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Best Time to Visit, Traveller's Journal

Rome, The city full of love and History.

Finally, we speak in the blog of one of our favorite sites, the city of  ROMA is always special and that is why we recommend how to visit this fantastic city in just one weekend. We know that there are very few days but if you do not have more time, keep in mind that in two and a half days you can see many corners of Rome. To do this you have to be willing to take advantage of every minute of the day without too many breaks. 

Rome – My Travel Experience and Places to visit.

How we reach there – Barcelona to Rome.

This weekend, I start from Barcelona airport to the eternal city, RomeWe had very little time and much to visit! We arrived in Fiumicino on Friday at 9:55 p.m., being very late and we had to wait an hour for the next bus departure, we decided to pay for a van-taxi that left the same airport.

The price of the Taxi was € 60, but we divided between 4 people and we got € 15 per head. The bus is cheaper. While queuing to board from Barcelona airport, you can buy bus tickets. It leaves every 30 minutes and travels to Termini station for the modest price of € 4.

We arrive at the hostel located in Vía Della Madonna Dei Monti. The hostel was very close to the Colosseum. So we left our bags in the hostel, ate a quick sandwich and decided to go see this wonder of the enlightened world. No wonder it is the sixth wonder of the world because just seeing the immensity of the monument leaves you speechless. You go back in time, we just couldn’t stop contemplating the Colosseum. It was built in 80 AD and today, we can still see its structure still standing.

Read : Wonders of the Enlightened world.

To return to the hostel, we passed the Via di Foro Imperiali, the main access street to the Colosseum, where we could continue enjoying its incredible views. Arriving at our apartment, we find the Nerva Forum and the Vespasiano Forum, we continue the tour through the Augustus Forum and the Trajan Forum. These forums are known as the Imperial Forums. The day ends and we go to sleep to regain strength and want more visits.

Places to visit in Rome – Travel Guide

1. Walk around Piazza Navona

As Rome is a monument in itself, we prefer not to take the subway to return to the center. We decided to walk and enjoy everything we find in our path, we cross the river through one of its most emblematic bridges, the San Angelo bridge. 

Little by little, we were getting closer to our next goal, Piazza Navona. Before arriving, we stopped to eat some pasta in a small restaurant near the square to regain strength and after a few minutes, we arrived at   Piazza Navona, where we find ourselves faced with the Fount of the Four Rivers by Bernini.

Piazza Navona

It represents the four great rivers known to date, the Danube, the Ganges, the Nile, and the Río de la Plata. A really beautiful monument and that makes the other fountains of the square remain in the background. The Fountain of Neptune and the Fountain of the Moor. 

Read: More about Piazza Navona.

We took our respective photographs to remember and continue to the next stop, the Pantheon!

2. The Pantheon

We continue through the alleys of Rome and in ten minutes we find one of the most spectacular monuments in the city the Pantheon of Agrippa.  It is one of the masterpieces of the architecture of the Italian capital. 

It is the best-preserved building in ancient Rome dating from 126 AD and it seems incredible because it is immaculate.

The endless columns guarding the entrance with that old color that still makes it more beautiful. Upon entering you can see a huge space with numerous works of art and to complete the show, the incredible dome.

Also read: Agriturismo in Italy

We were so fascinated that we were dumbfounded watching her for a while, the visit to the Pantheon itself is very simple and free, there is not much to see. You can complete the visit in just five minutes if you want, but if you are passionate about architecture and history it will be impossible, only with the dome you get stuck for a while.

Pantheon Rome

We continue wandering through the center of the eternal city and head towards the Trevi Fountain. The journey of about 15 minutes walking from the  Pantheon.  You have the option and you can take advantage of a coffee or ice cream to replenish energy, this is an area full of coffee shops and artisan ice cream parlors. It is not bad to sit in the same square as the Pantheon to have a drink in a nearby street. We did not stop since we were freshly eaten and decided to go directly to the Trevi Fountain.

Read : More about the Pantheon.

Ice cream in Rome

3. The Trevi Fountain

It is very curious when you approach the entrance to the square, you hear a loud noise of water falling, you think it can not be, that it is a lot of noise, it can not be water. 

When you arrive at the square you realize that it is possible, because the greatness and spectacularity of the Trevi Fountain deserve comments, it is something unique, we were very surprised. We had seen it in photos, but you can’t imagine that it could surprise so much and also a better view of the spot.

The Trevi Fountain

We are placing ourselves, looking for a good place to take photos. And as tradition dictates, to throw a coin to the source. As the legend relates, visitors who throw a coin at the source ensure their return to Rome, those who throw two coins lead to a new romance and three coins ensure a marriage or divorce. Another version of this legend is that it brings luck to throw three coins with the right hand over the left shoulder to the source. So if you are superstitious you can choose legend at your leisure.

Also read: Harry Potter places around the world.

We toss a coin with the right hand on the left shoulder, so we mix a little, hehe! Will we have good luck and return to Rome? You never know, but we wouldn’t mind repeating. Another of the things we read in a guide and we find it really interesting is that about € 1,000,000 is collected annually from the source! € 1,000,000 !!! A barbarity and the best thing is that for about ten years, this money is used for charitable purposes. A very nice gesture and that makes the place even bigger.

Read: More about Trevi Fountain.

4. Piazza of Spain

We headed towards the Piazza of Spain. Known for the famous stairs both for its structure and its past, they are literally and figuratively in the heart of Rome. 

One of the most representative places in the city, people go to the steps of the Piazza de España to sit and contemplate the city; Sitting down to eat ice cream and talking is one of the activities that Romans like best. The stairs are also famous for having appeared in several Hollywood movies.

Piazza of Spain

Also noteworthy is the Barge Fountain, located at the foot of the stairs used to separate the commercial axis of the city with the stairs. And it is that just before reaching the Plaza de España we cross one of the most important shopping streets in the city, Via Dei Condotti where you will find stores of the best brands in the world. If you have time and a checking account with many zeros, you can stop for a walk and go to some shops, we go up the stairs and go around but we don’t enter any store.

Read: More about Piazza of Spain.

4. La Fontana at night and a good restaurant for dinner

It is getting dark and hunger begins to tighten, we decided to quickly visit the Piazza de la República formed by a large roundabout in which a beautiful fountain is located. 

Surrounded by imposing buildings on one side and a temple with a demolished appearance on the other. We took a couple of photos and then decided to go to the Trevi Fountain, to see it illuminated at night. It was surprising, it changes more than expected and it is worth losing thirty minutes of your time to see it again, it is a mandatory stop, both day and night. 

We leave the square where the Trevi Fountain is located and have dinner at a pizzeria recommended by some friends, Pizzeria Baffetto. Exquisite and very economical. Located near Navona Square, the only drawback is that being so good and cheap, it is full of people. We waited for about twenty minutes for dinner, but it was worth it, we recommend it. 

After dinner, it should be noted that very satisfied, we walk back to the apartment that is a 1/2 hour walk. Along the way, we find the spectacular Venezia Square that looks very beautiful at night. We took a picture but we booked for the next day to visit it well. Thus we set course for the apartment, to rest and regain strength for the last day in Rome.

In Italy, there are few more cities which I advise you guys not to miss. My favorite one is Venice – Check Venice sustainable tourism.

Things You Can’t-Miss when in Rome.

Last day in Rome and no less important because we are going to visit one of the seven wonders of the world. Although it was raining, at 8.00 we were at the Colosseum. Since it was the first Sunday of the month and admission was free, it was important to go early to get entry and take advantage of the day to also visit the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. There was a little queue, but in 1/2 hour we could enter. There is the option of catching audioguide paying € 6, which while you stop at some points will explain the entire history of the Colosseum and its architecture.

One of the best ways to get to know Rome is by booking a Free Tour around the city.

1. The Colosseum.

We entered the Colosseum, formerly known as the Flavian Amphitheater, which accommodated 50,000 people who were going to enjoy their favorite shows: gladiatorial battles and the fight of prisoners with wild beasts. The truth is that it is one of the best-preserved monuments of Roman architecture.

We could not enjoy the Colosseum as much as we wanted because of the incessant rain. However, we walked inside, observing the entire structure, some surprisingly intact for thousands of years. You can not miss this magnificent construction that seems to have not passed the centuries.

We left the Colosseum and headed towards the Roman Forum. We enter practically without queues because with the entrance of the Colosseo you can enter without doing them. The Roman Forum is the most important of all that are currently preserved in Rome and is located between Piazza Venezia and the Colosseum. In the Roman Forum, you can see a large number of temples (Saturn, Romulus …), Basilicas (Constantine, Emilia ) and Arches of Titus and Severus. It was the place where the Romans met to discuss political, economic or judicial issues. This magnificent place will immerse you towards the time of ancient Rome.

Rome

We continue walking and we reach the Palatine Hill highlighted because you can see buildings that were built for Roman high society, among them the Farmesian Gardens, the Domus Flavia and the Dominican Racecourse. Legend has it that in these majestic ruins Romulus founded the city of Rome.

2. Piazza Venezia

We leave the Palatine to go to the Venezia Square which is less than five minutes walk, in it we can find the monument to Victor Manuel II or better known as the Altar of the Fatherland, it is a huge memorial monument of the city of Rome in honor of the first king of the unified Italy of Victor Manuel II.

We were a little shocked that in the Altar of the Homeland there is a grave of an unknown soldier killed in the war. The identity of the soldier is unknown and it is believed that it will never be known. It is a symbolic tomb that represents all Italians killed in the war and is guarded by two peters with a flame that is always burning.

We climbed all the stairs of the Altar de la Patria and we were surprised by the fantastic views that can be seen from above, the entire Roman Forum, the Colosseum, the Trajan Column, etc. The Piazza Venezia is in the heart of Rome.  A few meters away you can see many of the most representative monuments of the city, so it is another mandatory visit and highly recommended if you have little time to visit the city.

3. La Bocca Della Verità

After the visit to the Plaza de Venezia, we walk to the famous Bocca Della Verità located on the porch of the church of Santa Maria de Cosmedín. It is a marble disk with a sculpted bearded face (formerly part of a fountain). 

The legend says that if someone puts their hand into the mouth of the sculpted face and tells a lie, the mouth will slam shut and tear it away. If it worked it would be a good place to take politicians!

It was a 10-minute walk from Venezia Square, it took us a long time to find it because it was inside the church. There was a large queue of people waiting to take a picture and we had little time, so feeling it a lot we went with a photo from far away from the Bocca Della Verità. A task that remains pending for the next visit we make to Roma.

bocca-della-verita-desde

4. El Trastevere, the most beautiful neighborhood in Rome.

Lunchtime and we had to visit the medieval neighborhood of Trastevere, one of the neighborhoods with more history and tradition. So we took the opportunity to eat there and visit the tourist center of the city. The streets are beautiful, with lots of atmospheres to drink, eat and walk.

We stopped at a restaurant that was recommended to us called Carlo Menta, we found it walking towards the center of the neighborhood. We ate on the terrace taking advantage of the sun had risen. In this restaurant there is typical Italian food, so we decided to order pasta which was delicious. It is possible to say that we did not reserve and they served us fast and the most important thing is that it was very economic.

We just ate, we went to visit the majestic Plaza de Santa Maria, named because there is the Basilica of Santa Maria. The whole neighborhood has a special charm. Both for walking day and night. There are many shops to buy souvenirs at a good price. We take the opportunity to buy and thus end our intense and great weekend.

We were very fair in time, so we decided to take a bus. We buy the tickets at a kiosk and head towards Termini station.  We went to get the bags and the bus that took us to the Fiumicino airport. With great sorrow, we say goodbye to the eternal city. Our next destination was Germany where Glampings helped us a lot.


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