Your 10 Musts For The Ultimate Sightseeing Tour Of Rome!
August 5, 2009 by Cristiano Rubbi
Filed under Destinations
Colosseum – A structure that still stands proudly after 2000 years, the Colosseum fully deserves the admiration of the millions of tourists that visit it every year. From an architectural point of view it is truly a marvel because new building techniques, such as the use of bricks and the arch, were introduced for its construction, to raise its height and make it lighter. If you are going to Rome, we suggest you get pre-paid admission tickets to the Colosseum through tour operators in order to skip tiring and time-consuming lines.
Pantheon – An ancient Roman Temple dating to the first and second century A.D., the Pantheon is loved by the people of Rome as much as by visitors from all over the world. Its shape and structure has widely influenced Western architecture, especially from the 16th century onwards. An example? The Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Spanish Steps – The Spanish Steps, as they are known throughout the world, actually end up in Piazza di Spagna, or Spanish Square, which is what Romans usually refer to when speaking of the area. Whatever your preference, they are both splendid examples of buildings that went up in Rome in the 17th and 18th centuries. The soft colors and perfect proportions of the houses surrounding the square and the stunning view of the Steps blend together to form an impressive sight for anyone arriving there for the first time.
Navona Square – Ask a Roman these days what Navona Square reminds him of. His answer will probably be: the Epiphany Fair. This is a tradition going back into the distant past, according to which an old lady astride a broom brings gifts to children on the 6th January. To mark the occasion a fair is held in this square and obviously troops of children are anxious to file past the various stands and stalls selling toys and other tantalizing sights.
Trevi Fountain – It’s a brand name for beauty and popularity. Both tourists and Romans love this fountain that is located in the centre of Rome, where the action is. This is literally closer to the truth than you think. Plenty of movie scenes have been shot here: one of the best known, perhaps, is the one showing Anita Ekberg walking into the fountain in Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. Don’t try it yourself, though. The police are pretty sensitive on this score.
Bocca della Verita (Mouth of the truth) – Its peculiar name is due to an ancient practice of testing the words of crime suspects by asking them to put their hands in the Mouth. If they had told the truth, nothing would happen; otherwise they would lose their hands (the trick was to have judges hiding behind a wall and deciding whether the man was innocent or …!). As a matter of interest, the Mouth was originally the cover of a sewer manhole in the Roman Forum!
Janiculum Hill – Do you wish to have a splendid view of Rome without moving away from Rome? All you have to do is go up Janiculum Hill, which is located not far from the River Tiber. Tourists walking up the hill are also rewarded at noon when a cannon fires a blank shot as part of a tradition going back to the 19th century.
Vatican Museums – What is Rome’s best museum? We have no hesitation in replying, the Vatican Museums. Contrary to what one might think, these museums do not deal only, or even mainly, with the history of the Church. In fact, they have huge sections that are dedicated to Ancient Egyptian material, Greek and Roman sculptures, Etruscan archaeological findings, Renaissance paintings and other works of art. If you wish to skip the mile-long visitor lines, we suggest you ask your tour operator to purchase your ticket in advance. For your information, on the last Sunday every month admission to the Museums is free.
Sistine Chapel – You have just visited the Vatican Museums and another, even more incredible sight awaits you. Michelangelo’s Last Judgement decorates splendidly the ceiling and walls of the Chapel offer a breathtaking view to visitors. Equally magnificent are the frescoes by other Italian artists such as Perugino, Ghirlandaio and Pinturicchio.
St. Peter’s Basilica – This church is the heart of Christianity: it’s the biggest church in the world and is part of the Vatican City. Its construction took so long – from 1506 to 1626 – that in Rome, to indicate that something is taking a very long time to be completed, people usually say: this is like St. Peter’s construction. Geniuses such as Michelangelo, Bramante, Bernini and Maderno, worked to create this architectural marvel.