5 Classic Highlights In Rome, Italy

Barring the outstanding cafes, pizza parlors, clothing and shoe stores, gelato shops, pasta hangouts and museums and churches at each corner, at the guts of Rome, the "Eternal City," is its long history. Parable tells that Rome was set up 753 BCE by Romulus and Remus, the twin boys of the Roman god of war, Mars. These highlights in Rome tell a tale that still resounds in the rocks, paintings and really walls of these sights. Let's take a journey back through the history of Rome - and don't forget a pair of comfortable shoes - the cobblestone streets can be unpleasant!

1) Trevi Fountain ( Fontana di Trevi )
The Trevi Fountain stands as one of the grandest fountains in Rome. In nineteen BC, it was one of the aqueducts that supplied traditional Rome with clean water. It was named the Aqua Virgo, after the virgin who discovered it, and that was utilised by Rome for at least four hundred years until the aqueducts were destroyed by the Goths. The existing fountain that stands was completed in 1762 and features Neptune, the Roman god of water and sea ( similar to Poseidon in Greek mythology ). Neptune's boys, Tritons, are seen below him, taming the seahorses that are pulling his chariot while he controls the roaring waters. It's been said that once you throw a coin into the fountain, you are guaranteed another visit to Rome.
Travel secret? In the piazza surrounding the Trevi Fountain is also where you'll find some fo the best gelato in Rome.

2) The Spanish Steps ( Scalinata della Trinit dei Monti )
known as the widest staircase in Europe, the Spanish Steps are comprised of 138 steps that were built in 1723-1725. They were built to attach the Piazza di Spagna at its base to the Piazza Trinita dei Monti at its top, which featured a recently built church ( Trinita dei Monti ) funded by the bourbon kings of France. If you look closely, you'll spot the French fleur-de-lys sculpted in and around the steps. At the bottom of the steps in the Piazza di Spagna, you'll find the Barcaccia Fountain ( Fontana della Barcaccia ) that was built in 1627-29 - and today is used by many visitors to fill their water bottles for their water break on the Spanish Steps. Searching for Ferienwohnungen Rom near to the Spanish Steps?

3) The Pantheon
As you walk through the dark columns of the portico outside the Pantheon, you wonder if you are about to enter a crypt. But once you step within, the quantity of natural light that floods this church attributed to all Roman gods brings you to a place of submission to the ancient minds that created this place. A circular opening in the center of the roof called the "Great Eye" provides light and ventilation while a drainage system in the floor overthrows of any rain that comes through it. The concrete used to build the church is still a mystery as modern concrete wouldn't be able to hold the weight of the Pantheon.
The building was initially built by the army general Agrippa in 27 BC but was rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian in 125 AD. It is thought of as the best saved building of its age and form in the world. In 609, the Pantheon was converted into a Christian church - which saved it from destruction during the medieval period. Afterward, it changed into a tomb for Rome's greats including the painter, Raphael and two kings of Italy, including Vittorio Emanuele II. Choirs and little groups often visit to have a go at the Pantheon's acoustics, a phenomenon for musicians and designers. Catch a mass or service here and you'll leave in far more astonishment of its confusing yet excellent design.

4) The Vatican : St. Peter's Square & Basilica, Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel
Whether you are a follower or just a visitor, a tour through the Vatican is a sensory overload but merits much of its due. It can be described in two words : grandeur and glory. Be ready to wait in long lines and ladies must dress modestly ( no legs or arms showing ). If you can, visit on a Sun. and catch the Pope through a small window. While Vatican town is the smallest country in the world with a population of around eight hundred, it is also likely one of the most puzzling, secret-laden and historically critical places in the world. It is where the seat and head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, is located. In traditional Rome, this site was considered a sacred location and place of worship. After the great fire in Rome in 64 CE, many Christians were martyred here including the apostle Peter who was crucified upside down. Monuments and a church was built at this site in 326 and later was St. Peter's Square and Basilica - built also as a tomb for St. Peter. The papal Swiss Guard was set up in the 1500's as the bodyguards of the Pope. They continue to wear their standard uniforms which are always a fun sight for first-time visitors to the Vatican. There is so much to see in Vatican town and it can be overwhelming. Here are the highlights.
Begin at St. Peter's Square and get a feeling for the huge construction of this palace in itself. But steel yourself for what awaits you within as you walk noiselessly through the burial grounds below : the tombs of past Popes and Saint Peter himself. You're not alone if you feel chills down your spine. As you enter St. Peter's Basilica, be prepared to crane your head upwards and in all directions at the tons of sculptures, paintings and statues including the original Pieta by Michelangelo. Spend an afternoon in the Vatican Museum to look at the many thousands of art work, statues and dedicated pieces to the Church - and be prepared as you enter the Sistine Chapel for another sense-shocking experience : a painted ceiling by Michelangelo. Remember, no pictures and since it's a chapel, you can continue to be shushed by guards.

5) The Colosseum & Roman Forum
Last although not least, a visit to Rome is unfinished without setting your sights on the grand Colosseum. To avoid lines, visit the Roman Forum first and buy your passes there which give you access to the Forum as well as the Colosseum later in the afternoon - you'll be glad that you did when you go by the hundreds of people in line at the Colosseum. A walk through the big Roman Forum, once the heart of Imperial Rome, is no walk in the park. Ancient monuments and stones stand where when they hummed with gardens, worshipers in churches, marketplaces, fountains and walks on cobblestone streets. Tip : take a tour or bring a guide book to steer you through the ruins, what they once were and their significance - otherwise you'll just be looking at old rocks!

The Colosseum was initially named the Flavian amphitheater and was the largest of its kind built in traditional Rome in 70-80 AD, on the eastern side of the Roman Forum. Made to seat fifty thousand folk, this site desires no introduction, having been prominently featured in the flick The Gladiator. Voters of Rome from all classes would come and watch gladiator battles. When you visit, take a while to soak in its grandeur - but don't forget to appreciate the complex design under the arena that housed the gladiators and wild animals. Book Apartments Rom near to the Colosseum and revel in the town!
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