A day in the Capital city of Italy.

 Rome 

 A day in the Capital city of Italy

Rome commonly called Roma in Italian is the capital city of Italy ,it is also called as the ‘Eternal City ‘ by the Roman poet Tibullus.  This beautiful city  had dealt with Renaissance ,Neoclassicism , Middle age and many more revolutions .Have you heard about all this in your History lessons in school? This City have a very strong history .Rome was the settlings for many famous Shakespeare  works like Julius Caesar & Mark Antony . Rome is famous for its Basilicas, Museums Architecture , Fountains, Food and Gelatos. Rome city has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and warm summers. We visited in January 2024 .It was cold but not that cold compared to UK winter. Our trip was completely budget friendly .We tried to cover attraction which are free to enter. We skip all the paid attractions. I know we missed many precious and unique tressures .But this trip was for 7 days and we are covering four Italian cities so we stick to our plan of being budget friendly.

Immigration in Rome was quick. A few questions, like how many days, when are you going back, do you have a permanent residence permit? After immigration and baggage collection, we wait nearly an hour for a taxi. It was mid-night, so Uber was not available. At the airport exit, there is a specific area for taxi pick-up.. So we have to stay in a queue waiting for a taxi. There will be airport police staff who direct the people to stand in line. I tried to communicate with the officer, but they didn’t speak English. Natives standing in line were mentioning taxi scams. I was nervous hearing it. After the long wait, my chance was up. It was a shared taxi, so there was a couple along with us. The driver was a woman. She dropped the couple first. It was 40 euros for both teams. It was mid-night, so the road was empty. I got a chance to see the Rome city center without crowds. .

We checked in at our hostel, which was in the city center. Check-in was hassle-free. My friends who left early had already checked into the hostel at 3 p.m. The hostel room we booked was a six-bed private dorm with two toilets and a shower. The property we booked was the Meininger Hotel and budget-friendly accommodation group, which functioned in the UK and Europe. I would 100% recommend this hostel, even if you are with friends and family on budget travel. It was nearly 2 a.m. when I reached the accommodation, and my friends had already saved pizza for us. We got freshened up and slept well. Next morning, we started at 11 in the morning. I had coffee and a croissant from the hostel cafe, which is a typical breakfast in Rome, and set out to explore the city. We felt blank as we walked from the hostel to find the metro, but later walked back to the bus stop near our accommodation and took the bus. Our first stop was the Trevi Fountain. We used Google Maps for all directions and navigation.

Trevi Fountain

Fontana di Trevi is an 18th-century fountain and one of the most famous fountains in the world. It is the largest baroque fountain in the city and is situated in the Trevi district of Rome. This fountain was built by Nicola Salvi and later completed by Giuseppe Pannini in 1762. This fountain at the junction of three roads is one of the aqueducts that supplied water to ancient Rome. The name of the fountain originates from the Latin word trivum, which means intersection of three streets. It is almost certain that during your trip to Rome, you will somehow reach this prime location, as the sheer turquoise fountain is in the city center. It is an outdoor attraction that is free to visit. There is no best time to visit. Even during the day or at night, it is a marvel. Expect a crowd at any time. As our trip was in January, I did not expect a crowd, but it was crowded. Somehow I found a spot and clicked pictures. There is a myth behind the Trevi Fountain. To make a wish at the fountain by tossing coins. If you toss a coin in the fountain, that means you will visit Rome again. If you toss two coins in the fountain, if you toss three coins, it promises a Roman wedding. After all, by the end of the day, all the coins go to the charity Caritas. I didn't toss a coin, as all three factors didn't excite me. Most Mondays and Fridays, the fountain will be closed for cleaning, so keep that in mind when you visit. Don't miss out on an Instagram picture with the turquoise fountain.

 

Gelato

From Trevi, we planned to walk to the Colosseum. On the way, just next alley to Trevi Fountain, we saw people having gelatos. With no delay, we popped in to a gelato shop named Trevi Gelato and ordered two different gelatos, which we shared. Gelato is a common word for Italians for every ice cream. Gelatos of Italian origin are different from normal ice cream, which is prepared with fresh, natural ingredients. It has less fat and is smoother than normal frozen ice cream. It should be consumed fresh on the same day. So when you choose a gelato, try checking if it is stored in stainless steel tin instead of plastic tin in a pilled manner. You won't miss gelato, as it is available in every corner of Italy.

 

Altar of Fatherhood or Victor Emmanuel II Monument

As we walked from the gelato shop in search of the Colosseum, we got a chance to see a huge building. We checked if it was a paid entry, but it was free. This huge building was the Altar of Fatherhood, a national monument that was built between 1885 and 1935 in honor of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of Unified Italy. This monument has many names, like the Tomb of an Unknown Soldier,Alter of Fatherland, etc. This is because the monument had many additions over the year. This is the place where state-sponsored celebrations happen. You won't miss this attraction because of the eye-catching infrastructure and the white marble it is made of. This is actually a museum dedicated to the history of Italy. We walked on the first terrace and took some pictures. The view from above is stunning. At the time of the visit, we actually didn't know what this was about. But it does have a paid entry section for the top terrace, which has an incredible view of the city. There is a glass elevator, which costs 7 pounds, and a roof-top terrace entry. This monument is open Monday through Sunday from half nine to half seven in the evening. From the monument, we can see Colonna Traiana and the restored Roman city forum complex in full glory. One thing I noticed is that at the main point of the monument, there are two young guards standing still in the cold, which fascinates me. I wonder how they are enjoying the work they do standing like statues.

Mercati di Traiano pr Trajan's Markets 

We can see an open space of ancient ruins next to the Alter of Fatherhood monument. This is a paid attraction that is an extensive building complex from the Roman era. This complex was built at the same time as Trajan's Forum at the beginning of the 2nd century. This complex is situated in many parts, all of which are divided by different paths. This was once a precarious food situation in the city. The ruins indicate rooms and halls, which would constitute a sort of multifunctional center. The highlight here is the vast structure, an ancient archeological marvel. Even though it has a paid entry fee,the ruins and structures can be pretty visible from outside.

Colosseum

From the Altar of Fatherhood, we walked to the Colosseum. It was just behind the monument. This is my first check-list crossing of the seven wonders of the world. Even though I am from India, I never got a chance to visit the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. The Colosseum is an amphitheater in the center of the city of Rome, Italy. It is the largest amphitheater ever built and still stands as the largest amphitheater in the world. This wonder was built in 70 AD and was built with limestone, volcanic rock, and bricks, which can hold 50,000 to 80,000 spectators. This was once used for gladiator contests, animal hunts, executions, and dramas related to Roman history. Although it was ruined by earthquakes and stone robbers, it is still a symbol of Imperial Rome and is listed as one of the most popularly visited attractions. The Colosseum is a paid-entry attraction. It cost 30 to 40 pounds for the entry ticket. If you are a history buff, you can book entry tickets through the official website or through the GetYourGuide app.

After visiting the Colosseum, we planned to visit Vatican City but couldn't make it as it was getting dark. We walked back to our hostel. On the way, we bought some souvenirs and had pizza for dinner. Next morning, we are checking out Florence. Rome was quite pleasing to me. There are many more attractions that we missed this time due to budget and time limitations. Food seems expensive in Rome. The weather was not that cold. We booked train tickets through the Trainline app.

Rome is not just the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain. This antique city has much more to offer. It was just one day for us, and we chose attractions that can be seen within walking distance. I will mention a few more attractions that you can consider visiting on your Roman trip. 

The Roman Forum

The Roman forum is located just few minutes away from Colosseum .It is a paid entry attraction .If you are purchasing ticket for Colosseum you can also buy ticket including entry to The Roam forum .This is a rectangle shaped forum which has ruins of ancient government building of Rome. This place was once a location for public and religious activities.

The Palatine Hill

Adjacent to the Roman Forum and Colosseum the Palatine Hill is a Historical Marvel. This is also a paid attracting .This is a four sided plateau 131 feet of the forum of Rome, where archaeological discoveries of prehistoric remains of the imperial Roman ruins.

Spanish Steps 

The 135 steps of the Spanish Steps, which resemble a magnificent staircase with three distinct terraces representing the holy trinity, are a piece of historical significance. Given that French contractors were hired to build the steps, the name may be a little unclear. The term "Spanish Steps" comes from the Spanish embassy that stood at the foot of the steps in the 17th century in the Piazza di Spagna plaza.

These are my some of the recommendation. if you want to know how to  prepare for your first Europe trip click here.

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