A trip to the eternal city is a great opportunity not to be missed. Visiting Rome and exploring the roots of Western civilization which date back to almost 3,000 years is an amazing experience which will never be forgotten.
According to Roman mythology Rome was founded in 753 BC, but the site of the city has actually been inhabited for much longer, making it one of the oldest continuously occupied sites in Europe and the first metropolis of history.
The city was first inhabited by a mix of Latins, Etruscans and Sabines and subsequently it became the capital of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.
At the beginning of the Middle Ages, when the Roman Empire was starting to decline, Rome went under the control of the Papacy and in the 8th century it became the capital of the Papal states. In the following four hundred centuries the popes were keen on making Rome the artistic and cultural centre of the world through new architectural and urban plans. Rome thus became the center of the Italian Renaissance and the place the where the Baroque style and Neoclassicism started. The city attracted famous artists, painters and sculptors who created their great masterpieces in this artistic context.
In 1871 Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy which in 1946 became the Italian Republic.
HOW TO GET TO ROME
The main airport of Rome is Rome Fiumicino (FCO) which is 26 Km. from the centre of the city.
From the airport you can take a train shuttle to Rome or alternative a taxi or a limo. You can also rent a car but in many parts of the historical centre of Rome driving with private cars is not allowed..
If you plan to arrive to Rome by train from another destination of Italy, the central station of Rome is Termini Station where you can find a Tourist Information point, shops, toilets, banks and also the underground stops for Line A and B. Outside the Termini station you can find a taxi and a bus station.
PLACES TO SEE
There are quite a few places to visit in Rome but the most important ones not to be missed are:
St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican
The Vatican Museums and Sistin Chapel
The Colosseum
Trevi Fountain
The Imperial Forums (Fori Imperiali)
The Pantheon
Campo De’ Fiori
Piazza Navona
The Spanish Steps and Trinità dei Monti.
If you have more time to spend in Rome you can visit these other places:
Bocca della Verità (Mouth of the Truth)
Campidoglio (Capitoline Hill)
St. Angel Castle
The Victorian
Papal Basilica of St. Paul’s outside the walls
Terme di Diocleziano (The Baths of Diocletian)
The Savello Park and Garden of Oranges with breathtaking views of Rome
The Fountain of Acqua Paola (Fountain of Janiculum Hill)
The Hidden Treasures of Underground Rome which include the Domus Area, the Underground of Vittoriano, the Catacombs of San Callisto, the Vittoriano undergrounds.
Via Veneto and its surroundings.
In Rome there are several Tourist Infopoints where you can buy maps and receive all useful information of tourist-cultural interest and about itineraries, events, means of transport and sale of bus tickets.
There are Tourist Infpoints at the Arrival Gate of Terminal 3 of Rome Fiumicino Airport, at the International Arrival Gate of Ciampino Airport, at the Central Station of Rome and at these other locations: St. Peter’s Square, Via Marco Minghetti off Via del Corso, Piazza Pia near St. Angel Castle, Sidney Sonnino Square, Imperial Forums and in Via S. Basilio 51 near Piazza Barberini.
Before you arrive in Rome it would be useful if you can read the Easy Rome guide of the Rome City Council which can be downloaded at the following link:
http://www.turismoroma.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/easyrome_en_2015.pdf
You can also buy online a special pass for Rome that will include up to two free entries to the Museums and free use of the city’ public transport network for up to 72 hours. You can buy
the pass online at the following link: http://www.romapass.it/
The public transport and buses maps can be downloaded at the following link:
https://www.atac.roma.it/page.asp?p=18
There are also different itineraries and guides in English language by the City Council of Rome which can be downloaded at the following link:
http://www.turismoroma.it/about-rome/mappe?lang=en
THE MUSEUMS OF ROME
In Rome there are quite a few museums with masterpieces of priceless value. The Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel are the ones not to be missed but if you have more time and are planning for a longer stay the following museums are worth visiting:
Galleria Borghese (http://www.galleriaborghese.beniculturali.it/en)
Museo Nazionale Romano. (Website only in Italian: www.museonazionaleromano.beniculturali.it)
Musei Capitolini (Capitoline Museums: www.museicapitolini.org/en)
Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna (Modern Art Gallery: http://lagallerianazionale.com/en/)
Palazzo Doria Pamphilj (www.doriapamphilj.it/roma/en )
Castel Sant’Angelo (Website only in Italian: http://castelsantangelo.beniculturali.it)
PLAN YOUR VISITS AND BUY TICKETS
You can purchase the tickets at the entrance of the museums and historical sites but to avoid long queues, especially at the Vatican, it is very important that you schedule your visits and buy the tickets online for the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum.
The tickets for the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel can be bought at the following link:
http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en.html#lnav_shop
To reserve a tour in the Colosseum (and also in other museums and archeological sites) you can buy the tickets at the following link:
