Via Veneto is in many ways the center of Rome. This fabulous street was immortalized in Fellini’s famous La Dolce Vita (the sweet life). When you’re done shopping, people watching, eating, drinking, and simply enjoying La Dolce Vita on the Via Veneto there are several tourist sights worth visiting in this upscale neighborhood. Don’t miss the Seventeenth Century Palazzo Barberini now home to the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica (National Gallery of Ancient Art) and the Neoclassical Palazzo Margherita, which hosts the American Embassy. You should also visit some nearby historic fountains and churches. For your convenience we have listed neighborhood hotels in approximate order of cost, starting with the least expensive. We have personally verified all website addresses making sure that they include English-language pages.

The Domus Pinciania is a new bed and breakfast located on the ground floor of a typical Roman palace. Unlike many other such lodgings, its reception area is open around the clock. This is a non-smoking property that includes a panoramic terrace. There are only four rooms so you better reserve early. The address is Via Campania, 61/a – 00187 – Rome.

The Hotel Priscilla is a four-story building that was renovated in 2008 and includes a piano bar and a restaurant. It offers a reading room and a TV room so you can rest after a tough day hanging around watching the beautiful people. There are 43 rooms including singles and triples. The address is Via Calabria, 17 – 00187 – Rome.

Perhaps because the Hotel Locarno starred in a 1978 movie of the same name it is said to be popular with the movie people. This is one finely decorated hotel. There’s a bar on the panoramic roof garden. The rooms are spacious but some are dark. The Hotel provides free of charge bicycles for exploring Rome. Watch the traffic. There are 64 rooms and 2 suites. The hotel address is Via della Penna 22 00186 – Rome.

The Regina Hotel Baglioni boasts five stars and does not come cheap. It has eight floors and provides access and rooms for the disabled. It offers a variety of dining options. There is a spa and wellness center and this hotel is well equipped for business meetings. It is part of a European chain of upscale hotels. The suites are decorated in Art Deco style and all rooms are finely furnished. The address is Via Vittorio Veneto, 72 – 00187 – Rome.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and spend time with his wife and family. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Among his many web sites he is particularly proud of his Italian travel site with a special focus on regional food and wine at http://www.travelitalytravel.com. Check out his global wine website at http://www.theworldwidewine.com with his weekly column reviewing $10 wines and his new sections writing about (theory) and tasting (practice) organic and kosher wines, and now upscale wines.

More about Rome:
Discover even more about what Rome has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers think of the city here:

http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/lazio/rome/

The Spanish Steps area is close to the center of Rome. This is a great place to meet old and new friends and then go shopping or hit the cafes. Take lots of photos. Please note that the Spanish Steps themselves were built with French funds early in the Eighteenth Century. But the Spanish Embassy is nearby. The natives call these famous steps La Scalinata (the staircase). Other neighborhood sights to see include the Fifteenth Century Trinita dei Monti Church at the top of the steps and the Keats-Shelly Memorial House where the English poet Keats died. Don’t miss the Palazzetto Zuccari that resembles a monster’s face. Via dei Condotti is a famous shopping street. In spite of a lawsuit, there’s a MacDonald’s in the neighborhood. Make sure to visit Via del Babuino, the street of antiques, and Via Margutta, the street of artists. For your convenience we have listed neighborhood hotels in approximate order of cost, starting with the least expensive. We have personally verified all website addresses making sure that they include English-language pages.

The Panda Hotel is located on a major shopping street near the Spanish Steps. The money that you might save by staying here can easily be spent in this upscale neighborhood. Unlike many other hotels, the Panda defines only two seasons price-wise. Most of the year is high season. There are 20 rooms, 14 of which have a private bath. The rooms have no television. Did you come to the heart of Rome to watch TV? The hotel address is Via della Croce 35 – 00187, Rome.

The B&B Rhona’s Rooms is a four room bed and breakfast in a typical old building serviced by elevator. All rooms have a luxury private bathroom with a 13-jet hydro-massage shower, Turkish steam bath, alternating hot/cold (Scottish) shower, aromatherapy and radio. There is a panoramic terrace. Try to rent the room that overlooks the Via dei Condotti and has views of the Spanish Steps. The address is Via dei Condotti, 23 – 00187 – Rome.

The Hotel San Carlo is situated in a renovated Seventeenth Century mansion. There is a rooftop terrace and the rooms have flat-screen TVs and sometimes their own terrace. If I had to choose between the best TV and a tiny view… The hotel has 50 rooms ranging from singles to quads and 2 suites. The address is Via delle Carrozze 92-93 – 00187, Rome.

The Hotel Hassler is really hot stuff. It has often been named as Rome’s top hotel. The rooms are a living definition of luxury, especially if you go for the Grand Deluxe ones. Even the single occupancy rooms directed toward business travelers have marble bathrooms. There are 5 on-site bars and restaurants. The list goes on; I think you get the general idea. Expect to pay big bucks. Expect to see big shots. The address is Piazza Trinita dei Monti 6, Spagna.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and spend time with his wife and family. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Among his many web sites he is particularly proud of his Italian travel site with a special focus on regional food and wine at http://www.travelitalytravel.com. Check out his global wine website at http://www.theworldwidewine.com with his weekly column reviewing $10 wines and his new sections writing about (theory) and tasting (practice) organic and kosher wines, and now upscale wines.

More about Rome:
Discover even more about what Rome has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers think of the city here:

http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/lazio/rome/

Italy attracts millions of visitors each year, drawn by its beautiful rural areas, historic cities and welcoming atmosphere. A touring holiday of Tuscany and Rome is a great way to see some of Italy’s real highlights.

A typical ten day escorted holiday of the region provides ample time to see some of the sights of the region. Relaxing on an executive coach provides a wonderful, stress-free way to enjoy the countryside of Tuscany.

It’s little wonder that so many people have become enchanted by this part of Italy. Most excursions to this part of Italy would be expected to take in the two glorious cities of Florence and Pisa.

Both have enchanting districts, as well as the spectacular sights provided by their cathedrals. In the case of Pisa, its Leaning Tower remains one of the most distinctive structures on the planet.

If you’ve never visited Italy before then you will be pleasantly surprised by the food that is on offer. Even in the most basic Tuscan restaurant you can expect to be served freshly made food, using the finest local ingredients.

Italian cooking in this region relies heavily on locally grown tomatoes and olive oil. As Europe’s largest producer of wine, you’ll find that you won’t go thirsty here either!

To the south of the cities of Pisa and Florence, you’ll find that many escorted holidays will include a visit to the towns of Siena and San Gimignano. The latter is famed for its medieval towers, drawing comparisons with modern day Manhattan.

As you are driven through the Tuscan landscape, there seems to be a great view at every turn. This is the land of Chianti wine and you’ll see vineyards dotted around many of the hills of Tuscany.

Rome, at the end of many guided touring holidays, has its own charms of course. The remains of the great Roman Empire are still to be found here, while the modern hotel facilities are of a high standard.

A holiday to Tuscany and Rome provides stimulation for all the senses.

More about Tuscany and Rome:
Discover even more about Tuscany and Rome what your fellow travellers recommend to visit while in Tuscany and what to do:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/tuscany/

Italy attracts millions of visitors each year, drawn by its beautiful rural areas, historic cities and welcoming atmosphere. A touring holiday of Tuscany and Rome is a great way to see some of Italy’s real highlights.

A typical ten day escorted holiday of the region provides ample time to see some of the sights of the region. Relaxing on an executive coach provides a wonderful, stress-free way to enjoy the countryside of Tuscany.

It’s little wonder that so many people have become enchanted by this part of Italy. Most excursions to this part of Italy would be expected to take in the two glorious cities of Florence and Pisa.

Both have enchanting districts, as well as the spectacular sights provided by their cathedrals. In the case of Pisa, its Leaning Tower remains one of the most distinctive structures on the planet.

If you’ve never visited Italy before then you will be pleasantly surprised by the food that is on offer. Even in the most basic Tuscan restaurant you can expect to be served freshly made food, using the finest local ingredients.

Italian cooking in this region relies heavily on locally grown tomatoes and olive oil. As Europe’s largest producer of wine, you’ll find that you won’t go thirsty here either!

To the south of the cities of Pisa and Florence, you’ll find that many escorted holidays will include a visit to the towns of Siena and San Gimignano. The latter is famed for its medieval towers, drawing comparisons with modern day Manhattan.

As you are driven through the Tuscan landscape, there seems to be a great view at every turn. This is the land of Chianti wine and you’ll see vineyards dotted around many of the hills of Tuscany.

Rome, at the end of many guided touring holidays, has its own charms of course. The remains of the great Roman Empire are still to be found here, while the modern hotel facilities are of a high standard.

A holiday to Tuscany and Rome provides stimulation for all the senses.

If you are interested in escorted holidays to Italy then read more of Keith Barrett’s other travel articles. This article may be used by any website publisher, though this resource box must always be included in full.

More about Tuscany:
Discover even more about Tuscany what your fellow travellers recommend to visit while in Tuscany and what to do:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/tuscany/

Steeped in antiquity yet bursting with all that’s fashionably modern, Italy is the birthplace of La Dolce Vita – the sweet life that celebrates beauty and happiness.

Climate Winters are long and cold in the northern alps; the summers can be rainy with frequent storms. The far south is warm but often lashed by the sirocco – the hot and humid African wind that brings weeks of stifling heat to the areas south of Rome. Pleasant temperatures make spring and autumn the best times to visit Italy.

Accommodation:from cheap stays to luxury resorts
Check on the internet for the range, location and cost of hotels in Italy

Milan:cutting edge design and fine shopping

Milan’s drab facade belies the fact that it’s the innovation capital of Europe.

transport: getting there and getting around

Malpensa airport, located about 31 miles northwest of Milan, handles most international flights. For domestic and some European flights, Linate airport is used. Stazione Central, which as the name suggests is in the city centre offers an extensive rail network.

Milan has an efficient public transport system is efficient. It includes four underground lines, buses and trams.

climate

Other than the odd heat wave, the climate in Milan is mostly temperate.

accommodation:from cheap stays to luxury resorts Check on the internet for the range, location and cost of Milan hotels

events:what’s on and what’s hot

For all its consumer-driven culture, Milan celebrates the spiritual as well as the worldly.

*The first ten days of June celebrate the Festa del Naviglio, a potpourri of parades, music and various performances.

*The Milan Jazz Festival gets the city swinging in November.

*The Festa di Sant’Ambrogio, on 7 December is celebrated with services, offerings and fairs around the Fiera di Milano. This is also the day that Milan’s renowned opera house La Scala opens its season.

Rome:the eternal city

Drenched in history and weighted with monuments famous the world over – the Vatican and the Colosseum, Rome stands as the epitome of history and culture.

transport:getting there and getting away

Leonardo da Vinci (Fiumicino) airport is 16 miles southwest of the city with the Stazione Termini direct train running hourly into the city. The main bus station is located outside the Stazione Termini. The Rome Metro service has two lines, both of which go through Termini. It runs from 5:30 a.m to 11.30 p.m. and 0:30 on Saturdays.

climate

The climate is mild with sunny skies and pleasant temperatures. However July and August can be oppressively hot, November is often rainy, and December to February can be chill.

accommodation:from cheap stays to luxury resorts Check on the internet for the range, location and cost of Rome hotels

Events: what’s on and what’s hot

*Holy Week (Easter) is time when Catholics from all over the world arrive on pilgrimages to visit the city’s churches and to hear the Pope at the Vatican. On Good Friday a procession of the Cross goes from the Colosseum to Capitoline Hill.

The Estate Romana (Roman Summer), is at the heart of Roman social life from June to September. It’s a time when the city reverberates to free concerts, street theatre and outdoor cinema.

In September museums, galleries and shops stay open all night from 20:00-08:00 on the occasion called Notte Bianca (white night). It’s also a time of free concerts and other happenings all over the city.

More about Rome & Milan:
Discover even more about what Rome & Milan have to offer and find out what your fellow travellers think of the city here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/lazio/rome/

Select the “Ancient Rome 3D” layer under Gallery in Google Earth. Download Google Earth at http://earth.google.com/rome/

And here is a preview:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqMXIRwQniA

The modern city of Rome, as legend goes, was built on seven hills. A city that is accustomed to foreign influences, it is known for it architectural treasures. There is a lot more to Rome than we know. Here are some interesting facts to give you an insight into the Roman culture, its history and treasures.

All Rights Reserved – Trey Ratcliff – From Stuck In Customs

1. The birth of the Eternal City, Rome, which was founded in 753BC, is celebrated every year by Romans on the 21st of April. Celebrations include fireworks, gladiator shows, traditional Roman banquets and parades.

2. The Pantheon which was built in 27 B.C. by Marcus Agrippa is the only monument belonging to ancient Rome that still remains intact. What is even lesser known, is that it entombs Italy’s king Vittorio Emanuele II, and his successor, Umberto I.

3. A park in Rome is named the “Park of the Monsters.” Not because it is a haunted place but because it is full of grotesque figures like a crude Hercules slaying an Amazon and an ogre’s face with a mouth so big that people can even walk through it!

4. The Baths of Caracalla although in a bad state now, were once in their prime days spread across 27 acres and could handle 1,600 bathers at any given time. Built in the 3rd century, they are the largest survivors of Rome’s imperial era.

5. Rome has a museum which is entirely dedicated to pasta. The Pasta Museum is a one of its kind around the world and showcases different pasta-making machines, as well as paintings related to pasta by contemporary artists.

6. St Peter’s Basilica inside Vatican City is the largest church ever constructed.

7. Rome’s Coliseum, a huge amphitheatre which could seat 50,000 people is one among the Seven Wonders of the World.

8. The Monumental Cemetery of the Capuchin Brothers has used the bones of over 4,000 Capuchin monks, some skeletons fully intact, to create symbolic works of art in its series of chapels.

9. The Vatican Museums is a huge museum complex with over 1,000 museums and galleries like the Gallery of Tapestries and Etruscan and Egyptian Museums that are full of masterpieces collected by the successive popes. It is the world’s largest museum complex.

10. St. Peter’s Basilica was a structure that stood for almost 1,000 years until it neared collapse and was rebuilt by 1500s and 1600s. It is an overwhelming structure which displays the work of some of Italy’s greatest artists like Raphael, Michelangelo, and Maderno.

Orson Johnson writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing Rome apartments & accommodation rentals and Holiday and Vacation Rentals.

More about Rome:
Discover even more about what Rome has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers think of the city here:

http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/lazio/rome/

Every summer tourists coming from all over Italy and from the rest of the world travel to Rome, the eternal city that thanks to its huge historic and artistic heritage catches the attention of millions of people of different age, culture and nationality.

Visiting Rome, its museums, historic buildings and monuments is always a unique experience, which can bring us back to the past. The tourists who travel to Rome are spoiled for choice, due to a great amount of churches, exhibitions and much more, and very often a short holiday is enough to see only a small part of what a city like Rome can offer. However, if you have already booked your low cost accommodation in Rome for this summer, you cannot miss the great exhibition dedicated to one of the most important Italian artists, the Blessed Angelico. From the 8th of April to the 5th of July Musei Capitolini will host the exhibition “The Blessed Angelico. The Dawn of the Renaissance”, which is considered as one of the most outstanding art events of 2009. This is the largest Italian exhibition ever dedicated to the Tuscan artist, who was dedicated another personal exhibition in the Vatican and in Florence in 1955 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of his death, while the exhibition that will be held this year in Rome is part of the celebrations for the 550th anniversary of the artist’s death. Fra’ Giovanni da Fiesole (this was his real name) was born in Vicchio, Florence (the same village where another great Italian artist, Giotto, was born) about the year 1395, and died in Rome in 1455, leaving an indelible trace in art history. The Blessed Angelico, indeed, is considered as one of the main figures of early Italian Renaissance, an artist that was influenced by late Middle Ages artists, yet he took a new route towards Renaissance art.

The exhibition is worth a visit for several reasons. First of all it includes an accurate selection of works coming from museums and collections from all over the world, which make visitors discover the different phases of the life and style of the Blessed Angelico, from the late gothic period to a more mature phase, characterized by a humanistic taste. The exhibition also includes some works which have never been displayed before, like the altar step from Zagabria (St Francis receiving the stigmata and the Martyrdom of St Peter) and the Annunciation from Dresden (reassembled in the 16th century), as well as other works that have been restored for the exhibition, like the Triptych from the Corsini Gallery in Rome including the Last Judgment, Ascension and Pentecost. Another feature that makes this exhibition particularly interesting is the focus on all the forms of art used by the Blessed Angelico, who was not only painter, but also miniaturist and drawer: space will be given to panels, tabernacles, canvas, polyptychs, altarpieces, but also to rare drawings, engraving and a mass-book containing miniatures.

The exhibition will be an unmissable event for all art lovers that will stay in a family hotel in Rome from the 8th of April to the 5th of July.

More about Rome:
Discover even more about what Rome has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers think of the city here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/lazio/rome/

This important port of the central part of Italy is becoming a hub with more ships arriving at its docks carrying around 6.000 passengers all at once early in the morning.
Because of these changes in the way of approaching to the eternal city, it’s very difficult to make a choice of the places to see.

At the beginning of 2007 the Vatican started to make difficulties for the individuals to enter the Sistine chapel, because its management prefers to give priority to the organized groups first from 8.00 to 10.00 in the morning. This decision would have never been a problem if the most important museum of Rome would have opened for more hours, but unfortunately the opening hours of the Vatican museums are still the same with a closing time that is at 3.30 pm from Monday to Friday.

The experience and the last events suggest always to find alternative paths in order to enjoy the treasures of Rome that are not only limited to the visit of the Vatican.

For example, a deep and comprehensive tour of ancient Rome during the summer time with a minibus is a marvelous way to understand the origins of the western civilization. In fact driving across the Seven Hills of Rome, from the Aventine hill, people can understand how Romulus became the first king of Rome and the importance of the Palatine hill in which he saw the 12 eagles sent to him from Jupiter. But between the Palatine Hill and the Aventine the Etruscan kings of Rome built the biggest stadium in the ancient world with a capacity of spectators five times more than the Colosseum: the circus maximus, used to perform the chariot races competitions.

And few people know that having a limousine at disposal for the day tour of Rome, from the Circus maximus takes only 5 minutes to reach the queen of the roads, the Appian way, which was built by the Romans in 312 BC to bring the Romans to the Samnites lands until Capua, which is not far from the famous city of Pompeii.
If you say Appian Way, you have to say catacombs too, because these two archaeological areas are connected and they have at least 2000 years of history. The catacombs are underground Christian cemeteries built by the early Christian community to bury their relatives. Each of this cemetery consists in underground tunnels flanked by tombs which look like shelves and today these complexes have an unbelievable importance for the roman epigraphy and belong to the Vatican city, after a treaty signed in the cathedral of saint John in Lateran in 1932 between the Holy see and the Italian government.

Author Info: Sightseeing Rome with a minibus is an unforgettable experience and if you want to know more how to manage your day tour in Rome you can visit http://www.rome-tours.org

Source: Article Depot – Search Free Articles

More about Rome:
Discover even more about what Rome has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers think of the city here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/lazio/rome/

You`ve just arrived in Rome with a couple of days to kill. How is it possible to see all there is to see in such a short time? This is the guide to get the most out of Rome in the shortest amount of time.

19:00
Hopefully check in at the hotel has been fairly straightforward so now it is to venture out in search of a good meal. A meal in the old Trastevere part of the city has several benefits. Firstly there is a multitude of touristy type sidewalk restaurants and pizzerias to choose from and secondly they are within gentle strolling distance of several significant landmarks, including the well preserved Pantheon.
Rome is just as appealing by night as by day, with the heat of a Roman summer, night time walks may just save a few hours of excessive sweating during the day. Any of the little back streets between the Pantheon and the Spanish steps are perfectly placed to allow a generous meal of pasta and a good carafe of wine to be walked off quite easily.
21:00
Make your way to the Spanish steps to sit and hang out with the locals, while the view from the top of the steps in front of the church Trinita dei Monti offers a great view out over the city. Wander through to the Trevi Fountain and buy dessert in the form of a gelato and try your luck with the change. Throw one coin over your shoulder to come back, two coins to come back and get kissed or three coins to come back and be married.

22:00
Keep on walking through the streets until you reach Piazza Venezia, so named because of the Palazzo overlooking the piazza that resembles the Doges Palace in Venice. The balcony on the second floor may look familiar, it was the podium from which the dictator Mussolini delivered his fascist speeches. The other landmark overlooking the piazza is the unmistakable monument to Vittorio Emanuele II.
This has earned several nicknames over the years including the Wedding Cake and the Typewriter. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier lies here under armed guard along with the eternal flame. If the monument is open there is a fantastic view over the Rome rooftops, a glimpse into the Roman Forum and the Colosseum behind it. This is closed at dusk but many of the ruins are lit up at night.

23:00.
If the night air has revived you there is the option of checking out the local night life as there are plenty of bars and clubs open around the central city area. Also there are some in other piazzas such as Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori that stay open until the early hours. Otherwise it`s back to the hotel to get ready for tomorrow.

08:00
It pays to start early, particularly in the summer to beat the crowds and the temperatures but luckily the city is not too spread out to get from one sight to the next. The metro system is basic to use to say the least, there are only two metro lines that criss-cross the city and the buses are clearly marked with destinations. Termini is the central bus and metro terminal. Tickets must be bought before boarding and validated in the yellow machines, starting from ?1 for one journey.

No visit to Rome is complete without a trip to the Vatican. San Pietro is on the western side of the river Tiber with the dome of St Peter`s visible from most parts of the city. The Vatican museum rooms are open from 8.45 in the morning until 4pm, with the last entry just before 3.30pm, during the busy summer months. It is open until 1pm on Saturdays and low season, while it is closed on Sundays and religious observances. You need plenty of time to walk through the 7km of museum rooms to reach the Sistine chapel where you can admire the detail and wonder at the creation on the ceiling by Michelangelo. It pays to have some sort of description of the frescoes handy to explain what you are looking at. The Pope gives his public address on Wednesday mornings at 11am.

13:00
If you are still hungry for more there is the vast interior of the Basilica itself, the crypt below and the view from the dome above down into the square. Now is probably a good time to find some lunch before taking on the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Take plenty of water with you in the summer months as wily vendors will sell small bottles at exorbitant prices. Along lunch also gets you out of the hottest part of the day.

15:00
Entry tickets to the Colosseum can be bought at the gate but if the line is too long you can go to the ticket window at the base of the Palatine hill and buy them there. The line here is generally much shorter as not many tourists go up the hill. The remains of the Emperors palace stands at the top overlooking the forum and quite stretegically down on the Temple of the Vestal Virgins. This hill is also said to be where Romulus founded Rome.
Beside the Colosseum stands the Arch of Constantine, which was an exercise in recycling of old monuments by Emperor Constantine to reward himself for beating Maxentius. The Colosseum has been damaged over the last 1800 years by earthquakes, invaders and marble merchants but the recent restoration projects has seen parts of it restored to give a good idea of its original state.

16:00
The Via Sacre leads from the Colosseum up into the Foro Romano, the centre of the ancient Roman trading world. The ruins include the original forum, Julius Caesar`s funeral pyre, his Senate building, the Temple of the Vestal Virgins and the arch of Septimus Severus. The forum was buried over several hundreds of years of flooding, each layer has been stripped back to reveal another Roman era, and in some cases where two eras have merged, as in the case of the Temple of Antonino and Faustina. The door that stands halfway up the exposed wall shows where the ground level was during the 8th Century when the 2nd Century temple was converted to church.

There are plenty of tour guides available as history students and licensed guides offer their services with tours of the forum and the coliseum. The stories they tell really help the ruins to come alive. Across the road is Trajan`s Forum with the very conspicuous Trajan`s column. This marks the edge of ancient Rome and the continuation of the modern city. Unfortunately most of ancient Rome lies beneath the Via dei Fiori Imperiali, the road built by Mussolini to parade his troops up and down before going off to battle.

17:00
The rest of the day can be spent either indulging in some people watching at any of the cafes in Piazza Navona and admiring the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi sculptured by Bernini, or relaxing in the shade in the park at the 17thC Villa Borghese. Then its back to those clubs you missed last night.

08:00
This really depends on when you decide to leave. An early evening departure may enable you to take in one of three options provided you start early. The baths of Caracalla is a 10 hectare space that once held 1600 people there to take advantage of the bathing, shops, libraries, gardens and public entertainment. These open at 9am closing 1 hour before sunset and 2pm on a Monday. You would need around 3-4 hours including travel time to view these.
The other option is to visit one of the vast catacombs that are buried beneath the city. These are miles and miles of tunnels, burial vaults and Churches dug by the early Christians to escape persecution by the Romans. The burial vaults are countless metres tall and the tunnels run down over several levels. The resulting rabbit warren requires a guide to take you through and out again safely. You can choose from the ones on the Via Appia Antica, which are the largest, or the Catacombs of San Callisto which are next door to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano. They open at 8.30am closing at noon, reopening in the afternoon from 2.30pm until 5pm. Again you would need 3-4 hours to take one site in.

10:00
The third and final choice is to leave the whole touristy thing out and indulge in some authentic food experiences. The food markets north of the Vatican are held just off Viale dele Millizie and the ones in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele near Termini offer a selection of fresh and locally made produce.

There you have it, all the major attractions of Rome achievable in just 2 days. The choice now is, do I really want to leave just yet?

Katy Hyslop has spent the past 6 years travelling, tour guiding and generally hanging around the European tourism industry. She is now based in Italy and in charge of keeping the crew under control at Plus. If you want to know more on what to see or where to stay in Rome click here.

Article source: Expert Articles

More about Rome:
Discover even more about what Rome has to offer and find out what your fellow travellers think of the city here:
http://www.italytravelnotes.com/category/lazio/rome/