Stop number 2 on our Italian adventure was the ancient city of Rome. We last visited the Eternal City in 2018, and it’s definitely one of my favourite places in Europe.
The train journey from Naples to Rome only took an hour, and gave us beautiful views of the Italian countryside along the way. We bought an Interrail single country pass, which gave us 3 days of travelling within one month. It was definitely worth doing, as it saved us the stress of buying the right ticket on the day and guaranteed our seats. After our train journey and a slightly more stressful bus journey across the city, we were ready to explore Rome!
We decided to beat the crowds and head over to the Trevi Fountain on our first evening, which is absolutely stunning at night. It was still quite busy, but a few days later we went mid-afternoon and it was amazing how much quieter it was on that first night. Apparently if you toss a coin in the fountain you are destined to return to Rome, so that’s what I did – let’s hope it comes true one day!
Our hotel was situated near Piazza Navona, one of Rome’s famous squares. Surrounded by restaurants and filled with life, it was a great base for our adventures around the city. On our first night we stopped for dinner at a restaurant we had loved on our previous visit. Once again, the food in Rome did not disappoint. Whilst it wasn’t quite as cheap as Naples, it was still surprisingly affordable. We obviously tried out the classics such as lasagne and bolognese, and my sister now has a deep love for bucatini pasta. Of course, the Italians also know how to do dessert. On our first night we stopped for a drink, and just had to get a tiramisu as well – when in Rome!
The ruins of Rome
What I love about Rome is the real mix of history – you’ll have Renaissance churches across the street from the ruins of an ancient temple. Obviously Rome’s most famous landmark is the Colosseum, the ancient amphitheatre that sits in the middle of the city. We decided against queuing to go inside (we had done it on our previous visit), and you get a much better view of the incredible building from the outside anyway. We spent a morning exploring the Roman Forum, the remains of the city’s ancient centre. Although not much of the old city remains, you can still feel how important it was to the people of Ancient Rome. What was once a bustling hub is now a tribute to Italy’s rich history, with ruins ranging from government buildings to temples for the ancient gods.
As well as the ancient ruins dotted around the city, there’s also places that blend all elements of Rome’s history together. A good example of this is the Pantheon, a Catholic church that used to be a Roman temple. The word Pantheon comes from the Ancient Greek phrase for ‘all of the gods’ – it has been said that the hole in the centre of the building’s ceiling is the connection between the temple and the gods above. The addition of an altar, Catholic statues and paintings brings the ideas of both modern and ancient worship together. Although people don’t visit the Pantheon to worship the ancient gods anymore, and the building’s ancient history is not as obvious as its Catholic history, you can really see how Rome has worked hard to preserve all of its history.
Vatican City
This is one of my favourite places in Rome, with its awe inspiring building and cultural history. Unfortunately we weren’t able to get tickets for the famous Sistine Chapel or the Vatican Museum, but we were still able to go inside the equally incredible St Peter’s Basilica. One bit of advice I would give is get there early – you’ll beat most of the queues, and also if you’re visiting in the summer you’ll beat the heat (there is no shade along the queue line!). Also make sure you dress modestly (covering shoulders and knees) or bring something to cover up, although they do have shirts you can borrow for the duration of your visit. The Basilica itself is absolutely beautiful – I’ve never seen such an incredible and intricately detailed church, with so many luxurious details I didn’t know where to look first.
We also decided to visit the top of the Basilica’s famous dome roof – be aware, if you struggle with large flights of stairs or are claustrophobic, this may not be for you! After climbing a total of 320 steps (the whole thing is 551 but an elevator can take you part of the way up) and squeezing through extremely narrow spiral staircases, we made it to the top – and it was so worth it. We could see all of Rome, from St Peter’s Square just below us to the Colosseum in the distance.
Italy’s history and culture is really evident in Rome, probably the most out of all the cities I’ve visited. There’s so much to explore, so much to learn about and so much history to soak up. Despite it being the nation’s capital, it’s retained so much of its ancient charm and splendour. Walking the streets of Rome feels like you could be walking around in both ancient times and the Renaissance period (aside from the occasional McDonald’s of course), it feels completely timeless.
Jetsetterss 