Rome Tourist Trap Tips by unravelau

We're going to see the Pantheon, to-day- at last. Pantheon Review

When we arrived at the Pantheon, it was closed. It had been closed for some time and was not due to re-open until the day after we were there in 1998. We had gotten up at the crack of dawn, walked down a mountain, caught a bus to Formia Station and spent an hour on the train then walked and walked and walked some more, only to be disappointed to find the monument closed.

I guess the best way to avoid that kind of disappointment would be to phone ahead and check.

Unique Suggestions: On the good side of this experience was that the time that we had set aside to actually see inside the Pantheon was put to use by travelling on to the Trevi Fountain (which was in the original plan), and then onto the Spanish Steps which we had been going to leave until another day.

Fun Alternatives: If you found yourself in this predicament you could also walk back the other way to Campidoglio and the museums on the hill.

Other interesting information may be found on this link:-

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Pantheon.html

Prepared to be rapt, not captured, but............

Guess what happens? This is the biggest trap of the lot. You suddenly realise that you don't want to leave, but you have to............... and then you also know that you have lost your heart and you will have to return at some time to feel whole again.

Castel S Angelo's angel seems to know this too.

Unique Suggestions: By planning your next trip before you leave there offers some kind of relief to the pang.

Fun Alternatives: Of course, I have it, the solution............move there for good. Oh dear.

Almost six years later and I still don't know --

I am sure that someone out there will have taken note of the name of this building at the Trevi Fountain.......please let me know.

You see, what happens is that you get so carried away with what you are seeing and clicking photographs madly that you forget or miss out on establishing what it is that you are photographing....... Next trip I will keep a note book.

Unique Suggestions: Join Vt and show your 'unknown' buildings so that you eventually can learn its name.

UPDATE UPDATE -- Thank you so much to a vter by the name of filipdebont - the mystery has been solved. He gave me the name of this church that has been bugging me since I first saw it in 1998.

-- Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio, a small baroque church--

Fun Alternatives: Most important........always carry a notepad and pen..........take note of the photo number and record all of the details on it.

You're heading for a place but when you get there

it's closed for repairs. Not only the Pantheon but also this interesting church next door to palatine hill. This is as close as I got -- that's both trips.

Unique Suggestions: Well, in this part of town, there are so many things to see that you won't necessarily miss it but I was disappointed.

Fun Alternatives: Just walk past and walk up that amazing staircase.........Michaelangelo's and into one of the museums........or to the left and back a bit have a good look at the Monument Vittorio Emanuel the Second.

Does this look right to you?

I may be wrong but I can't imagine how - maybe a local will be able to correct me?
I came across this painting by Hilaire Belloc called The Path to Rome and dated 1902. My query? The Dome is described as being St. Peters and the structure on the left is Castel S Angelo alongside the Tiber. How can this be? If my memory serves me correctly, St Peters would be on my left (out of picture) and my side of Castel S Angelo. Am I going nuts? A vter friend just advised that he thought that the artist was using artistic licence....LOL...that is probably right.

Unique Suggestions: So if I was in Rome and looking for St Peters on the strength of this painting - would I ever find it? Well St Peters general appearance makes it easy to identify and if I remember correctly, from the castle to the St. Peters, there aren't any other higher buildings around. So the answer is yes, you would be able to see one to the other.

Fun Alternatives: Check a current map to get your bearings anyway.