and tomato, the Roman tripe, the vaccinara, the pinsa a variant of the classic pizza.

Text by Lisa Maria River
Photos: Sisterscom.com, Shutterstock

Video: www.turismoroma.it
Copyright © Sisterscom.com
Published su Avion Tourism N52,N70,N5/2019.

Tourism Board

www.turismoroma.it

Where to sleep in Rome

Roma is a welcoming city and offers different possibilities for accommodation.

To find the ideal hotel and the best offers you can do a search for the stars but also for districts or landmarks.

STARS

Hotels for stars, differentiated by type of services:

DISTRICTS

Hotels in the districts

Villa Borghese Parioli

LANDMARKS

Hotels in tourist areas

Basilica of St John Lateran

Modern Art Gallery Rome

AIRPORT

Hotels near the airport

Booking.com

WHERE TO GO

Monuments

COLOSSEUM

Known as the Colosseum, because the colossal bronze statue of Nero in the second century AD was placed near the monument, the real name is Flavian Amphitheatre and is probably the most famous monument in the world. Completed in 80 AD, the building was intended for the games and gladiator fights.

The exterior is composed of four overlapping architectural orders: the first three are formed by eighty arches framed by half-columns, while the fourth order is divided into panels interspersed with windows.

PIAZZA NAVONA

Undeniably the most elegant and cheerful of all Roman piazzas, it was built on the site of Stadium of Domitian and remains a highly popular meeting place for Romans and tourists alike, who drowsily soak up in open air bars dotted around it. Used in ancient times for various athletic games and competitions, today tourists often enjoy sitting for street artists who, on request, in a few minutes either sketch a faithful portrait of their models. Not to be missed: The Fountain of The Four Rivers and Church of Saint’Agnese in Agone.

IMPERIAL FORUMS

Caesar’s Forum, Augustus’ Forum, Transitional Forum and Trajan’s Forum, which is undoubtedly the grandest, make up, from an urban standpoint, an organic complex renamed in the modern era the “Imperial Forums”, reaching from Capitol Hill (Campidoglio) to the foot of the Quirinale Hill. Between 1924 and 1932, the Imperial Forums resurfaced following the demolition of which had been over the centuries built on top so as to clear the way for today’s Via dei Fori Imperiali.

www.capitolium.org

TREVI FOUNTAIN

Work on the celebrated Rococò fountain was first begun in 1732 by Nicola Salvi and was completed by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762. The monument, whose water is supplied by one of the oldest Roman aqueducts, the “Acqua Virgine”, has been sculptured and depicts Triton taming Oceanus’ shell-shaped chariot drawn by sea horses. Before moving off, do not forget to throw a coin in the fountain. Custom has it that travellers doing this will one day return to the eternal city.

PANTHEON

Piazza della Rotonda

Dedicated to the worship of every God, the Pantheon was built by the Emperor Hadrian between 118 and 125 a.D. over the ruins of another temple dating back to 27 a.D. And a dedicatory inscription is clearly visible over today. In 609, it was converted into a Christian Church and consecrated to Santa Maria of the Martyrs. Turned into a memorial chapel for the kingsof Italy in 1870, the tombs of Vittorio Emanuele II, Umberto I and Margherita of Savoy are to be found here together with that of the celebrated Renaissance Artist Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino.

Museums

VATICAN MUSEUM

Viale Vaticano, 100

The magnificent and immense Vatican Museums are among the greatest and most important in the world. The Vatican Museums in fact encompass a number of different museums: the Pio-Clementino Museum, the Chiaramonti Museum, the Gregorian Etruscan Museum, the Gregorian Egyptian Museum, the Gregorian Profane Museum, the Pio-Christian Museum, the Ethnological Missionary Museum, the Collection of Modern Religious Art, the Upper Galleries Museum, the Vatican Library Museum, the Pinacoteca (Art Gallery) and of course the exquisite and unique Sistine Chapel. www.museivaticani.va

MAXXI

Via Guido Reni, 4 A

The National Museum for the 21st Century Arts, was designed by Anglo-Iraqi Architect Zaha Hadid. A complex developing horizontally conceived as a “delta of various rivers”: eight longitudinal spaces, interwoven and bowing onto each other over a surface covering 30,000 square metres. The interior spaces are devoted to contemporary creativity envisaged as basins for culture, experimentation, study and research.

www.fondazionemaxxi.it

Excursions

VIEW OF ROME

Rome offers sights, each with its own peculiarities, which enjoy a splendid view: from the Janiculum hill you can admire fascinating glimpses of the Old Town. From the terraces of the Vittoriano, two panoramic lifts, opened in 2007, can reach the highest point of the complex, from which you can admire Rome to 360°. From the Pincio you appreciate one of the most beautiful views of the whole world. Also you can admire a breathtaking view from the Garden of the Oranges and the dome of St. Peter.

OSTIA

The modern architecture typical of the Art Nouveau gives a certain charm to the area of Ostia Lido. Some examples are the Art Nouveau buildings and villas in the old town, the working-class houses on Via della Marina and on Corso Duca di Genova, or the ‘Palazzo del Pappagallo’ on the Anco Marzio square, that you can reach walking on the promenade. This residential building, realized by the architect Mario Marchi in the late ‘20s, has a façade with an assortment of vivid colors, returned to their original splendor and brightness thanks to a recent restoration. Also belong to this period: the ‘Palazzo del Governatore’ and the ‘Colonia’.