A city dripping with history, you don't have to look far to be entertained in this vibrant capital. The sheer imperial scale of Rome is sure to knock you out
2009-05-27
WHY GO?
It's hard to say what you'll find most breathtaking about the Eternal City - the arrogant opulence of the Vatican, the timelessness of the Forum, the gory resonance of the Colosseum, or the bill for your caffe latte.
Whatever it may be, Rome is deeply rooted in its past, yet always on the move. Everywhere you go, from the St Peter?s Basilica to Sistine Chapel different slices of history clamour for your attention.
DID YOU KNOW? Rome is the capital city of Italy and of the Lazio region, as well as the country's largest and most populous city, with more than 2.7 million residents.
Best time to go
Numerous outdoors festivals and concerts and the fact that the Romans desert the city for the beaches and mountains, which means very light traffic and a less-crowded city centre, makes summer almost worth the heat. Try to hit the sights early, take a long lunch and a nap, and then head out again around 18:00 to take advantage of the cooler evening. Be aware some restaurants and shops close for the month of August.
Watch out for
1. Shop closing times: most shut from 1.30pm to 4.30pm.
2. Sit-down prices in bars, which are much higher than perch-at-the-counter prices.
STAY?
Rome's hotels run the full gamut, and the hotels in the historic centre charge a premium for their location, and facilities don't always match asking prices. Be aware that Italy has more luxury hotels, expensive restaurants and shops to die for than you can shake a Black American Express card at, so be prepared to stretch your budget if you are easily tempted.
SHOP?
Don't feel bad if you find that Rome's shop windows are competing with its monuments for your attention: it happens to everyone. Whether it's designer clothing, jewellery, books, homewares or antiques, chances are you'll find something that just has to be bought.
FOOD?
The trattoria is usually a family-run concern serving home cooking. A ristorante is more formal, with a wider selection of dishes. The osteria is an inn, usually with only a few local dishes and endless wine. Pizzerias can serve antipasto, pasta, meat and vegetable dishes as well as pizza.
EXPLORE?
Sightseeing in Rome is exhilarating and exhausting. That it wasn't built in a day is quickly evident when you start exploring the temples, residences, basilicas, churches, palazzi, piazza, parks, museums and fountains. All this and the Vatican too!
Vatican City
The city of Rome surrounds the Vatican City, the enclave of the Holy See, which is a separate sovereign state. It hosts Saint Peter?s Square with the Saint Peter?s Basilica. The open space before the basilica was redesigned, under the direction of a Pope, as a forecourt, designed "so that the greatest number of people could see the Pope give his blessing, either from the middle of the fa?ade of the church or from a window in the Vatican Palace". In Vatican City there are also the Vatican Library, Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms and other works of Leonardo da Vinci worth visiting.
DID YOU KNOW? The State of the Vatican City, the sovereign territory of the Holy See is an enclave of Rome. It is the smallest country in the world, and the capital of the only religion that has representation in the United Nations.
Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel is best known for being the location of Papal conclaves, or the election of a new pope. More commonly, it is the physical chapel of the Papal Chapel.
Colosseum
One of the symbols of Rome is the Colosseum (70-80 AD), the largest amphitheatre ever built in the Roman Empire. Originally capable of seating 60,000 spectators, it was used for gladiatorial combat.
St Peter?s Basilica
The St Peter?s Basilica, officially known in Italian as the Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano is located within the Vatican City in Rome. It occupies a ?unique position? as one of the holiest sites and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom ". It is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and, according to tradition, was the first Bishop of Antioch, and later first Bishop of Rome, the first Pope.
Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona is a square in Rome. The piazza follows the plan of an ancient Roman circus, the 1st century Stadium of Domitian where the Romans came to watch the games.
Pantheon
The Pantheon (meaning "Temple of all the gods") is a building in Rome, which was originally built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome. The generic term pantheon is now applied to a monument in which illustrious dead are buried. It is the best preserved of all Roman buildings, and perhaps the best-preserved building of its age in the world. It has been in continuous use throughout its history. Since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Christian church. The Pantheon is currently the oldest standing domed structure in Rome.
Roman Forum
The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed, in which commerce and the administration of justice took place. The communal hearth was also located here. It was built on the site of a past cemetery.
Roman Summer
From June to September, the Estate Romana (Roman Summer) encompasses many summer festivals as Rome comes alive with free concerts, outdoor cinema and much more. Tiberina Island, on the Tiber River, hosts? bars, stalls, gigs and open-air films in July and August. In September the city cranks up on coffee and stays awake all night for the Notte Bianca (white night), when museums, galleries and shops open from 20:00-08:00, with free concerts and happenings all over Rome.
Testaccio & Trastevere
Testaccio is the place to be in summer, when one of Rome's best-preserved areas becomes a stomping ground for the young and hip. A festival of nightclubs and general coolness goes down every evening from 22:00. There are lots of outdoor concerts over the summer, including atmospheric jazz at the Villa Celimontana. The Trastevere is also filled with street theatre, craft stalls and food booths during the Festa di Noantri (20-28 July).
XEHER TIP Don?t miss the top of the Gianicolo hill just before sunset and gaze at the city laid out before you.
