Rome is a beautiful city with impressive architecture. The Roman's historic past lives in the present in Rome. In most places I have visited I have needed to catch a coach to places of interest, which is always an excuse to forget that idea and just chill in the bars excursions are not my thing! But in Rome it's different. Different in that as you walk through Rome you will pass all the places of interest, as there is no distinction between old and new. Modern Rome has been built around and practically on top, of the old Rome.
On our first day in Rome we planned to visit some of the historic places listed in our guide, mainly because we didn't want to be labelled 'heathens'! More to the point it seemed very convenient to visit some places as they seemed to be quite near the shopping areas which were my first port of call.
Our journey from the hotel was dictated by our map. We choose a 'place of interest' and decided to shop and have bar breaks along the way. We figured that after seeing the film 'Gladiator' that even we could appreciate the Coliseum.
It all looked very complicated on the map, with loads of small, narrow streets that we'd have to take to get there. However, we followed the map religiously and now with a few bags of shopping we were drawing ever near to the said spot. We wandered through streets littered with shops and restaurants, and every so often we found ourselves walking along larger roads dotted with souvenir and refreshment stalls. And there hidden between new (in comparison to the older features of Rome) buildings and greenery, stood the remains of old Roman structures. Back on a smaller road, departing another clothes shop, a quick check of the map tells us that we should be more or less at the Coliseum. Umm it's not looking promising as we see to the end of the street. By the corner of the street we stop and look again to check our direction. Sure enough, according to the map we should be there. But we are stood on what could be described as a high street with shops etc and across the road in front of us was just a stone wall. Deciding to discover what the next road was called so that we could cross-check our bearings, we turned the corner and beheld a huge, cinematic Coliseum slightly worn by time.
There are many spectacular sites to see in Rome and like the Coliseum you don't have to look far a field for them.
I was told by quite a few people that despite Rome's reputation for being expensive, it is in fact rather affordable. Well I have no idea where these people went, because during our stay I believe we had travelled the length and width of Rome centre leaving no site or area unseen, and we found the prices to be hugely expensive. The cheapest beer we bought was worth a huge 6 a pint! And this wasn't in the major tourist areas!
Tips for visiting Rome:
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<*dv_0*> There are fountains that supply drinking water scattered all over Rome. Elaborately designed stone fountains can be found anywhere ranging from by the Trevi Fountain to small side streets. There are also basic water pumps that provide drinking water. None of these fountains will actually state that the water is drinkable, so if unsure hang back and watch to see if the locals approach it!! Take bottles of water with you to refill on your way, the prices for soft drinks from vending stalls are astronomical!
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Prices for food and drink are expensive, especially purchasing from the stalls. The best thing to do for snacks and drinks is to hunt out a Spar supermarket, they are pretty well hidden but we found two by ambushing a few local people. There's one hidden up a side street leading from Pantheon and we found another just down from the piazza Barberini (just behind the Trevi Fountain).
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There is normally a 25% service charge that will be added onto your bill at restaurants. You will also be supplied with a selection of breads which you will be expected to pay for. If you don't want the bread you can tell the waiter when he brings it and you shouldn't be charged.
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The Vatican City is legally classed as a country making it the smallest country in the world. Well worth a visit, it's free to enter and you will definitely be impressed with the architecture, sculptures and paintings. The ceiling is painted in gold, and the wealth of the chapel (both financial and in beauty) strikes you immediately. Be warned there is a very strict dress code for entering the Basilica, no shorts or vest tops for men. Women have to cover down to the knee and can't show bare shoulders or stomachs. Don't think that you may get away with sneaking in - the chapel is still in use and the religious policies are well respected and adhered to. Just outside the Vatican City there is a little shop selling souvenirs and to my shock there were bargains to be had here and to top it off the shop owner was extremely helpful. Here I purchased a scarf to cover my shoulders for 1.70, which also doubled as a lovely gift for mum! We were very lucky as we had a pair of loose fitted men's trousers passed onto us by another English couple who had in turn had them passed onto them! Trousers can be purchased from the same shop at a reasonable 4.00 - and can be recycled by passing them onto others afterwards. There were loads of people who foolishly queued to get into the Basilica (including us) and were refused entry due to dress codes - plenty of people to pass those trousers onto! Advice we received from all over was to go early and be prepared to queue my advice is to go later, there's not so many people there after lunch and the queues are minimal.
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<*dv_1*> Due to the fact that you are continually seeing beautiful and fascinating sites as you wander around Rome, you won't realise just how far you are walking be warned, your legs will be aching by the end of your holiday. So be sure to take more than just your flip flops and strappy sandals!
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