Rome Favorite Tips by alza

Don't miss this fountain at Pzza Repubblica!

Favorite thing: Piazza dell'Esedra is my first and best ever memory of Rome. It's the first piazza to welcome travellers arriving from Termini Station. For this reason, city planners in the early XXth century wanted the piazza to make a grand statement for their capital. The result of the embellishment project was spectacular!

Since the end of the Second World War and of the Italian monarchy, the piazza is officially known as Piazza della Repubblica. But... I stayed there on my first visit to Rome many years ago and I remember clearly that locals still called it "dell'Esedra" then. Whenever I'm in Rome, I go back to admire the great fountain in the centre and the fantastic opening onto Via Nazionale and the Vittoriano in the background.

The Fontana delle Naiadi in the centre is the most beautiful modern fountain in Rome. Four playful nymphs are riding aquatic animals and the sea-god Glaucus is apparently wrestling with a monster fish. It's truly worth standing close by for a while, to see the beautiful effects of the water as it erupts into the air!

There are interesting things to do in the vicinity of Piazza della Repubblica. One is a visit to Sta Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, for which I already wrote a tip in Things To Do.
Then, on the right of the Piazza, facing via Nazionale, there are bancarelle (bookstands) where you can rummage for hours for fascinating books and other printed material. (I'll post a tip on the bancarelle soon, maybe tonight...)
Also close by is the Palazzo Massimo, one of the 3 sites of the Museo Nazionale Romano (National Museum of Rome, world-famous archeological collections.) The main location of this Museum is at the Baths of Diocletian, steps away from Pzza Repubblica too.

Piazza Repubblica is where demonstrations and major gatherings are held, there's traffic and movement all around. Be careful while trying to get the best shot with your camera, that you don't back too much onto the street.

Fondest memory: oh... thought I just said that! Well I'll repeat. When I think of Rome, I invariably think of what to me is still called Piazza dell'Esedra. Perhaps because I stayed there in a good Pensione on my first visit to Rome? I remember the owner very fondly: a reserved, refined, helpful and extremely kind lady who treated my sister and I like daughters.

From top of Trinità dei Monti Piazza di Spagna - Spanish Steps Review

Favorite thing: Last trip June 2010.

I can't think of a better place to hang out than the Barcaccia fountain at the foot of the stairs at Trinità dei Monti, Piazza di Spagna. A good meeting place among the azaleas :)

The staircase leading up to the Church Trinità dei Monti is elegant and impressive. I won't go into the diplomatic fights that took place between France and the Vatican at the time the stairs were built. Both powers are represented by their blasons there...

I think the old photo 2 (me with head only...) was taken at the top, near the Convent of the Sacred Heart. The view from the top is still great!

The Spanish Steps, Piazza di Spagna, Trinità dei Monti, this rather noble-looking district is the fourth rione of Rome and is indicated as follows: R.IV Campo di Marzio

Fondest memory: My fondest memory of Rome is dining on Via Veneto with my friend Bruce, in a very good restaurant where we didn't even know how to ask for plain water (non frizzante, I said... they understood.)
We probably were lucky, everything was beautifully presented and delicious, yet it wasn't that expensive. That was near the end of the seventies...

I'm a huge Fellini fan and I had to walk where Anita Ekberg walked in La Dolce Vita! I always make it back there when in Rome. Via Veneto.
On my last visit, June 2010, I stopped at a chic café with large terrace for the aperitivo. Everyone around was beautiful and smiling, and the waiter graciously brought two delicious pizze with the wine, along with another snack. I was surprised to see the prices hadn't gone up outrageously, it was very reasonable for such a pleasant stop.

Photo 1, it goes without saying, is of Harry's Bar on Via Veneto.
"Les garçons étaient en noir" (The Waiters Wore Black), to quasi-paraphrase the film by Truffaut, since this street is the stuff of films for me.

Gardens of Palazzo Borghese

Favorite thing: The Palazzo Borghese was built to celebrate the power and glory of the papacy in the heart of Old Rome. Its design if called cembalo because it resembles a grand piano.

I took these photos a long time ago, I've forgotten the Palazzo but not the Gardens and the old books and prints along largo Fontanella di Borghese. That time in Rome, I met an American called Bruce at Piazza di Spagna and we spent the afternoon walking around the gardens. There was a dog show, as you can see.