The Spanish Steps and other Rome, Italy Things to Do Tips

One has heard so much about the Spanish Steps that it was a bit of a surprise at Easter to find the central portion covered in flowers with just a passage way on either side for you to climb up. to the Church of Trinita de Sanctis.
To see the steps in their full glory, I'd advise going in September.
And don't forget the Fountain of the Boat, a lovely piece of work by Pietro Bernini.

Leave a Comment

Address: Rome- Piazza de Spagna

I had been teaching Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" for years, so thought I'd like to see the place for myself. I was amazed at how small it was,until I remembered the population was much smaller than it is today.
But it brought the play to life for me.

Leave a Comment

Address: near the Colliseum,

On my first visit to Rome I enjoyed sitting up on a bench and watching the activity below. People walking dogs, a chariot racing round the oval track, soldiers doing drill , and children playing. It seemed so nice that the place was still giving pleasure to the inhabitants, though on a less public manner.
And it is easy to imagine the face of the palatine filled with people cheering on the competitors racing their chariots.

Leave a Comment

Directions: down the road from the Colliseum, near the river

This Pyramid was built for Caius Cestius. It has a marble exterior and was erected to hold his ashes.Part of the pyramid is incorporated into the city walls, and can be seen clearly from the non-catholic Cemetery

Leave a Comment

Address: near the Pyramide metro station, linea B.

The non-Catholic / Protestant or English Cemetery is most interesting. I spent 3 hours wandering up and down the rows of gravestones. It is so quiet and peaceful.
The graves vary from those of well-known people : Keats, Shelley, the son of Shelley, son of Goethe.
the rich : Duke of Manchester
artists and musicians
soldiers young children and babies
other religions or foreigners: An Iranian, the first Indian Ambassador to Rome , a Jew, a Syrian, Russian Orthodox
American, Scots, English, Canadian, Australian, Turkish.
Some gravestones are simple, others very elaborate. There is just so much to see.
And don't forget the cats- it is a refuge for unwanted cats, so donate some change to help feed them.

Leave a Comment

Address: near the Pyramid of Cestia
Directions: turn to the left of the pyramid and continue till you come to a crossroads, turn under the bridge, then turn right and follow the wall until you reach the entrance. It opens at 9am till 4pm

See the Bocca della Verita in the annex to Santa Maria in Cosmedin. This ancient drain cover stands against a wall. People believed that if you put your hand into the slit, and told a lie it would bite your hand off.
It's a bit of fun.

Leave a Comment

Address: Santa Maria in Cosmedin
Directions: At the river end of Circo Massimo in annex of the church.

There is so much to see in the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museum- furniture, maps, statues, archaeological exhibits, and ,of course, the paintings. A guide book can be helpful, but to go with a guide [not neccessarily an official one] is worthwhile. I was lucky to be invited to join a couple I'd met in the hotel. One of the women knew all the saints, could identify symbols and people , and made our tour meaningful.
The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is justifiably famous, and I had to buy a copy of the Last Judgement because there is so much detail that cannot be appreciated when craning one's neck .
Another ceiling [where exactly?] has interesting little medallion like paintings. One gruesome one [illustrated here] has Salome holding the head of John the Baptist.

Leave a Comment

Address: St Peter's

The Trevi Fountain is one of the most amazing of the fountains of Rome, probably because it is carved out of marble. There are so many parts to it, but to get a complete picture is difficult as it is always crowded.
The blue water contrasts with the pristine white of the marble.
Worth seeing.

Leave a Comment

Address: off the main thoroughfare
Directions: follow the signs as it is tucked away in a small square