If we were transported many centuries ago, we would not be able to walk around Roman soil. The Great Roman Empire, the period of development of one of the leading civilizations of antiquity, owned colossal territories in Europe and the Mediterranean. According to some estimates, in the second century the empire was inhabited by about a third of the total population of the Earth. Now this task does not seem so difficult: today’s Rome, also known as the “eternal city” to which “all roads lead”, is not that big. With this entry, I begin a series of reports “Not Just Italy”, in which I will share my observations and impressions from a trip to Rome, the Vatican and Naples. I’ll start my photo story with a classic first walk around the city.

By a classic walk I mean exploring the usual tourist and semi-tourist places. In my opinion, being in a big city for the first time and not seeing the most famous sights is stupid. Those travelers who say that they are not at all interested in such places are definitely lying. All of them also include the Brandenburg Gate, Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower and the Colosseum in their programs. On the second and subsequent trips it’s a different matter.

We checked into the hotel, which was within walking distance from the station, late in the evening. The next morning we went to explore the ancient city.

Briefly speaking about impressions, the picture is as follows: first impression - “Wow! Beautiful city!”, second impression - “Wow! So many different details and individual features!”, third impression - “Wow! Very hot, but still so interesting !". Conclusion: the city is stunning, charismatic, capable of attracting and holding attention to its details and history.

As you know, Rome is the first city to have a continuous water supply system.

At the end of the second century, the city had more than five thousand fountains and a dozen aqueducts, thanks to which water flowed into the city.

Nowadays there are water pumps with drinking water at almost every step.

The water is quite tasty, which cannot be said, for example, about German tap water (my subjective opinion). In hot weather, such speakers are simply irreplaceable.

A self-respecting street cafe or restaurant has fans with air humidification.

At every step you can see the abbreviation "SPQR", which means "Senatus Populus Que Romanus" ("Senate and Citizens of Rome"). It is also used on the city coat of arms.

Motor scooters are perhaps the most favorite urban form of transport for the Romans.

We approached the Republic Square (Italian: Piazza della Repubblica).

The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Italian: Santa Maria degli Angeli), built according to a design by Michelangelo (presumably), is also located here.

For the first time in my life I saw electric candles in church (!). To light up such an ingenious invention, you need to put a coin in and press a button.

In 1700, Pope Clemens XI assembled a commission to review the Gregorian calendar. A 45-meter meridian was laid in this basilica, with the help of which mathematical and astronomical calculations were carried out.

We walk along one of the main streets (Via Nazionale) in the direction of Venice Square (Italian: Piazza Venezia).

We met a kind Roman.

Here, on the slope of one of the seven Roman hills, namely the “Capitolian”, there is a monument in honor of the first king of Italy (Italian: Monumento nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II).

It offers decent views of the city and the Colosseum.

Flavian Amphitheater or simply Colosseum:

Eye-catching street performer:

Coliseum.

Here is the Palatine Hill, from which the history of the city began. According to legend, it was on it that the brothers Romulus and Remus, the founders of the Eternal City, were suckled by a she-wolf.

In the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin (Italian: Santa Maria in Cosmedin) there is an antique marble slab depicting the mask of Triton “Mouth of Truth” (Italian: Bocca della Verità). Medieval "lie detector".

Tiber River and Castel Sant'Angelo (Italian: Castel Sant Angelo).

At different times, the emperor's mausoleum, a fortress, a castle, a prison and finally a museum. It is located near the Vatican, which will be discussed in a separate post.

Another striking attraction is the Pantheon or “temple of all gods” (Italian: Pantheon).

The Spanish Steps (Italian: Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti) and the Barcaccia Fountain (Italian: Fontana della Barcaccia).

Finally, some city views from Place Napoleon I.

The Vatican Basilica of St. Peter (Italian: Basilica di San Pietro) in the background.

This was the introductory post. That's all for today.

Many thanks to my hospitable sponsor in Rome - the Russian online hotel booking service

Most of all, during our travels in new cities, we love walking (however, at home, in St. Petersburg, it’s the same). We like to get to know the city by looking at its streets and houses. If we come across some attraction to which entry is free, we go in; otherwise, we walk further. Maybe this is not correct, but somehow (with rare exceptions) we are not a fan of museums and museum exhibits, which the caring hands of art historians have taken out of context, from the environment for which they were created, lined up, placed under glass and/ or blocked with ropes and the words “Don’t touch”. In addition, the work of these caring hands in glazing and fencing historical values ​​in most cases also has to be paid for.

Our first walk began from the center of transport intersections in Rome - Termini Station (pronounced Termini). If information about the route may be useful to someone, there is a description of it in the second part of the post. If you're going to Rome and don't want to spoil your impressions with other people's photos, just follow the link right away (although when I wrote comments on the photos, I dug up a few interesting facts that weren't in the guide). The first part will contain some photographs and letters. So, let's go for a walk!

From the main exit of Termini Station you can see many buses. They stand on the Five Hundred Square (Piazza Dei Cinquecento), which is named after the 500 Italian soldiers who were slaughtered by the Ethiopians in 1887. On the right side of the square you can see the first attraction - the Baths of Diocletian:


In general, there are a great variety of baths in Rome. Now they are more or less preserved frames of ancient buildings, and once served the Romans as a place for leisure, an indispensable attribute of which was washing in the bathhouse. Yes, a lot of water has passed under the bridge since the Romans invented sewerage and running water.

After a few steps we come out onto another square - the Republican Square (piazza della Repubblica), which is framed by nice buildings:


In the center of the square is the Naiad Fountain. If we speak in Russian, then there will be a Fountain of Mermaids. There are four naiad mermaids: one is from the lake, because it is holding a swan, the second is from the river (it is not clear what it is holding, but according to the sculptor’s plan, it is a river monster), the third is from the ocean (for some reason the author of the fountain decided that since the naiad is an ocean one, let it ride on horses), and the fourth is a mermaid, responsible for underground waters (since underground, the sculptor thought, that means with a dragon).

In the center of the fountain is a man with the important name Marine Glaucus. The main one, that is. According to one legend - the son of Poseidon, according to another - "...a fisherman who ate a mysterious herb and turned into a deity." And in this state, Glaucus showed the way to the sailors. Looks like we got some good grass!


One of the central streets leads from the square - National (via Nazionale). After walking along it a little, we turn onto Turinskaya Street. It's smaller and more interesting. The corners of the houses here are decorated in the same way as, but unlike Poland, the theme is religious.


On the right side you can see the Rome Opera House. It was opened already in 1800 by Rossini’s opera “Semiramide” (not that I’m into classical music, but I’ve heard the name Rossini before)))


Walking a little further, we come out to the square where the Most Important Church of St. Mary stands. Firstly, this is how it can be called when translated into Russian (in Italian - Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore). Secondly, it is the largest of the Roman temples, dedicated to the Virgin Mary and one of the four main churches of Rome.


There is a funny legend according to which in 352, the Madonna (aka the Virgin Mary, aka the Mother of God, aka the mother of Jesus Christ) appeared in a dream to both the then pope and one of the local oligarchs, and said that the next day (and it was summer) it would snow. And that’s where, or rather where, he will go, and there it is necessary to build a church in her honor.


You can enter this temple for free and you can even take pictures. It's very spacious inside. And interesting. From floor to ceiling:










They did not have time to hang a “Do not touch” sign on the doors in a timely manner, which was taken advantage of by numerous pilgrims:


We continue our way and come across a nice fountain:


Along cute little streets...


We go out onto a larger street named Cavour. Having scoured the Internet to find out why he is so famous, and having learned about this, I can now expand on the saying “When the first metro train was launched in England in 1861, serfdom had just been abolished in Russia.” continuation “...and in Italy they elected the first prime minister.” This first prime minister is Count Camillo Benso di Cavour. In addition to the premiership, he participated in the creation of the constitution, and his first literary work was an article on the tax in favor of the poor in England.


From the street named after Comrade Cavour again we delve into smaller streets...


...and we go out to the square near the church, which is called “Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli”. On the square there is a completely modern picture:


You won’t even think that behind the door there is a thing about which it is written in the Bible: “And behold, the Angel of the Lord appeared, and light shone around the prison. Pushing Peter in the side, he woke him up and said: “Get up quickly. And the chains fell from his hands" (Acts 12:7)

Here they are, these chain chains:


It turns out that in Orthodoxy (.ru) there is even a special holiday “Worship of the honorable chains of the holy and all-praised Apostle Peter,” which is celebrated three times a year. But I naively believed that in Orthodox Christianity it is customary to worship only Christ.

This church has another historical value - the sculpture of Moses, which was sculpted by Michelangelo himself. It was conceived as the crown of the tomb of one of the popes, but that is not what is interesting about it. When conceiving the sculpture, Michelangelo was based on the generally accepted version of the Latin translation of the Bible (this translation even has its own name - Vulgate). And it had to happen that just in the passage about Moses in this very Vulgate a mistake was made: in the original source in Hebrew it is written that “It was difficult for the Israelites to look into the face of Moses because his face radiated light.” However "rays"(in the sense of rays of light) can be translated into Latin not only as "rays" but also how "horns". Well, they wrote about Moses in the Latin Bible that “His face was horned.” Therefore, Michelangelo had no choice but to depict Moses with horns:


Having left the Church of St. Peter with chains, we slowly continue our walk. And suddenly, turning behind another house, we see... we see... HIM...


Back in the thirteenth century, pilgrims (pilgrims who) launched a saying among the people: “As long as the Colosseum stands, Rome will stand; if the Colosseum disappears, Rome will disappear and with it the whole world.” The structure (or rather, its remains) is actually huge and amazes with its power.

Why I wrote the remains: for several centuries, the Colosseum was not only abandoned, but stones from its walls were stolen for the construction of other buildings. Only in the eighteenth century did one of the popes decide that there was no point in wasting goodness, and dedicated it to the Passion of Christ, because a lot of people died as martyrs here.

Although the Colosseum was built for the opposite purpose - as a place of entertainment. True, it turned out that entertainment in those days was still the same. Well, everyone has heard about gladiator fights, and some modern Romans earn their living from this:


However, even cooler spectacles were staged. According to Wikipedia, the Roman people had fun watching such an action when "... girls and women were raped by bulls, donkeys and other domestic animals and wild animals." What a horror!

There were also shows called "naumachia". Despite the scary name, it was a more decent and large-scale event than group orgies. Navachia is a re-enactment of a naval battle. Apparently, tin soldiers had not yet been invented, and from time to time the emperor wanted to play with something childish. Moreover, I wanted it so much that I was not too lazy to build life-size ships, and then destroy these ships during the game. Naturally, together with rowers and other sailors.


Having walked around the Colosseum, we went for a walk further, along the Street of St. John the Baptist on the Lateran Hill. St. John the Baptist's less pompous name in Italian is San Giovanni. Well, almost Saint Vova.


The street is named after the church of the same name. In general, in Italy a church is often called not a church, but a basilica. And it’s funny that once church meant "God's house", A basilica — "royal house" Next to the church, on the right, is the former papal palace, where popes not only lived in the past, they were also elected there.


Above the entrance to the basilica it is written that she “the mother and head of all churches in the city and the world.” It seems that this is still the most important church of Catholic Christianity in the world. Even more important than St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.


Once upon a time, emperors filled this church with gifts, which is why people called it the “golden basilica.” In the fifth century, during the sack of Rome, the basilica was also plundered, in addition, the church burned twice. However, even now its interior deserves attention.


Here is the see of the Roman bishop and the papal throne. By the way, Roman bishop And pope- these are not two people, but one, but Holy See- this is not a table, but at the same time the Pope and the Roman Curia (aka the Secretariat of State) - this is something like the main department in the Vatican.


Next to the church there is an ancient Egyptian obelisk with a fountain attached.


This obelisk is the oldest of all that currently exist. Date of “birth” XIV century BC. Fourteenth century BC!

This ended our first walk according to the guide book, and we went for a walk just like that.


Photos taken April 19, 2011

Rome is the largest city in Italy, the political, economic and cultural center of the entire European Community, which has existed for more than 29 centuries. This is a tourist paradise with a great variety of attractions, located so densely that the entire city seems like a huge open-air museum.

Climate in Rome

Transport in Rome

Rome has a well-functioning, extensive public transport system. You can get around the city by bus, tram or taxi. The bus, as a rule, does not stop at all stops, so you need to catch it so that it does not pass by. Tickets can be purchased at newsstands and cigarette kiosks for 1 euro. This ticket, called metrebus, is valid for 75 minutes and covers not only the bus, but also the metro. Such a ticket is printed in small yellow boxes - if you do not do this, the controller may require you to pay a large fine.

The metro is the most convenient and fastest way to travel, operating from 5:30 to 23:30. However, due to the abundance of cultural monuments that are still being discovered in Rome, there are no metro stations in the historical center of the city. There are only two metro lines in the city, A and B, and trains run along them at fairly large intervals - 10-20 minutes.

Expert advice! Be careful on public transport, especially on the metro and buses leading towards the Vatican: these are routes 64 and 640, as well as metro trains on line A. Pickpockets are active here, as special signs in the city warn about. Do not carry documents or large sums of money in your pockets. If you are driving, leave the car in guarded parking lots, having first removed everything valuable from the interior. Ladies are better off giving up a handbag in favor of a backpack - hooligans on motorcycles snatch them out of their hands right on the go.

The main attractions in Rome: what to see first?

In Rome, every street, every corner is imbued with its own amazing atmosphere; at every step there are a huge number of attractions, including the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, many churches and fountains.

Expert advice! For those who are visiting the city for the first time, or who have a limited amount of time for sightseeing, it will be useful to book an introductory walk around Rome, or a tourist bus route, prices for which start from 15 euros.

Colosseum

Where is the Colosseum? Address: Colosseo metro station, Viadei Fori Imperiali

The Colosseum is a symbol of Rome, its calling card. His image can be seen on a variety of postcards, souvenirs, figurines and calendars. In the past, the Colosseum served as an arena for spectacles - fights of strong bloodthirsty gladiators with each other and with wild animals took place here, on these stands, capable of accommodating 50 thousand spectators.

This is an incredible figure for those times, but the size and grandeur of the structure still impresses tourists today. You can't say you've been to Rome without visiting this legendary ancient arena.

Ticket to the Colosseum can be bought for 12 euros - it is valid for 24 hours, and in addition to everything else, it includes, on top of everything else, entrance to the Palatine Hill, where, according to legend, a she-wolf suckled Romulus and Remus. Entrance to the territory is also included in the ticket price. Imperial Forums. If you are not going to spend money on a ticket, then you can look at the Forums and the Palatine Hill from the heights of Fori Imperiali Street - this delightful panorama will give no less than unforgettable emotions.

Address: Piazza Venezia

This square was named Venetian Square in honor of the grandiose luxurious palace of Venice, which Cardinal Paul II built on this site in the 15th century. The main attraction of the piazza is the majestic monument to Vittorio Emanuele, the first king of the United Italy. The Renaissance Museum is also located here, and the best panoramic platform in the city.

Here, a lover of horseback riding can rent a horse-drawn carriage with a driver for a promenade around the capital. Here, on large marble benches, you can taste the delicious ice cream cones sold nearby, and admire the huge statue of the king and the marble sculptures of the gods of antiquity at the foot of the Vittoriano.

True, sometimes there are too many tourists here, constantly clicking their cameras.

In December it is especially beautiful here - on Christmas Eve, a tall Christmas tree is erected here, decorated with garlands, balls and ribbons. Cars and horses clattering their hooves drive around this tree.

In addition, Piazza Venezia is the beginning of the city's main shopping alley, Via del Corso, along which there are numerous expensive and budget shops and boutiques.

Getting to Piazza Venezia You can walk from the Colosseum and Colosseo metro station along Via Fori Imperiali, along the ruins of the Roman Forum, the Imperial Forums and ancient bronze sculptures of Roman rulers.

Spanishstaircase in Rome

Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti

The Spanish Steps in Rome are rightly called the most beautiful in Europe. All this is thanks to its grandiose size and magnificent baroque architectural style. It is worth visiting this attraction in the spring, when the azalea blooms and the stairs become especially beautiful.

The Spanish Steps start right in the middle of Piazza di Spagna and, rushing upward, reach Pincio Hill. It consists of 138 concave steps made of travertine. Their width constantly changes throughout the entire structure.

The staircase was designed by the architects de Sanctis and Specchi in 1726, and its complete reconstruction was completed in 1977.

This is a favorite place for Romans and tourists for walks and meetings. The townspeople love to sit here, reading the newspaper, talking, having lunch. The sound of rushing water is soothing after a noisy city life.

You can get to the Spanish Steps by metro, getting off at Spagna station. At the very top of the stairs, be sure to check out the Church of the Holy Trinity (Santa Trinità dei Monti). An unusually elegant sculpture by Daniele da Volterra, called “The Descent from the Cross,” is kept here.

Conclusion

This is just a small list of what you can see in Rome. But it’s worth starting from these places, especially if you’re passing through Rome for a few days.

What can you say when you see the Colosseum for the first time in your life? I will answer you: nothing! Words about the imperturbable and eternal are confused in my head, but immediately get stuck in my throat. And even tears well up in my eyes. Personally, I enthusiastically touched the dusty walls of the Colosseum and dreamed of only one thing: how to be alone with him, even for a couple of minutes... But crowds of tourists were scurrying around. This is the main thing I remember about my first acquaintance with Rome, so far away now...

How to get there

...where all roads lead, right? Therefore, briefly about how to get to Rome.

By plane

Direct flights from Moscow are operated by Aeroflot and from Sheremetyevo Airport (usually terminal D) to Fiumicino Airport. It is also called Leonardo da Vinci Airport. It is located in the southwest of Rome, approximately 30 km from the city center. You can get from the airport to the city center by:

If no one is meeting you, but you really want someone to wait at the airport, you can try your luck and ask someone to couchsurf. As a rule, there are good people. Tested by personal experience.

The average price of a plane ticket is 400. You can buy a ticket cheaper if you have time to use promotional offers, and, of course, more expensively if you need a ticket immediately and for tomorrow, or during the busy season. Flight time is three and a half hours.

A more economical option is to fly with transfers. It sounds tempting in theory, but in reality you will spend the money you save on comfort during the docking. You will definitely want to sit in a cafe, buy water, enjoy an expensive airport cappuccino, or buy trinkets in a “dutik”.

Flying with a connection is fun if you have time to “pop into town” for a couple of hours. Personally, this is how I got to know Prague and Belgrade on the way to Rome.

You can monitor promotions and special offers in the travel section.

By train

To be honest, I have never tried it. I hate wasting time! The beauties that fly past the compartment window, the cozy tea in the cup holders, intimate conversations with fellow travelers and the romantic night tuk-tuk-tuk, tuk-tuk-tuk, don’t let me forget that I could already be walking around Rome.

The train is a great way out for those who are afraid of flying and appreciate the romance of the railway. But if your goal is to save money, you won’t go anywhere here. There are no direct trains. You will have to travel with transfers. Just a compartment to Vienna or Berlin will cost you ten thousand (even more expensive! Like a direct plane ticket to Rome). And then there are transfers that you will have to organize yourself. So, if you are not looking for easy ways, then the train is definitely for you. But if you don’t know your way around crowds and train stations, or don’t speak English, it’s best not to get on trains.

If you do decide to take the train, the price will be from 1.5 to 2 times the cost of a ticket for a direct flight (depending on the route). No matter which European city you change trains in, you will arrive at Termini Station, in the very heart of Rome.

By bus

Going to Rome by bus is both difficult and not a low beam! But Russian travel companies organize similar trips during the season. A friend made the difficult journey from Moscow to Rome and complained greatly. It's tedious and expensive! Prices and arrival location vary depending on the tour operator. I’ll say one thing for sure: you won’t be able to save money. Yes, and you will have to shake on the bus for three days in a row.

By car

The route built by Google maps says that without traffic jams you will have to drive 29 hours and 32 hours with traffic jams. The distance Moscow-Rome is 3043 km.

Traveling by car is a dream! Stop where you want, when you want. Discover unknown routes. Stay “longer” where you like and so on. But if the goal is to quickly get to Rome, then I advise you to consider the following points:

• The route runs through Belarus, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Austria. There are long queues and unpleasant inspections at the borders. So you need to prepare yourself mentally in advance.
• Which sections of the route are toll, where to turn onto free and scenic roads (what to see? where to eat?)
• Gas station. Based on personal experience of traveling in Italy, I will say: it is extremely unpleasant to drive on the last drop of gasoline while waiting for a gas station. It will take seven sweats, I guarantee it!

Alternative

And finally, about the alternative method: the offer to find travel companions using the BlaBlaCar service sounds tempting and adventurous. If you're not too constrained by time constraints, it's worth a try! But I’ll warn you right away: in BlaBlaCar, sometimes it happens that the driver confirms the trip, and then takes it and disappears. So this possibility must also be included in the plan.

Clue:

Rome - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 1

Kazan 1

Samara 2

Ekaterinburg 3

Novosibirsk 5

Vladivostok 8

When is the season? When is the best time to go

My opinion on this matter is alternative. I believe that you need to get to know Rome during the hottest period of the year! And this is August. There is no logical explanation here. It's about feelings. I feel that Rome reveals its eternal soul only under the scorching sun, on those summer days when the thermometer itself is no longer happy, but shows +43, and when there is simply nowhere to hide from the rays of the scorching sun. Then, in the rays of the scorching luminary, you will recognize the soul of the eternal city, hot and lazy.

If, in addition to the weather, your choice is influenced by prices, in the travelask section you can find out the prices for tours to Rome at different times of the year.

Rome in summer

When I arrived in Rome for the first time, it was just hot. And due to my inexperience, I only took jeans and shirts. So I wandered around on the scorching paving stones, cursing myself. But what am I talking about the weather, yes about the weather. About feelings, yes about feelings. Let's move on to practical things.

And briefly about the shortcomings.

• Hot.
• Hot!
• Very hot!
• Lots of tourists. This is true.

By the way! You will often see special fountains on the streets of Rome. They are called "nasone", which means "big nose". Drinking water flows from them. So if you followed my advice and went to Rome in the heat of the moment, stock up on a water bottle. Filling it with water from "nasone" is both economical and romantic at the same time.

Rome in autumn

Despite the fact that, in my humble opinion, the first acquaintance should take place in the thick of it, I will say: in early autumn Rome is much softer and more pleasant than in August. There are still a lot of tourists. But Rome is one of the top 10 most visited cities in the world! And then, you are also a tourist. So it's okay. Plus, it's still warm. And most importantly, it’s not yet damp.

The same cannot be said about late autumn. If fate has chosen November for your trip, stock up on an umbrella. No, a raincoat. And it’s better to do both. It's already cold in November. And wet.

But Rome is incredibly beautifully reflected in the puddles. You can get magical “reflection photos” just during the rainy season.

Rome in spring

The first thing that comes to mind is rays of sunshine. Residents of central Russia still have a long way to go, but green and sunny days are already beginning in Rome. Blue skies, chirping birds, parrots flying back and forth in the parks and villas of Rome - here it is, Roman spring! In April, the trees are already covered with a green haze. The temperature varies from “very cool” (+11 +15 C) to “already very hot”. As my beloved grandmother used to say, “martok – put on seven parkas.” When applied to Rome, this advice means taking both warm and light things. Both will come in handy.

In spring it’s already great to be at sea. It is still cold to swim and strong winds are blowing. But it’s very pleasant to wet your feet or have lunch by the shore. By the way. If you like to surf (or like me, you get scratched, but still like it), then in the spring you can catch medium and friendly waves near Rome. Wetsuits and boards can be rented at Fregene beaches. Prices, availability or absence of waves and other details can be found by contacting.

Spring is a cool Roman time.

Tourists - what? Right. A lot of.

Rome in winter

Rome is cold in winter.

Come in what you wear at home in winter, and you can’t go wrong. The fact is that the Roman frost penetrates to the bones. The sea wind and the wind from the Tiber create the impression of -15 degrees when it is +10 outside. Scarves, sweaters and down jackets will come in handy, don’t even doubt it. One more nuance. The Russian, spoiled by central heating, is constantly freezing in, to put it mildly, a cool hotel, B&B or rented apartment. Get your nightcaps ready!

Haha, scared? Yes, I am one of those for whom the heat does not ache my bones. Therefore, in order not to seem too biased, I’ll tell you about the advantages of winter!

In short, “ugh, winter, ugh, winter,” but she advised more than about summer!

Rome - weather by month

Clue:

Rome - weather by month

Districts. Where is the best place to live?

In Rome, as in Moscow, the heart of the city is located in the center, from which residential areas spread out. Rome also has its own “MKAD” - Grande Raccordo Anulare, abbreviated as GRA.

I haven’t used the services of travel agencies for a long time, but I suspect that the TOP 3 accommodation areas they offer are:

• Center-center (pale blue and light blue)

You can walk the length and breadth of the center of Rome in about 5-6 hours. In this part of the city, "world famous landmarks" alternately and almost literally jump out at you. Coliseum. Pantheon. Barcaccia and Piazza di Spagna. Campo de Fiori. Circo Massimo. Piazza Navona. And other places that I remember from the poems of Gianni Rodari. Staying in the center is the most expensive. Reasonable prices start from 100 and “fly into the sky”, just like Zemfira’s voice. It would seem that everything is nearby, you go out and trample around the area all day long. But if your interests extend a little beyond tourist stereotypes, the center is not the best location.

P.S. Did you read Gianni Rodari as a child? Before traveling to Rome (and Italy) I recommend re-reading it!

• Trastevere (pale yellow)

I would call Trastevere the “folk” part of Rome. If, being in the center, you reach the river and cross it, you will find yourself right on Trastevere (translated as “across the Tiber”). An interesting area, famous for its narrow streets and restaurants, where “both the poor and the rich” meet. On weekends, the whole of Rome dines here. Living on Trastevere is quite a chore: there are a lot of weekend partygoers, plus “the crocodile can’t be caught, the coconut doesn’t grow.” That is, you are unlikely to catch a taxi here, and there is no metro in this part of the city. So all the time - a piedi, on foot! But along Viale Trastevere there is the legendary “Otto Volante” - tram number eight, notorious for the fact that in 2010 one of the trams on the route derailed and literally flew several meters through the air. The malicious Romans immediately gave him an ambiguous nickname - "Otto Volante", which translated means "Flying Eight". The malice lies in the fact that this is the name of the famous “Super Eight” attraction, reminiscent of a “roller coaster”.

• Termini station area (like the center, marked in pale blue)

When I was on my first plane to Rome, a glamorous fellow passenger advised me: “The main thing is to stay away from the station.” No matter how it is, I thought. And I’m still surprised when I come across such arrogant advice on the Internet. Gypsies in Rome are everywhere. There are no less beggars in the center. But by choosing a hotel near Termini, you can get to all the attractions in 10-20 minutes. You will save money. And you will be “well connected” with any part of the city (after all, this is where two lines of the Roman metro meet, this is where buses depart in different directions, this is where you can take the city train) and with all of Italy (this is where trains depart to all directions of the country ). Of course it's a bit dirty. But the benefits are worth it.

I would recommend staying in the San Giovanni area. This is, first of all, a residential, and not a tourist, part of Rome. Therefore, it is much calmer here than in the center. Nearby are the metro, buses, and tram number 3. Ten minutes walk to the Colosseum and Circo Massimo. In addition, you will be able to get a closer look at the life of today's Romans. It’s also nice to come back here after a long day full of strangers. I'm just kidding, don't be offended, beautiful strangers!

Read more about all areas.

I prefer to book hotels in Rome on the well-known booking service - and you can compare price offers from different sites in the travelsearch section. If you would like to stay in a private apartment, go and look at the options.

Main attractions. What to see

Rome is an open-air museum city. It’s much more pleasant to “tramble” through the streets than to “wiggle” in public transport, which works so-so: Italians love strikes, and they have problems with punctuality. I prefer a leisurely walk with breaks for late breakfast/lunch/merenda (this is like an afternoon snack) and an aperitif (this is a couple of hours before dinner, when you can get a little drunk and have a snack). But if you have planned your route in advance and it is already clear that you will have to use public transport to the fullest, you will find the Roma Pass card useful. This is a magnetic card that is valid from the moment of activation for two or three days (28 and 36, respectively) and gives the right to travel without restrictions on any type of urban public transport. The two-day pass includes free admission to one museum of your choice. And in a three-day period - two. In addition, Roma Pass holders will enjoy a pleasant visit to the city's museums. You can buy a Roma Pass online, at the airport, at train stations, as well as in museums in Rome.

NB! The Vatican Museums are not included in the list of available museums on the Roma Pass.

So, about the sights.

Top 5

Looking ahead, I warn you: I’m not a fan of the Vatican, so it doesn’t make it into the TOP 5 “alla Alisa” list. It is necessary and important to get acquainted with the Vatican, at least for the breadth of your horizons. But I stubbornly consider the kingdom of the popes to be “abroad,” so I note the usefulness of the introduction in the introduction and move on to the TOP 5 without the Vatican and with a clear conscience.

Pantheon

The Pantheon was built on the site of the previous (burnt down) Pantheon in 126 AD. In today's Rome it is located in Piazza della Rotonda, truly in the heart of the city. And if you wander at random, as I once did, then the moment will come when he himself will suddenly “jump out” on you. The narrow streets of Rome suddenly meet and merge with tourists into one small square, where the Pantheon calmly awaits you. When I looked at it for the first time, I thought: “If the Pantheon had a soul, it would be indifferent to what was happening around. And the people scurrying around. And the heat, and the rains, and days, and years, and centuries...”

Interesting details:

• The word "pantheon" translated from ancient Greek means "temple of all gods."
• The dome of the Pantheon is crowned with a nine-meter hole, which in Latin is called the “oculus”. A typical story that hapless tour guides sometimes tell: the eye is cunningly made so that water does not get inside when it rains. It is not true. But if you stand in a magical pillar of light, it really seems as if God is talking to you.
• Until 609 AD The Pantheon was a pagan temple. In this year it was consecrated as the Christian Church of St. Mary and the Martyrs (Santa Maria ad Martires).
• The brilliant medieval artist, the gentle Raphael, is buried in the side chapel of the Pantheon. Kings Victor Emmanuel II and Umberto I are also buried here.

You can get there on foot from the Spagna metro station (line A) or from the tram stop number 8 (remember "otto volante"? :)))) Largo di Torre Argentina. Entrance to the Pantheon, as to any church, is free.

Coliseum

Until now, when I pass by the Colosseum, my heart skips a beat. He is incredible, magical, wise! And at the same time, I don’t want to go inside! It seems to me that the charm will instantly dissipate as soon as I find myself inside. And still. In order to get inside, you need to buy a ticket. Tickets are sold at the box office at the main entrance to the Colosseum and at the box office of the Roman Forum, since one ticket applies to both open-air museums. Those with experience advise purchasing them at the Forum's sparsely populated ticket office. And here the question arises: if they advise, then why are there still “colossal” (pun intended) queues at the Colosseum ticket office, and so few people at the Forum ticket office? Honestly, I don’t know, so I advise you again! Maybe it will come in handy :)

Interesting details:

• The official name is the Flavian Amphitheatre. The Colosseum is a nickname that spread to the amphitheater from the giant statue (colosseus, colossus) of the crazy emperor Nero that has not survived to this day.
• The largest amphitheater of antiquity was built in just eight years.
• The Colosseum has survived centuries of neglect and a myriad of stupid uses: it was a cemetery, a warehouse, and a source of building materials. He could easily not have lived to see us if he had not been taken under the tutelage of the Church in the eighteenth century.
• In the pre-war years, city authorities came up with a truly terrible idea: to turn the Colosseum into a luxury hotel. Fortunately, this did not happen. And today we can easily touch antiquity in the literal sense of the word “touch.”

The most convenient way to get there is by metro, line B, Colosseo station.

Trevi Fountain

Trevi is the largest fountain in Rome, representing the facade of a residential building. Built in the mid-eighteenth century by the architect Nicolas Salvi. I recognize Trevi by the sound from the nearby alleys: the roar of the waters does not drown out even the buzz of tourists! The abundance of the latter is felt doubly strongly because the area between the fountain and the houses is tiny! One day I decided to achieve privacy with the fountain at any cost: I didn’t go to bed and at two o’clock in the morning I sawed on foot through half the city. When I got to the fountain, I realized: I’m not the most cunning girl in town! Just as during the day, the area in front of the fountain was swarming with people wanting to take pictures. Fooled the fool, as they say!

There is no point in telling anyone about the beauty of the fountain: you will understand it when you see it. Stock up on coins. Coins are thrown to return, fall in love, get married and replenish the city treasury. Six months have not yet passed since the last restoration of the fountain, so for now it sparkles with its beautiful white facade like new!

P.S. Get off at Spagna metro station on line A and follow the signs for Fontana Trevi.

Plaza de España

Just today I walked through Piazza di Spagna. As usual, full of tourists! There are at least two reasons for this:

• The main shopping streets of the city center diverge from here: Via dei Condotti, via del Babuino, via delle Carrozze and others.
• There are three attractions here:

1. The "Scalinata", or "Spanish Steps", is a famous Baroque staircase consisting of 138 steps. It leads down the Pincio hill, from the Trinita dei Monti church to Piazza di Spagna. Sitting on the stairs is a sacred thing and a mandatory tourist ritual. Today scalinata is under reconstruction; only a small side passage is open for descent.
2. Church of Trinita dei Monti. Here is the famous masterpiece of Daniele da Volterra - the sculptural group "Descent from the Cross".
3. And finally, the famous and adored Barcaccia - a boat fountain created four hundred years ago according to the design of Pietro Bernini.

Tiberina

Isola Tiberina, Tiberina is a small island located right in the middle of the Tiber River, south of the Vatican. You can get to it via two of the oldest bridges in the city - Fabricio and Cestio (first century BC!). This is a small but very rich space, with which several legends are associated. They say that the corpse of King Tiberius the Proud, who was thrown into the river, was so overgrown with all sorts of “tritata” that it turned into an island. Or, for example, that he drowned in a river, and Jupiter made him the patron of its waters.

Or they also say that, on the advice of the Delphic oracle, the healer Aesculapius (in the form of a snake!) was taken by ship to Rome so that he could help stop the plague epidemic. The legend says: as soon as the ship entered the Tiber, the snake slid into its waters and sailed along them to the island where the Aesculapian sanctuary was built.

In the summer, the island is very popular: people come here to just sit on the slabs by the water, have a snack, and look for souvenirs. There are a couple of restaurants and a summer cinema here. The main decoration of the island is... that's right, the church, we are in Rome, after all!

In general, I won’t spoil it any more, go wander around the city and find out its ancient secrets.

Food. What to try

Safety. What to watch out for

Now about safety.

In general, Rome is considered a safe city. You can safely go for a night walk in the center, even if you are a fragile girl without a male escort. My favorite Italian teacher, who lives in a disadvantaged area, says that even there it is dangerous only if you belong to a gangster group. Because the bandits in the area only deal with each other, and they are not interested in civilians.

At the same time, I will also draw attention to unsafe moments.

Ten years ago, tourists were taught to fear robbers on scooters, snatching bags from the hands of unwary tourists as they walked. Today I would call dangerous... you won't believe it - children! Cunning and agile, juvenile criminals (and more often, criminals) wait for daydreaming tourists in the subway during rush hour. They sneak up unnoticed and, taking advantage of the crowd, carefully climb into bags and pockets and fish out valuable contents from there.

I don’t want to offend the gypsies, but you also need to keep an open ear with them.

In short, remain vigilant, but don't be afraid. I repeat, Rome is still a safe city.

Things to do

How to get around the city

I love Rome. And my favorite way to get around is to walk! To explore the top attractions, you don’t need transport. But below, just in case, I’ll tell you about the methods of transportation that are covered by a single travel card. The cost of one ticket is 1.5. Valid for 100 minutes, but only one metro ride is allowed.

By the way! On my first trip to Rome, I took a ride on a double-decker tourist bus. Since then, I advise you not to start this way, but to conclude your Roman adventure (the ticket costs 20 and is valid for 24 hours). You go there already knowing the matter and as if you are making some kind of summary. Romance!

So, let’s quickly go over the types of public transport in Rome.

Taxi. What features exist

A taxi in Rome is quite an expensive and unpredictable pleasure. I have never been able to get a ride cheaper than 10, no matter how short the distance. For landing and the first three kilometers they will charge you 8-10, that’s a fact. And then a whole network of confusing tariffs begins, which you can’t figure out without a glass.

Let's start unraveling this tangle with something simple: riding at night is 30% more expensive. Every km + 1 euro. Each piece of luggage + 1 euro. Surcharge for the fifth passenger + 1. Called a taxi by phone? + 3.5. (several telephone numbers for calling a taxi in Rome: 06.3570, 06.4157, 06.5551, 06.6645). And so on.

A couple of personal observations:

• The most economical option is to take a taxi at the parking lot (you can also bargain at the same time; this is not particularly encouraged, but it is not forbidden either).
• Very often it is impossible to pay with a credit card, even if this service is advertised.
• “Catching a car” is difficult, but it is possible. This is because in Europe, hitch hiking is considered a dangerous activity. But Italians are still not Germans, so laws for them are something like advice. Sometimes they are followed, and sometimes not so much. At your own discretion. Last summer, due to another strike, I found myself in a rather hopeless situation. After some effort, I still managed to “catch” a taxi in the middle of the road.

By the way. There are fixed tariffs that you can always count on, these are “fixes” for trips to airports:

Trams

I will call trams a reliable means of transportation in Rome (not counting the one-time incident with the “flying eight”, which I have mysteriously already mentioned a couple of times). Firstly, they walk on rails, which means they are not afraid of traffic jams. And secondly, they stop regularly at every stop. There are old, ugly, but romantic trams running around Rome, as well as new ones equipped with air conditioning. I really appreciated the air conditioning on the tram during the unbearable heat of last summer.

Trams run from 5:30 to midnight.

Metro

Ta-dam! The Rome metro has two lines! A (red) and B (blue). They intersect only at Termini station, where a transfer is made if necessary. We, spoiled by the beauty of the Moscow metro and the speed of arrival of trains, are at first surprised: how is this possible? Train every three minutes? Or another way: it’s written once every three minutes, but in reality it’s eight? We've been capricious for a while, and that's enough. In Rome the metro works well and the carriages are clean and comfortable. The only negative is that you can’t get everywhere using this type of transport.

There is also a “half completed” line C (Chi). It has been under construction since 2007, but it still won’t be built: after all, as soon as they start digging, they immediately find something! The malicious townspeople made up a joke about this:

News in the newspaper: Construction of the Chi metro station has been suspended because the ruins of the Chi metro station were discovered during the work.

I was laughing:)

If everything is in order and no one is on strike, the metro operates from 5:30 to 23:30 on weekdays, and on Fridays and Saturdays until 0:30.

Buses

That's it, I don't like Roman buses. They are crowded, run irregularly, and are used by the most disadvantaged segments of the population. Therefore, you can see everything. Nevertheless. Routes are divided into day and night routes. Daytime routes run from 5:30 until midnight, after which night routes (marked n) begin.

I still don’t really understand on what principle the driver stops the bus. The principle of having a stopover in Rome is not considered a principle. Therefore, just in case, wave your hand to the driver of the approaching bus if you want him to kindly “pick you up”. And press the “exit” button if you plan to get off the bus at the stop you need.

I wrote and giggled. Have a nice ride!

(If you have already forgotten, let me remind you: as in other types of transport in Rome, there is a single pass on buses, which can be used an unlimited number of times within a hundred minutes. Costs 1.5.)

Transport rental

Sometimes local motorists curse the situation on the road: traffic is constantly blocked without warning, getting to the center by car is, in principle, unreal. Finding parking is almost unreal. So you won't need a car in the city. But for trips outside of Rome it may be useful. The cost of daily rental starts from 30.

A scooter is another matter! If you are a confident user, be sure to rent this little assistant: it will take you even to the secluded corners of narrow streets. The average cost of renting a scooter is 25!

Rent a Car- also an aggregation of prices from all rental companies, all in one place, let's go!

Anything to add?

In terms of the number of architectural monuments per square kilometer, Rome has long become the undisputed leader. Here you can just wander the streets, turning wherever your eyes look, getting lost, finding yourself in strange and interesting places.

We tried to build a route for you, including the main attractions of Rome, in such an order that you can go through them all in one day! Let’s say right away that you definitely won’t have enough time to thoroughly inspect and visit each object, but you will be able to check the “I saw it with my own eyes” box on your personal list!

However, no one is stopping you from “splitting” this route into several days of travel. This is easy to do using the free mobile app - Travel planner and travel guide for iPhone or Android.

We will start this one-day walk around Rome from the Vatican. As you know, this is the smallest state in the world. Its territory is only 40 hectares, which is comparable to a golf course. Getting to the Vatican is, on the one hand, easy, but on the other, impossible. Some of its objects, for example, the famous St. Peter's Basilica and Piazza San Pietro in front of it, are open to everyone. Having stepped on the first pebble of its paving stones, you already find yourself on the territory of the Vatican. It’s hard to imagine an easier crossing of state borders :)

St. Peter's Square. Flickr, maxunterwegs.

On the other hand, there is the Vatican, surrounded by a wall. Behind it is the residence of the Pope and Vatican Museums– one of the greatest treasures in the world. By the way, the legendary The Sistine Chapel. In order to visit the Vatican Museums, it is better to set aside a separate day, from morning until evening, because tens, if not hundreds of thousands of famous masterpieces of art are stored here. Be aware that this meeting usually has huge lines that can last 2-3 hours! Therefore, we strongly recommend purchasing tickets to the Vatican Museums in advance.

The Sistine Chapel. Flickr, ShivRamky.

Most of the Vatican is closed to tourists - no one will just let you into the territory where the Pope lives. But, there is one loophole;) On the official website you can book a tour of the Vatican Gardens. This is a unique opportunity to walk through the places where the Pope himself walks! But we repeat, it’s worth setting aside a separate day for all this, so we return to what you can see while “galloping across Europe” :)

Vatican Gardens. Flickr, R4all.

Going out onto Conciliazione Street, we find ourselves in St. Peter's Square to the main church of the Vatican, and why bother - the entire Catholic world. It was built on the site of the execution of the saint. This walking route is part of our free mobile application - Travel planner for iPhone and Android. By downloading it, you can not only take advantage of this excursion, offline maps and GPS, but also completely plan your trip to Rome. So, let's go to Peter and the proposed location of his grave. The world's largest cathedral was built over several centuries. Several great masters worked on its appearance and design: Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini...

Saint Paul's Cathedral. Flickr, R4all.

Be sure to visit this cathedral, and to understand what is especially worth paying attention to, use the audio guide to St. Peter's Cathedral, which you will find in. By the way, it costs several times cheaper than the official one;)

Interior decoration of St. Peter's Basilica. Flickr, [~Bryan~].

We also strongly advise you to climb the dome of the cathedral. From here there is a stunning view of Piazza San Pietro, as if welcoming parishioners into its arms, as well as the entire Eternal City. From above you will see the next attraction to which we will head.

View of St. Peter's Square from the dome of the cathedral. Flickr, dacrous.

Castel Sant'Angelo is the oldest building built in Rome by Emperor Hadrian back in the 2nd century! You will be surprised, but the monarch erected it as his own tomb. It was only later that the mausoleum was rebuilt into a castle and the residence of the popes. There was even a prison here once. During its entire existence, only one prisoner managed to escape from it - jack of all trades Benvento Chellni - artist, jeweler, sculptor, musician and skilled warrior. Today there is a museum here.

Castle of Sant'Angelo. Flickr, San Diego Shooter.

Sant'Angelo received its name at a time when the plague was raging in Europe. One day the Pope looked up and saw an angel above the castle. It was the Archangel Michael, who gave a sign indicating the end of the illness.

The bridge of the same name leads from the Castel Sant'Angelo across the Tiber. It is interesting that initially, back in the time of Hadrian, it was an unremarkable crossing. It acquired its famous appearance only in the 17th century, when, thanks to Lorenzo Bernini, statues of Saints Peter, Paul and 10 angels holding in their hands the instruments of the passion of Christ appeared on the bridge.

Look closely and you will see a spear, a crown of thorns, a cross, nails... Baroque angels look incredibly beautiful, and many tourists don’t even think about the fact that these sculptures are not just expressive, but also deeply symbolic.

Cross the Ponte Sant'Angelo to the other side of the Tiber, turn left and walk forward along the embankment. At the nearest bridge, turn around and... you will see one of the most famous and picturesque views of Rome!

View of St. Peter's Basilica. Flickr, Rome Cabs.

On the other side of the bridge, which you will come to, is perhaps the most controversial building in Rome in terms of architecture - the Palace of Justice. To take a closer look, let's take a closer look.

Palace of Justice. Flickr, rbpdesigner.

The townspeople do not really like this building and even nicknamed it not just a palazzo (palace), but a “palazzo”. This is because there are too many “decorations” on it. They say that the architect himself did not plan such a pile of decor, but during the construction process it was necessary to write off the funds somewhere. Alas, corruption scandals accompanied this building throughout the 12 years it was under construction. Although, it would seem, this is the Palace of Justice, and not some kind of casino.

By the way, on this bank of the Tiber, in the Vatican area, you can find an excellent hotel at a low price. And if what matters to you is not so much the cost of the room, but its exclusivity, we recommend reading the article by our travel expert Anatoly Selyaninov. He has selected 5 truly unforgettable hotels in Rome.

Church of the Sacred Heart

Church of the Sacred Heart. Flickr, attilio47.

We continue our walk around Rome along the other bank of the Tiber and come to a snow-white church in the Gothic style, which is completely atypical for Rome. This temple was built in memory of the souls who ended up in purgatory. Legend has it that a chapel once burned down on this site. Only a few pillars remained, and on one of them, among the burning and soot, one could see the image of a face, or rather, a certain shadow, which everyone took as a sign that the soul had fallen into purgatory.

Mausoleum of Augustus

Mausoleum of Augustus. Flickr, Jrrosenberg.

We reach the nearest bridge and cross to the other side. We turn left, going deeper from the embankment into the city, and, passing several Baroque churches, we come to the Mausoleum of Augustus. Its shape is a bit reminiscent of the Castel Sant'Angelo, but it is much worse preserved. The founder of the Roman Empire built it as a tomb for himself and his family. Later, the ashes of other emperors were kept there. But with the fall of the Empire, the mausoleum also fell into disrepair.

I wonder if you are reading this article having already bought tickets to Rome or just getting ready? If the treasured booking confirmation has not yet arrived in your email, we advise you not to delay - the closer to the travel date, the more expensive the air tickets become. However, you can always use the Aviasales search - it will show the best prices among dozens of offers from various airlines and agencies.

Piazza del Popolo

Further along Via Ripetta we go to Piazza del Popolo. This is one of the most famous squares in the world. Remember the saying: “All roads lead to Rome”? So, the Flaminian Way was considered one of the main ones. It ended just at Piazza del Popolo. Hundreds of travelers from other cities, coming here, were immediately enchanted by the beauty of the Eternal City. However, not only beauty, but also the severity of morals. For several centuries, public executions were held in Piazza del Popolo. They were banned only in the 19th century, but there are many tourists here, as in former times.

Piazza del Popolo. Flickr, Simon Saint.

There is an Egyptian obelisk in the center of the square. Its height is 36 meters. Hieroglyphs praising Ramses II and his deeds are carved on the snow-white stone. Yes, yes, you understood everything correctly - this obelisk was created even before the advent of the Roman Empire! You will often encounter Egyptian obelisks in many other parts of the Eternal City.

Obelisk in Piazza del Popolo. Flickr, Luigi R. Viggiano.

By the way, residents of St. Petersburg will be curious to know that it was this square that formed the basis of the architectural plan for the central development of the Northern capital. This also applies to many other European cities.

Villa Borghese

We have examined about a third of the route we have planned, so we have every right to rest :) If you climb the stairs leading from Piazza del Popolo, you will find yourself at Villa Borghese. This is a city park with an area of ​​80 hectares. This vast area contains dozens of attractions, the National Museum of Etruscan Art, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Globe Theater, the Pietro Canonica House Museum and a museum displaying the collections of the famous collector Carlo Biloti. It’s better to set aside a separate day to explore all these sights, but today let’s just relax among the greenery, fountains and graceful statues.

Villa Borghese. Flickr, Jonathan Martin Photography

By the way, if after climbing from Piazza del Popolo you go to the right, along the edge of the park, then a breathtaking panorama of Rome will open to your eyes. The same road will lead you to the next object on our route.

Panorama opening from Viale Gabriele D"Annunzio. Flickr, never meant to see.

If you stay in Rome for more than one day, we recommend using the services of individual guides. Walking on your own is, of course, good, but only a professional guide will tell you things you would never have guessed on your own. We have selected three very original excursion options for you:

From Piazza di Spagna we move forward along Propaganda Street, then cross Via del Tritone, and now we are very close to the most beautiful fountain in Rome. It is located near the wall of the Palazzo Poli and is something majestic and truly grandiose!

Trevi Fountain. Flickr, Lopiccolo.

This is a whole sculptural composition, in the center of which is Neptune, ruling a sea chariot. Every self-respecting tourist must visit the Trevi Fountain! True, taking a photo against its background without extraneous hands and feet in the frame will be very problematic, since there are always a lot of people here. This fountain is especially beautiful in the evening and at night, when the city plunges into twilight and multi-colored lights turn on. And don't forget to throw a couple of coins over your left shoulder! You want to come here again, right?

Fontana di Trevi. Flickr, Daniel Peckham.

The next point of our walk around Rome for one day is the ancient Roman temple dedicated to all the gods. To reach it, just face the Trevi Fountain, turn left and, without turning anywhere, go straight.

The Pantheon was erected back in 126 under Emperor Hadrian. From the outside it looks very pompous - massive columns are several times taller than a person.

Pantheon. Flickr, Fab05.

Inside, everything is even more grandiose: the huge dome is simply mesmerizing with its height! At the very top there is a hole - the oculus. Through it, light penetrates into the temple, or rather, a clearly defined, literally tangible, pillar of light. There are no other windows. But this does not prevent you from seeing everything beautifully; on the contrary, it creates a special, unique atmosphere. And in winter, when snowflakes begin to fall into the temple through the oculus with a diameter of 9 meters, it seems that nature is creating some kind of magic!

Oculus of the Pantheon. Flickr, Matt Franks Photography.

By the way, in the Pantheon there are the tombs of several famous Italians: Raphael, King Victor Emmanuel II and his son, Umberto I. Having examined them, we move on to Piazza Navona, which is literally three blocks west of here.

It is believed that Piazza Navona got its name from the Greek word “agons” - “competitions” that took place here during the times of Ancient Rome. When you come here, notice that the shape of the area resembles an ellipse. This is no coincidence; competitions and performances were actually held here, just like in the Colosseum, but on a smaller scale. Over time, the competitions were banned, the place was empty for a long time, and then in the Middle Ages they began to build houses around the remains of the stadium, thus forming a new city square.

Piazza Navona. Flickr, TOBI_2008.

At different times, three fountains were erected here, the most notable of which is the central one - the Fountain of Four Rivers. It was commissioned from the famous Baroque architect Lorenzo Bernini. But the construction of the Church of St. Agnes, which is located opposite it, was carried out by Francesco Borromini. Few people know, but the architects competed with each other, so much so that the flames ignited, and the whole of Rome never tired of washing their bones.

Fountain of the Four Rivers and Church of St. Agnes. Flickr, LizAlonso.

We tell more about this story in an audio walk called “From Castel Sant'Angelo to the Pantheon,” which you will find in the Ever.Travel mobile application. While at these three attractions, you can occasionally turn on one or another audio track.

Piazza Navona. Flickr, Alan Dreamworks.

Today, Piazza Navona is interesting not only and not so much for the baroque affairs of two brilliant architects, but for the many artists, street performers and relaxed promenade atmosphere.

Torre Argentina Square (Area Sacra)

From Piazza Navona we exit onto Corso del Rinascimento, go right, and then turn left onto Via Victor Emmanuel II, which will lead us to the remains of ancient temples - Area Sacra.

Area Sacra. Flickr, mclarenjk.

In Torre Argentina Square you will see a unique sight: in the middle of a bustling metropolis there are ruins with the remains of columns and numerous staircases. This territory is now full of cats, and once upon a time there were four luxurious temples here. Scientists have not yet figured out their exact purpose, so they simply call them temples A, B, C and D. Although, there is an assumption that one of them is the “temple of a good day.” Yes, there were those: I came in in the morning, asked the gods for good luck for the whole day and went to work for myself.

Torre Argentina Square. Flickr, Panchoa.

But the fame of this place is due to another historical fact - in 44 BC. Julius Caesar was killed here during a Senate meeting. The conspirators inflicted 23 knife wounds on the famous emperor. They say that Caesar was warned about the impending conspiracy, but he preferred “to die once than to constantly expect death.”

Then our walk around Rome for one day should continue along Via del Plebiscito and, passing the Church of Il Gesu and the Palace of Venice, enter the square of the same name. It houses the grandiose snow-white Vittoriano monument, dedicated to Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a united Italy.

Altar of the Fatherland. Flickr, jeff_a_goldberg.

The second name of this monument is “Altar of the Fatherland,” but the Romans do not favor it and come up with various nicknames, such as “typewriter” or “false jaws.” The fact is that from an architectural point of view, Vittoriano is very overloaded with details: there are columns, bas-reliefs, and statues... For the Romans this is somehow too much, sheer eclecticism. But Vittoriano makes an indelible impression on visitors.

Vittoriano. Flickr, Seanbmurphy.

At the front of the monument is a statue of King Victor Emmanuel II, riding his war horse. Below it is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Trajan's Forum

If you go around Vittoriano on the left, you will see ancient Roman ruins. This is the famous Trajan Forum, the place where there was a market, a basilica, libraries, public and political debates were held, and brought trophies were also displayed.

As you know, under Emperor Trajan the Roman Empire acquired its maximum borders. He was the first provincial emperor. The historian Dio Cassius wrote about him as a fair, brave and unpretentious person in his habits: “Trajan was close to people not only on hunts and feasts, but also in their labors and intentions... He loved to easily enter the houses of townspeople, sometimes without guards. He lacked education in the strict sense of the word, but, in fact, he knew and was able to do a lot. I know, of course, about his passion for boys and wine. But if, as a result of his weaknesses, he committed base or immoral acts, this would cause widespread condemnation. However, it is known that he drank as much as he wanted, but at the same time maintained clarity of mind, and in his relations with the boys he did not harm anyone.”

This is the heart of ancient Rome! The entire public life of the city took place here: new laws were adopted, consuls were elected, triumphants were glorified... It is located across the road from the Trajan Forum. If you stay longer in the Italian capital, be sure to take time to stroll through the Roman Forum. It's incredibly interesting, especially if you turn on the audio guide from the Ever.Travel mobile application. With him, all these ruins “come to life” and turn into majestic temples and basilicas.

Roman forum. WIKIMEDIA.ORG, STEFAN BAUER.

On a day trip to Rome, we can walk along Via dei Fori Imperiali and look at the Roman Forum from behind the fence. From here we can already see one of the main attractions of Rome - the majestic Colosseum. But it was not always so. The street along which you will walk along the Roman Forum was laid by order and design of Benito Mussolini in the 20s of the 20th century. To do this, it was necessary to demolish part of the ancient forums without conducting long and thorough archaeological research. So part of the priceless history of the Roman Empire was buried under a layer of paving stones and asphalt...

And here he is in front of us! The Colosseum Arena was built on the site of an artificial lake created by ancient architects for Emperor Nero. But he was so hated by the inhabitants of the city that his Golden House and the lake fell into decay after the death of Nero, and the more enterprising Emperor Vespasian, wanting to win the love of the Romans, came up with the idea of ​​donating an amphitheater to the city, building it on the very spot where the despot once lived Nero.

Coliseum. Shutterstock.

Initially, the Colosseum hosted entertainment shows, bloody battles and animal persecution, but in the Middle Ages the amphitheater was empty. It is interesting that particularly enterprising pontiffs did not hesitate to borrow building material from its facades for their buildings, so much so that the Colosseum was almost taken away piece by piece! By the way, the situation was similar with the Roman and Imperial forums. Only through the efforts of the Roman Popes, who were more serious about history, have these monuments been preserved to this day.

View from the Colosseum of the Arch of Constantine and the Palatine. Photo by Evgenia Tsvankina.

Literally a stone's throw from the Colosseum there is an ancient architectural complex from which, in fact, the entire history of the Eternal City began. We are talking about the Palatine, a huge hill that is usually visited along with the Roman Forum. During our one-day walk, we will also see it only from behind the fence, but if possible, we strongly advise you to return here on one of the next days of your trip.

Palatine. Flickr, jch96.

According to legend, on this hill the brothers Romulus and Remus met a she-wolf, who accepted them as family and nursed them with her milk. Historians claim that on the territory of the Palatine even the ruins of the house of Romulus have survived to this day!

Stadium of Domitian. Flickr, isriya.

For many centuries, on the Palatine Hill there were huts of the first Italics, imperial chambers, luxurious palaces, temples... Now all this has turned into ruins, surrounded by picturesque gardens, but it’s definitely worth seeing them with your own eyes!

Great Circus

After you pass the Palatine, you will find another ancient structure on your right - the Circus Maximus or Circus Massimo. You will immediately understand that the ancient Romans put a slightly different meaning into the concept of “circus” than we do now. For them, it was rather a huge hippodrome where horse races were held. 12 chariot riders could compete simultaneously for the right to be the best. And the “top officials” watched what was happening from specially equipped boxes. By the way, archaeologists found them quite recently.

Circus Massimo. Wikimedia.org, AlfvanBeem.

Now this large empty area often hosts mass events, mainly rock star concerts.

Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin

After passing through the Circus Maximus you will come to the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. It was built in the 6th century on the site of an ancient temple dedicated to Hercules. Behind the strict façade of the basilica lies a rich interior: mosaic floor, Gothic altar, ancient candelabra...

Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. Flickr, yapingq.

But what most attracts visitors is the round marble mask, which is commonly called the “Mouth of Truth.” It is believed that a deity lives inside her, who is very sensitive to deception. In the Middle Ages, the Mouth of Truth was used as a lie detector: a person was asked to put his hand in the mouth of this mask and answer the question of interest. If he told a lie, he instantly lost his hand. By the way, criminals were often executed right there - on a patch near the church.

Mouth of Truth. Flickr, yapingq.

This place gained absolute fame after an episode in the film “Roman Holiday”, and today, by tradition, there is a large queue of tourists at the Mouth of Truth.

Tiberina Island

Concluding our walk around Rome for one day, let's go to the embankment and visit the island of Tiberina, which can be reached via one of the oldest city crossings - the Fabricio Bridge, built in 62 BC!

Fabricio Bridge. Flickr, Jocelyn777.

The island of Tiberina is completely shrouded in legends - from the stone base to the very top of the bell tower of San Bartolomeo. It was believed that it arose from silt and mud that adhered to the corpse of a despotic ruler thrown into the water. And even though scientists have long proven the volcanic nature of the island, the original version is much more interesting, isn’t it? ;)

Tiberina Island. Flickr, Sebastian Niedlich (Grabthar).

The island of Tiberina has surprisingly clear shapes, when viewed from above, resembling the silhouette of a boat. This is not a natural phenomenon, but the work of man - in memory of a boat that landed on the shore of this island during the plague epidemic. Then, unexpectedly for everyone, a snake crawled out of it - the famous symbol of the god of healing Aesculapius. In 293 BC. A sanctuary of this god was built on Tiberin, and only after that people agreed to live on it.

View of the island of Tiberina from the Palatine Bridge. Flickr, Snuffy.

Now on the island you can not only walk among ancient buildings, but also buy souvenirs, taste national cuisine and even watch an open-air movie. We will leave you with this pleasant pastime! Our walk around Rome for one day was extremely eventful, and we hope that it was interesting and useful!

We would like to remind you that you can not only print this guide, but also plan your own route for a walk in our free mobile application - Travel planner for iPhone and Android. By downloading it, you can not only take advantage of this excursion, offline maps and GPS, but also completely plan your trip to Rome. Walk around Rome wisely and with pleasure!