The Rome Rundown: Top Five Things to Do

Photo by Amanda Ho
Photo by Amanda Ho

You’re in Rome, you’ve got a limited amount of money and/or time and you want to hit the high points? Here are five things not to miss in Rome along with a few Dos and Don’ts.

COLOSSEUM/FORUM

DO: Go. Yes, it’s crowded. Yes, it’s one of the most touristy things in the world. It’s also completely fabulous. This thing was started in Year 71. Go already.

DON’T: Buy tickets at the Colosseum, where the lines are often longer, You can buy tickets at the nearby Roman Forum/Palatine Hill good for all three attractions. The tickets last two days, but if you’re doing the whole thing at once it makes sense to go to the Forum first; you can exit the forum near the Colosseum but it’s one-way.

DO: Check out the Titus Arch in the Forum. Bas-relief sculpting on the inside of the arch tells the story of the sacking of Jerusalem. Look for the menorah.

DON’T: Go to one of the sidewalk cafes across the street from the Colosseum. Unless you are in the mood for a  $12 coke.

PANTHEON

DO: Go. Not quite as crowded as the Colosseum, this is still one of those places that’s a total cliche and at the same time a must-see. Just think about it, 2,000 or so years after it was built, this remains the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.

DO: Check out the circular opening in the roof, designed that way to admit light. Because the dome was so big, no windows were put in for fear they would weaken the structure, , hence the opening. Watch the circle of light let in by the opening as it travels around the inside of the dome. It’s actually a sun dial. Ingenious, no? What happens when it rains? The water flows out through drains on the floor. In February 2010, it snowed.

DON’T: Omit to get an espresso at the nearbySant Eustachio il caffe nearby at Piazza Sant Eustachio. Drink it standing up, there’s a charge for sitting down.

Piazza della Rotonda
Mon – Sat: 9 am – 6.30 pm and Sun: 9 am –1 pm.
Tel:             +39 06 68300230

TREVI FOUNTAIN

DO: Go early in the morning; this is this is one of those places that gets loved to death. Unlike the Colosseum which is big enough to spread the tourist hordes around a bit, the beautiful Trevi fountain is in a confined space and on a typical afternoon you will be fighting for railing room. Add to that a truly tacky souvenir stand that somehow has been allowed to set up right on the edge of the monument and it’s just a few drops short of magical.

DO: Be aware that if you do visit the whole “throw a coin in the fountain and wish for love and to return to Rome” thing only counts if the coin was given to you by a Roman. An estimated 3,000 euros worth of coins goes into the fountain daily. The money is collected and used to help the poor. Except for when they’re stolen.

BASILICA OF SAN CLEMENTE

DO: Go, if you are a history buff.  It’s quite something to visit a 12th century Catholic church that was built above a 4th-century Catholic church, that was built above a first century building that includes a Mithraic temple. And all of this wasn’t discovered unti the 19th century when Father Joseph Mullooly, then-prior of San Clemente started digging.

DON’T: Take photographs or video inside the church or wear tank tops or short shorts. You may get evicted for the former and denied admission for the latter, although if you have a scarf handy to cover your offending limbs, that will do.

Via Labicana, 95

http://www.basilicasanclemente.com/location.htm

ALTARE DELLA PATRIA

DO: Take your long-range camera lens.  Visiting this imposing building will give you the best shots of Rome you can get without actually being airborne. Also known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II, this is a huge edifice in white marble. It’s quite a climb to the top, and then you take an elevator to the roof where you will find two statues of the goddess Victoria. The building also features a sculpture of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of the unified Italy, riding on a horse. The horse doesn’t look that big from the ground but it’s actually so big that before it was completed, a dinner was held inside the belly; you’ll find photographs of that event on display. With its glaring white color and squared-off lines, the monument is called the “wedding cake,” by people who are trying to be nice and “the typewriter” by people who aren’t.

DON”T: Hit this place midday. Late afternoon could be nice, but this is another attraction that I think is best in the cool calm of the morning. There’s a pleasant cafe on the roof where you can get a quick shot of espresso while taking in the 360-degree view.

Piazza Venezia

Entrance is free, but you pay to ride the elevator.

In the mood to pop over to Leonardo da Vinci airport? I know I’m planning on making a return visit. Here’s a nifty link to a Frommer’s interactive map where you can plan your own tour of Rome. http://www.frommers.com/destinations/rome/64_maps.html

Buon Viaggio!

 

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