Colosseum, Rome, Italy / Photo by admin

A Bit of Romance

If you want a bit of romance you know where to go, don’t you? Actually, the whole country is extremely good for romantic breaks but the word Venice springs instantly into the minds of most couples who want to enjoy an unforgettable break. Even if you have read a thousand stories about the place and seen hundreds of pictures of it you will still be bowled over by the setting and the atmosphere.

A Lot of Art

Art is all around you when you go to Italy and nowhere more so than in Florence. This famously beautiful city holds some of the most exciting art treasures known to man. If walking from one museum to another and looking from one stunning piece of art to another is your idea of heaven this is a fantastic choice of destination. As it is in Tuscany you can expect great food and lots of friendly hospitality.

A Whole of Sight Seeing

The only problem with Rome is that there is just so much to do there. This is fine if you have plenty of time to wander around and see the famous sights but in shorter breaks the overwhelming number of things to do can be just too much to take in. The Coliseum, the Roman Forum, the Vatican and the Pantheon are just some of the amazing tourist attractions which have fascinated visitors here for centuries. If you want to feel as though you are steeped in history while on holiday then you can’t do much better than go to Rome, as long as you have the time to enjoy it all.

A Huge Amount of Freedom

Going on a camping holiday has always been a popular choice with those people who want to enjoy a lot of freedom while they are away. This type of break is especially recommended for families and those who want to enjoy their family holidays on a relatively tight budget. Camping in Italy is increasingly common now as there are lots of top campsites across the country. A quick look at a travel site like Eurocamp or Keycamp ones will give you a good idea of what to expect once you get across there.

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Fontana di Trevi, Rome / Photo by admin

Rome’s Main Attractions

During a first-time visit to Rome, there are a few main attractions that must be seen including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Trevi Fountain.

Luxury Boutiques

Step foot in Rome and one of the first things you will notice is how fashionable the locals are, even when out running simple errands. How could they not be with their streets lined with the likes of Prada and Dolce & Gabbana? The most prestigious place to do some shopping is along elegant Via de Condotti. Here you will find luxury boutiques from some of Italy’s most famous fashion designers including Versace and Armani. It is a real experience to walk into Bulgari or Fendi and make a purchase in the city where these brands were founded.

Upscale Dining

Many people plan entire trips to Rome just to eat. While other areas of Rome specialize in rustic dishes, restaurants in Rome are as refined as those in New York City — but with that distinct Italian flair. Beyond dining in the latest and greatest restaurants, Rome also offers the opportunity to engage with food and wine. If you’re interested in cooking, how about signing up for a cooking lesson with a local chef? If you want to expand your wine knowledge, there are many tastings (some paired with food) that will be both educational and fun. There are also many walking tours led by local experts focused on traditional Roman food.

Relax at the Spa

Part of the pleasure of Rome is strolling through Campo dei Fiori or Piazza Navona after dark, soaking in the architecture and atmosphere. After all that walking, you’ll probably be ready for a serene spa day. This capital city has a range of decadent spas to choose between, including Cavalieri Grand Spa, De Russie Wellness Zone, and Hassler Roma Spa. Do a little investigating before your arrival and you could plan a spa day that includes a romantic couple’s massage. These spas are very popular and in demand, so be sure to make your reservations in advance online to ensure an appointment on the day and time you desire.

Rome’s Little Pleasures

It’s easy to fill your days in Rome with so many museums, shops, and boutiques. But part of the fun in Rome is slowing down to enjoy the city’s little pleasures. Instead of rushing to dinner, how about sitting down in a square for an aperitivo? For a little culture, you can get dressed up for an evening at the Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma. The Italians are known for their sweets, so after dinner or the theater, why not stop into Gina, a restaurant known for its dolci? After a few days, you might start thinking like an Italian, beginning your day with an espresso and joining in on the daily evening stroll.

Rent a Luxury Apartment

If you really want to see how the Romans live, step into their shoes. Rent a luxury Rome apartment and explore the local neighborhoods. Here you can take fashion inspiration from the locals, discover off-the-beaten-path boutiques for shoes and handbags, and linger of a glass of wine at lunch in a local ristorante. A luxury apartment will provide generous living space and a kitchen for stocking healthy snacks and drinks. When researching, keep your eye out for rentals with special touches such as a soaking tub, a balcony with views, or rooftop access.

Regardless of where you stay and what you do, there’s nothing like a trip to Rome.  Take your time and enjoy it!

About the Author
Joseph Miller is a writer and analyst for HomeAway’s Travel Ideas site. He has lived in California, Oregon, Florida, Texas and Tokyo and enjoys a good cruise now and then.

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Piazza Navona / Photo by admin

Attractions in Rome

Rome is filled with a number of tourist attractions, you will never run out of places to visit, only time.  One of the most recommended attractions is the Colosseum which has to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in Rome (it gets very busy in the peak season). Built in AD 80, the Colosseum held many gladiatorial and wild animal fights and today, there are men dressed in gladiatorial costume to help set the scene as to how it was like back then. On Sundays the road leading up to the Colosseum, the Via dei Fori Imperiali is closed to traffic and therefore it is nice to stroll up to the Colosseum, there are plenty of souvenirs to buy from the vendors along the road.

One of Rome’s most beautiful sqaures, the Piazza Navona, was originally built as a stadium for athletic contests. Until the late 19the century the square was flooded to be used for mock naval battles and other aquatic sports.  It is now filled with lavish cafes and three Baroque fountains. Don’t miss out on the delicious ice cream dessert, tartufo. which you can have at one of the cafes.

A third tourist attraction you won’t want to miss is the Pantheon.  It was built 1,800 years ago and until 1436 was the largest dome in the world at 43 metres high.  With marble columns and brick walls, the Pantheon was originally a temple for pagan gods but was converted into a church in 609AD. It now contains the tombs of the artist Raphael and many Italian kings.  The Pantheon borders the Piazza della Rotonda, which has a central fountain and obelisk.

Pantheon / Photo by admin

Places to Stay in Rome

There are plenty of hotels to stay in Rome, hotels to suit every budget.  One of the more luxurious hotels is near the Piazza Navona, called the Raphael Hotel. Inside of the hotel is filled with antiques and artwork.  Staying in short term accommodation rentals can be just as luxurious and are all centrally located.  There are many apartments in Rome for rent to suit every budget.

There are many different places to stay when travelling round Europe.  A lot of companies offer short term accommodation rentals in Berlin, Rome, Paris and you can even rent apartments in London.

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Once in Rome, the options for entertainment are endless. Those that prefer their vacation with a side of history will, no doubt, want to stop by the Colosseum. This ancient elliptical venue was the site of famous gladiator contests and seated 50,000 spectators. Partially ruined today, it still stands as an iconic image representing ancient Roman times.

One of Rome’s more distinctive features is that a separate city resides within its borders. Vatican City, home to the Pope, has a population of only 800, making it the smallest independent state in the entire world. While it was not officially established as an independent nation until 1929, Popes have resided in that general area since 1377. Some of history’s most important art can be found in Vatican City, including Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel.

Italy is known for its pasta and Rome is no exception. In fact, the National Museum of Pasta is located in Rome and alfredo sauce was invented by a Roman chef in 1914. After a day of sightseeing, be sure to hop into a local restaurant for a wonderful selection of pasta dishes. Le Mani restaurant in Tratesvere has some great reviews for its pasta.  It is different from other trattorias (eating establishment in Italy which is less formal than a restaurant) in Rome as it offers dishes not normally found in trattorias. Le Mani is so popular, it is always busy, so booking ahead is a must. It can get very crowded.

Rome has a wealth of hotels and hostels, depending on length of the visit it might be more economical to consider renting one of the many Rome apartments available in the city. Renting one of the apartments offers travelers the luxury of having a home away from home, more space than a hotel room while also having the option to cook meals instead of constantly eating out. A simple online search for Rome accommodation rentals will bring up a list of possible options for renting Rome apartments.

There are many different places to stay when travelling round Europe.  A lot of companies offer short term accommodation rentals in Berlin, Rome, London and you can even rent apartments in Paris.

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Colosseum / Photo by admin

Colosseum dates back to 1st century AD. Specifically, its construction began sometimes after the year 70 during the reign of Emperor Vespasian and was completed in the year 80. Its further modifications followed at the end of the 1st century during Domitian rule.

Colosseum is monumental even today, can you imagine how monumental it was in those ancient times? The building, designed mainly for gladiatorial contests and various public performances, was the largest building ever built in the Roman empire. Colosseum could houses about 50 thousand people (according to the recent estimation but up to 87 thousand people according to an old document), which is astronomic number even today. Its length is 189 meters, the width 156 meters and height 48 meters, and covers an area of ​​6 acres. Unfortunately the building has not been preserved in full, but was destroyed by numerous earthquakes and other impacts. The current outer wall of the Colosseum was originally inside the walls, the original exterior one was 545 meters long.

But now let me return back to the name of the building. At the beginning it was known as Amphitheatrum Flavium (according to the emperors names – Titus Flavius ​​Vespasian and Titus Flavius ​​Domitian). And this name survived for hundreds of years.

Colosseum was used for almost 500 years for its intended purpose, until the 6th century (so more than 100 years after the collapse of Roman Empire). In the Middle Ages it served to various other purposes.

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And how Colosseum came to its current name? Not far from it was a huge statue of the emperor Nero. Emperor’s followers variously rebuilt the statue into a god Helios, or they replaced his head with their own heads. Anyway, this statue was called “Colossus.” During the history, however, the statue disappeared and was eventually forgotten, now it just contains remnants of the base. But around the year 1000, for yet unknown reason, its name began to use for Amphitheatrum Flavium, whose original name was later forgotten as well.

However you call it, this is a remarkable work of ancient builders. It is estimated that its creation consumed more than 100,000 cubic meters of travertine and 300 tons of iron clamps (on Colosseum we can observe the decline of architectural skills – older civilizations were able to create even larger structures, but often held and still hold together without using ferrous fasteners). The amphitheater had a smart system of underground tunnels leading right under the arena (the hypogeum), which is now exposed and accessible to all the visitors. There were also other corridors leading in and out of the construction, or through other parts of Colosseum. It has even the elevators and hydraulically powered equipment. The amphitheater included also some other auxiliary buildings.

Colosseum is currently one of the most visited and most admired monuments not only in Rome but throughout Italy. Colosseum is certainly a symbol of the city but sometimes even a symbol of Italy.

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Trevi fountain / Photo by admin

The city sees between seven and ten million visitors annually. On holy years, this number can more than double to well over twenty million tourists. Last year alone, the Colosseum was vested by more than 4 million people while 4.2 million people made their way through the various museums of the Vatican. One of the biggest years in recent history was 2005 when more than 19.5 million visitors from all over the world made their way to the city.

For hundreds of years, the city of Rome has maintained its position as one of the most visited cities in the world. From the days of the vast and powerful Roman Empire to the rise of Christianity, billions of people have stepped foot in this most ancient of cities. However, there was a time when Rome did see a fall in tourism; during the revolutions of the 1870s.

Pantheon, Rome, Italy / Photo by admin

The Vatican Museums are considered to be the 37th most popular destination in the entire world today. The Colosseum on the other hand is ranked at number 39. St. Peter’s Basilica is perhaps the next most visited place in the city. Then of course there is the Pantheon, Forum Romanum, Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain which are well-known hot spots in Rome. Many visitors also stop by the Piazza Navona, Castel Sant’Angelo, Quirinal Palace as well as the Lateran Palace while they are in the city.

There is something romantic about having the opportunity to see some of the oldest manmade structures in the world; some dating back several thousand years.

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