attractions

The Itinerary of Movies Set in Rome

There are so many movies set in Rome that have become part of our culture and have become a reference point in the collective imagination of each of us.
Who does not have in mind the famous bath of Anita Eckberg in the Trevi Fountain, or the unforgettable Audrey Hepburn riding a Vespa around the Capital with Gregory Peck in the Roman Holiday movie?

In this itinerary we offer you a tour of the attractions that have been the background of some of the most beautiful movies set in Rome since the 1940s.
The walk takes place in the center of Rome so we left to you the choice of the point from which to start, according to the movies and their main locations. If you have decided to visit Rome in 3 days you can choose this itinerary as an alternative to the classical tours.

The List of Some of the Most Famous Films Set in Rome

Rome Open City, among the film set in Rome

1. ROMA CITTA’ APERTA (Rome open city) – 1945

The Roberto Rossellini’s film, played by a great Anna Magnani, is considered one of the masterpieces of the world cinema and of neo-realism.

Set in a Rome where the Fascist regime has just fallen, he sees as protagonists a priest, a commoner and a communist engineer who are trying to resist the violence of German invaders.
Many scenes have been shot in the Pigneto (like the final one where the protagonist, Pina, is killed while running behind the truck that takes away her husband captured by German soldiers, this takes place in Via Raimondo Montecuccoli).
Another location is Piazza di Spagna where you can still see the pension from which a partisan, surprised by the Nazis, flees on the roofs of the Spanish embassy.

Vacanze romane, one of the movies Set in Rome

2. VACANZE ROMANE (Roma n Holidays) – 1953

Unforgettable film by William Wyler with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. Shot entirely in Rome and in the studios of Cinecittà.

Among the most famous locations where is shown the story of the beautiful Princess Anna, heir to the throne of an imaginary kingdom and the American journalist Joe, there is Via Margutta 51 (the house where Joe lives and where Anna spends a night); the Trevi Fountain (where the haircut scene is set); the Trinity Monument Stairway (where they meet Bradley with an ice cream); The Pantheon (scene at the bar with the photographer who is the journalist’s friend); The Colosseum (where the protagonists enter after the famous Vespa tour); The Mouth of Truth (where the scene of the unspeakable secret takes place); Piazza Barberini, (seat of the Embassy where Anna was a guest).

 

Un americano a Roma: The Itinerary of Movies Set in Rome

Un Americano a Roma (An American in Rome), one of the films set in Rome

3. UN AMERICANO A ROMA (An American in Rome) – 1954

Directed by Steno, is a costume satire of post-war Italy. Alberto Sordi interprets Nando Mericoni, Trastevere‘s young boy ridiculously obsessed with all that is American. The location included in the itinerary of films in Rome is that of the Colosseum. It is here that the movie begins. In fact, in the initial scene, Nando climbs the Colosseum and threatens to throw himself down if he is not alllowed to reach his dream or going to Kansas. His friends attend the scene and begin to remember the most exhilarating episodes of his young life. Unforgettable scenes are those of the spaghettis or that of road information given in a stingy English.

 

4. A DOLCE VITA (The sweet life) – 1969 

Directed by Federico Fellini who in this film immortalizes the image of a Italy after the end of the war, which after losing its innocence, looks to the American model, with the desire for a life of indulgence and pleasure. The novelist Marcello Rubini (Marcello Mastroianni) tells the story of Rome.
The most famous venues are the Trevi Fountain, in which Anita Ekberg enters and invites Mastroianni to dance by whispering the famous “Marcello come here!”, and Via Veneto, in the past, a symbol of celebrity nightlife. Among the other locations there is also Piazza del Popolo, where the parties attended by Mastroianni took place.

Among the famous films set in Rome there is Il talento di Mr. Ripley (Mr. Ripley’s talent)

5. IL TALENTO DI MR. RIPLEY (Mr. Ripley’s talent) – 1999

Of the Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella and taken from the novel by Patricia Highsmith, the film is a psychological thriller played by a great cast. Tom Ripley (Matt Damon), a brilliant but psychopathic man, meets Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) and his girlfriend Marge (Gwyneth Paltrow) who escaped in Italy to live with the money of Greenleaf’s father. The latter hires Ripley to bring him back home but after some time, overwhelmed by envy, Ripley ends up killing Greenleaf and assuming his identity. Among the scenes in Rome there are those set in Piazza Navona, at the Roman Forum and the Campidoglio.

Angel and Demionds, set in Rome

Angeli e demoni (Angels and Demons), one of the films set in Rome


6. ANGELI E DEMONI ( Angels and Demons) – 2009

Dan Brown’s best-selling film directed by Ron Howard and with Tom Hanks deals with the story of the brilliant professor Robert Langdon who is called to Rome by the Vatican to decipher the symbol delivered together with a threat letter. A symbol that belongs to the Illuminati, a secret society that has in its ranks scientists and artists with the sole aim of destroying the Catholic Church.
The film features some of Rome’s most characteristic places: the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria (inside it the scene of the shootout between the murderer and the men of the Vatican Gendarmerie was shot); St. Peter’s Square (where Robert Langdon arrives inside a Lancia Delta); Piazza Navona (here there are dangerous chases between the police cars with sirens blaring and the assassin who, when reached, manages to run away leaving behind a trail of blood); Castel Sant’Angelo (within which there are shootings and chases and the area is surrounded by police and helicopters in an attempt to stop the assassin, hidden in the secret); The Pantheon (chosen as the scene of the first horrible crime. On the floor the body of the first killed Cardinal will be found).

Take part in the tour of the Dan Brown’s novel locations!

7. LA GRANDE BELLEZZA (The Great Beauty) – 2013

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, winner of the Oscar 2014 as the best foreign film. He narrates the story of the novelist Jep Gambardella (played by Toni Servillo) who begins to meditate on his life between lounges, terraces, gardens and Roman squares. The film has been shot almost entirely in a decadent and beautiful Rome.

Amongst the breathtaking sceneries that can be seen in our itinery of films set in Rome, there are Villa Medici, Palazzo Barberini, Piazza Navona, Palazzo Pamphilj, Caracalla’s Baths.

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The Vatican Museums

 

Whether you come for 3 days in Rome, whether your stay lasts a bit more or less, a tour of the Vatican Museums is a must. In fact, this visit alone justifies a travel.

Believe us, a visit to the Vatican Museums is such an exciting experience that will hardly be erased from your mind. Once you get out of there, you’ll be struggling to figure out how much beauty has passed under your eyes.
The museum complex is characterized by seven kilometers of exhibition space and contains more masterpieces than many small countries.
It is located in the Vatican Apostolic Palace and offers visitors one of the largest art collections in the world. They say that, to visit the Vatican Museums, it would take an average person about twelve years, do not think therefore that you will be able to see it all in a single visit!

The advice that we give you is to give precedence to:

  • the Raffaello Rooms
  • the Pio-Clementine Museum (to stay in ecstasy in front of Laocoonte and Apollo of Belvedere)
  • the Pinacoteca (do not miss the Raffaello Transfiguration)
  • the Geographic Gallery
  • the awesome Sistine Chapel (here to ensure your priority entry)

We remind you that museums are equipped for disabled people and, upon reservation, wheelchairs are available free of charge (for bookings: contact the reception at musei@scv.va or for direct requests contact the “special permits” desk).

It is also possible to enter with strollers.
Since queues at the Vatican’s ticket office are endless, we suggest you to buy the tickets online, you will save you a lot of time and avoid the stress of a queue.

 

1. RAFFAELLO’S ROOMS

These were the private apartments of Pope Julius II, who entrusted to Raffaello, who was then 25 and was not yet very famous, to realize the frescoes of the four rooms. This commission allowed the painter to raise his “quotations” considerably. However, only two rooms were painted directly by him: the Signature Room (the study) and the Room of Heliodorus (the waiting room used for private hearings). The other two rooms, the Room of the Village Fire (the dining room) and the Constantine Hall (reception hall) were designed by students who followed his designs.

Visit the Vatican museums: Raffaello's rooms

2. THE PIO-CLEMENTINO MUSEUM

It houses a fantastic set of classic statues. Among these, the most famous are the “Apollo del Belvedere” (Roman marble copy produced in the 2nd century BC of an original Greek statue in bronze dating to the fourth century BC), considered one of the great masterpieces of classical art, and the Laocoonte group (depicting a Troyan Priest of Apollo and his children fighting a deadly struggle with two sea snakes), which is also a Roman copy of a Greek original statue dating back to the I century. A.D. Both are located in the Ottagono Courtyard, the central courtyard of the palace.

3. ART GALLERY (PINACOTECA)

It was made by Pope Pius XI in 1932 and accommodates 460 paintings arranged in chronological order from the XI to the XIX century, with works by Giotto, Beato Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Guido Reni, Raffaello, Caravaggio and several other great artists.

4. GEOGRAPHIC MAPS GALLERY

One of the lesser-known venues of the Vatican Museums, this gallery, 120 m long, is covered by huge and beautiful topographic maps, all made between 1580 and 1583 for Pope Gregory XIII on the basis of the indications of one of the the greatest cartographers of the time, Ignazio Danti.

5. THE SISTINE CHAPEL (CAPPELLA SISTINA)

Visited by over 4 million people a year, it is the only place in the Vatican Museums that nobody would think of skipping. The Sistine Chapel is a spectacular place to visit and will be unforgettable.

It was originally built for Pope Sixtus IV and was inaugurated on the 15th August 1483.

It is a parallelepipedon with a barrel ceiling 40.2 m long, 13.4 m wide and 20.7 m high, the same size, as it was assumed, of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem.

All the chapel, already frescoed by the best Renaissance artists, including Botticelli and Pinturicchio, just to name a few, and with a marble flooring in many colours was sacrificed to give space, all along, to two masterpieces by Michelangelo: the Genesis, realized between 1508 and 1512 and the amazing Universal Judgment, painted in 1541.

In the latter, unlike the vault, it is impressive the amount of overseas blue that has been used. At that time, blue was very expensive, because it was made with lapis lazuli. But since it was paid by the Pope Julius II, Michelangelo did not bother. On the contrary, he did not spend much in painting the vault since he had to pay personally for the materials.

Visit the Vatican Museums: the entrance to the Sistine Chapel

Timetables: Monday to Saturday 9.00-18.00 (last entry at 16.00 and exit from the halls half an hour before closing)

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The Colosseum– How is It Made?

The symbol of the capital city par excellence and an architectural masterpiece of ancient Rome, the Coliseum is the most visited attraction of the city, with almost five million visitors a year.

You can not, therefore, exclude it from your itinerary when you visit Rome, whether you come to the capital for a couple of days, or have a chance to stay longer.

The Coliseum, we guarantee, will knock your socks off, both for its spectacular size (it is the largest Roman amphitheater in the world) and for the emotional impact that it will have on you (you cannot remain impassive in front of the the fact that the building represents a proof of the great cruelty and ferocity of ancient times).

Since there are endless queues to visit this attraction, we suggest that you get the ticket on line, you will save time that could be spent by visiting the other wonders of the capital.

But how was the Coliseum made?
We provide below some news about the structure of what has become the model for all subsequent sports stadiums.

1. THE EXTERNAL WALLS

In the past they were entirely covered with travertine. They are divided into three levels of arches framed by pilasters (pillars embedded in the wall) with tuscan capitals (lower level), ionic capitals (middle level) and corinthians capitals (highest level). The arches of the middle and upper levels were embellished with statues, while the tallest part featuring windows and corinthian pilasters was characterized by the supports for the 240 pillars that supported the “velarium”, a huge retractable fabric tent covering the arena.
On the ground floor there are 80 archway entrances (vomitoria), that allowed the spectators to enter and sit in a few minutes.

2. THE ARENA

Originally it had a wooden floor covered with sand in order to avoid that the gladiators could slip and in order to absorb the spilled blood.

The arena could also be flooded during naval battles (naumachie). Thanks to some trapdoors it was possible to enter the underground spaces and underground passages that constituted the hypogeum.

Visit the Coliseum in Rome: the arena

3. SEATS

The “cavea“, the area reserved to spectators, was divided into three parts: the senators sat in the lower rows, rich people in the middle and the plebeians in the upper ones. The women, except the vestals, were relegated to the top sectors.

As nowadays, the spectators had a numbered ticket pointing to a seat in a precise area.
In front of the seating rows there was a large terrace (the podium), which was reserved to the emperor, the senators and other personalities of respect.                                                        

                                                           

4. THE HYPOGEUM

The underground areas were situated under the whole structure and were used to store scenographies. It was the place where the naval battlegrounds scenographies were built, to be eventually lifted with a complex pulleys system. The gladiators reached the hypogeum directly from the adjoining school, whereas the fierce animals were brought from Mount Celio, where there was a “zoo” where the beasts were locked in cages built within the masonry. From there the animals were brought to the Colosseum by using a goods lift.
If you want to know more about Rome’s most visited attraction, visit the page on the ten curiosities on the Colosseum that you may not know. 

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The Colosseum – 10 Curiosities All To Discover

“As long as there is Colosseum, there will also be Rome; When the Colosseum falls, Rome will also fall; When Rome falls, the world will fall as well”

(Prophecy of the Venerable Beda, eigth century).

A symbol of the greatness and power of Rome, the Flavian Amphitheater, is the most famous and impressive monument of ancient Rome and an attraction that still attracts, after two thousand years, about 5 million visitors a year.

So, whether you plan a short visit, or decide to visit Rome in 3 days or more, a stop at the Colosseum is a must.

Buy the Colosseum priority ticket here!

To let you have some knowledge when visiting this wonder, we reveal some curiosities that you may not have known before. Here they are:

1. When it was built

The amphitheater was built by the Emperor Vespasian on the grounds of the vast complex of the Domus Aurea of Nero. The work started in 72 a.d. and ended in 80 a.d. under the Emperor Tito. The inauguration ceremony lasted 100 days, during which 5.000 animals were killed.

2. The size

The shape of the Colosseum is not round but oval. It is an enormous ellipse with a 527 meter perimeter. Originally it was 52 meters tall but today its height is about 48 meters. These dimensions make it the largest amphitheater in the world. At the top there were 240 uprights supporting the “velario”, a huge fabric tapestry that covered the arena. The viewers came from 80 arched entrances (vomitoria) and could fill the Colosseum in minutes

3. The capacity

The Flavian amphitheater could accommodate 50.000 spectators

4. The origin of the name

The Colosseum was originally called the Flavian Amphitheater, in honor of the illustrious Flavi family to which belonged the emperors Vespasian, Tito and Domiziano, who started and completed the construction work.The name Colosseum dates back to the Middle Ages and refers not to its size, but to the size of the Colossus of Nero, a giant statue that was at its side.

Another hypothesis is that the name derives from its position, because it is located on a hill where once there was a temple of Isis (from which “Collis Isei“).

5. Usages

In addition to the fights of gladiators, the Colosseum was also used as a pool for naumachie, that is, representations of naval battles. A civil and environmental engineering professor of the University of Edinburgh, Martin Crapper, suggested that water ran through a series of internal wells and pipes under the stands and calculated that the time needed to fill the entire arena would have been of about 7 hours.

6. The shows

At the Colosseum the shows lasted for an entire day. The spectators were forced to bring from home soft cushions to be able to sit on the hard stone seats.

7. Seats

All the people could take part in the games that took place in the Colosseum. Class distinctions were made only for the assignement of seats. The cavea was in fact divided into three parts: the senators sat in the lower rows, the less wealthy in the middle rows and the plebeians in the higher rows. The women (except the vestals) were relegated to the top. For the most well-off classes the seats were in marble, while for the other people the seats were in wood. Like today, everyone had a numbered ticket and each spectator had a place assigned to a specific seat.

The podium, a large terrace in front of the rows of seats, was reserved for the emperor and senators and other personalities of concern.

8. As a garden

After its decline after the end of the empire, the Colosseum was covered with plants, some were exotic, and grew up with the help of the microclimate of the amphitheater. There would be about 350 species of plants that for centuries have been studied by botany experts.

9. The Colosseum as a quarry

During the Renaissance it was used as a travertine and marble quarry for the construction of many buildings including Palazzo Venezia and Palazzo Barberini. People stopped taking materials from the Flavian Amphitheater only in the 18th century after a renewed love for the ancient Roman vestiges. It has been calculated that only one third of the original construction has been left.

10. Among the seven new wonders of the world

Since 2007, the Colosseum has been included among the seven new wonders of the world along with the Great Wall of China, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio in Brazil, the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, the Chichen Itza pyramids in Mexico and the Taj Mahal in India.
If you are interested to know more about the main symbol of Rome, see the page How is the Colosseum done?

Visit Rome in 3 days - Colosseum

Rome: the beautiful Colosseum 罗马竞技场

TRIPS OUTSIDE OF ROME – WHAT TO SEE AND WHERE TO GO

Villa Adriana, Villa d’Este, Ostia Antica, and the Castelli Romani are some of the many trips outside of Rome that can be added to your itinerary, especially if you plan to stay in Rome for more than 3 days. All these attractions surrounding the capital are fairly close and suited to one-day trips.
Below, we list some of the best and most popular places for a day trip outside of Rome that surely won’t disappoint you.

Trips outside Rome: Villa Adriana in Rome

1. TIVOLI – TOUR OF VILLA ADRIANA AND VILLA D’ESTE

This exciting tour will guide you to Villa d’Este, one of the most fascinating late Italian Renaissance sites, with its beautiful waterfalls, gardens, and trees, and on to the gorgeous Villa Adriana, built in the second century A.D. Villa Adriana is considered the largest and most luxurious residence ever built for a Roman emperor. You will admire the caryatids, the columns of the Canopus, the Serapeo, the gold square and many other treasures that will take your breath away.

2. ANCIENT OSTIA

At Ancient Ostia, you will discover one of ancient Rome’s largest archaeological sites. You will step back in time into the Roman colony, founded between the end of the 5th and the beginning of the 6th century, then developed into a commercial city and harbor of the Roman Empire. You will admire the theatre, various buildings, production facilities, temples, portals, and much more.

3. DISCOVERING THE CASTELLI ROMANI

This tour will guide you in discovering the fascinating countryside and historic villages at the gates of Rome.
As you leave the city, you will admire the ruins of the Terme di Caracalla. You’ll later reach Via Appia and take the beautiful Via dei Laghi, which winds through the Albani hills. You can also stop at Frascati to enjoy the famous local wine and blend into and absorb the atmosphere of this beautiful town.

4. ZOOMARINE

Enjoy an entire day in one of Europe’s most famous amusement parks, with its water games and many thrilling attractions. Don’t miss the opportunity to watch the dolphin show, admire marine seals, penguins, and flamingos, and take a walk through the enchanted forest populated with colorful toucans and other exotic birds. Perfect for a trip outside of Rome with children.

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VATICAN MUSEUMS – CURIOSITIES ABOUT THE CAPPELLA SISTINA

For those visiting Rome, a stop at the Vatican Museums is a must (click here for tickets of Vatican Museums to skip the queue). They are in fact one of the largest art collections in the world and visiting them is truly an exciting experience.
The rooms of Raphael, the Pio-Clementine Museum, the Art Gallery, the Gallery of Geographical Maps are all attractions not to be missed, but what alone is worth a visit is the amazing Sistine Chapel, work of Michelangelo and undisputed masterpiece of Italian art.

And just to prepare you to know this incredible treasure, we provide below a short list of some curiosities about the Sistine Chapel that you might like to know

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Curiosities about the Sistine Chapel

  • The name of the Sistine Chapel derives from Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned the work
  • The marvelous paintings of the Sistine Chapel extend for 1,110 square meters, roughly a sixth the size of a football field.
  • It is not true that Michelangelo has painted his frescos working on his back. He worked on a platform he had invented, which extended over half of the chapel area and allowed him to stand up. The platform was moved halfway through the project. Michelangelo never had the chance to look at his work in progress from below, but he painted from a distance of a few centimeters.
  • In most of the male nudes that decorate the ceiling of Michelangelo, there are many acorns, a recurring motif among the artist’s frescoes to pay homage to the name Rovere (Rovere is synonymous with oak) to which the family of Julius II belonged.
  • The first Conclave that was held in the Sistine Chapel of the Apostolic Palace was that of 1492.  From 1870 onwards the Chapel became the seat of all the conclaves.
  • The doors of the Sistine Chapel were blocked. The word conclave (the meeting of the College of Cardinals for an election of the Pope) comes from the Latin cum clave, that is (closed) with the key.
  • The first mass in the Sistine Chapel was the one celebrated by Pope Sixtus IV on the 15 August 1483.
  • The Sistine Chapel is visited by more than 6 million people a year.
  • The Sistine Chapel today as in the past is also used as a private chapel of the Pope.
  • The Sistine Chapel is dedicated to Maria Assunta (taken to the sky).

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The Colosseo (Colosseum) – What is it like?

Symbol of the capital par excellence and architectural masterpiece of ancient Rome, the Colosseum, with nearly five million visitors a year, is the most visited attraction in Rome.
Whether you’re visiting the capital for a couple of days or planning to stay longer, don’t forget to add this attraction to your itinerary for visiting Rome.

The Colosseum will surely leave you breathless, thanks to its spectacular dimensions (it’s the largest Roman amphitheatre in the world) and the emotional impact it will have on you (the evidence of so much cruelty and ferocity is something that cannot be ignored).

Long waits for entering this attraction are the norm. We recommend buying an online ticket that lets you skip the queue, saving time for visiting the other wonders of the capital.

But what did the Colosseum look like?

Below we offer some details about the structure of what became the model for all future sport stadiums.

1. THE OUTER WALLS

Once entirely covered with travertine, the exterior is divided into three levels of arches, framed by pilasters (rectangular columns embedded into the wall). The intermediate and higher level arches were sculpted with statues, while the highest part, with its Corinthian windows and pilasters, is characterized by supports for the 240 masts that once sustained the velarium, a huge fabric awning that covered the arena.

On the ground floor there are 80 arched entrances (vomitoria), which allowed spectators to enter and take seats in a few minutes.

2. THE ARENA

The ground had a wooden floor covered in sand to prevent the gladiators from slipping and to soak up the blood.

The arena could be flooded during re-enactment of sea battles (Naumachie). The underground complex of corridors that constituted the hypogeum could be accessed through trapdoors.

3. THE CAVEA

The Cavea, for spectator seating, was divided into three parts: the lower rows were dedicated to the Senators, the middle rows for wealthy citizens, and the upper rows for lower-class plebeians. All women—excluding the vestal virgins—were placed at the very top.
Much as they are today, entrance tickets were marked with the seat number of a specific sector.

The podium, a broad terrace in front of the seating rows, was reserved for the Emperor, Senators, and other elite Romans.

Visit the Colosseum: The cavea

4. THE HYPOGEUM

The underground complex system stretching under the entire structure was used as a backstage. Here props and set pieces for naval battles were built and then lifted with a complex system of ropes and pulleys. Gladiators would reach the Hypogeum directly from the nearby gladiator school, and wild animals were transported to the Colosseum from a “zoo” on Monte Celio, where they were kept in cages built directly into the wall.

For more news about the most visited attraction in Rome, visit the page: Ten Interesting Facts About The Colosseo That You May Not Know

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THE FIVE ATTRACTIONS AND MONUMENTS TO VISIT IN ROME IN 2 DAYS

If you want or you can only visit Rome in two days you will have to organize your itinerary well in order to take advantage of the limited time and enjoy as many attractions as you can. We help you by listing 5 of the attractions and monuments of Rome that you should not miss.

So here is our short list of things to be included in the tour to visit Rome in two days.

The Colosseum, among the attractions to visit in Rome in two daysColosseum

Symbol of the greatness and power of Rome, the Flavian Amphitheater, is the most famous and impressive monument of ancient Rome and an attraction that still attracts, after two thousand years, about 5 million visitors a year.
The amphitheater was built by the emperor Vespasiano on the land of the vast complex of the Domus Aurea of the emperor Nero. Work began in the year 2 a.d. and ended in 80 a.d. under the emperor Titus. The inauguration ceremony lasted 100 days, during which 5,000 animals were killed.
The visit of the Colosseum, unmissable if you want to visit Rome in two days, should be completed with that of the “Fori Imperiali” (imperial Forums) that you can admire from the Via Alessandrina that runs along them. You will get an idea of what life was like in ancient Rome. The forums were in fact the main squares of the city, where public buildings stood, were there were markets and where people did their business.
You can also visit the Roman Forum and the open-air museum of the Palatine: if you have entered the Colosseum, your ticket also includes a visit to the latter two. Buy the ticket online to skip the long lines!

Information: all days except the 25 December and the 1st January 9-17. Until the15h February 8.30 – 16.30; from 16 February until the 15 March 8.30 – 17.00; from the 16 until the last Saturday of March 8.30 – 17.30; from the last Sunday of March until 31 August 8.30 – 19.15; from 1 to 30 September 08.30 – 19.00; from the 1st to the last Saturday of October 8.30 – 8.30.
Last admission one hour before closing.
Full ticket € 12, reduced ticket € 7.50, free under 18 years.

Capitoline Museums

They constitute a public gallery of the world’s oldest sculptures. Created by Pope Sixtus IV in 1471, they were enriched by successive popes as new statues were brought to light. The museums occupy the Palazzo Nuovo and the Palazzo dei Conservatori, both located on the Campidoglio square.
The Capitoline Museums host the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. The one in the center of the square is a copy, while the original, which has been restored, is placed in a new glazed hall, the Esedra of Marcus Aurelius, in the Roman Garden, behind Palazzo dei Conservatori.

Information: open every day 9.30-19.30, 24 and 31 December 9.30-14. The ticket office closes an hour earlier. Closed on January 1st, May 1st, December 31st.
Full ticket € 14, reduced ticket € 12.

The Basilica of San Pietro, in Rome. Tickets on line to skip the queue

The Basilica of San Pietro

It is located where in 324 a.c. the emperor Constantine had a shrine erected in honour of Peter the Apostle, who was crucified and buried right there.
The look of today is due to the project of Bramante, dating back to 1506. It was built by artists such as Raphael, Antonio da San Gallo, Michelangelo. The interior, as well as the colonnade were made by Bernini. The basilica is the largest church in the world. If you want to climb on its amazing dome we suggest you to get the ticket online: skip the queue!

Information: October 1 – March 31 every day 7.00-18.30 / 1 April – 30 September every day 7-19.00.

Visit Rome in 2 days: Castel Sant'Angelo

Castel Sant’Angelo

Also known as Hadrian’s Mausoleum, Castel Sant’Angelo was the papal fortress built in the Middle Ages on the remains of the emperor Hadrian’s mausoleum. (II century a.d.).
It is located not far from the Vatican to which it is connected via the fortified corridor called the “passetto”, in the Borgo district. The fortress has been modified several times in the Middle Ages and in the Renaissance. Do not leave the fortress without a stop on the “Terrazza dell’Angelo”, where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the city. In order to avoid queues and save time, we recommend you to order your ticket online.

The Trevi Fountain in Rome, among the most spectacular attractions of the capital

Fontana di Trevi

Together with the Colosseum it is one of the symbols of Rome in the world. This splendid baroque fountain, designed by Nicola Savi in 1732, occupies almost completely the small square in which it is located. It represents the waggon of Neptune pulled by tritons with sea horses (a wild one and a docile one) that symbolize the different aspects of the sea. It is among the most photographed monuments in Rome.

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The trevi Fountain

THE TREVI FOUNTAIN

Immortalized by Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in the film by Fellini “La dolce vita”, the Trevi Fountain, together with the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica, is one of the main attractions of Rome and should be an essential stop on your itinerary in the capital. If you want to visit Rome in 3 days or if you only have one weekend, you can not leave without having seen it and thrown your coin into the water to be able to come back!

The Trevi Fountain is a very large sculptural complex, so much so that it occupies almost the entire square.
It was created by Nicola Salvi in 1732 and completed in 1762 by Giuseppe Pannini.
Made with travertine, marble, plaster, stucco and metals, it represents Ocean on a cart pulled by two horses (a wild one and another docile, that represent the different moods of the sea), which in turn are guided by tritons.

The fountain, today as when it was built, is fed by one of the oldest aqueducts in Rome, the aqueduct of Acqua Virgo (Acqua Vergine), built between 19 and 22 a.C. from Agrippa. The name Trevi derives from the fact that at this point three ways converged.

On the eastern side of the Trevi Fountain there is a large vase in stone called “ace of cups” because it recalls the playing card. It is said that during the construction works, a barber, who owned his shop on the square, continued to criticize the Salvi’s project. Salvi then added the vase so as to prevent the barber from seeing the work and continuing to make his annoying criticism.

Since the aqueduct was completed on this site there has always been a fountain. In 1453 Pope Nicholas V commissioned Leon Battista Alberti to restore the water way.
In 1629, Urban VIII commissioned Bernini to design a new fountain, but it was never built.
In 1730 Pope Clement XII announced a competition to choose the best architectural projects. The Salvi’s project won the competition and two years later the works began.

The last restoration of the Trevi Fountain dates back to 2015. The cost of 2.2 million euros were financed by the Fendi fashion house and the work brought the fountain back to its former glory.

 

TRADITIONS RELATED TO THE TREVI FOUNTAIN

The most famous tradition is the tossing of a coin into the fountain: by doing this with closed eyes and turning on the opposite side of Palazzo Poli, one would favor a future return to the city.
The origins of this tradition are not well known. Perhaps it could derive from the ancient custom of throwing into the sacred sources obols or small gifts to propitiate the local divinity, as it happens for the wells of desires.

There is no tourist who does not know this tradition and who does not perform this ritual. The Municipality of Rome established in 2006 that all the reclaimed coins (a sum equal to about three thousand euros per day) should be destined for Caritas in Rome. In fact, around 3,000 euros are drawn every day from the fountain. All those who take the money for themselves are prosecuted criminally.

According to another tradition, when people still drank water from the fountain (and the water of Trevi, which today is used only for irrigation and to feed the fountains, was considered among the best in Rome, because it is not calcareous) girls asked their boyfriend who was leaving to drink it in a glass, that was later shattered in sign and wish of fidelity.

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The Vatican – Curiosities That You Might not Know

Established after the Lateran Pacts of 1929, the Vatican is the modern version of the State of the Church that ruled most of the central regions up to the Unity of Italy in 1861. The Vatican City is an independent state where the pope is the highest authority. They have a postal service, a newspaper, a radio station and an army, the Swiss guards.

Below you will find some curiosities about the Vatican that you may want to know.

 

1. Citizenship

You can not be a Vatican citizens by birth: the Vatican citizenship is aquired by those who, even lay people, reside there for reasons of office or employment. The spouse, children, and brothers of a Vatican citizen retain their citizenship provided they are cohabiting

2. Swiss Guards

Even though Switzerland today has the reputation of being a pacifist nation, in 1500 it had an unstoppable military force. With their great ability to handle the halberd, a combination of a spear and an axe, the army ground troops were able to demolish enemy legions on horseback. After witnessing their power in battle, Pope Julius II (the commissioner of the Sistine Chapel) wanted some soldiers as personal guards. Since then, the Swiss guards swore allegiance to the pope.
Even though we are used to seeing Swiss guards in Renaissance dresses, in fact the real Pope’s guards are wearing much more modern civilian clothes and arms than halberds!

3. The Official Language

The official language of the state is Italian. Latin is the language of the Holy See: not by chance the Vatican City law is exclusively written in Latin

4. The Death Penalty

The death penalty remained in force until 1969 as the punishment for the attempted or done murder of a pope. In that year Pope Paul VI made it de facto but not de jure invalid, which meant that was officially abolished, but was not completely removed from the Fundamental Law (equivalent to our Constitution). It was definitively abolished with the revision of the latter only in 2001 according to the will of John Paul II.

5. Criminality

According to a study conducted by the German magazine Der Spiegel in 2007, the Vatican is the country with the highest crime rate in the world per inhabitant. There have been 486 criminal cases and 341 civil cases on which the Vatican Ministry of Justice has investigated. The most common crime? Theft.

6. But How much Money Own the Vatican?

It is not easy to answer because the accounts of the Vatican’s economic activities have not been published for 125 years.
Only in 2012, following the policy of transparency and rigor put into effect by Pope Francis, the IOR (Institute for Religious Works) had to publish the 2012 budget, showing a profit of 86.6 million euros. If you want to know the current budget, see the 2015 report published on the official portal.

7. The Sanpietrini

In the past, in the days when the Church celebrated its most solemn feasts, the dome of the St. Peter’s Basilica was illuminated with a flame of fire: the pans on which the fire burned were lit by so-called sanpietrini, who climbed along the dome’s curves. The remarkable ability of these intrepid climbers was an object of admiration for foreigners, who considered the enterprise possible only by those who had been practicing it since the youth.

The sanpietrini word is used also for the blocks of leucitite (an eruptive rock), also called flint or paving stone, used to make the typical Roman pavement.

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