Rome is Rome.
My grandparents, mother, younger brother, and aunt Carol came to stay with me for a week in the Spring (along with Autumn, the best time to travel) when I lived there. I did my best to show them this rich city without hassle, commotion, or stress and now I am passing those tips on to you.
This blog is the first of a three-part series, dedicated to my favorite tourist sites in Rome, without the traps of tourism.
Grandma hopping a fence in Rome
Part I: Attractions Without Tourism.
Rome can be overwhelming. The crowds push you from one major attraction to the next, while you try to take in the beauty and significance of each site during the fifteen seconds you have a the front of the mob before it shuffles you away.
While these sites (such as the Fontana di Trevi, the Colosseum, and the Pantheon) are all worth seeing, make sure that you escape the herds, and see the Rome that most tourists never bothered to learn about; the Rome that art, history, and time has held so dear.
Below, is a short list of some of the most important sites in Rome, with the fewest crowds.
Looking on the Forum
Metro Line A; Vittorio Emanuele
This is the Ancient Rome of Julius Caesar, Cicero and Ovid. Most people walk by it, briefly appreciate its antiqued beauty, and then walk on, but do take a moment to appreciate its significance. The Roman Forum is recognized by its random temples, its free-floating columns, and the tuff (tufo, in Italian) cliffs it lyes under, the soft volcanic rock which shaped this city. It is free to enter the Forum, and makes for a very nice walk through the city, off of the crowded streets.
Interesting Story: These particular cliffs are the Tarpeian Rocks, an ancient execution site for traitors named after the vestal virgin, Tarpeia, who let the notorious Sabines in through the city gates after they promised to give her, "what was on their arms." She had been eying up their jewelry but they fulfilled their part of the deal by beating her almost to death with their shields and armor. Tarpeia survived the beating only to be thrown from the cliff as the first Roman traitor executed in that manor.
Tarpeian Cliffs
Temple in the Forum
For the best visual impact, approach the Forum by walking up the Cordonata Steps of the Capitoline Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome, to the Piazza del Campidoglio, the Renaissance piazza, or square, that was designed by Michelangelo, an example of his art which you don't have to wait in line to view.
Note: These steps are very wide and there are many of them. If walking up steps is not your preference you can always approach the Forum street side, by walking around to the back of what students call the, 'Wedding Cake' monument, the Vittorio Emanuele II.
Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius
Make sure to take notice of the bronze Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, the only bronze equestrian to have survived since antiquity when all others were melted down for weapons. This statue survived as it was thought to depict Constantine the first Christian Emperor.
The Cordonata Steps
Below the city streets in the Forum
To best understand how the city looked in its original splendor, imagine the Emerald City of Oz, in Wizard of Oz. The columns, arches and buildings that you see today are sand colored, but they would have been finished with red, green, and white Turkish and African marble from the great Roman empire.
Make sure to take notice of how high above you the modern day street level is when you are in the Forum. It is a good way to visualize the physical progress of the city, as it has been built upon itself for centuries.
My Grandma and I taking a break in the shade of the Forum
To best suit the Leisurely Traveler: As always arrive early. Entrance to the Forum is free, but it closes at four o'clock in the afternoon.
Also, this is a lovely way to approach the Colosseum. It looms in the background as you meander your way through the Forum. Although a tour through the Colosseum can be interesting, if you are on a budget you may choose to skip it. I found it to be hard to hear/understand the tour guide and the beauty of the Colosseum lies in its exterior.
Below I've provided some links to study up on the Forum, which I recommend as there is not always a guide available for hire:
Note: The title, 'The Forum' refers to the Roman Forum, a marketplace for shopping. There are many other Forums clustered in the site, most notably, the Forum of Julius Caesar and of Caesar Augustus.
- History for kids, an easy read: http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/architecture/forum.htm
- Ancient Rome: http://ancient-rome.tripod.com/romanforum/roman_forum.htm
- Wiki Page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Forum
- A 3-D map of the Forum: http://dlib.etc.ucla.edu/projects/Forum
