BY Clay Larroy
There is nothing more
exciting than traveling. Whether you are going for a road trip
to see something new in your own state, or heading off to somewhere for the
very first time to visit a city you have always dreamed of, there are some travel basics that you should know. Travel in the off seasons from November to April, to avoid crowds, save money and enjoy
temperate weather. In those months, many families with children cannot travel
due to school commitments, making many tourist attractions much less crowded.
This may also result in lower costs for airfare and hotels. When you are ready to plan a vacation contact me!
‘Roman
Holiday’
See
a busy city on foot, at your own pace…
Rome cannot be seen in a day, a week or a year. No, a
city with this much history takes centuries to get to know. It is literally a
city of layers, one generation, one millennium building on top of the
next. It is the ‘Eternal City’, and we are mortals. Since time is not on
our side, consider moving Rome higher on your list of places to visit, and
start planning now. With a little organization and a good travel consultant,
your trip to Rome can be not only fun, but even deeply rewarding.
This brief overview is not comprehensive... it just
represents a few, favorite ‘must see’ spots in the city that you’ll find filled
with the very essence of Rome. Take other guides and see other sights. This
little stroll presents you with highlights to make sure you have the time to
see Rome at the pace it is meant to be seen: at your leisure.
The key to experiencing Rome is to visit everything on
foot - and just a little bit ‘off-hour’ (early-morning or late evening when
possible) to avoid the sometimes-overwhelming crowds of tourists. Everyone
agrees that Rome is a city to be walked, and if you are in reasonably good
shape, it will not be a problem. Do not travel without your most comfortable,
already broken-in walking shoes and carry plenty of bottled water and a hat for
shade. You’ll be ready in no time to set off of your own, private archeological
and cultural excursion in a city of antiquities, art and monuments.
First, let’s get oriented. Early on, develop a sense
for the Italian titles of the common English, as they are often exchanged
freely (i.e., the Foro Romano and the ‘Roman Forum’). The Centro Storico is on
the east side of the Tevere (the Tiber) and is the center of the historical
city, set amongst the Seven Hills on Rome; here you will find the Campidoglio
(Capitoline Hill) and the nearby Foro Romano, Trajan’s Markets, the Imperial
Forum, the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine. Just south of the Centro
Storico are Palatine Hill, the Circus Maximus, and the Baths of Caracalla, the
city’s famous catacombs.
The Foro Romano, though a mass of tumbled stone and
ruin, still provides a glimpse of what was once the center of the great city,
and perhaps the entire Roman world. Romans conducted their public business in
the Forum, and the road leading into the Foro Romano is the ‘Via Sacra’, the
route for sacred processions. The Arch of Septimus Severus is in the center of
the Forum, and nearby, you’ll find the reconstructed Senate House. The footing
here is uneven, so if you or your companions are physically challenged or
travel with a baby carriage, plan accordingly, allowing for extra time or
assistance.
The Colosseum, or more properly the ‘Flavian
Amphitheatre’ seated 60,000 people and could also be canopied to shelter the
crowds on rainy days or from the hot summer sun. The floor of the Colosseum
could actually be flooded to float small boats. The numbered seats, rows and
sections allowed spectators varying views of the gory, bloodbath battles between
gladiators. Over the centuries, the walls of the Colosseum began to crumble,
the result of earthquakes, neglect and the need for stones to build the walls
and other structures that surround Rome, but lighted at night, the structure
still emits a stately glow. The hours of admission to the Colosseum are
staggered throughout the year, but during the height of tourist season in April
- June, it is typically open from 9am to 7pm. For your convenience, elevators
can take you to the upper tiers and you can rent audio guides for a few
dollars. Guided tours in English are also available throughout the day. It
costs approximately twelve dollars to visit the Colosseum.
The Arch of Constantine is the largest arch in Rome,
constructed in the 4th century. It stands to the side of the
Colosseum, just before you tackle the heavily cobbled road of Via Sacre that
leads to the Forum.
Trajan’s Markets and Forum, immediately east of Piazza
Venezia and the Capitoline Hill, included a massive basilica, libraries, a
temple, Trajan’s column, and the open marketplace. Trajan’s column and the
markets are in excellent states of preservation. You can pay a fee for
admission to the complex, or you can view it from the street on Via
Alessandrina.
If you walk north of the Foro Romano, you will see the
Piazza Venezia and Piazza Campidoglio. Take the Via del Coroso from the Piazza
Venezia to the Piazza del Popolo, and just a bit further south you will find
the Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps. No trip to Rome is complete without
seeing the Spanish Steps. Early in the morning the steps are relatively empty,
providing a great opportunity to view them without large groups of tourists
covering their beauty. The incredible sweep of architecture lifts from the
Piazza di Spagna up to the Trinita’ dei Monti (Trinity of the Mountains). The
Spanish Embassy was at one time at the bottom of the Steps, influencing the
sites’ names - the ‘Piazza di Spagna’ and the Spanish Steps.
REFERENCE SITES:
http://www.travelresearchonline.com/
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