Rome is one of the world’s great cities. It has a rich and extravagant history, unbelievable architecture, an endless array of cultural venues, stellar food, and lovely weather; really, there’s nothing to dislike about it, and anyone who’s spent time there knows they could write full books on the wonder and majesty of it. While no internet article could ever cover the full extent of what Rome has to offer, the following will attempt to identify a few things that you might want to see while you’re in the Eternal City.
Make A Wish At The Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is located in the Trevi district. Made famous by countless films like Roman Holiday, Three Coins in the Fountain, Sabrina Goes to Rome, and especially the classically sensual masterpiece La Dolce Vita by Federico Fellini, the Trevi Fountain is a sight not to be missed. The fountain is the largest baroque fountain in the city (86 feet high and 161.3 feet wide) and was designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi. Many visitors take the time to toss a coin in the waters and make a wish. To do this properly, you’re supposed to throw the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder. Believe it or not, it’s estimated that 3000 Euros are tossed into the fountain each day. If you were wondering, the money is used to subsidize a supermarket that provides for those in Rome who need a little extra help. Of course, there are regular attempts to steal coins from the fountain. This is illegal.
Tour Vatican City
While the Vatican City is technically an independent city-state separate from the rest of Italy, it’s located within Rome and well worth your time. Vatican City is the smallest state in the world by both population and area (there are about 825 people who live there) and is governed by the Holy See. It’s what’s called an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state (this is a form of theocracy) and is ruled by the pope, who is the head of the Catholic Church and also bishop of Rome. There are Vatican tours in Rome that can help guide you through this masterpiece of a city so you don’t miss some of the insane history or wonders of art and architecture. The extravagance alone makes it well worth your time, but anyone interested in history, culture, or religion will find this stop breathtaking. There’s no country like it in all the world.
Gape At The Sistine Chapel
Located within Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel is one of the world’s most magnificent works of art. Beloved for the frescoes that decorate the inside (particularly The Last Judgement and the Sistine Chapel ceiling depicting the creation of Adam painted by Michaelangelo), the Sistine Chapel is one of those breathtaking sights that, no matter how often you’ve seen it in pictures, feels completely different when you look at it in real life. An expert tip is to schedule your tour for first thing in the morning before the building gets filled. If you’re really quick, you’ll get to see what it looks like with all the lights on (staff turn them on briefly in the morning, but full lights can speed up the decay of the paint, so they’re promptly minimized once the morning work is done).
Marvel At The Colosseum
In the center of Rome, just to the east of the Roman Forum, is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, which is still the largest amphitheatre in the world despite construction completed in 80 AD under Titus, who scheduled 100 days of games to dedicate the amphitheatre. This famous limestone, tuff, and concrete building can hold up to 80,000 spectators and was home to gladiatorial combat and public spectacles galore during Imperial Rome. Considered one of the seven wonders of the world, the Colosseum is one of Rome’s most popular attractions. It witnessed four centuries of active use, leaving each stone feeling like it’s brimming with secrets from the past.
The above list contains just a few pieces of the wonder that is Rome. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to wander the streets aimlessly as part of Rome’s magic and charm is the feeling of the little alleyways and coffee shops, tasting street food and breathing in the mystical feeling of this city that’s both ancient and modern. Make sure to bring your camera everywhere as well as a notebook or sketchbook as Rome has an uncanny ability to make everyone who traipses through her streets feel the need to make art and express themselves.
