ROME, a city known for its rich heritage and age-old Roman history, a place famous for its sculptures, art,gardens, fountains and architecture was our destination for just more than 28 hours. The capital city of Italy has an abundance of aesthetic appeal which would definitely take you back in time when the Roman empire was in dominance in the European region.
MY ITINERARY:
Our plan to stay in Rome was only for 24 hours or a day and hence, it was definitely going to be a bit touristy and hectic (since you can't cover Rome and its nook and corners in a single day). Our flight landed at around 9AM (we travelled from Barcelona to Rome and hence our flight tickets was cheaper than normal, around €45 per person). From the Fiumicino Leonardo Da Vinci Airport, we took a shuttle(€5 per person) to reach the metropolitan city of Rome or mainland Roma. The bus takes around 45mins -1 hour to reach the main city. From the bus station, we headed to our hotel (20 mins walk) which we had pre-booked via Booking.com.
We freshened up as soon as possible and headed outside to grab a lunch (or I must say brunch in this case) since we were pretty hungry. Post our lunch, we had our reservation for the famous Colosseum (You need to pre-book the Colosseum entry tickets via the official colosseum website in order to avoid last minute hindrance). The ticket price for the entrance varies from your choice of visit (covering the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill) and ranges between 18-40€. We took the ordinary ticket which cost around 18€ and covers the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. The line to reach the entrance of the Colosseum was very long and it took around 30-35 mins to enter the place. But, the wait was worth it.
Near the Colosseum is the Palatine hill (just a 5-10 mins walk). The Palatine Hill is one of the most ancient parts of the city and it was the main nucleus of the Roman empire. There were many excavations conducted here in search of clues and historical evidences of the rise and fall of the Roman dynasty.
We spent around 1 hour roaming in and around the Palatine hill and from there we decided to visit the Roman Forum. The Roman Forum was the center of many day-to-day activities in the daily life of a Roman for many centuries. It was mainly used as a site for speeches, processions and victorious celebrations. It was like a central square or marketplace for many centuries until all the economic and judicial business transferred away from the Forum. Now all that is left are the ruins and parts of the Forum. It is a very wide place and would definitely take half a day to complete the entire area. We couldn't finish exploring the entire area since it was time to close the gates. (Hence, would suggest to visit the Forum before the Palatine Hill)
It was around 3pm at the time and the rays of the sun made the Colosseum bricks become vibrant with so much story to tell. It was a huge amphitheater which was destructed and rebuilt many times. Beneath the Colosseum, a network of subterranean passageways once used to transport wild animals and gladiators to the arena which was opened to the public to enjoy the fight and show. The bricks of the Colosseum are still intact and the walls echo the lost battles and the hunger for fight and win of the Roman dynasty.
The next day morning started with a sumptuous breakfast buffet at our lovely hotel, Hotel Lancelot.
After the meal, we headed out to the next destination, the Trevi Fountain. Buses run from time to time in Rome and hence, we boarded a bus which took us to the Trevi fountain stop. From the stop it was a 10 mins walk to the place. The streets are filled with many artisans and shops with cute souvenirs and display of art. We were flabbergasted to see the beauty of the fountain flashing in front of our eyes when we reached the spot. The rich white stones and the numerous sculptures near the fountain was a charm to watch.
After spending an hour near the fountain, we strolled through the streets of Rome to adore the marvellous architecture surrounding the place. After around 20 mins, we reached the Piazza Navona which is a grand public open space in Rome and was built around the 1st century AD. There are small fountains in the square and a number of open cafes and restaurants adorn the place.
After going through the ruins and the historical stories revolving around the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill, we decided to go for a quick dinner since we were pretty exhausted and thought to carry our exploration further the next day (our departure from Rome was at 2PM).
Near the Piazza Navona is situated the famous Pantheon of Rome. We didn't enter inside the place since we had our next train from Rome to Venice at 2pm and we didn't want to delay it, however we were able to view it from outside and click a few snaps in and around the place.
We strolled further around the place and were able to admire the fine architectural designs and sculptures in the place. There are many museums and grand buildings to be seen in Rome, but unfortunately, we didn't have much time left with us to visit all.
However, the beauty and memoirs that Rome leaves in your heart and mind, definitely proves the point that Rome was indeed not built in a day!!!
TRAVEL TILL YOU DROP!!!
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