Wanderlust Traveler: Rome, Italy (Sightseeing)

We spent four days in Rome at the very beginning of our two week trip to Italy. Below I have described the major sights we saw during our time in the eternal city. Be forewarned that this post is very long and photo heavy!

Trevi Fountain: This beautiful baroque fountain, built in 1762, is a must see stop for any visitor to Rome. Legend states if a visitor throws a coin into the fountain they will be ensured a return visit to the city. While neither one of us threw any Euro coins into the fountain's waters, we did enjoy the people watching. The fountain is always overrun with tourists regardless of the time of the day. We visited the site on several occasions during different times of the day but always encountered massive crowds. Nevertheless, the site is absolutely beautiful and fun to photograph!

Trevi Fountain

Shyawn at the Trevi Fountain.

Trevi Fountain

Trevi Fountain crowded with visitors, even late at night!

Colosseum: This ancient icon of Rome, an absolute must-see stop for all visitors, was the largest amphitheater built during the Roman Empire. The stadium originally had a capacity for 50,000 people (whom were seated according to rank and class) and was used for gladiator and wild animal fights. The amphitheater is lined with 80 entrances at the ground level which enabled even a full stadium of 50,000 spectators to be emptied within a matter of minutes.

Be sure to purchase your tickets in advance to avoid the massive entrance line into the Colosseum. You can book your ticket ahead of time online or purchase a combo-ticket at the nearby Roman Forum or Palatine Hill, where the lines are much shorter. Choosing one of these two options will enable you to bypass the main line and walk right into the Colosseum!

Colosseum

The holes you see on the sides of the Colosseum originally contained iron clamps that held up the travertine facade.

Colosseum

Standing in front of the Colosseum.

Colosseum

Interior of the Colosseum.

The underground section of the Colosseum (hypogeum) where the gladiators and animals were held prior to battle.

Interior of the Colosseum.

Shyawn enjoying the views of the interior of the Colosseum.

Interior of the Colosseum.

Stairs that once led up to another level at the Colosseum.

Interior of the Colosseum.

Shyawn admiring one of the greatest works of Ancient Rome.

Roman Forum: During Roman times, the Forum was the commercial, political, and religious center of Rome. Political demonstrations, elections, speeches, trials, and many more public events were held in this main square. Today the Roman Forum is filled with the ruins of these once important ancient buildings. Some of the structures are still relatively intact and easily distinguishable while others are fragments or just bits and pieces of their former glory. Personally, I would recommend signing up for a private tour of the forum. We toured it ourselves using a guidebook and Rick Steve's audio guide on our iPhones, however, it was confusing to know whether we were looking at the correct building or ruin since things looked so similar. Additionally, try to plan your visit during the early morning hours if you are coming in the spring, summer, or fall so you can avoid the hot afternoon sun as the ruins provide very little shade.

Roman Forum

Pantheon: This 2,000 year old temple is the best preserved ancient building in all of Rome. Unlike most of the other buildings in ancient Rome the Pantheon was transitioned into a church so the barbarians left it alone. Additionally, since it was "protected" as a church, its stone wasn't allowed to be used as a quarry by the locals. From the Renaissance period on, the building was used as a tomb which continues to this day. The 142 foot dome stood as the highest in the world until Brunelleschi's dome at the Florence Cathedral was built in 1420 but the Pantheon remains the largest masonry dome in the world.

The Pantheon is situated within a beautiful square called Piazza della Rotonda, which is a fun area to participate in people-watching. Additionally, while the piazza is often swarmed with people during the day, at night it's a much more calm atmosphere with the lit-up Pantheon as its crowning glory.

Pantheon

The Pantheon and Piazza della Rotonda.

Entrance to the Pantheon.

Interior of the Pantheon.

Pantheon

Pantheon

Vatican Museum: This massive museum is located in the Vatican City which is a tiny independent country slightly larger than 100 acres within the city of Rome. The art collection contained within the museum is said by many to be one of the best in the world as it has been built up by the Roman Catholic Church for multiple centuries. The museum recently celebrated its 500th anniversary and was originally created by Pope Julius II back in the early 16th century. Over four miles of displays covering 54 galleries, including the famed Sistine Chapel, are in the Vatican Museum. It is absolutely imperative that visitors reserve their tickets prior to their visit otherwise you will be spending a lot of your time in an incredibly long line. Even at our 10:00am reservation time the regular line wrapped around the building. It was so awesome to be able to walk straight into the museum. I would also recommend reserving an afternoon time in lieu of the morning slot that we selected as we were uncomfortably surrounded by tour groups; at times it was truly difficult to walk through parts of the galleries because of the crowds. I was told that the tour groups tend to visit the museum more frequently in the morning instead of the afternoon.

Ceiling at the Vatican Museum.

Vatican Museum

Ceiling at the Vatican Museum.

Vatican Museum

St. Peter's Basilica: This church, which is the largest in the world is located in the Vatican City within the beautiful St. Peter's Square. Construction of the church began in 1506 and was finally finished in 1626. The size of the church is difficult to describe in words but its interior space definitely blew us away! Although there are likely thousands of people walking around inside the church at any given time, you'll never feel crowded or claustrophobic due to the massive size of the building.

St. Peter's Basilica

The dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

St. Peter's Square

St. Peter's Basilica

Interior of St. Peter's Basilica.

Entrance to St. Peter's Basilica.

St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter's is also known for having the tallest dome in the world which anyone can climb up to be rewarded with amazing views. The line to climb up to the dome (cupola) is located on the north side of the basilica and visitors have the choice to take an elevator up to the roof (231 steps) and then climb another 323 grueling steps to the top of the dome. Alternatively, you could climb all 554 stairs to the top but I would NOT recommend it. My recommendation is to spend the few extra euros and take the elevator unless, of course, you are in amazing shape and want a workout. Once off of the elevator, walk around and explore the massive rooftop of the church and also make sure to walk inside the base of the dome where you can look down into the interior of the church and enjoy the beautiful mosaics that line the walls of the dome.

View from the top of St. Peter's Basilica.

Top of St. Peter's Basilica.

Inside the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Detail of mosaics inside the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Inside the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Detail of mosaics inside the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Inside the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Climbing the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

View from the top of St. Peter's Basilica.

Top of St. Peter's Basilica.

The dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

The top of St. Peter's Basilica.

Victor Emmanuel Monument: This massive white marble monument was built to honor King Victor Emmanuel, whom was the first king of a unified Italy. Building began in 1885 but was not completed until 1911. The monument holds the body of the unknown soldier with an eternal flame. Many Romans were unhappy with the monument as they thought it was too large and ostentatious, and so it has received many unflattering nicknames over the decades, including wedding cake and typewriter. To put the size of the monument into perspective: the 43 foot long statue of the king and horse is the largest equestrian statue in the entire world. The king's mustache on that same statue is five feet wide!

Victor Emmanuel Monument

The interior of the Victor Emmanuel Monument is free to walk through (and a great way to escape the heat for a few minutes!) and houses a small museum called Museum of the Risorgimento which describes the events that led to the unification of Italy in 1870.

Statue inside the Victor Emmanuel Monument.

Interior of the Victor Emmanuel Monument

Museum of the Risorgimento (Victor Emmanuel Monument)

After admiring the monument from the exterior and interior, visitors can take an elevator ride to the roof of the monument (Rome from the Sky), which provides a beautiful 360 degree view of Rome.

View from the top of the Victor Emmanuel Monument.

Lastly, if your feet are feeling weary, next to the entrance to the elevator is an outdoor cafe, which has great views of the city and provides shade and cold drinks to cool off with.

View from the outdoor cafe at the Victor Emmanuel Monument.

View from the outdoor cafe at the Victor Emmanuel Monument

National Museum of Rome: This museums contains the best collection of ancient Roman art in the world, and is located across the street from the Termini train station. The museum is split over three manageable floors and contains statues, busts, frescoes, mosaics, jewelry, and coins. We didn't have enough time to visit the jewelry or coins (which are located in the basement) but for most individuals, two to three hours would be more than enough time to see all of the collections.

The exterior of the National Museum of Rome.

National Museum of Rome

Piazza Navona: In my opinion the very extravagant Piazza Navona is hands down the most impressive piazza in all of Rome. The square is filled with three massive, but beautiful, Baroque fountains which were designed in the 16th and 17th centuries. No matter what time it is the stadium-sized piazza is always a hub of activity and people. I recommend visiting this piazza during the day and the evening when the buildings and fountains are beautifully lit up!

One of the fountains in Piazza Navona.

Piazza Navona

Detail of one of the fountains in Piazza Navona.

Piazza Navona.

Beautiful church exterior on Piazza Navona.

Piazza Navona

Shyawn enjoying Piazza Navona.

Piazza Navona

Campo de' Fiori: We were lucky enough to have rented an apartment directly off of this wonderful square, located just slightly south from the more famous Piazza Navona. The square has a fascinating history from medieval and Renaissance times and was once the spot of public executions. In fact, the statue in the center of the square is of the philosopher Giordano Bruno whom was burned at the stake in 1600 for heresy. There has always been a daily market in the square which continues to this day in the early morning hours. Later at night, after the market stalls are cleaned up and packed away, Campo de' Fiori transforms into a social setting where many young locals come to see and be seen. We had a great time sitting at one of the many bars that border the square while people watching.

Campo de' Fiori

Market at Campo de' Fiori.

Piazza del Popolo: This large and expansive oval square is located in the northern section of Rome and was also a place of public executions. Today, this pedestrian-only square is enjoyed by both tourists and locals alike and we found it to be pleasantly uncrowded compared to other squares within Rome. There are several sights to see within the square including the church Santa Maria del Popolo, the Porto del Popolo (gate marking the north entrance to the city), an ancient Egyptian obelisk in the center, Pincio Hill Gardens to the east, and two similar-looking churches, Santa Marie dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto which flank the southern end of the piazza.

Piazza del Popolo with a few of Pincio Hill Gardens.

Statues in Piazza del Popolo.

Statue in Piazza del Popolo.

Piazza del Popolo with a few of Pincio Hill Gardens.

Detail of a statue in Piazza del Popolo.

Statue in Piazza del Popolo.

Piazza del Popolo

Statue in Piazza del Popolo.

Building in Piazza del Popolo.

Piazza del Popolo

Porto del Popolo

The church of Santa Maria del Popolo.

The church of Santa Maria del Popolo.

The church of Santa Maria del Popolo.

The church of Santa Maria del Popolo.

Piazza del Popolo

Fountain at Piazza del Popolo.

Piazza del Popolo's Egyptian obelisk.

Piazza del Campidoglio: This beautiful square was designed by Michelangelo in 1538 and is surrounded by several important sights including the Capitoline Museum (which we were unable to visit) and the church Chiesa di Santa Maria in Aracoeli (which dates back to at least the 6th century). The Capitoline Museum is one of the oldest in the world (founded in 1471) and contains ancient Roman statues and mosaics.

Exterior of Chiesa di Santa Maria in Aracoeli.

Interior of Chiesa di Santa Maria in Aracoeli.

Stairs leading up to Piazza del Campidoglio.

Statue in Piazza del Campidoglio.

The Capitoline Museum in Piazza del Campidoglio.

Piazza del Campidoglio

Statue in Piazza del Campidoglio.

The roof line of the Capitoline Museum.

Piazza del Campidoglio

Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps): This very popular piazza is a great place to do some people watching, especially on the wide curving steps that lead up to a beautiful baroque church. Due to its popularity as Rome's most famous square, it is almost always crowded with throngs of tourists during both the day and night. In fact, it was so crowded during our visit that we merely did a pass-by because there were way too many people to try and enjoy it.

Buildings near Piazza di Spagna.

Spanish Steps

The massive crowds of Piazza di Spagna.

Piazza di Montecitorio: This very small piazza is located just a few minutes away from the Pantheon and contains Palazzo Montecitorio, the seat of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. The obelisk in the center of the square was brought from Egypt by Augustus.

Piazza di Montecitorio

Piazza Colonna: This piazza is located directly to the east of Piazza di Montecitorio. In the center of the rectangular place is the marble column of Marcus Aurelius, which is nearly 2000 years old.

Piazza Colonna

The column of Marcus Aurelius in Piazza Colonna.

Ara Pacis (Alter of Piece): This alter was built approximately 2000 years ago to celebrate the peace Augustus' victories had provided to the Roman Empire. The alter hosted annual sacrifices by the emperor until the area was flooded by the Tiber River. Over the centuries, it eventually became buried under four meters of silt. The first fragments from the alter were found in 1568 but excavation of the entire site was not completed until the 1930's. In 1938 Mussolini had all of the pieces reconstructed. More recently in 2006 a new modern facility was built for the alter, where it stands today. We were short on time (and quite frankly didn't want to spend 9 Euro per person) so we didn't actually stop inside the museum. However, the building has huge windows that anyone can peak through to get a good glimpse of the alter.

Entrance to the Ara Pacis.

Ara Pacis

Cooking Class: Taking a cooking class through Cooking Classes in Rome was one of the highlights of our trip to Italy. Although I had taken many trips to Europe over the last few years, I had never signed up for a cooking class even though it was at the top of my to-do list. While planning and researching our trip to Italy, I came across very positive and favorable reviews of Cooking Classes in Rome on Trip Advisor. The price was right (65 Euro per person) and the timing was right (half-day lesson from 10 AM to 3 PM) so I went ahead and signed us up! The classes are currently held at Le Fete Restaurant in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome and all classes are led by the friendly Chef Andrea Consoli. We had a total of 11 participants in our class (including ourselves). Andrea started the class off by describing some of the history of Roman food and the neighborhood of the restaurant, which was once of the poorest areas of the city. We then went into the kitchen and immediately were put to work. What I admired very much about the class was that Andrea was able to give everyone different tasks so that no one was ever standing around twiddling their thumbs. Over the course of the five hour class, our group made the following items:

Appetizer: Pumpkin flowers with prosciutto and mozzarella with Southern style pesto
First course: Homemade fettuccine with fresh tomatoes and basil with buffalo mozzarella
Second course: Chicken cacciatora or hunter's chicken
Side dish: Roasted potatoes with rosemary
Dessert: Tiramisù

Both Shyawn and I had a lot of fun preparing and cooking the different food items, some of which I had never used before (i.e. pumpkin flowers). Chef Andrea was constantly providing us detailed information about the different ingredients we were using and the recipes we were making. At the very end we were able to feast on all of our hard work. The pumpkin flowers were absolutely amazing, as was the homemade pasta, and the tiramisù which was the best either one of us had ever had.