Rome
Rome is the capital city of Italy and is commonly known as the ‘Eternal City’ and is predominantly known as the home of Vatican City. Due to its large historical contribution it has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Most of the tourists’ districts are located in Central Rome with the Modern Centre of Rome as the central point for most tourists as the hotels and dining options abound. This is also a great area for shopping and for taking in the neighbourhood life of those who live in Rome.
For sightseeing the best place to visit is the Old Town district which is found in the centre of Rome and combines the rich heritage of both the Renaissance periods and the medieval periods. Within the limits of the district is the Pantheon, cathedrals, and plenty of breathtaking plazas.
For historical attractions, the Colosseo district is hard to beat with the Roman Forum, the markets of Trajan, and the mighty Colosseum all found within close reach of each other.
Of course, most people who visit Rome also stop by the Vatican, which is an amazing area that is teeming with relics, museums, and plenty of sights and churches. The architecture of the ancient Roman religious epicentre is also well worth walking through, even if the Vatican City does not hold any religious meaning for you.
Rome is one of the oldest cities in the world tracing back over two and a half thousand years as the home of the Caesars and then the centre of the Catholic Church.
The best way to get around Rome is either by foot if you are touring the centre of Rome, or by the Metro system. A word of caution however, the Metro requires you to purchase tickets before you get on, so look for automated windows or ticket centres and consider purchasing multiple tickets in one stop in case you need to jump on a bus, which is part of the Metro, outside of a rail line area.
Driving is not recommended in Rome due to the fact that traffic patterns have no set rhythm and can be rather chaotic at times. A word to the wise if you are walking is that cars will rarely stop at intersections unless you start walking across, at which point they will slow down to let you pass.
Since there are so many attractions to see in Rome it is a good idea to consider getting the Roma pass, which allows you to see two museums or attractions for free and then offers you discounts to other museums, as well as full access to any method of public transportation within Rome. Depending on how much you travel the discounted travel may be enough to make your visit far more worthwhile.
While in Rome you should also be sure to stop by one of the historical Catholic churches as their stained glass décor and classical art walls are breathtaking. The Vatican and St Peter’s in particular are well worth the long wait in line to see.
