Travel Tips

Ah....so This is Piazza Venezia and the famous Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II...but how was I supposed to know that?? (by the way it also looks amazing at night)

...anyways, i had an excuse for not knowing: this was only my very first time in Rome...(oh yeah, & of course behind this monument is Piazza Campidoglio a.k.a. Capitol Hill.)

Ok, on to the ruins...by the way, first you are going to see the Trajan's Forum on your left, then Caesar's Forum to your right.
http://www.capitolium.org/eng/fori/fori.htm

Then from the main drag you're going to see the Colosseum. But don't go that way, take a picture then explore capitol hill and go through the forum (like the street vendor told me...)

ok, so i made a mistake, the guy with the guide book told me it was...so it was his fault right?
http://www.vroma.org/~forum/arcss.html

Ok, now experience the Forum. Go past the Temple of Saturn, Rostra, Curia, Temple of Vesta and Julius Caesar
http://www.vroma.org/~forum/tsaturn.html
http://www.vroma.org/~forum/rostra.html
http://www.vroma.org/~forum/curia.html
http://www.vroma.org/~forum/tvst.html
http://www.vroma.org/~forum/tempjc.html

Buy your ticket to the Colosseum while admiring Constantine's Basilica
http://www.vroma.org/~forum/bascon.html
then notice the Arch of Titus on the Other End (dedicated A.D. 85, the oldest surviving Arch in Rome) and the remains of the Temple of Venus & Rome
http://www.vroma.org/~forum/tvenrom.html
http://www.vroma.org/~forum/archtit.html

Finally you see the Arch of Constantine (dedicated in 315 A.D.) which is of course right next to the Colosseum...but you already knew that right?
http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/constantinearch.htm

One more cool Roman Forum Link - click twice on the pictures and you will see how it probably used to look like...
http://www.capitolium.org/eng/virtuale/virtuale.htm
Ok this one's pretty cool too...
http://www.unicaen.fr/rome/visite3.php?langue=anglais&action=visiteGeo&qtr=7
...and if you're still lost and confused try...
http://itsa.ucsf.edu/~snlrc/encyclopaedia_romana/romanforum/romanforum.html

(hope all that was somewhat helpful)

what better way to end my visit to the almost 2000 yr old Colosseum than will a delicious piece of pizza....mmm...pizza....

so did i do the Caesar shuffle backwards? i'm not sure, but i like ending my visit of the ruins with the pizza and the colosseum.