About Rome
Roma: the name inverts neatly to form ‘amor’. And thats it - people tend either to love or to hate the place and Rome can reward you as no other city can. Rome, the eternal city which exerts the most compelling fascination, has to be visited by the Italy traveler. 29 million pilgrims and tourists went to Rome in the year 2000 alone.
Few cities have such a long and turbulent history as has Rome. No other city has been the focal point of the world for such a long period. The mistress of the Roman Empire, lavished with architectural jewelry by her emperors, but also often seiged raided and destroyed. Also fires and earthquakes left their scars, but each time the eternal city recovered from her injuries.
Romes history is tightly connected to the history of Europe. Not just the Roman emperors, but also medieval emperors and kings like Charlemagne or Otto I saw Rome as the true seat of power. They challenged the new rulers, the popes for the supreme power. It was the dispute about who was the true representative of God. Both emperor and pope claimed to be true inheritors of the Roman Empire.
It is said that one life is not enough to get to know Rome. Maybe youll need about nine, as much as the countless stray cats that also populate the city, but a week will do for a first introduction. At each corner of each street theres a story to tell. Thousands of stories together tell the history of a three thousand year old city. Two weeks may be enough for a hasty tour through most everything; a month would be better. Fortunately, Rome (pop. 2.900.000) is compact enough to skim the best in three (full) days, and if you have more time we guarantee you will find delightful and fulfilling ways to use it.
Highlights in Rome include the Trevi fountain (remember Anita Ekberg in the classic scene in La Dolce Vita) and the Spanish Steps, the Roman heritage sights such as the Pantheon, the Colloseum and the Forum Romanum, at least some of the world famous churches such as Il Gesu, S. Giovanni in Laterano or Sta. Maria Maggiore. Make sure not to miss a stroll through the Vatican City with the incredibly huge St. Peter’s Cathedral and the unrivalled Vatican Museum.
Related Travel Information
Rome - Economy
Consumer consciousness is low and does not exist among the locals, so you are at the mercy of the sellers. Always be very careful that you don't walk away with faulty goods. The is no "return-policy" even if you come back on the day of purchase. You might have to ask for help in most of the stores for any little thing you want to buy as goods are generally kept behind the counter. The street markets are always good, like many other tourist destinations and there are some pretty amazing things on sale a great prices.
For a
Rome – Practical Informations
The water that is continually flowing out of those little fountains found around the streets of Rome is cold, refreshing and absolutely safe to drink. It flows constantly down from the mountain springs on the outskirts of the city and is quite good. These small fountains are called "il nasone" by the Romans as the curved pipe resembles a "big nose." As well as these, the water in the larger, decorative fountains is also safe to drink, unless there is a sign posted "acqua non potabile." Mind you do not bathe in them. If you are caught
Rome - Eating Out
Rome, pasta, wine, pizza. Here is no need to search for restaurants. Everywhere you will find small and cheap but nice trattorie, osterie and ristoranti. Prices, even in the centre, are reasonable and the quality remains of a fair standard. Many nice places are to be found in the Centro Storico, along Via Cavour and around Stazione Termini. Similarly, you can eat cheaply in the Borgo district around the Vatican.
Trastevere is Romes traditional restaurant ghetto touristy now, but still the home of some fine and reasonably priced places. Testaccio is also a popular evening place with good
Rome - Nightlife and Entertainment
Rome has many bars and nightclubs where you can drink, relax, talk or dance until deep in the night. The choice is wide: There are vast glittering palaces with stunning lights and sound systems, innovative alternative to the mainstream spots, rock and jazz places with a large offer of styles performed by a healthy array of local talents.
For further entertainment discover the various theatres, cinemas and concert halls.
For younger travellers, there is a brilliant 'Colluseum Bar Crawl' that starts around 8:30pm upstairs from the Colluseum metro stop. There are usually people handing out flyers around the
Trevi fountain
Halfway between via del Corso and Piazza Barberini on via del Tritone you 'll find a street on the south side called via Mortaro. It leads to via Poli which will take you in two blocks to the Trevi Fountain. A homely area, and generally overcrowded (with tourists like us), but a beautiful fountain, especially since they've renovated and cleaned it. A rarely visited fountain until the movie classics: Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) which opens with a view of this fountain and of course La Dolce Vita (1960) with Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni kissing in the
