Spanish Steps and other Rome, Italy Tourist Trap Tips

The Spanish Steps are very popular meeting place in Rome - seems like the whole city is either here or at the Trevi fountain! Its difficult to move in this area.

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At Least Do This: Well this place is a must see too so I think the best way to approach it is the way Sara took us - up Via Sistina - so that you arrive at the top of the steps and then walk down them to the Piazza below.
if you are here April/May time then the steps are decorated with flowers - that must be so colourful to see.

Possibly even more people congregated here than at the spanish steps - even late afternoon it was still packed like sardines.
The fountain occupies entire side of Palazzo Poli and is 20m wide and 26m high.
Designed by Nicola Salvi, this grand fountain was completed in 1762. The central figure Neptune is flanked by two tritons; one trying to tame an unruly seahorse and the other leads a docile animal, thus depicting the two contrasting moods of the sea.

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At Least Do This: At least throw three coins in the fountain in the hope that when you return its less crowded! If not at least your money has gone to a good cause as it is collected periodically and donated to the Italian Red Cross.

The Bocca della Verita is located in the portico of the church of S.Maria in Cosmedin since 1632. This place usually has a queue of tourists (lilke me hahaha) to have their pic snapped with this old drain cover and to see if their hand is bitten if they tell a lie.

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At Least Do This: At least discover why the mouth does not bite anymore:

A jealous husband decided to test his suspicions about his wife's unfaithfulness by getting her to put her hand in the open mouth. Many spectators had gathered when suddenly a man jumped out of the crowd and started kissing and embracing the wife. It was explained that the man was absolutely crazy and he was let go. In reality it was her lover. When she put her hand in the mouth of justice she said that no one had ever touched her apart from her husband and this crazy man. So, her hand was not bitten, but the Mouth of Truth, being tricked, refused to work any longer!

This is the church where the mouth of truth is found in the portico.

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Alternative: If the queue is too long the look up and admire the 7 storey bell tower of this medieval church.

Ok we've all seen them - the guys dressed up as gladiators and roman centurions who just love to take your picture with them - well it is a bit of a rip of - too ashamed to tell how much - but I succumbed!

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At Least Do This: Smile and tellyourself you're on holiday and it will be a lasting momento to have!