Rome in my opinion is the city of life (it is known as the Eternal City). Paris might be the city of lights, but Rome is full of rich and ancient history. The Coliseum, Roman Forum, and Pantheon are a few of the ancient ruins and monuments that are intertwined with the new buildings of Rome. The contrast between the skyscrapers in cities such as New York City and the mixture of old and new in Rome was clearly visible. The Coliseum and Roman Forum were two of my favorite sites in Rome. I was able to enjoy them in the beautiful sunny and seventy degree weather with only a few interruptions of large tourist groups (I am excluded from the stereotypical tourist group because I have been in Italy for over two months). Rome was not only beautiful but the four days I spent there were magical.
Rome, or Roma as the Italians refer to it, is the capital city of the Italian Republic. Rome is the largest city in Italy and is also an ancient city. Rome is believed to be founded in 753 BC by the native Roman population (the date is based on a mythological account), but historians think it was in 625 BC. Rome was ruled by the Roman Senate which is commonly referred to as the Roman Republic, and is named for its first ruler Romulus. Romulus and Remus were twins who were said to have been raised by a she-wolf. Together they decided to build a city. Romulus killed Remus after an argument and named the city after himself. Not only is the image of the twin boys and the wolf displayed in metal and stone sculptures all over Rome but is also on tourist t-shirts, hats, trinkets, and bags.
On my first day in Rome I was able to see the Pantheon and various ancient buildings around it. There were water fountains everywhere which was a nice alternative to buying bottled water. After the Pantheon we took the bus through Rome and over the river to Vatican City. A nice older man on the bus directed us to the right bus stop and we were in one of the two independent city states in Italy. Vatican City was beautiful and the museum was full of everything imaginable. My favorite part was the Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter’s Basilica. I was able to attend mass in Saint Peter’s which was unbelievable.
The oldest part of Rome is the Palatine hill and the surrounding areas. Rome’s geographical location allowed it to in the crossroads of traffic. The Roman Forum is directly below the Palatine Hill, and was my favorite part of Rome. Emerging from the metro station the first thing I saw was the Coliseum and the Forum. It was breathtaking against the bright blue sky, and the sun beating down. The Forum began as an open air market, but as the political arena grew the space shifted uses. I was able to walk on the ancient Roman roads around the ruins which included the arch of Septimius Severus, the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, the Atrium Vestae, and too many others to recount. Walking through the Forum felt as if I had been transported back in time. I could almost see ancient Romans going about their daily life in the majestic buildings. The Roman Forum is truly a feat of enormous proportions
On Saturday after the Roman Forum and Coliseum I went to the Spanish Step and walked down the main street of shopping (all very expensive!) but luckily I was able to find a H&M. After the quick fix of shopping it was on to the Trevi Fountain. The fountain at night was spectacular! I threw in a few coins and made a wish, hopefully it will come true! On Sunday the plan was to go to the Catacombs, after getting lost because it wasn’t on the map I was finally on the correct bus. Unfortunately the Catacombs were closed when we reach them so instead we walked around some ancient roman ruins in the beautiful sun.
Even though a majority of my time was spent marveling at the wonders of the ancient world (and a good deal of pensive thought about how they were built) I was also able to enjoy the culture of Rome. I had dinner one night in a Chinese restaurant that was a splendid change in cuisine but also extremely inexpensive. I saw diverse cultures everywhere. From the food to the people, many different cultures were represented. I saw a film crew outside a hotel, rode the metro like a pro, and practiced the art of asking for directions. All I can say to sum up the weekend in a fascinating city is… When in Rome!
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