The travels of Tim and Megan: Rome, Italy

Friday

After a long hot day exploring the Vatican City, we retired to our hotel for some well-earned rest, showers and change of clothes and then we headed out to see more of Rome. Our hotel was ideally situated right next to the Termini train station and it was also walking distance from most of the big sites. We decided to check out the Trevi Fountain, thinking that by evening time there would not be many people there. Not the case. There were literally hundreds and hundreds of tourists there and the crowds had not dwindled by the time we left again!

The Trevi Fountain got its name from its location - the meeting point of three roads ("tre vie" meaning three roads). It was the endpoint of an aqueduct, and Roman custom dictated that a fine looking basin or fountain should be constructed at such points. The present fountain was commissioned in 1730 and was completed in 1762. It is 26 metres high and 20 metres wide, making it the largest Baroque fountain in a city full of majestic fountains.

'Taming the Waters' is the theme of the fountain, with Oceanus (god of all water) in the centre on a shell chariot, being guided by tritons either side taming seahorses, which represent the sea. The fountain is beautiful, with water spilling down from the statues into a huge (and rather deep) pool. Legend has it that if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the Trevi Fountain, it will ensure a return trip to Rome. Needless to say, over €3,000 worth of coins are thrown into the fountain every day! The fountain has also featured in several movies including La Dolce Vita.

We found a delightful little deli/food store close to the Trevi Fountain where we picked up some filled rolls/sandwiches and a bottle of wine and we found a spot amongst the throngs of tourists to sit by the fountain with our picnic dinner. It was a lovely spot to sit, and as it got darker and the lights around the fountain came on, it was even more stunning. After dinner we threw some coins in and went on our merry way in search of gelato. From there we walked back to the hotel, with gelato, past the Triton Fountain and the Piazza della Repubblica, with its own impressive fountain, completing a hat-trick of spectacular fountains for the evening.

Saturday

As Saturday was Tim's birthday, he got sole charge of choosing what we did in Rome for the whole day. So we were up bright and early, keen to get to the Colosseum before the crowds. A tip for travellers is to make sure you get an audio guide when you visit the Colosseum - firstly because it is really good and secondly because the queue for tickets/audio guides combined is a fraction of the size of the queue for just a ticket. So we were inside in no time and learning all about the history of the Colosseum.

The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of Rome, largest ever built in the Roman Empire and one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering. Its construction started in around 70AD and was completed in 80AD, making it almost 2,000 years old. Capable of seating around 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. The most common contest saw men hunting and attempting to kill wild animals, although there were also fights between men, as well as public executions, re-enactments of famous battles and dramas based on classical mythology. It has been estimated that about 500,000 people and over a million wild animals died in the Colosseum games, up until the mid-6th century when the games ceased.

Severe damage was inflicted on the Colosseum by the great earthquake in 1349, causing the outer south side, lying on a less stable terrain, to collapse. Much of the tumbled stone was reused to build palaces, churches, hospitals and other buildings elsewhere in Rome. The interior of the amphitheatre was extensively stripped of stone, which was reused elsewhere. Given its age, and all those centuries of earthquakes, pollution, stone robbers, etc, it is remarkable how much of the Colosseum remains intact and how solid it appears.

The audio guide allowed us to wander the inside of the Colosseum at our own pace and it was very informative. We walked around the upper and lower levels, getting great views of different sections of seating as well as the area where they used to keep the wild animals (and men) in cages below the "stage".

Following our morning tour of the Colosseum, we walked through the city (getting lost a few times along the way) until we arrived at the Piazza Navona. The Piazza Navona is a city square that follows the plans of an ancient Roman circus, the 1st century AD Stadium of Domitian, where the Romans came to watch games. It is shaped in a very long and thin oval and it is thought that it once staged chariot races! Today is is far more serene. Bernini's "Fountain of the Four Rivers" (1651) stands in the centre of the square, with two additional fountains at either end of the square.

We rested in some shade in the square and people-watched for a while and Tim bought a collection of drawings of famous Rome sights from one of the many artists in the square. Then we found a nice little pizzeria just behind the square where we had a delicious and pretty cheap lunch.

In the afternoon we went for a huge long walk along the river. We started near the Sant'Angelo Bridge, which leads to the Castel Sant'Angelo, a huge round building originally commissioned by the Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The building was later used as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum. It is now linked directly to the Vatican City by a wide and straight avenue. We walked south along the river bank until we hit the Campo dei Fiori - a large square where outdoor market stalls sell all sorts of food every morning. Our eventual destination was the Roman Forum and we finally made it after another brief stop at the Piazza del Capidoglio. The piazza is a beautiful square created on a rather difficult piece of land (a sloping surface amongst three buildings which did not face each other squarely) - the result is an architectural masterpiece designed by, who else, Michelangelo.

The Roman Forum is located in the centre of Rome between the Palatine Hill and the Capitoline Hill, next to the Colosseum. It is the central area around which the ancient Roman civilisation developed. The oldest and most important structures of the ancient city are located in the forum, including its ancient former royal residency where kings of Rome resided (the Regia) and the surrounding complex of the Vestal virgins (Vestal virgins were the virgin holy female priests of Vesta, given the task of keeping alight the sacred flame of Vesta). The Old Republic had its formal Comitium (centre of political and judicial activity) there where the senate, as well as the Republican government began. The forum served as a city square and central hub where the people of Rome gathered for justice in the law courts and faith in the temples. The forum was also the economic hub of the city and considered to be the centre of the Republic and Empire.

According to tradition, the forum's beginnings are connected with the alliance between Romulus, the first king of Rome controlling the Palatine hill, and his rival, Titus Tatius who occupied the Capitoline hill, around the 7th century BC. The second king, Numa Pompilius, is said to have begun the cult of Vesta, building its house and temple as well as the Regia as the city's first royal palace. Later Tullus Hostilius erected the Curia and enclosed the Comitium. In 600 BC the area was paved for the first time.

Today there are remnants of several temples, basilicas, arches and other structures in varying states of ruin. We wandered down the Sacred Path and checked out the ruins close up - it was quite unreal to think of kings, emperors, etc wandering that same path thousands of years earlier. The best view of the Forum is from the look-out area to the south of the Forum - a bit of a steep climb, but worth the effort (see photos below).

In the evening we caught the metro down to the Trastevere region in south-west Rome. It was a really busy, lively area, with loads of locals out and about. We found a nice bar where we had a couple of beers - perfect after a long, hot day of sight-seeing! Then we found a brilliant little restaurant nearby, called Alla Fratte di Trastevere. We had bread and olive oil, a tomato mozarella salad, veal and steak for mains and we were given complimentary lemonello shots - a local favourite - by our waiter. The service was good and the food was perfect, definitely recommend it.

After dinner we got some gelato and decided it would be nice to see the Vatican City by night. We stopped some friendly-looking locals to ask directions and the conversation went a little like this:

Us: "Buona Serra, excuse me, which way to the river?" (We figured we could find our way to the Vatican if we got to the river).
Italian man: [gestures to us to wait and calls over his friend who obviously has superior English skills]
Italian man's friend: "Where you want to go?"
Us: "To the river."
Them: [Blank stares]
Us: "Which way to the Vatican City?"
Them "Huh? Where you go?"
Us: The Vatican, which way to the Vatican City?"
Them: [Confused stares]
Us (in finest Italian accents): "Il Vaticano".
Them (extremely excited): "Ah, il Vaticano!!! Down here, across the river and turn right."
Us: "Grazie."

A hilarious moment, but we were on our way. We found the Vatican fairly easily and it looked fantastic all lit up. As it was approaching midnight, we had to run like Cinderella to catch the last metro back to our hotel, which we did...just. It was an action-packed day and a great way for Tim spend his 29th birthday.

Sunday

We were rather slow getting going on Sunday. After a big sleep-in and the hotel breakfast, we set off for the Pantheon.

The Pantheon is a building in Rome originally built by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome, hence the name Pantheon, which means "all gods" in Greek. It was rebuilt in the 2nd century AD. The building is circular with a portico of three rows of huge Corinthian columns under a pediment in front, which opens into the rotunda. The rotunda is covered by a concrete dome with a central oculus, which is open to the sky. The height to the oculus and the diameter of the interior circle are the same, 43.3 metres. It is one of the best preserved of all Roman buildings and it has been in continuous use throughout its history. Since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Roman Catholic church.

The oculus at the dome's apex and the entry door are the only sources of light in the interior. Throughout the day, the light from the oculus moves around this space in a sort of reverse sundial effect. The oculus also serves as a cooling and ventilation method. During storms, a drainage system below the floor handles the rain that falls through the oculus on to the sloping floor.

Aside from the altar that serves the current Catholic church, the rest of the interior is decorated with beautiful paintings, as well as tombs of several illustrious figures. Among those buried in the Pantheon are two Italian kings and the famous artist, Raphael, who died in 1520, aged 37. The sarcophagus containing Raphael's body sits behind a glass case, while the artist's fiancée, Maria Bibbiena, is buried to the right of his sarcophagus; she died before they could marry. To the left of the sarcophagus is a bronze bust of Raphael, dating from 1833 and above the sarcophagus is a statue, known as "The Madonna of the Rock", which was commissioned by Raphael and made by Lorenzetto in 1524.

As we arrived at the Pantheon, there was a couple walking out, being showered in rice and confetti, who had obviously just been married in the ancient temple. It was fairly crowded inside but we were still able to see everything easily. It is absolutely beautiful inside, especially with the light streaming in through the oculus above - definitely worth a look if you are in Rome!

The Piazza della Rotunda in front of the Pantheon was very nice too - busy and lively with tourists and surrounded by cafes and shops. Surprisingly there is a fountain with an obelisk in the middle of the piazza! We filled up our drink bottles at the fountain (another great thing about Rome is that there are hundreds of water fountains all over the city with clean, cold drinking water - so no need to constantly find bottled water) and found some shade in the piazza before moving on to our next major stop of the day.

The Spanish Steps are another popular landmark in Rome. They are a beautiful set of steps climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the bottom and the church of Trinita dei Monti. It is the longest and widest staircase in Europe. The monumental stairway of 138 steps was built with French diplomat Étienne Gueffier’s bequeathed funds of 20,000 scudi, in 1723–1725. During Christmas time a 19th-century crib is displayed on the first landing of the staircase, while during May, part of the steps are covered by hundreds of pots of azaleas.

As usual, the Spanish Steps were crowded with people, but we managed to find a shady spot about halfway up the steps to rest. We continued to the top, where we had a quick look in the church and enjoyed the great views out across the city.

A short walk from the Piazza di Spagna is the huge Piazza del Popolo, with, you guessed it, a large obelisk in the centre, surrounded by small fountains. As we were checking out the obelisk a golden retriever jumped into one of the fountains to cool off. We were tempted to do the same, as it was baking hot. Instead we found some lunch close to the square and then caught the metro across town to the Colosseum area.

Not far from the Colosseum is the San Clemente Basilica, a fascinating church, which is actually three churches in one! At street level is the current church, a beautiful 12th century building and one of the most richly adorned churches in Rome. Excavations in the 1860s revealed the forgotten earlier basilica that lies beneath the current church. The earlier basilica dates from the 4th century and contains a large collection of wall paintings, which are remarkably well preserved. There is also a shrine and tomb where St Ignatius of Antioch was buried before his body was moved to St Peter's Basilica. A further level underground are the archaeological remains of a 1st century Roman pagan temple dedicated to Mithras, complete with an altar and a water well.

Our final stop-off point on another busy day of sight-seeing was the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, famous not for the interior of the church, but for the Mouth of Truth, a large stone carving of a face on a wall in the foyer of the church. Starting from the Middle Ages, it was believed that if you put your hand in the mouth of the face and told a lie, the mouth would bite your hand off. Apparently priests from the church fuelled this legend by keeping scorpions inside the mouth! The Mouth of Truth was made famous by appearing in the 1953 film "Roman Holiday". We lined up and got photos of each us with our hand in the Mouth of Truth.

In the evening we returned to the Trastevere area and had dinner at a different restaurant, which was, again, very good. After dinner, Megan led us on a night tour of some of the famous sights - the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and the Colosseum. At the Spanish Steps we enjoyed a drink at the bar at the top of the steps. It was a beautiful warm evening and there were still hundreds of people relaxing on the steps. The sights, particularly the Colosseum, looked magnificent all lit up.

Monday

Monday was another slow start. It was the last day of our 10-day tour of Italy and we were pretty tired. When we eventually got going and checked out of the hotel, we headed north of the hotel to a small church called the Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini. The church has become famous due to the spooky crypt beneath the church, full of the bones of 4,000 skeletons. The church was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII in 1626. The Pope's brother, Cardinal Antonio Barberini, was a Capuchin monk. In 1631, he ordered the remains of thousands of Capuchin friars exhumed and transferred to the crypt.

The bones were arranged along the walls, and the friars began to bury their own dead here. Here the Capuchins would come to pray and reflect each evening before retiring for the night.
The crypt now contains the remains of 4,000 friars buried between 1500-1870, during which time the Roman Catholic Church permitted burial in and under churches. The underground crypt is divided into five chapels, lit only by dim natural light seeping in through cracks, and small fluorescent lamps. Some of the skeletons are intact and draped with Franciscan habits, but for the most part, individual bones are used to create elaborate ornamental designs - a true work of art. The crypt was really amazing. The designs were really well done, although it was a little creepy, particularly the full skeletons dressed in monks' robes.

After a coffee at a great cafe just behind the Pantheon, we returned to the Piazza del Popolo, grabbed some lunch and took it up to the Villa Borghese, a massive public garden area on a hill, that overlooks the city. It was very pretty and we would have loved to see more of it - another place to check out in more detail on our next trip to Rome!

We had decided to spend our last afternoon in Rome climbing stairs in sweltering heat. We got the metro back to "Il Vaticano" and climbed to the top of the dome of St Peter's Basilica. If truth be told, we got the elevator halfway up and there wasn't that much further to go on the stairs. While hard work, the view from the top was spectacular, surely the finest views in Rome. From the top of the dome at the front, we had magnificent views down to St Peter's Square and beyond to the rest of the city. Around the other side of the dome we had a bird's eye view of the Vatican Gardens.

It seemed appropriate that our last stop was at a gelato shop just beyond the walls of the Vatican City. We had some delicious gelato and then set off for the airport. We were well and truly knackered and actually pleased in a way to be escaping the relentless heat of Italy. Back to grey skies and temperatures in the low 20s...ahhh, London.