If you're looking for allure and ancient palaces of grandeur reminiscent of a time of a glorious crimson empire, there is none other than Rome that will conquer your senses and your imagination. For first time visitors to Rome, Italy, don't dare head home without making your way to these five classical highlights and stopping for gelato at each spot.
5 Classic Highlights in Rome, Italy
Barring the exceptional cafes, pizza parlors, clothing and shoe stores, gelato shops, pasta hangouts and museums and churches at every corner, at the heart of Rome, the "Eternal City," is its long history. Myth tells that Rome was founded 753 BCE by Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of the Roman god of war, Mars.
These highlights in Rome tell a tale that still resounds in the rocks, paintings and very walls of these sights. Let's take a journey back through the history of Rome - and don't forget a pair of comfortable shoes - the cobblestone streets can be painful!
1) Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi)
The Trevi Fountain stands as one of the grandest fountains in Rome. In 19 BC, it was one of the aqueducts that supplied ancient Rome with fresh water. It was named the Aqua Virgo, after the virgin who discovered it, and it was used by Rome for more than 400 years until the aqueducts were destroyed by the Goths.
The current fountain that stands was completed in 1762 and features Neptune, the Roman god of water and sea (similar to Poseidon in Greek mythology). Neptune's sons, Tritons, are seen below him, taming the seahorses that are pulling his chariot while he controls the roaring waters. It's been said that once you throw a coin into the fountain, you're ensured another visit to Rome.
Travel secret? In the piazza surrounding the Trevi Fountain is also where you'll find some fo the best gelato in Rome.
2) The Spanish Steps (Scalinata della Trinità dei Monti)
Known as the widest staircase in Europe, the Spanish Steps consist of 138 steps that were built in 1723-1725. They were built to connect the Piazza di Spagna at its base to the Piazza Trinita dei Monti at its top, which featured a newly built church (Trinita dei Monti) funded by the Bourbon kings of France. If you look closely, you'll notice the French fleur-de-lys sculpted in and around the steps.
At the bottom of the steps in the Piazza di Spagna, you'll find the Barcaccia Fountain (Fontana della Barcaccia) that was built in 1627-29 - and today is used by many tourists to fill their water bottles for their water break on the Spanish Steps.
3) The Pantheon
As you walk through the dark columns of the portico outside the Pantheon, you wonder whether you're about to enter a crypt. But once you step inside, the amount of natural light that floods this Temple attributed to all Roman gods brings you to a place of submission to the ancient minds that created this place.
A circular opening in the very center of the roof called the "Great Eye" provides light and ventilation while a drainage system in the floor deposes of any rain that comes through it. The concrete used to build the temple is still a mystery as modern concrete would not be able to hold the weight of the Pantheon.
The building was originally built by the military general Agrippa in 27 BC but was rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in 125 AD. It is considered the best preserved building of its age and form in the world.
In 609, the Pantheon was converted into a Christian church - which saved it from destruction during the medieval period. Thereafter, it became a tomb for Rome's greats including the painter, Raphael and two kings of Italy, including Vittorio Emanuele II.
Choirs and small groups often visit to try their hand at the Pantheon's acoustics, a phenomenon for musicians and architects. Catch a mass or service here and you'll leave in even more awe of its mysterious yet impeccable design.
4) The Vatican: St. Peter's Square & Basilica, Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel
Whether you're a believer or just a visitor, a tour through the Vatican is a sensory overload but deserves much of its due. It can be described in two words: grandeur and glory. Be ready to wait in long lines and women must dress modestly (no legs or arms showing!). If you can, visit on a Sunday and catch the Pope through a small window.
While Vatican City is the smallest country in the world with a population of around 800, it is also probably one of the most mysterious, secret-laden and historically important places in the world. It is where the seat and head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, is located.
In ancient Rome, this site was considered a sacred location and place of worship. After the great fire in Rome in 64 CE, many Christians were martyred here including the apostle Peter who was crucified upside down. Monuments and a church was built at this site in 326 and later became St. Peter's Square and Basilica - built also as a tomb for St. Peter. The Pontifical Swiss Guard was founded in the 1500's as the bodyguards of the Pope. They continue to wear their traditional uniforms which are always a fun sight for first-time visitors to the Vatican.
There is so much to see in Vatican City and it can be overwhelming. Here are the highlights.
Start at St. Peter's Square and get a feeling for the massive construction of this palace in itself. But prepare yourself for what awaits you inside as you walk silently through the catacombs below: the tombs of past Popes and Saint Peter himself. You're not alone if you feel chills down your spine.
As you enter St. Peter's Basilica, be ready to crane your head upwards and in every direction at the hundreds of sculptures, paintings and statues including the original Pieta by Michelangelo. Spend an afternoon in the Vatican Museum to look at the hundreds of thousands of art work, statues and dedicated pieces to the Church - and be ready as you enter the Sistine Chapel for another sense-shocking experience: a painted ceiling by Michelangelo. Remember, no pictures and since it's a chapel, you'll continue to be shushed by guards.
5) The Colosseum & Roman Forum
Last but not least, a visit to Rome is incomplete without setting your sights on the grand Colosseum. To avoid lines, visit the Roman Forum first and buy your passes there which give you access to the Forum as well as the Colosseum later in the afternoon - you'll be glad you did once you pass by the hundreds of people in line at the Colosseum.
A walk through the massive Roman Forum, once the very heart of Imperial Rome, is no walk in the park. Ancient monuments and stones stand where once they buzzed with gardens, worshipers in temples, marketplaces, fountains and walks on cobblestone streets. Tip: take a tour or bring a guide book to guide you through the ruins, what they once were and their significance - otherwise you'll just be looking at old rocks!
The Colosseum was originally named the Flavian Amphitheatre and was the largest of its kind built in ancient Rome in 70-80 AD, on the eastern side of the Roman Forum. Made to seat 50,000 people, this site needs no introduction, having been prominently featured in the movie The Gladiator. Citizens of Rome from all classes would come and watch gladiator battles. When you visit, take some time to soak in its grandeur - but don't forget to appreciate the intricate design under the arena that housed the gladiators and wild animals.
Don't forget to pose for a picture with a dressed up Roman solider!
by Gizelle Lau, TripAtlas
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