Rome

Rome is a city built on layers. The city is like an open museum. You will experience the breadth of its history at every turn. Filled with remnants of 2,000-year-old temples, piazzas, and cobblestones, the ruins are incorporated into modern structures. It is one of the world’s most powerful ancient empires.

Rome is known for its ancient ruins, architectural prowess, Roman cuisine, and diverse quartieri. A visit to Rome brings you close with monuments and constructions that influenced building practices and architectural styles. This place has been mentioned worldwide and holds a special involvement in author Dan Brown’s books too.

Mentioned in the world’s most iconic places, Rome is an epitome of beauty and history. Apart from being the capital city of Italy, the city also remains as a memorial to the creative imagination of architecture. Due to the 3000 year old ad hoc urban development, the historic centre of Rome is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Situated on the central portion of the Italian peninsula, on the Tiber River about 24 km from the Tyrrhenian Sea. Rome is made up of warm colours and historic architectural styles.

The beauty of this place resides significantly in the churches. There are approximately nine hundred churches, from the Paleochristian and Medieval period to the Gothic, from the Renaissance to the Baroque up until the Modern. Or, you can admire Rome’s beauty during the sunrise and the sunset. The colours become warmer and the city lights start to shine. A city filled with icons of antiquity and the Christian faith, it’s hard to know where to go first. Rome is divided into several districts with its centre, the Colosseo district, including the most ancient attractions like the Colosseum, Capitoline Hill, and the Roman Forum.

On the outskirts of the centre is Old Rome, featuring the Pantheon, majestic cathedrals, plazas, and Renaissance architecture. There are plenty of activities to do in Rome. For unique cultural experiences, you can visit the Trevi fountain and follow their tradition by tossing a coin into it. Or, you can shop for handicrafts and haute couture from the local market. Also, if you are an art fanatic, you can visit archaeological sites, Baroque churches, villas-turned-museums, for a wonderful experience. Moreover, you can hike up Mount Vesuvius and explore the UNESCO-listed ruins of Pompeii.

Rome has a Mediterranean climate. Temperatures can stay around 30 degrees in the daytime, but the nights are usually cooler and more comfortable.  In the spring season, Rome has warm weather and summers can be hot and humid. Temperatures in July and August can easily exceed 32 degrees Celsius. Additionally, winter is a really good time to visit. If you want to save money on accommodation, and site tourist attractions without the long lines then plan your vacation in winter.

What is the best places to visit in Rome?

1. The Colosseum

The Colosseum is by far the most popular place to visit in Rome. Once an amphitheater, the mammoth structure is known to have hosted gladiatorial battles, animal fights, executions and dramas. Although now in ruins, the historical amphitheater stands proudly in the heart of the city as a symbol of its Imperial Past.

It is now considered to be one of the seven new wonders of the world, and is the one of the most popular tourist destinations across the globe.

2. The Roman Forum

Located at the very centre of the Rome city, the Roman Forum is a rectangular plaza surrounded by several ancient government buildings on all sides. Now in ruins, the forum was once a place of utmost political importance, with several events such as criminal trials, public executions, elections and gladiatorial matches held here.

The earliest shrines and temples of the Roman Kingdom were also built around the forum. Surviving structures around here include the Temple of Saturn, the Arch of Septimius Severus, Tabularium, the Germanium Stairs and Temple of Caesar, among others.

3. The Pantheon

Once a Roman temple, the Pantheon in Rome City is one of its most important Catholic Churches in the present day. The remarkable splendour of the Pantheon derives from its architectural styles, going back to the academic realist form of art it comprises a series of perfectly symmetrical pillars. 
Each pillar supports an identical arch, which gives way to a dome on the top. Moreover, the church is also home to a number of tombs of famous Roman personalities, including that of the painter Raphael’s. The primary source of light in the Pantheon is the natural atmospheric light, making it one of the most intriguing structures of the city.

4. The Catacombs of Rome

The catacombs of Rome are ancient Christian burial spots built under the ground. There are about forty catacombs around Rome, among them are Generosa, Commodilla, Domitilla, Priscilla and San Lorenzo being a few. An untarnished storehouse of art, these burial grounds are home to some of the most stunning examples of ancient paintings, frescoes and sculptures, dating back to around 400 AD.

The paintings found here generally derive from Biblical stories and Christian myths, such as the nativity of Christ or the Fall of Adam.

5. The Trevi Fountain
Known across the world for its architectural beauty, the Trevi Fountain is the largest Baroque fountain in the city of Rome. The construction of Trevi was initially begun by Italian designer Nicola Salvi, and later completed by Giuseppe Pannini and others.

One of the things people do is throw coins into the fountain as it is considered to be lucky. The tradition is to turn one’s back to the fountain and throw with one’s right hand over their left shoulder. Around 3,000 euros are collected in the fountain each day, which are then used to subsidize the markets for Rome’s needy.

6. The Palatine Hill

Central among the seven hills of Rome, Palatine is often regarded as the nucleus of the erstwhile Roman Empire. The Palatine hill is home to a number of heritage monuments built during the days of the ancient empire.

These include the Palace of Domitian, which dominates most of the Hill, along with the Houses of Livia and Augustus, the Temple of Cybele, the Temple of Apollo Palatinus and the House of Tiberius. Visit the place to get some insight into one of the most influential ancient kingdoms.

7. The Borghese Museum and Gallery
Established in 1902, the Borghese Museum in Rome is an art gallery with a considerable collection of Borghese sculptures, paintings and antiquities. The Gallery consists of twenty-one rooms sprawling across two floors. The ceiling of each floor is elaborately frescoed, some of them are, the one depicting the Fall of the Phaeton and the other done with ‘trompe l’oeil’, or optical illusions.

The Borghese Museum is also home to a number of classical sculptures, especially those made by Bernini.

8. The Piazza Navona

Built on the site of the now gone Stadium of Domitian, the Piazza Navona is an open plaza in the heart of Rome. The Piazza is an important centre of Baroque art, and houses a number of significant sculptural creations, such as the s Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers, built by the renowned Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the year 1651.

It also houses the Church of Sant’Agnese, and two other fountains known as the Fontana del Moro, and the Fountain of Neptune.

What are some of the best things to do in Rome?

1. Taste the Gelato at Giolitti

Best-known as Rome's oldest ice cream parlor, Giolitti's ice cream is famed across the world. Serving hungry customers since the 1900’s, Giolitti’s gelato is favoured by both locals and tourists. Try the bests, from cones, to ice cream cakes to sundaes- this parlor has it all. Apart from its delectable cold items, Giolitti is also known for its confectionary products such as pastries or cassatas that you can gobble down. 

2. Explore Modern Art in MAXXI

Despite the high historical value of the places here, Rome also pays tribute to its contemporary wonders. MAXXI, also known as the National Museum of the 21st century Arts, is a museum of modern art and architecture.

Explore the architectural history of the city as you walk along the displays of unique structures, documents and photographs taken and designed by renowned architects and photographers such as Carlo Scarpa, Pier Luigi Nervi, Enrico Del Debbio and Olivo Barberi.

Do not, however, miss out on the separate section on art, which features paintings, sculptures, video arts, produced between the 1960’s and 2000, by Italian and foreign artists such as Alighiero Boetti, Francesco Clemente, William Kentridge, and Mario Merz.

3. Take a day trip to the nearby beaches

Although Rome isn’t exactly on the seaside, one doesn’t have to travel too far to visit some of the best nearby beaches. If you want to escape the bustle of the capital, you can take a short drive to the nearby cities of Santa Marinella, Fregene, and Cerveteri, and spend a morning picnicking on the white sands there.

4. Take a Vespa tour around the city

Among the many tours available in Rome, one of the most popular is the Scooterama’s scooter tour of the city. The tour takes you across some of the most popular destinations in Rome. There are multiple packages offered by the company, such as the classic tour, the cinema lovers’ tour or the street art tour. Scooterama also provides customized tour packages, catering to your tastes or time frame.

5. Explore the Hidden treasures of the city with Imago Artis

Rome is a city known for its artistic and historical splendor. With Imago Artis tours, one can dig deeper than just the surface of its wonders, and explore the hidden beauty of these monumental places.  The tour provides access to places that are generally off-limits for the public, such as the basements of ancient noble houses, a museum of ancient ruins and the gardens of the Knight of Malta. So, if a private exploration of the city’s hidden gems sounds fun then do opt for the tour. 

6. Explore the Cinematic History of Rome

Home to the Italian Neorealist movement in cinema, the streets of Rome are teeming with the cinematic spirit. The best way to experience the cinematic legacy of Rome is to walk the cobblestoned Via Margutta on foot. The Via Margutta was home to the renowned Italian director, Frederico Fellini, who had spent most of his life here.

This picturesque little place was also featured in Gregory Peck’s Roman Holiday. Walking a little further down, one would come across the Piazza di Spagna, which were featured in films like The Talented Mr. Ripley and Roman Holiday.

7. Witness ancient sculptures in a former power plant
Rejecting the traditional design of an art museum, the Museum of Centrale Montemartini presents its wonderfully crafted sculptures against the backdrop of machines. Take a stroll through the marble-clad floors as you explore the Museum’s  magnificent collection of a number of Greek and Roman statues, busts and friezes. Among its most popular exhibits include the bust of the Hera Borghese, and the sculpture of Orpheus with his animals.

8. Visit the Cat Sanctuary at the spot of Caesar’s murder 

Rome’s Largo di Torre Argentina is known for hosting the historical murder of Julius Cease in the Ides of March. Owing to its cultural significance, the site has been sealed and kept-off limits for the general public. However, for some years now, the area has been home to a colony of felines.

The southwest corner of the Largo di Torre has now been converted to a sanctuary for the strays of Rome, who are fed, cared for and then eventually given up for adoption from here. The plaza houses nearly 150 strays at the moment and all the animal lovers must add this to their Rome itinerary.

9. Take a stroll along the Appian Antica

Widely considered to be the most important road in Rome, the Appian Way or the Appian Antica, is often referred to as the Queen of Roads. Constructed as early as 312 BC, it connected Ancient Rome to the rest of Italy, and was a vitally important network for trade and transportation.

Now, the Appian Antica is a beautiful promenade surrounded by greenery. As you walk along the scenic road, explore the history of its making through the wonderful sculptures that dot its sides, such as the Catacombs of St Sebastian, the Vigna Randanini, Jewish catacombs, the Circus of Maxentius or the Tomb of Caecilia Metella.

10. Discover the secret escape route for Popes 

Housed in the city of Borgo, the Passetto di Borgo is a secret escape passage linking the Vatican City to Castel Sant’Angelo. The route served as an escape route for several Popes in the past. As you make your way through the narrow halls, discover the secret of the passage used by Pope Alexander to escape the Roman Invasion in 1494.