CTW Explores
Rome
Country: Italy Language: Italian Currency: Euro (€)
Rome, Italy’s capital, is an extraordinary city. The grand architecture, the historic ruins, the colors, and the Italian food… It certainly isn’t called the Eternal City for nothing. Rome is Italy’s largest city, but it doesn’t have that big city vibe you might find in Milan. The city is incredibly enchanting, with something new to discover at every turn. Rome was founded in 756 BC and has managed to keep its rich history readily available for visitors to explore. Your dining options are endless in Rome, and you cannot leave without eating freshly made pasta, or a traditional Roman pizza. The city is well signposted, but we encourage you to explore the small laneways, as their charm complements the grandeur of the Roman ruins and the many majestic piazzas found in Rome.
CTW Must See
Vatican City
Vatican City is a stunning city-state within the city of Rome. Within Vatican City, you will find St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel. St. Peter's Basilica is free to enter, but you will be required to go through some basic security before entering. The Vatican's main square, just in front of St. Peter's Basilica is where you will have the opportunity to be part of the Papal Audience. See the official website to see the latest schedule: papalaudience.org
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel
The entrance and ticket office for the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel is located outside of the city walls, almost behind Vatican City. You are required to purchase a ticket at the door, but this ticket includes entry to both of the museums and the Sistine Chapel. This line can be extremely long (sometimes a kilometer!), stretching all the way back to the Vatican City's main entrance, so come early and be prepared for a wait. The Vatican Museums contain about 70,000 works, but only 20,000 or so are on display to the public.
Castel Sant’Angelo
Built between 123 and 139 AD, Castle Sant’Angelo has huge significance to Roman history. The building was used as a mausoleum by the Roman Emperor Hadrian, then transitioned to a palace used by the popes, and is now a museum for tourists to visit. The tour allows visitors to explore the castle, visit the papal rooms, and experience the beautiful views of Rome.
Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona is a beautiful piazza in the center of Rome. With the colorful buildings and the Fountain of Four Rivers, it is the perfect place to relax and soak up Roman culture. It was built on a former stadium from the 1st century, and has hosted a number of theatrical events and markets in its time.
The Pantheon
Through some very charming laneways of Rome, you will find the well-known Pantheon. The Pantheon was built between 118 and 128 A.D. It is said to be the best preserved Roman monument, as it shows little signs of age even though it has been around for over 2000 years. The dome of the Pantheon has a hole at the top, the oculus. For 1300 years, this dome was the largest in the world. Today it is considered the largest dome in the world that is unsupported.
Trevi Fountain
The Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous fountains in the word. Completed in 1762, the fountain is most iconically known for tossing coins in and making a wish. Holding a coin in your right hand, and throwing over your left shoulder is said to guarantee a visitor’s return to Rome. Approximately €3,000 are tossed into the fountain each day. This money is collected each day and donated to a local supermarket for Rome’s homeless.
Spanish Steps
The Spanish Steps are a stairway of 135 steps leading up to the Trinità dei Monti. Built in the early 1720s, the Spanish Steps are now one of the most iconic attractions in Rome. It gets the name ‘Spanish’ Steps due to the location of the Spanish Embassy in Piazza di Spagna, the square at the bottom of the steps. Piazza di Spagna is located in Rome’s main shopping districts. The roads leading to the Spanish steps have some of the finest designer shops in Rome.
Piazza Venezia
As the central hub of Rome, Piazza Venezia is quite a busy square that contains the Altare della Patria and the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, or the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Altare della Patria opened in 1911 and was built to honor the first king of Italy. You are able to visit the panoramic terrace at the top of the building for some extraordinary views of Rome.
Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
The Roman Forum is a large forum filled with classical Roman. Palatine Hill is one of the most ancient sections of Rome and this part of the city once served as the city center. Some of the monuments part of the Roman Forum date back to 6 BC! You can purchase combined tickets for the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Colosseum, and we would advise you to purchase your tickets online at the official website to avoid the seriously long queues.
Official website for booking tickets: http://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm
Colosseum
The Colosseum was completed in 80 AD, is the largest amphitheater ever built. It is estimated that the Colosseum could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 people at a time. The Colosseum transformed from being a gladiatorial area to a place for workshops, a fortress, and to serve as a Christian shrine. However, since the building was damaged by an earthquake in the 1700s, it is now a tourist attraction that has held the performances of some of the most famous pop artists of our time, such as Elton John, Billy Joel, and Paul McCartney.
More Italian Adventures...
Italy is an enchanting country with a lot to explore! Check out our city guides for some of the most popular Italian cities...
Florence
Venice
Pisa
