Traveling in Rome, the Eternal City is a dream. Stones and marbles, fountains and cobblestone streets, there is no shortage of where to go! Here are a few things you can do in Rome:
VISIT THE COLOSSEUM.
The Colosseo is the most iconic monument in Rome. But when you think about it, it does have a dark past. During the Roman times, a lot of blood has been shed. Sometimes man versus animal, animal versus man. Entrance to the colosseo entails long lines, so if your time is short, it is best to purchase skip-the-line tickets. With such a colossal structure, the best photo spot for me would be from on top of the Colosseo metro, and to be seated on the ledges.
Nearby is the Palatine Hill and The Roman Forum, but that doesn’t appeal to me because it is all ruins
MAKE A WISH AT FONTANA DE TREVI
The most famous fountain in the world, the Fontana de Trevi is never lonely. Which is why if you want to get a great shot of this white marble masterpiece, come early as the crowds could really fill the fountain to the brim. Legend has it that, if you throw 1 coin in the fountain, you will be coming back to rome. If you throw 2 coins into the fountain, you will fall in love with a Roman. If you throw 3 coins into the fountain, however, the Roman will love you back. For this trip I threw only 1 coin. Little did I know that my wish will be coming true in 3 years.
STROLL AT PIAZZA NAVONA
Formerly one of Rome’s popular marketplaces, this delightful public square is home to artists, street performers, mobile shops and three beautiful fountains: 1) the fountain of the moor (which features Triton), 2) the fountain of Neptune and 3) the fountain of the four rivers. As it is surrounded by restaurants, you can eat your lunch or dinner al fresco and watch people in the square. As a rule of thumb though, the further you are from tourist spots, the less likely you are going to be ripped off. 🙂
DISCOVER THE DEAL WITH THE PANTHEON
Stand under this big ball of concrete roof with a hole to the sky, which is the only light in the building! As the Romans looked up to their gods, it is only reasonable that they would want to look at the sky. There is a latin inscription in the front of the building, which is a dedication to the Pantheon architect, Marcus Agrippa. The pantheon is the world’s largest unreinforced dome, and is a testament to Roman architecture and engineering. Our tour guide told us that, due to its design, water does not fall down the hole when it rains. This actually turned out to be not true! However, there are holes in the floor to drain rainwater.
STOP FOR AIR AS YOU CLIMB THE SPANISH STEPS
Probably the most famous stairs in the world, and is popularized by many movies and videos. Just climb it, because sitting on the steps is no longer allowed. (Which is good, because everyone wants to sit on the steps, and believe me, given the number of tourists in Rome, then you wouldnt be able to go up the stairs!) At the base of the stairs is the Piazza di Spagna, where you can find a beautiful boat fountain called Fontana della Barcaccia. If you walk straight ahead, you find Rome’s shopping street, Via Condotti.
EAT THE BEST PIZZA AL TAGLIO IN ROME
The best thing about Italy is its great food! Pizza is no exception (although many say that the Italian center for pizza is Naples). Pizza al taglio is a type of pizza cut in squares, and you can buy it by the slice. Arguably the best is Bonci (Pizzarium) by the famous Italian baker Gabrielle Bonci, which is a walking distance from the Vatican City. Seen above is the pizza place, you could sit in one of the limited benches infront, or eat standing, or just take away, whatever you prefer. This pizza place is just a few steps from the Cipro metro stop.
DRINK THE WORLD’S BEST COFFEE
It is no secret that there is no Starbucks in Italy, mainly because the Italians refuse to acknowledge that Starbucks is a coffee! The Italians love their coffee, and argue there’s nothing like it in the world. Have your Italian coffee in the morning. According to legend, it is frowned upon to order coffee with milk (cappuccino, cafe latte, cafe macchiato) in the afternoon… however, I tried it and It’s no biggie. The default cup is the espresso, and I tried the double espresso— I was awake all day! Caution though, the prices of the cup differ depending on how you drink it. Locals drink their coffee standing on the bar. Now, this isn’t like, drinking coffee and chatting or reading the paper, but this is actually bottoms up! If you sit down, the price of the coffee will be doubled or tripled. If ever you plan to sit, ask for the difference in price banco (the price standing up) and tavolo (the price sitting down). (Insert smiley crying while laughing here)
Other stuff:
Where to stay in Rome
For me, I like to stay near to the Trevi fountain area. During my first visit to Rome, we stayed at Hotel Tritone, which is a block away from the Trevi fountain. The closest metro in this area would be the Barberini station. From here, you can easily walk to the spanish steps and the colosseum. If you are a budget traveler, there are affordable places to stay too. We have tried the Kenzo and Kiara guesthouse found in Quattro Fontane, wherein we rented out a room inside a house and we get to have a private bathroom to ourselves. It was a walking distance to everywhere too!
Is it safe in Rome?
Depends on the area. There are many homeless people, which can scare me. But in Day
Getting around Rome
Rome is a walkable city. You can walk from one must-see spot to another! The city knows it, so they built signs for tourists. The only time I ever needed the metro was when I needed to go and see the Vatican City (Metro stop: Ottaviano). Taxis are found in Rome too, but beware of those who overcharge. I have rode a taxi asking for 40 euros from the Vatican to the Centro Storico (Rome’s center) which is the same price from Rome to Fluimucino Airport! But don’t lose faith, during our latest travel, we rode a taxi from Rome termini station to our apartment, it costs only 10 euros 🙂
XXXXxxxxx, Gayle
When she gets lost 