Well, if you know a little bit of history, and want a romantic getaway with your partner, then you have all the reasons in the world to visit Rome. Plus, it is a great looking city as well. Culture, people, history, food, pleasures and much more. So, If you want to learn something about ancient history, eat divine food (hey, the homeland of pizza!), infuse your love romance with an Italian vibe, then Rome will give you all that plus a bit more!
What to Visit In Rome, Italy
The Colosseum
We spoke before about Dubrovnik and the Game of Thrones Feel, but in Rome, you have the epic feel. That feeling is most potent when visiting the Colosseum. The Gladiator movie anyone? Not only epic but legendary as well! The Colosseum is a vast oval-shaped amphitheatre dating back from the 1st century. Historians say it was built with concrete and sand under the rule of emperor Vespasian. Even back then, it could get more than 80,000 people. To enter the Colosseum, you need to pay 12 euros – the price is not high, not terrible. You can always take the tour with a guide if you want somebody to tell you more info, but if you’re going to explore the beauty and not listen to history, we recommend to do it yourself.
Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta
Another landmark that you must visit is Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta or The Knights of Malta Keyhole in English. It was also called as the hole of Roem – a keyhole that gives visitors a focused view of Rome. All you need to do is to put one eye to the designed spot on the wooden door and before you will get a perfect view of St Peter’s Dome. To get to the Knights of Malta keyhole, you must go to Aventine hill, then walk a bit and go down on Via di Santa Sabinaopes and then go directly on Pizza di Cavalieri di Malta. Nextravel recommends visiting this attraction if it is a sunny and bright day!
The Pantheon
When in Rome, it would be a shame not to visit the Pantheon. Maybe you need to pay money to visit the Colosseum, but a visit to the Pantheon is entirely free. To honour their gods, the Romans build this magnificent temple, and it is one of Ancient Rome’s most preserved structures. Its construction was ordered by Marcus Agrippa and finished by emperor Hadrian. Once was a temple for the old pagan gods, but it is a Christian church – S. Maria ad Martyres. Nextravel recommends to visit the temple and relive ancient times – no words can describe its beauty and testament of time.
The Baths Of Caracalla
Located in the southern section of Rome, The Baths of Caracalla are the most preserved baths of their type. Built in the 3rd century AD, many of its mosaics are still intact. If you plan to visit them do between 9 – 18 o’clock. However, on Monday the close early, so be careful with your schedule. The best thing about the Baths of Caracalla is that there are audio guides, which makes it more time efficient if you want to explore every part of the baths.
Plus, if you’re planning to see the best ballet and hear the best opera in Rome, the Baths of Caracalla hosts them every summer. Tickets are hard to get, but if you book them early, then you will get your spot for sure. Nextravel tip – if you are part of the EU remember to take your passport with you – those part of the EU and aged from 18 – 25 pay 3 euro than the full 6 euro price.
Gladiator School
Rossel Crowe and the soundtrack of Gladiator are the first things that come in my mind when I heard about Gladiator School. Well, who does not want to experience something unique like the place where gladiators where trained? Not only that, but you will learn how to become a gladiator yourself. Luckily, you will not face their destiny, only add a satisfying experience in your life. The school is located 2.5 km from the Colosseum.
There you will learn gladiator skills thought by members of the Historic Group of Rome. The lessons last around 2 hours, and you will be given clothes, weapons and drinks. Nextravel recommends bringing your own food because they do not provide any. So, if you plan your trip around lunch, bring some high-caloric food because you will be worn out from your gladiator lessons.
Vatican City – St Peter Basilica
If you are a Catholic, then you already know the importance of this city inside of a town. Hearing and seeing the Pope, surrounded by thousands of other people, is an experience of a lifetime. Saint Peter is the most important sites for Christianity, and you must visit it – even if you are not Catholic or Christian because the architecture will blow your mind and the spirituality will heal your soul.
The entrance of most parts are free, but if you climb to the dome or visit the treasure, you will need to pay an admission charge. Nextravel recommends booking a guided tour which will skip the long queues. Not only that, but you will understand the sites better with a tour guide.
Vatican City – Museums
If you read any Dan Brown book, you know that in the Vatican there are the most historical and culturally relevant artefacts in the world. The Vatican has museums that house pieces from different countless historical periods. In a way, you will learn history first hand and remember every detail until the rest of your life. Nextravel knows that it is practically impossible to visit all the museums, but we highly recommend visiting Da Vinci’s Saint Jerome, the sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, the Sistine Chapel and lastly the Trinity Sarcophagus.
The Spanish Steps
There are many Spanish steps in Europe, but in Rome, they are unique. That makes the most popular tourist attraction. There are totally 138 stairs that lead down to the Piazza di Spagna. They were designed by Francesco de Sanctis and finished in 1726. Nextravel recommends not to bring food and eat on the steps because food consuming on the Spanish steps has been forbidden by the local Roman authorities.
We continue in part 2!
