The start of all and other Rome, Italy Things to Do Tips

Piazza Venezia is the best place to start any tour around Rome.
The central point of this piazza is definately the monument to Vittorio Emanuelle II, which can be seen almost everywhere from Rome.
The most important avenues converge to this piazza: Via del Corso, Via Quattro Novembre, Via del Plebiscito and Via dei Fiori Imperiali, which goes along the roman forum until the Coliseum.
The Palazio Venezia next to the square was constructed in 1455 by LEon BAttista Alberti by orders of cardenal Pietro Barbo, who was later Pope Paul II. It's been considered one of the first Renaisance constructions. It is now a museum which has important medieval and Reinasance paintings and sculptures by Bellini, Gozzolo, Sansovino, Alemanno, Reni and Giorgione.

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The Campidoglio was Rome's most important hill. The centre of religious life and the site where the most important things happened. The Campidoglio is now 2 hills, one on where the church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli is (formerly the Ara Capitolina), and the other where the temple of Jupiter Optimo Maximo was. The piazza del Campidoglio is now Rome's centre of public administration, and it was beautifuly designed by Michaelangelo for Pope Paul III.
This piazza is surrounded by 3 buildings (New Palace, Palace of the Conservatory and Senatorial Palace), and it has ha beautiful statue of Marcus Aurelius in the middle, along many other statues. This statue is said to be the model for every equestrian statue in Rome.

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Address: Piazza Venezia
Directions: Facing the Vittoriano from Piazza Venezia, to the right.

This huge monument on the Piazza Venezia was designed by Sacconi and constructed to conmemorate the unification of Italy. It took 40 years to build it, from 1885 to 1925. It holds the tomb of the unknown soldier and it shows how magnificent Italy can be.
Now every roman hates it, as it doesn't fit with the architecture surrounding it. It's huge, it's imponent, but it's not very pretty. But it's there, so visit it. And climb it, as you'll have great views of Rome from the top.

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Address: Piazza Venezia

The Roman Forum was, in roman times, surrounded by churches, temples and monuments, and it was the centre of civil life in the old city. In there forums elections were held, the assemblies of the Senate and the people, religious ceremonies and the administration of justice.
It is now a gathering of ruins, from the Emilia Basilica, the Temple of Venus and Rome, the Julius Caesar temple, the Titus Arch, the Via Sacra to the Palatine, the church of Santa Maria Antiqua and the Arch of Septimio Severo.
The forum shows us how romans, in early times, were much more organized than we are today, and how many things were invented by them to make politics, cities and people a little bit better.

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The Palatine is where the nucleus of the ancient Roma was located (the "square Rome"). As the legend says, it was founded by Romulus by 753 AC.
In its origins, it was composed by 2 hills: the Palatium and the Germalus, both of them united later by the Domiciano. The Palatine has the best ruins and the richest historical background. In the hill you can find Ciceron's house and many emperor's palaces, as well as the Casa di Livia -the house of Augustus- with a very good collection of roman artifacts.
On the hill you can also find the Palatinian Stadium (built by Domiciano), the Domus Severiana and the Paedagogium, the school for imperial slaves.
One tip: the entrance ticket to the Palatine serves also for the Coliseum. It's better to buy the ticket here, even if you're not going to visit it, as the queues in the Coliseum can be very long. This way, you just pass by and show your ticket.

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Because of Rome's expansion, it seemed to be that just one forum wasn't enough. That is why the Imperial Forums were constructed. The first one was made done by Julius Caesar by the end of the Republic. Thus, the Julius Forum was constructed. After that, many more were constructed: the Augustus Forum, the Vespasian Forum, the Nerva Forum and the Trajean Forum.
One next to each other you can see and feel the huge expansion of Rome, and how it came to be one of the biggest empires of the World.

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The column at the Trojan Forum was dedicated to Ulpio Trajano, and commemorates his great expeditions and war winnings against the Dacius. It's 40 metres high and a statue of Saint Peter is in the top, since 1587, done by the artist T. Della Porta.
On the column and in a spiral way, the battles are carved in marble with perfect detail. At the base of the column there is a funerary cell, where the emperor's ashes are supposed to be.

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Talk about gladiators and roman games!!!
The Coliseumwas built in the year 72 DC by Vaespasian and later finished by his son Titus in the year 80 DC. Once it was finished he celebrated the building with a 100 days of festivities! For 50.000 persons, the Coliseum was a bloody arena for roman games, where gladiators fought with animals and with themselves. Later on, it was the place to martirize the first christians.
The place is huge, and in there you can see how it was built. It's the symbol of Rome and definately one of the most famous buildings in the World, so you can't miss it on your way to Rome. Probably you wont.

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The Piazza Spagna with the Scalinata de Trinitá dei Monti (aka Spanish Steps) is surrounded by 18th century buildings and from here are born many important streets each one different in character: Via Margutta for its many painters, Via Babbuino, famous for its antique shops, Via Condotti with designer boutiques and the 18th century Greco Café, Via Borgognona with designer boutiques and haute couture, and last, but not least, Via Frattina, famous for... ehhh... don't know.
In the central part of the piazza there is a fountain, la Fontana della Barcaza, made by Bernini.
The steps themselves is the soul of the piazza. It was constructed in the eary 1700's by F. De Sanctis and it goes from Piazza Spagna to Piazza Trinitá dei Monti, with the Salutius obelisk at the centre.
During May, the steps are filled with azaleias which come from municipal garden houses.
It's one of Rome's most famous meeting points and one that definately should be seen.

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Address: Piazza Spagna

As you walk through a narrow street, looking around the buildings, tasting Rome, you'll find one of the city's most amazing fountain, the Fontana di Trevi.
Built by the end of the 17th century by architect N. Salvi for the pope Clement XII, the fountain shows in the centre the statue of Poseidon with his carriage of 2 tritons.
Many things can be said about this fountain, but you've got to be there to really feel what beauty is all about. And one thing: you've got to throw a coin in it, as this will definately guarantee you that you'll come back to Rome someday. Someday...

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