How to Do Rome in 48hrs
You’ve just arrived in Rome with a couple of days to kill. How is it possible to see all there is to see in such a short time? This is the guide to get the most out of Rome in the shortest amount of time.
19:00
Hopefully check in at the hotel has been fairly straightforward so now it is to venture out in search of a good meal. A meal in the old Trastevere part of the city has several benefits. Firstly there is a multitude of touristy type sidewalk restaurants and pizzerias to choose from and secondly they are within gentle strolling distance of several significant landmarks, including the well preserved Pantheon.
Rome is just as appealing by night as by day, with the heat of a Roman summer, night time walks may just save a few hours of excessive sweating during the day. Any of the little back streets between the Pantheon and the Spanish steps are perfectly placed to allow a generous meal of pasta and a good carafe of wine to be walked off quite easily.
21:00
Make your way to the Spanish steps to sit and hang out with the locals, while the view from the top of the steps in front of the church Trinita dei Monti offers a great view out over the city. Wander through to the Trevi Fountain and buy dessert in the form of a gelato and try your luck with the change. Throw one coin over your shoulder to come back, two coins to come back and get kissed or three coins to come back and be married.
22:00
Keep on walking through the streets until you reach Piazza Venezia, so named because of the Palazzo overlooking the piazza that resembles the Doges Palace in Venice. The balcony on the second floor may look familiar, it was the podium from which the dictator ‘il duce’ Mussolini delivered his fascist speeches. The other landmark overlooking the piazza is the unmistakable monument to Vittorio Emanuele II.
This has earned several nicknames over the years including the Wedding Cake and the Typewriter. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier lies here under armed guard along with the eternal flame. If the monument is open there is a fantastic view over the Rome rooftops, a glimpse into the Roman Forum and the Colosseum behind it. This is closed at dusk but many of the ruins are lit up at night.
23:00.
If the night air has revived you there is the option of checking out the local night life as there are plenty of bars and clubs open around the central city area. Also there are some in other piazzas such as Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori that stay open until the early hours. Otherwise it’s back to the hotel to get ready for tomorrow.
08:00
It pays to start early, particularly in the summer to beat the crowds and the temperatures but luckily the city is not too spread out to get from one sight to the next. The metro system is basic to use to say the least, there are only two metro lines that criss-cross the city and the buses are clearly marked with destinations. Termini is the central bus and metro terminal. Tickets must be bought before boarding and validated in the yellow machines, starting from
An Overview of Italy for Travelers
Rome, the Winter Olympics, Wine, Ferrari, beautiful beaches - Italy has it all. If you are considering traveling to Italy, here are some things you should know.
From a European perspective, there is little doubt that Italy is the foundation of modern society in the West. This is conclusion is primarily due to two facts, the reign of the Romans and the Roman Catholic Church.
In more modern times, Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King Victor Emmanuel II. An era of parliamentary government came to a close in the early 1920s when Benito Mussolini established a Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to Italy’s defeat in World War II.
A democratic republic replaced the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter member of the European Economic Community. It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification. Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared to the prosperous north.
If you are going to Italy, here are some basic things you need to know.
1. Northern Italy is wealthy while the south is not.
2. Italy is slightly larger than the state of Arizona.
3. Italy’s climate is predominantly Mediterranean with Alpine in far north and hot, dry areas in the south.
4. Vatican City in Rome is considered an independent country.
5. You cannot get into any area of the Vatican wearing shorts.
6. Rome had the first paved streets in the world in 170 B.C. Vehicles had to be banned because of traffic jams!
7. Roman gladiators were the first athletes to endorse products.
8. Considered one of the oddest Emperors, Caligula appointed his horse to a senate position among other more infamous actions.
9. Roman statutes were very utilitarian. The heads could be removed and replaced to reflect the changes in political climate.
10. When the Roman army lost a battle, they really took it hard. Commanders would kill every tenth soldier under their command. This act is the root of the word “decimate.”
11. Surprising to many is the fact there were significant time periods where ancient Rome had no Emperor. The senate would rule. In times of threat, the senate would elect a person as Emperor. He had absolute power, giving rise to the term dictator.
12. Vast percentages of Romans died from lead poisoning. They used is as a sweetener!
13. In the early 1900’s, Prince Piero Ginori Conti invented the geothermal pump. He is considered the father of modern geothermal power.
14. 20 Italians have won the Nobel Prize.
15. Michelangelo’s real name is Michelangelo Buonarroti.
16. The population of Italy as of 2005 was 58,103,033 people.
17. The flag of Italy was inspired by the French flag brought in 1797 by Napoleon.
18. Lehman Brothers owns seven percent of Ferrari.
19. Italy trails only Brazil in World Cup wins.
Italy is an amazing country with colorful, animated people. From ancient culture to a bustling modern country, a trip to Italy is hard to beat.
Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about everything. Visit us to read more about Italy.
Tags: caligula, emperor, ferrari, gladiators, italian, italy, michelangelo, roads, roman, rome, vatican travel on March 16th, 2008 Filed under Travel Insurance | Comment now »