For more than a thousand years, Rome more or less controlled Europe’s destiny. Even after much of its power had waned, the very idea of Rome remained influential. These days, no longer home to brutal invading forces, it is a deliciously beautiful city and a capital of the arts.
Rome sits on the banks of the mighty River Tiber on seven hills, a site occupied as early as the Bronze Age. Founded in 753 BC, this is one of Europe’s oldest continually occupied cities. Peaking in the first and second centuries, Rome remained the capital of the failing Roman Empire until the year 330, when Constantinople (now Istanbul) took over. In 1870 it finally became the capital of Italy, the country’s main administrative, cultural and transport hub.
These days Rome is a hugely popular destination for tourists, stacked high with ancient monuments, stunningly lovely architecture, world-class museums and art galleries, exceptional cuisine and fabulous international shopping.
Almost three million people live in the city itself, about three times as many as Birmingham or Liverpool. This place is big, bustling and spectacularly busy, which makes guided travel in Rome a must when you don’t want to waste a single second of your time there. So let an expert take the strain, relax, and prepare to enjoy Rome in the easiest and most pleasurable way. Here’s just some of the magic you can expect from this awe-inspiring city.
No hassle, no time wasting, just the very best of Rome
You might like to structure your visit around Rome’s seven hills: Palatine Hill, Aventine Hill, Capitoline Hill, Viminal Hill, Quirinal Hill, Caelian Hill, and Esquiline Hill. Maybe you’re into the arts and want to focus on the city’s multitude of amazing galleries and museums. If buildings are your thing, grab a guide to see the best of the crop. The Tiber itself acts as a central point for adventures along the riverside, exploring parts of the city most tourists never see. If you just want to get a genuine overall flavour of this extraordinary place, guided travel will help you achieve your dreams.
Float down the river
The Tiber or Tevere is Italy’s third longest river and defines Rome, dividing the ancient city. Until the 1800s it flooded every year, with the waters reaching shockingly high levels. Then they built a load of embankments and the floods stopped. Now the best views of the river are from its many gorgeous bridges, most of which include steps down to the water. On the Vatican side you’ll be in the company of joggers, runners and cyclists and you can stop off for street food and spend time in riverside bars if you like. The other side isn’t so popular.
Grab a river cruise to see glimpses of this magnificent city from the water, without the crowds. You can book a simple hop on, hop off boat ride, take a cruise with aperitifs on the menu, or even book a sushi cruise. Japanese food on a Roman river? It’s strangely satisfying!
Stuff yourself full of museums
The Capitoline Museums on the Campidoglio, the National Roman Museum’s four separate venues, the Galleria Borghese, Palazzo Colonna, this city is rammed with museums and galleries, stuffed to bursting point with treasures. If newer creativity is more your thing head for the magnificent National Gallery and MAXXI, both offering incredible collections by contemporary artists. If you’re on a budget you can winkle out the city’s 8 so-called ‘small museums’, free to enter and scattered around the city in interesting, out-of-the-way places. With around 60 Rome museums to enjoy, you could spend a year discovering their magic. A guide will make sure you don’t miss the best bits.
Discover the Vatican
Religious or not, the Vatican is quite something to experience. Some find it sinister, others inspiring, but however you feel about Christianity its ancient power is obvious in this bizarre place. The impact is difficult to exaggerate.
The Vatican is only half a kilometre square, and St Peter’s Basilica and Bernini’s square take up a lot of it, but there’s plenty more to explore. There’s a vast complex of 26 Vatican museums with more than four miles of galleries and halls to wander. There’s a horribly restrictive stairway to the Sistine Chapel, a breathtaking sight and a relief after the claustrophobia of the stairs. St Peter’s Basilica itself is testament to the determination of the religious folk who built it, taking a century to complete the place. The sheer scale of everything is mind-blowing.
Make sure you dress appropriately. It’s pretty old fashioned. You’ll need to wear a skirt covering your knees, or trousers, and they insist you cover up bare shoulders. Afterwards a cold drink in an ordinary street cafe watching ordinary people go about their business brings you back down to earth, back into the modern world.
Going underground – The Domus Aurea
Right next to the Colosseum you’ll find the weird and wonderful Domus Aurea, a fascinating remnant of ancient Rome. It was built after the massive fire that flattened much of the city in 64CE, an idea coined by the horrific Emperor Nero. Time buried Nero’s vast ego trip of a palace complex completely and it was forgotten about until rebellious Renaissance artists like Ghirlandaio and Raphael rediscovered it.
Expect underground rooms, gardens, a lake and grottoes, all lovely and cool out of the glaring sunshine. There’s an official Domus Aurea tour to enjoy, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the vibe without fuss or stress, and because the place houses a cat sanctuary – strange but true – it’s full of friendly animals to talk to and stroke.
Shop ‘til you drop, sustainably and not
Rome is packed with beautiful designer outlets. You’ll find clothing, shoes, jewels and accessories from every designer on earth here, with prices to match. But there’s also a sustainable fashion scene played out in the city’s many excellent second hand shops and markets.
A guide will take you on a tour of the best, including the super-cool Affare Fatto second hand shop, which sells extraordinary items and sometimes stocks leftovers from diplomatic residences. When one diplomat leaves and another arrives, they change the decor. If you fall in love with something big you can always arrange for it to be sent home.
Rome’s open air markets are a legend, and rightly so. Don’t miss the one at Via Sannio near San Giovanni, open most of the time, plus the exciting Ecosolidale market on Via del Porto Fluviale in Ostiense, famed for second hand couture, and the massive Porta Portese market near Trastevere.
Don’t forget the food markets, worth it for the sights and sounds alone. The Mercato Centrale is full of taste-bud pleasers from Italian chefs and food producers, the Nuovo Mercato Esquilino is perfect for keen chefs, the Mercato Testaccio is hot for picnic supplies and the biggest market in Rome, Mercato Trionfale, basically has something for everyone.
Last but not least for foodies, this city is an awesome place to eat out. You can expect every imaginable cuisine from every corner of the world, at every price point, served indoors and out, on roof terraces and in deep, cool cellars. A guide will know where to recommend for your favourite dishes and wines. Then, you can round it all off with a supreme Italian Cappuccino. Perfecto!
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