When people mention Italy to me, I always reflect on my amazing trip there, where we flew into Venice for a magical few days, then picked up a car and drove through and around Florence/Tuscany for a week before heading to Rome where we spent a few days exploring ‘The eternal city.’ Italy is a destination that seems to be on everyone’s ‘bucket list’ and it’s a country that does not fail to deliver a fantastic time.
There is so much to see and do in Italy and the country is diverse with lots on offer, and there are also many things to talk about, so for this blog I shall focus on Rome, so I can share my Venice and Tuscany experiences at another time.
Rome is romantic, steeped in history with numerous icons which must be explored (even if you are not a history fanatic or a religious person), a culinary delight, a shopping label Mecca and perfect to visit at any time due to its year round welcoming and warm climate.
The history of Rome is fascinating and there is so much to explore and discover. Right in the centre of town is the majestic Roman Forum, which is a full village of ruins and I do recommend purchasing an audio tour kit so that you can understand and appreciate what you are looking at (well worth the few Euro!). The Colosseum is nearby and is a spectacular sight from the outside and a marvel on the inside. The structural condition of the Forum and the Colosseum is amazing and they stand as a regular part of the city, surrounded and amongst the modern day buildings – quite extraordinary and unique, it’s really fascinating.
St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel are located in the Vatican City and both will take your breath away. There are always long queues to access these two areas but they are well worth the wait (and you do ‘jump the queue’ if you are part of an organised tour, something to bear in mind!). The artwork in the Sistine Chapel is nothing short of magnificent, and your entry will also take you throughout all of the Vatican Museums. Visit the tombs of the former Popes in St Peter’s Basilica and walk up the steps to Michelangelo’s Dome to take in the fantastic view out over all of Rome.
There are numerous other galleries and museums, including the Borghese Gallery (one of the main art galleries) and the Capitoline Museum, which is situated on the top of Capitoline Hill – the views from here are spectacular and worth the climb, regardless of whether you go into the museum or not.
Of course, Rome is not all history, ruins and museums. Piazza Navona is a great place to relax and watch the world go by its daily business. The famous Tre Scalini Café is here and you can sit and enjoy an espresso or gelato whilst looking at the Fountain of the Four Rivers.
The Piazza Del Popolo is also another great spot to do the same and nearby are the Spanish Steps and Via Condotti (one of the main top-end shopping areas …. Always good to dream!).
The Pantheon houses a beautiful dome and the tomb of Raphael the artist, and is another icon worth checking out.
There are lots of great hotels to stay in, the sights are easy to access and getting around the main city area is also easy as can be mostly done on foot so you can drink in the wonderful atmosphere whilst you explore.
The food is fabulous – pizza, pasta, meat dishes and salads, with clean, fresh, simple flavours. Delicious antipasti, divine desserts, coffee and gelato… a heavenly feast for all the senses. Restaurants and wine bars are aplenty and places you can spend hours relaxing, eating and drinking.
And one last thing, I forgot to mention the Trevi Fountain – which is quite tricky to find as you walk through a maze of little alleys to reach. But make sure you do, as the belief is that if you toss a coin over your shoulder into the Fountain, you will definitely return back to Rome one day. And this is a city that you will definitely want to return back to!