Showing posts with label Rome. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rome. Show all posts

Monday, November 26, 2012

Italy - Our Top 10

During our nearly one month stay in Italy we were able to visit an array of different regions and cities. To wrap up our trip, before moving onto Vienna and Berlin, here are our top ten Italian experiences.

Ancient Rome
No trip to Italy is complete without visiting the Colosseum. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, it is not only extremely impressive, even by today's standards, but also a testament to the building acumen of the ancient Romans. If that wasn't enough, you can walk in the footsteps of Augustus, Caesar, and the rest of Rome's important historical figures in the ruins of the Roman Imperial Forum and Palatine Hill.

The Colosseum - the centre of Ancient Rome


Cinque Terre
Five cities perched on the Ligurian coast caused us to forget everything - blog posts, TV, calling home, and even bickering - if only for a few days. Rightly a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these five cities still seem to operate the same way they have for hundreds of years, oblivious to the millions of tourists flocking to see them every year.


Riomaggiore - our home for 4 days


Pompeii and Herculaneum
Perhaps the best opportunity to step back nearly 2000 years and explore a fully functioning Roman city - from palaces and temples to storefronts, cafeterias, and small family homes. Ironically, by being destroyed, Pompeii and Herculaneum survived, untouched and avoided the slow degradation of generation upon generation building on top of each other. 


Pompeii - destroyed but not gone



Burano
A photographer's playground, with it's brightly painted houses and winding canals, Burano provides the authenticity that Venice is now missing. Even as water buses deposit groups of tourists on the island hourly, it somehow manages to retain a laid back, peaceful feeling.  
 
Burano - full of colour


Sculpture
With the likes of Michelangelo, Raphael, Donatello, and Bernini (wait, he wasn't a ninja turtle), the Italians easily dominate in the field of sculpture and there's no better place to bask in the glory of their masterpieces than Florence. The Uffizi, Bargello, and Accademia museums feature works by these famous sculptors as well as many others. 

Giasone - one of our favorite sculptures in Italy


The Vatican Museum
Our favorite Italian museum (that we've visited), and a serious contender for best overall, the Vatican Museum won us over with it's collections which are large both in size and scope. From ancient Egyptian artifacts, to Greek and Roman sculptures, classical and modern paintings, and the museum's architecture, the museum offers something for everyone - and it's also home to the Sistine Chapel. 

The Raphael Rooms - one of art's great achievements


Pizza
Naples may be credited with the invention of this tasty dish, however we found restaurants throughout the country serving up mouth watering versions. Our favorites were Senzanome, in Florence, and Dar Poeta, in Rome. 

Pizza at Senzanome


Montemartini
Unable to get enough sculpture in Florence, we added a trip to the Montemartini Museum to our Roman itinerary and were blown away at the exhibition space - a historic electric plant. The contrast between the soft white marble sculptures and dark metal engines, valves, and pipes is gorgeous and provides a great photo opportunity as well. 

Juxtaposition at Montemartini


Basilica San Marco
Unrivaled for the title of most opulent by anything we've seen to date, Basilica San Marco makes up for what it lacks in size and scale with an abundance of sparkling gold mosaics. The lavish exterior, situated next to the equally stunning Doge's Palace, and mosaic covered interior leave visitors with a true understanding of how rich and powerful this republic really was. 

Basilica San Marco - one of the best in the world


The Pantheon
Was it famous before Dan Brown included it in his best selling novel Angels and Demons? If so, it's impossible to tell now, as visitors flock to the site hoping to glimpse a hidden symbol, or at least Raphael's tomb - which actually isn't that easy to spot. However for us, the building's architecture is the real draw. 

The Pantheon - an architectural marvel

A reminder, many more photos from our time in Italy, as well as the entire trip through Europe can be found on our Flickr page.

Hope you enjoyed our list...think we missed anything? Let us know!

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Saturday, November 17, 2012

A Day in Ancient Rome

As we mentioned before, one of the things that makes Rome so amazing to visit is that it is literally layer upon layer of history - and nowhere is this more evident than in the ancient centre of Rome. Comprised mainly of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum (as well as some surrounding structures like Trajan's markets and the Circus Maximus) this region of the city just oozes with history.
 
A map of Ancient Rome (via)


The Colosseum

There is a reason that some structures are considered Wonders of the World, and the Colosseum is no exception. Even with no context the structure is amazing. Standing 157 feet tall and capable of accommodating 50,000 screaming Romans in it heyday, it was constructed between 72 and 80 A.D. using over 100,000 cubic metres of Travertine without mortar. It had extensive tunnels running to and from nearby buildings and barracks, elaborate pulley and elevator systems to raise and lower pieces of the show, and even a retractable roof to protect the viewing public from the rain and sun. 

Exterior of the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine
 
Interior remains and the hypogeum
 
 
While best known for the gladiatorial battles made famous by Ridley Scott in Gladiator, the Colosseum also hosted large Naval battles (in which the bottom was flooded and ships could sail around), elaborate hunting shows involving everything from rhinos to elephants to lions to crocodiles (often with moving trees and buildings), and even recreations of natural scenes (like the hunts but with less animal and human killing).

The Roman Forum

Just across the street from the Colosseum is the Roman Forum - the political, legal, and spiritual centre of the entire Roman Empire. Although less touristy than the Colosseum, it offers the opportunity to walk among some of the most important structures during ancient times. The site includes important temples, basilicas, triumphal arches, government buildings, and the palace that the many of the Kings of Rome resided in (including Julius Caesar - making it the original "Caesar's Palace" I guess).     

A view of the Roman Forum
The view towards the Colosseum
The ruins of the Roman Forum


Palatine Hill

The final of the 3 major Roman archaeological ruins in the area is Palatine Hill. Located right beside the Roman Forum, it is the probably the longest inhabited area of Rome and is home to a number of magnificent former Palaces and Villas. The most famous of these is the Flavian Palace - the residence of Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian (the Flavian Dynasty) and expanded upon by Septimus Severus. It also contains the Hippodrome of Domitian, a wonderfully preserved stadium and some beautiful gardens. 

The Flavian Palace and Circus Maximus
The Hippodrome of Domitian

Flowers among the remains


Surrounding Sites

Some of the interesting sites surrounding these three include the Circus Maximus (a more than 2000-year old chariot racing stadium), Trajan's Markets (a market area that also functioned in keeping the Quirinal Hill from collapsing), the Arch of Constantine (a wonderfully preserved triumphal arch beside the Colosseum), and the Mamertine Prison (where St. Peter was kept according to legend).
 
A group dancing Gangnam Style in the Circus Maximus


The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill were by far our favorite attractions in Rome, and, if you can spare it, really require an entire day to appreciate fully. Fortunately, one ticket (12 Euro) allows access to all three sites, eliminating any reason to skip a section and easing the strain on your budget. 

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Friday, November 16, 2012

Three Lesser Known Attractions in Rome

If you read our post yesterday on Why You Should Extend Your Trip to Rome, and followed our lead by adding some extra time to your visit of the Eternal City, you may now be wondering what to do with a free day or two? Ultimately it will depend on where your interests lie (outlet shopping tops my lists when Travis isn't given any input) however we've found three incredible, unique, and lesser known sites that are both budget and time friendly. 


Centrale Montemartini

Part of the Capitoline Museums, this exhibition is housed in a former thermoelectric plant (Rome's first electrical plant), creating a spectacular juxtaposition of industrial architecture and classical sculpture. Although originally intended to act as a temporary home to hundreds of Roman sculptures, it now hosts a permanent exhibition as well as regularly rotating exhibitions and events. Although museums aren't usually my first choice to fill a day, this one is spectacular and, besides having the museum almost exclusively to yourself (we were two of a dozen visitors), it can easily be covered in an hour or two and the setup provides for some wonderful photo opportunities. 







Admission: 6.50 Euro/person (combination tickets available with other Capitoline Museums)
How to get there: Metro to Piramide or Garbatella station and a short walk from there. 



San Clemente Basilica

On its own the Basilica of San Clemente, dating back to the 11th century, would be a worthy stop, with it's byzantine mosaics, gilded alter, and intricately tiled floor.  However, like everything in Rome, it's built on top of something else; San Clemente not only houses a 4th century basilica underneath its foundation, but also a house and temple from the 1st century further down and remains below that dating back to the 2nd century BC. Excavations of the basilica, house (with flowing spring water), and temple are largely complete and open to visitors. Just blocks from the Colosseum, it's incredible this site isn't overrun with tourists. 

Beautiful mosaic work in the current Basilica

Original frescoes in the 4th century Basilica

The 4th Century Basilica excavation



Admission:  5 Euro/person
How to get there: Just off of Piazza San Clemente, 5 minute walk from the Colosseum.



The Capuchin Crypts

Gaining in popularity after appearing in Rick Steeve's 2012 guide to Rome, the entrance fee appears to have increased, however at 6 Euros/person it's still a great deal and includes access to a fully refurbished museum on the history of the Capuchin Monks. As for the crypts, they are by far the most bizarre thing we've ever seen. Comprised of six small rooms located underneath the church, the crypt contains the remains of four thousand bodies - believed to be Capuchin Monks - arranged in intricate patterns along the walls, ceiling, and floor. Completely creepy, the history of the crypts is also extremely interesting and the location, in the heart of Via Veneto and La Dolce Vita, can't be beat. 





Admission: 6 Euro/person

How to get there: Barberini is the closest metro stop, however easily accessible by foot as well and the area is well suited to a nice stroll.
Website: http://www.cappucciniviaveneto.it/jml/  (in Italian)



Now you know how we escaped the tourist trail for a few hours in Rome and hopefully have a new site (or three) to check out on your next visit. One of the wonderful things about a city like Rome, with so much history and culture, is that hidden attractions like these are everywhere, waiting to be discovered, and with a little research travelers can find their own way to get off the beaten path. 

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Thursday, November 15, 2012

Why you should extend your trip to Rome


With a history dating back over two thousand years, Rome is piled high (literally) with world class attractions for every type of visitor. Whether you're interested in art, food, shopping, museums, or a religious experience, the Eternal City will exceed your wildest expectations. A classic overachiever, Rome's lesser known sites rival those boasted about by other cities. 

Overlooking the city on a sunny afternoon

For first time visitors, like myself, it's easy to underestimate how much there is to do in Rome, however after just one day in the city I was glad Travis talked me into adding a fifth day to our visit while crafting our itinerary. Unfortunately this miscalculation, and the draw of Italy's many other stunning locales, means that visits to Rome are often limited to only a couple of days. 

Furthering the misconception that Rome can be covered in as little as two or three days are a plethora of sample itineraries online and in guidebooks focusing solely on the big three attractions (the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Pantheon) and the Vatican. Regrettably, visitors interested only in checking these items off their to-do lists before moving on are limiting their travel experience and selling the city short. 


Viewpoints from Palatine Hill

Ruins around almost every corner

Although we would have liked to have another day in Rome, we managed to fit a lot into our five days and visit a few "off the beaten path" sites as well as the main attractions. We've found that these lesser known sites always add something special to our trip and make us feel more connected to the city and less like tourists. Tomorrow we'll share three must see sites that you may not have heard of; as for today, if you're planning a trip to Rome, consider adding an extra day to your visit, you won't regret it!

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Monday, November 12, 2012

Rome - A Photo Essay

Exploring Rome by foot is easily the best way to take in the sights of this marvelous city. However it can also be exhausting, as many of the main attractions are spread out there can be a lot of ground to cover. Even with five days in the Eternal City to see the main sights and a few off the beaten path treasures, we still returned home each evening exhausted.

The sheer number of attractions Rome has to offer can be quite overwhelming. To combat this, we grouped them into three rough sections and covered one per day (Day 1: Trevi Fountain - Spanish Steps - Borghese Gardens - Santa Maria del Popolo; Day 2: Pantheon - Piazza Navona - Tomb of Unknown Soldier; Day 3: Colosseum - Roman Forum - Palatine Hill). Our remaining two days were dedicated to the Vatican and a "clean-up" day for any one-off destinations we were unable to cover previously. Overall, this process seemed to work quite well, (except when we would see something in the distance and remind ourselves it was for another day), and we were able to cover everything we set out to. 

 
Ponte Sant'Angelo

Castel Sant'Angelo

The interior of the Colosseum

The Colosseum and Hadrian's Arch

The Stadium of Domitan on Palatine Hill

The Roman Forum

Arch of Septimus Severus, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and Santi Luca e Martina

Statue of Castor (or Pollux) in Piazza del Campidoglio

The Pyramid of Cestius

The Papal Address in St. Peter's Square

St. Peter's Square

The Trevi Fountain

The Spanish Steps

The rooftops of Rome from the Borghese Gardens

Santa Maria sopra Minerva - Rome's Gothic Basilica

The oculus of the Pantheon

Collections of the Vatican Museum

Magnificent Ceiling in the Vatican Museum

One of the countless frescoes in the Vatican Museum

Ceiling fresco in the Vatican Museum

 

*A note on getting around: Being of weak feet already (read: I never bypass a bench without taking a rest) we were fortunate to stay near the Termini train station and utilize the metro system - we'd simply catch the metro towards our destination, then hop off and continue on foot for the day before finding our way back to the closest station for a short trip home. As a result we were able to cover more quality miles by foot instead of tiring out early by walking to our destination. Rome also has an extensive bus system that we saw many people using - however, we found the metro to be less busy (aside from rush hour), quick and reliable, and more efficient as we were staying so close to a main station.

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Hey there!

Calli and Travis returned from a four month trip through Europe more excited than ever to hit the open road. Who knows where they'll end up next...

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