Colosseo and other Rome, Italy Things to Do Tips

The Colosseo is my favourite thing to do in Rome.

Couldn't be otherwise, I've had a beautiful pic of the Colosseo on my desktop for over a year, dreaming about it every time I switched on the computer, and when I finally saw it I was very excited. I left a visit to the interior to the last day, which is a WRONG thing to do if you are short of time; I didn't expect the huge ticket line and I almost risked to miss it. So, make reservations or go with time.

The interior is quite disappointing for most people; I guess some just expect to see it like in the film 'Gladiator'. But I was thrilled! Even if it's so much 'empty', because of all the sacking and destruction it suffered through the years, you are still able to imagine how it was in its glorious days, imagine the people and animals running through those tunnels and the audience applauding enthusiastically.

It's the major symbol of the city and you can't miss it!

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Directions: Metro Colosseo

It's the world's smallest inhabited island, and there are a lot of activities going on there during the summer. This year (and I think every year) there was an open air cinema, with italian and english films, esplanades, restaurants and stalls selling books, souvenirs, handicraft, ecc. I spent quite some time there, because I fell in love with this little island as soon as my eyes caught it! It's so relaxing to lay down a bit and just watch the river flowing. It was really very pleasant.

In the island there is also a maternity (imagine how cool it is to be born there!), a little church (Chiesa di San Bartolomeo) and the ruins of an old bridge (from the first town built with stone). One of the bridges that connects the island with the city centre is the oldest remaining bridge of Rome, dating back from 62 BC.

For more pictures, please take a look at my Isola Tiberina travelogue.

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Directions: Lungotevere Pierleoni (Bocca della Verità area)

As soon as you enter this square, you are immediately struck by it's beauty and grandeur. And also by the hundreds of tourists in line to enter the basilica. It's quite difficult for it to be a religious experience.

You can visit the basilica for free. It is beautiful and huge, in my opinion, a little too much (I prefer more cosy ones). Be sure to see the Pietà of Michelangelo, at the entrance to your right, and the magnificent 'baldacchino', right in the center of the dome. You can spend hours just looking at all the statues and paintings decorating the walls!

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Directions: Metro: Ottaviano
Website: www.vatican.va

A visit to the dome is mandatory: it's one of the best views of the city!

You have the option of doing with or without elevator. We did it with elevator, but we weren't expecting to find 200 or 300 steps in front of us when we got out of it! I suggest you do it without elevator, since it just saves you less than half the way and it's more expensive.

Anyway, the view is well worth the climbing and sweating. It's astonishing!

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At St. Peter's square, there is one precise point where you can see all the columns lined, making it look like there is only one row. I find it to be quite cool, but I have a tendency to appreciate the most simple things, so maybe there's no interest to it whatsoever :-)

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Directions: Right or left side of the obelisk, in the center of the square.

The Musei are interesting but my opinion is that it is a bit confusing and I don't quite see the point of all those bunches of statues and paintings being there. I found it first to be a little too big, and second, to be sort of a mixture of things in no particular order - but, since I don't understand anything about art, I may be saying something completely wrong. This is just my ignorant vision of it.

Anyway, if you have one week or more to spend in Rome, or if you appreciate art a lot, I totally reccomend going there - it is interesting and beautiful! On the other hand, if you have just a weekend or 3/4 days, maybe there are better ways to spend your time, also because usually there are long lines to enter (even if I had no problems). Without audioguide and not stopping too much time in each room, the visit takes aprox. 2 hours (I spent more time in the Stanze di Rafaello and Sistine Chapel).

I believe the Musei and the Sistine Chapel should have separate tickets and entrances. Sistine Chapel is... breathtaking! And I would gradly pay that ticket just to see it (actually I saw it twice). You're not allowed to take photos, but everyone does it and there doesn't seem to be a strict control, so go ahead and photograph this marvellous masterpiece.

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This square and this monument are two of my favourite things in Rome. Can't quite explain why; maybe it's because the square is little and so colourful, and Pantheon is so small and yet so interesting. The combination of the two things makes this a mandatory place to visit in Rome.

The square is always full of people and it's a great place to relax, drink some water from the little fountain and do some people watching. There's also a McDonalds there for those who are interested :-) It was the only one I went in Rome.

The Pantheon is superb; as soon as you pass the big columns on the entrance, your attention will be immediately drawn to the impressive dome. The whole on its top it's the only light in the building, and it was guaranteed to me that, even though it's open, it doesn't rain inside! I'll have to check this next time ;-)

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One of the most interesting and intriguing buildings of Rome. It used to be a mausoleum, a fortress, a prison, and it was also used as a refugee for the Pope. There is a bridge that connects this castle with the Pope residence, and they used to seek refugee there whenever there was some danger coming their way.

The interior is not so astonishing, but a visit to the castle is worth if only for the magnificent views of the city: the river, the bridges, the uncountable domes of the churches, and Saint Peter. I would say it's one of the best views of the city you can get.

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If you get tired of visiting museums, ruins and churches, and you want to catch some fresh air and relax for some hours, I suggest a visit to Villa Borghese.

The entrance near Piazza del Popolo offers an amazing view of the square and the surrounding areas.

There are a lot of things to do: you can rent a bike or a 'riccio' (a kind of bike for two people), a boat, go to the Zoo (called Bioparco), or just sit and relax in one of the benches, watching silly people like me and my boyfriend trying to ride a 'riccio'. If you do rent one, be sure it's a semi-automatic, because the normal one is just too hard to ride!!

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It's one of the most vibrant squares in Rome, even too much vibrant... Since it can become a dangerous place to go at night, because almost always there is some problem with the (drunk) people coming from the bars around.

During the day, though, it's quite charming, with restaurants and gelatarie and their esplanades.

I personally appreciated a lot the statue of Giordano Bruno, who stands on the place where he was condemned to burn to death.

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