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Rome

Rome
Situated on the River Tiber, between the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea, the 'Eternal City' of Rome (Roma) was once the administrative centre of the mighty Roman Empire, governing a vast region that stretched from Britain to Mesopotamia. Today, it remains the seat of the Italian government and home to numerous ministerial offices, but is superseded by Milan, in the industrial north, for business and finance.

              Foro Romano (Roman Forum)
The Roman Forum is now a heap of marble fragments, columns and floor layouts. A leap of imagination is required to recreate the former marketplace that was the political, commercial and social heart of ancient Rome and the symbolic centre of an Empire stretching to Greece, Sicily and Carthage. Fire, barbarians and pillaging builders in medieval and Renaissance times contributed to the Forum’s present state of disrepair but the Forum was only revealed during the excavation work of the 19th century. A bird’s-eye view is gained from behind Piazza del Campidoglio, while a closer look can be had from along Via Sacra that runs through the heart of the Forum. Among the best preserved and most fascinating monuments are the AD203 triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus – built to celebrate victory over the Parthinians – and the remains of Caesar’s rostra, from where his great speeches were declaimed. Another stunning feature is the former atrium of the House of the Vestal Virgins and the adjacent Temple of Vesta, a circular building where the vestal virgins were entrusted in keeping the eternal flame alight. Just up from the Arch of Titus in the Forum is the Palatine where the palaces of the Roman emperors stood.

Pantheon
The best-preserved and most beautifully proportioned of Rome’s ancient monuments, the Pantheon has become an emblem of the city. Built by Hadrian between AD119 and AD128, as a temple to the gods, the Pantheon was converted to a Christian church in AD608 – the key to its miraculous survival. The radius of the dome is exactly equivalent to the height and a nine-metre (30ft) hole, known as the oculus, in the dome’s centre allows light (and rain) into the building. Statues of the deities would once have decorated the interior. Now the focal point of interest is the tomb of Raphael. Most astonishing of all are the large brass doors, which belonged to the original Roman building.

Cappella Sistina & Musei Vaticani (Sistine Chapel & Vatican Museums)
An awe-inspiring glimpse of Michaelangelo’s depiction of The Creation is worth the queues and crowds that go hand-in-hand with a visit to the Vatican City. Michaelangelo grudgingly accepted Julius II’s commission to paint frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – built as a private chapel of the popes between 1475 and 1480. Work began in May 1508, the frescoes were unveiled in August 1511, and completed in October 1512. 21 years later, a reluctant Michaelangelo painted the Last Judgement on the wall behind the altar, adding his own aged face below the figure of Christ. Pope Pius IV was scandalised by the display of nudity and the offending genitalia had to be concealed by hastily painted loincloths – most have been removed during restoration work. In fact, the recent restoration of the Old Testament scenes has caused great controversy. Although eclipsed by Michaelangelo’s artistry, the Renaissance paintings that line the walls are fine works, created by the masters – including Michaelangelo’s own teacher: Ghirlandaio.
The Vatican Museums alone could easily eat up a day or two of a trip to Rome. Highlights include the Stanze di Raffaello (Raphael’s Rooms), the Etruscan Museum – depicting Italy before the Romans – and the Pio-Clementino Museum – containing the world’s largest collection of Classical statues.

Colosseo (Colosseum)
Near to Via Sacra and the fourth-century Arco di Costantino (Arch of Constantine), lies the gigantic oval of the Colosseum – 186m (620ft) long, 153m (510ft) wide and about 47m (157ft) high. Emperor Vespasian began construction in AD72 and work was completed eight years later by his son Titus. It was the scene for entertainment that one can hardly comprehend – gladiatorial conquests between men, lions and wild beasts, with death guaranteed. The ‘games’ were finally outlawed in the fifth century. The stadium has been pillaged over the centuries and rocked by earthquakes. Today, only its skeletal framework remains, with the winding passages used to force animals up to the battlefield of the arena – formerly underground – now exposed.

                               St Peter’s Basilica
St Peter’s Basilica lies above a former shrine, which is said to mark the burial ground of the saint. Despite its venerable age of 1000 years, Pope Julius II pulled down the original structure in 1506 – with his architect Bramante in tow – in order to build a shiny new basilica. Construction lasted 120 years, during which time a team of architects and artists – including Alberti, Bramante, Raphael, Peruzzi, Sangallo the Younger and Michaelangelo – struggled over this enormous edifice. Michaelangelo was responsible for the huge dome and supporting drum but died in 1564, before work was finally completed in 1590. The basilica’s interior is an unashamed display of the power of the Church. Amid the grandeur – in the first chapel on the right – lies Michaelangelo’s Pieta (1498/9). Arnolfo da Cambio’s bronze statue of St Peter (1296), in the central aisle, has become famed for its foot worn to a nub by pilgrims’ kisses. Bernini’s Throne of St Peter (1665), above the papal altar – made with bronze purloined from the Pantheon on the Pope’s orders – dominates the far end of the nave. Optional extras include a trip (via lift or stairs) into the dome, the Vatican Gardens (pre-booked guided tours only), and the Vatican Grottoes, containing papal tombs. Access to the Necropolis below the Grottoes – the legendary site of St Peter’s remains – is allowed with written permission only.

Fontana di Trevi (Trevi Fountain)
A string of legends surround the Trevi Fountain, which is situated amid the labyrinthine streets off Via del Tritone. It is said that a virgin came across a three-way (tre-vie) spring, causing the original fountain to be built. More recently, the far-from-virginal Anita Ekberg immortalised the fountain in the famous scene of Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1959). According to myth, a coin cast in these waters will ensure a return visit to Rome. The Baroque extravaganza was designed by Nicolo Salvi for Pope Clement XII and completed in 1762. The statues – representing Abundance, Agrippa, Salubrity, the Virgin and Neptune guiding a chariot drawn by sea horses – appear as a cast of characters performing a melodrama, with a Renaissance palace for their backdrop and craggy rocks in the foreground.

The Spanish Steps and Keats-Shelley Memorial House
The Piazza di Spagna district is little changed from 18th-century prints depicting the area – and is still dominated by the elegant double steps known as the Spanish Steps. These were designed in 1723-26 by Francesco de Sanctis to link Via del Babuino with Via Felice – the first great street planned by Sixtus V (1585-90). Reminiscent of the grand ascent to the Sacre Coeur in Paris, the steps lead up to the 16th-century Trinita dei Monti. From here, spectacular views over the city rooftops more than warrant the steep climb. The Spanish Steps acquired their name from the neighbouring Spanish Embassy but the area is more intimately associated with England – even acquiring the name of Ghetto de l’Inglesi (English Ghetto). The tourists on the Grand Tour of the 18th and 19th centuries – including Keats, Shelley, Byron and the Brownings – helped to establish the district’s reputation as a cosmopolitan artistic quarter. At the foot of the steps lies the boat-shaped Barcaccia fountain, designed in 1627 by Bernini. To the right stands the modest Keats-Shelley Memorial House, where 25-year-old John Keats died of tuberculosis in 1821. Exhibits include pictures and prints, private letters, an urn bearing Shelley’s ashes and a lock of Keats’ tawny red hair.

Piazza Navona
This dramatic piazza – lined with cafes and restaurants – lies at the heart of the centro storico. Its oval shape follows the form of the former stadium, built in AD86, by Emperor Domitian. During the Renaissance, the site was flooded to stage mock naval battles. The piazza gained its current form in the mid-17th century, when Pope Innocent X commissioned Borromini to design the Church of Sant’Agnese. In front of the church Bernini built the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers), adorned with powerful figures representing the four great rivers of the world – the Nile, Danube, Ganges and Rio della Plate.

                      Villa & Galleria Borghese
Just to the east of the Spanish Steps lies green relief from sightseeing – the sculpture-scattered gardens landscaped in the 17th century for Cardinal Scipione Borghese (nephew of Pope Paul V). This area includes the city zoo, Piazza di Siena arena, mock ancient temples, imitation medieval castles and an artificial lake. Unfortunately, the most playful elements of this Baroque extravaganza – trick fountains which sprayed unwitting passers-by – no longer exist. The pull of culture may be strong enough to lure the resting visitor into the Casino Borghese, a treasure trove of sculpture and antiquities, the Etruscan Museum in nearby Villa Giulia, with its remarkable sarcophagus of the reclining ‘Bride and Bridegroom’ from Cerveteri, or the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea. However, the Galleria Borghese – home to Bernini’s most famous work, Apollo and Daphne – should be seen first (ticket reservation is obligatory and visitors are only admitted every two hours).

Shopping
Rome shopping is part of the fun, no matter what your budget. If you're bent on buying, you're sure to find something that suits your fancy and your pocketbook. If you have something specific in mind, like Missoni or Benetton knitwear, Bruno Magli shoes, or Laura Biagiotti perfume, make a note of prices before you leave home, so you'll know whether you're getting a bargain by buying it in Italy. The best buys here are still leather goods of all kinds - from gloves to bags to jackets and silk goods and knitwear. Boutique fashions may be slightly less expensive in Rome than in the United States. The antiques quarters lie along Via Margutta, Via del Babuino, Via Giulia, Via dei Banchi Vecchi and Via de’ Coronari (the pedestrian street organises fairs in May and October when its stores are open late). Bric-a-brac and retro clothes are on offer at the increasingly popular flea markets, the best being Via Sannio (Monday to Saturday, 0730-1300) and Porta Portese (Sunday 0730-1300).

                                                   Sport
Spectator sports claim infinitely more enthusiasm than participatory sports. Romans diligently follow their football clubs’ efforts. Rome has two main football clubs, both in the Serie A (top division) – the traditionally left-wing AS Roma and right-wing Lazio . Both perform at the Stadio Olimpico. The sporting season kicks off in Rome with the Marathon (in March) and then provides a welcome opportunity to show off new hats and outfits at the Concorso Ippico Internazionale di Piazza di Siena – International Show Jumping (late April to early May). The Italian Open Tennis championships now attracts some of the biggest names on the circuit and is held in the first week of May.
Tickets to sporting events must be purchased directly from the venue box office or, in some cases, through the club websites.

Nightlife
Rome may not be the hippest of capitals, but for those who know the right places, it is possible to party all night. Romans go out late and the fun only really commences after dinner. The wine-bars and cafes lying between Campo de’ Fiori, Piazza Navona and Via della Pace are the places to be seen. Irish pubs have also enjoyed a boom over the last decade. The biggest concentration of nightclubs lies in the Testaccio district, where a plethora of small venues offer dancing and concerts. The gay scene is alive and kicking and accounts for many of the more avant-garde night spots. The weekly Roma C’e and monthly Time Out Roma publications have good information on nightlife in Rome. Romans tend to dress more casually than their counterparts in Milan and Florence, although most women do their best to look stunning for a night out.

                                                  Hotels
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