Visit Rome, Italy (UNESCO sites)

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“The Eternal City” as it is lovingly nicknamed, Rome is one of the great cities of the world. Besides its elevated status as the capital of Italy, while also its largest city, Rome has been a center of culture and prestige for most of its more than 2,500 years of existence. The city is replete with splendid palaces, churches and basilicas of great historical importance, revered statues, fountains, public squares and monuments along with magnificent public buildings. The historical center of Rome encompasses 2 of the 9 primary districts of the city and is the location of many of the sites of historical interest. The Old Rome district where beautiful plazas, ancient cathedrals, iconic squares and countless revered pieces of art are found is part of the city’s historical center. The Pantheon, built nearly 2,000 years ago as a monument to all the gods of ancient Rome with its iconic portico of Corinthian columns, is located in Old Rome along with the Piazza Navona where ancient athletic contests were staged and the Campo de’ Fiori, a site that has seen various uses during its long history including public executions. The Colosseo district, also part of Rome’s historical center, is where such significant structures as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Forum of Augustus, the Arch of Constantine along with many museums and galleries. The Colosseo also contains Trajan’s Markets, a well preserved 20 centuries old location for public trading, thought to be the world’s oldest shopping mall and a wonderful example of ancient Roman architecture. Adjacent to Rome’s historical center is the Modern Center district, the location for many hotels, dining and shopping venues and also home to Trevi Fountain, the Piazza Barberini, the ancient barracks of the Praetorian Guard of Imperial Rome known as Castra Praetoria and the Quirinal Repubblica area on the largest and tallest of the seven hills upon which Rome was built ripe with shopping areas, examples of Roman nightlife, cafes and cobblestone streets. Perhaps the most significant of the other Roman districts is the Vatican, especially to those of Christian faith. The Vatican contains an endless collection of treasures and relics relating to Catholicism, Christianity and the Popes, who became the de facto rulers of Rome after the fall of the Roman Empire. The Vatican is packed with enough artwork and history that would allow it to compete with nearly any other city in the world. Among the favorite places for visitors to the Vatican are St. Peter’s Basilica with its Michelangelo designed dome, the Vatican Gardens, St. Peter’s Piazza where the sitting Pope regularly provides a general audience to the assembled crowd, the Vatican Museum with its Sistine Chapel and famous frescos and a building many describe as the most fascinating in Rome, Castel Sant’Angelo, originally the mausoleum of the Emperor Hadrian, then a residence and castle for medieval Popes before becoming a prison in the 19thcentury and now a museum. Many visitors to the Vatican enjoy observing the Swiss Guard, the world’s smallest standing army, performing in their duties providing security for the Pope festooned in their traditional uniforms with a nod toward the Medici family which spawned 4 Popes. Rome is served by 2 modern International Airports with access to the entire globe as well as other European hubs. Access to the city by public transportation is part of the convenient and well-connected system. The public transportation system of buses and trains is the method of choice for moving around the city with multi-day passes the norm that includes stops at virtually all the popular sites frequented by tourists and some prepaid admission to museums and archeological sites. Walking tours from piazza to piazza all the while taking in the sculptures, fountains and churches in between is also a favored way of touring the compact city. Many epicureans find Rome to be at the center of their universe and the pursuit of the world’s best gelato or the perfect pasta dish competes with Rome’s art, history and architecture for many travelers with an eye toward a Roman holiday. Should you dream of visiting the city that nurtured the art of Michelangelo, was the center for the rise of the Roman Empire, houses the iconic Vatican and today is a bustling center of commerce and modern life then a trip to Rome, Italy needs to be added to your list. There is so much to see and do that good planning is essential to get the most out of your trip. Start working on how to best complete this trip of a lifetime today.

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