It's almost the end of February... which means its "Reading Week" for most university students (oh, how I miss those days!)... including my sister. For her week off, she has hopped a flight to Brussels to spend some time traipsing around Europe with my parents. The downside to having a full-time job (maybe one of the only downsides) is the limited holiday time... I've been wishing all week I could catch the Eurostar and join in the fun, but I'm afraid skyping will have to do.
The Trevi Fountain is located in the Trevi Rione (quarter) in Rome and is one of the largest in the world. I love the fountain but I did find it to be quite crowded... however, it is worth it...
Don't forget your change! The fountain is FULL of currency from all over the world. The original legend says that if you throw a coin into the Trevi – with your back to the fountain, throwing the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder – that will ensure a return to Rome. Perhaps thanks in part to the film “Three Coins in the Fountain,” a newer story also routinely makes the rounds that says throwing one coin means a return to Rome, a second coin leads to a new romance, and a third coin leads to marriage. You are welcome to believe (or not believe) either one – it all depends on your level of superstition, and the depth of your wallet!
2) The Colosseum
The Colosseum is right at the heart of one of the main archaeological areas of central Rome. The chances are that you'll be walking past it a lot. It's worth paying (although sometimes it's free) to go inside and take a look around. The original floor of the arena was made of wood and is long gone, making it possible to see down into the 'backstage' area.
What is extraordinary about the Pantheon is not only its architecture or external beauty, but also the fact that it represents a true cultural revolution. It was the first temple built for the common people. The Pantheon is a national Mausoleum; it is the resting place of the Italian Royal family and some great Renaissance artists including Raffaello.
7) The Mouth of Truth
At the foot of the Aventine hills, a Roman statue is conserved that has attracted the attention and curiosity of tourists from all over the world. It is the "Bocca della Verità", which in English means the Mouth of Truth, an ancient stone mask from the Classical period that represents a river god with an open mouth, wide eyes and a flowing mane of hair.
The reason for its unshakeable fame is a rather macabre legend associated with the mask since ancient times. If a liar puts their hand inside its mouth, they will lose it. The mask is so famous that even Hollywood honoured it in a film about the city called Roman Holiday. In one of the most memorable scenes, Gregory Peck, in front of a terrified Audrey Hepburn, daringly challenges the mask by putting his hand inside its mouth.
Today the three of them leave for Rome... I can't really complain too much, I've been lucky enough to have visited Rome over the summer while on my 45 day Contiki Ultimate European trip around Europe... but this week I'm wishing I could have visited again with the family.
My List of Must Do's in Rome
1) Trevi Fountain
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| Making a wish - a new romance |
The Trevi Fountain is located in the Trevi Rione (quarter) in Rome and is one of the largest in the world. I love the fountain but I did find it to be quite crowded... however, it is worth it...
Don't forget your change! The fountain is FULL of currency from all over the world. The original legend says that if you throw a coin into the Trevi – with your back to the fountain, throwing the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder – that will ensure a return to Rome. Perhaps thanks in part to the film “Three Coins in the Fountain,” a newer story also routinely makes the rounds that says throwing one coin means a return to Rome, a second coin leads to a new romance, and a third coin leads to marriage. You are welcome to believe (or not believe) either one – it all depends on your level of superstition, and the depth of your wallet!
2) The Colosseum
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| The Colosseum with Alex |
3) Vatican City
While Vatican City is technically its own independent city-state, no one visits Vatican City on its own without visiting Rome as well...or at least I don't know why you wouldn't? For most travelers, touring the Vatican is one day out of a trip to Rome, and that’s exactly what I suggest when people ask me how much time they should spend in Vatican City (we only had about 4 hours to see everything! – but in addition to allotting a day for the Vatican, I also highly recommend signing on to a good guided tour of the Vatican. This will not only help you navigate the maze of the Vatican Museums (and make sure you don’t miss any of the truly important stuff), a good guide will also help you understand the context of what you’re seeing as well. And whether or not you’re Catholic, a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica is made infinitely more interesting when you know what it is you’re looking at.
4) Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona is one of the Roman's most treasured piazzas; the piazza revolves around the open-air-cafés and the seasonal fairs. In the summer the piazza provides a continous festival of painters, caricaturists, fortune-teller and buskers, who entertain visitors until the small hours. I had my first Roman meal here... of course it was delicious!
5) Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps)
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| The Spanish Steps - July 2010 |
6) Pantheon
What is extraordinary about the Pantheon is not only its architecture or external beauty, but also the fact that it represents a true cultural revolution. It was the first temple built for the common people. The Pantheon is a national Mausoleum; it is the resting place of the Italian Royal family and some great Renaissance artists including Raffaello.
7) The Mouth of Truth
At the foot of the Aventine hills, a Roman statue is conserved that has attracted the attention and curiosity of tourists from all over the world. It is the "Bocca della Verità", which in English means the Mouth of Truth, an ancient stone mask from the Classical period that represents a river god with an open mouth, wide eyes and a flowing mane of hair.
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| My moment of truth - July 2010 |
