All roads lead to Rome

An expression used since the 12th century, which over time has taken on a completely different meaning from the original one, and the one I like best is that no matter which way you go, you will reach the same destination.

Together with my parents we kept thinking about where to go on holiday for a few days and in the end we chose Rome. It was nothing new to me, as I had visited it in the past, but I took my role of guide seriously and we set off to discover the Eternal City together.

For a city break Rome is always a good idea, as it’s only a 2-hour flight, quick and cheap. We went the first week of October and caught such beautiful, warm weather and just right for walking. Absolutely, Rome must be seen on foot as it is a real outdoor museum.

Everywhere you look, you see history, art and culture beautifully interwoven in impressive buildings that have stood since this was the center of the Roman Empire. It’s a city full of priceless treasures that you discover at every step and glance.

I was particularly fascinated by the Vatican and its museums.

What to see in Rome

If you end up in Rome you should not miss the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza di Spagna, Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia and gelato 🙂

The first day was spent entirely at the Vatican. For those who don’t know, the Vatican is the smallest country in the world, as it occupies a total area of 0.44 square kilometers and is home to about 800 inhabitants. It is home to the center of the Catholic Church and the seat of the papacy, as well as one of Christianity’s most important places of worship, St Peter’s Basilica.

The Vatican Museum attracts more than 6 million tourists every year and is one of the most visited museums in the world. The museum’s most important room is the Sistine Chapel, where you can admire Michelangelo’s famous fresco.

In front of the Basilica is St Peter’s Square, an open space surrounded by 284 Doric-style columns in four rows. The columns are 13 meters high. It is one of Rome’s main tourist attractions.

Pizza, pasta and gelato!

You’d do well to set aside at least half a day just for the Vatican, to admire all the grandeur and opulence of the place at leisure. Afterwards, we stopped in Piazza Navona at a terrace, where we had a delicious pizza.

Wherever you choose to eat in Rome, chances are very high to be a winning choice. Italian food is my favorite in the whole world. Whether you choose pizza, pasta or gelato, it’s all delicious.

The day continued with a visit to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill.

The Colosseum is an impressive size and the birthplace of all the gladiator stories we’ve heard. The Roman Forum was the center of political life in the Roman Empire. Today, it’s full of ruins, but with a little imagination, you can see the Roman period come back to life.

The Palatine Hill is one of the seven hills on which Rome was built.

Even though it was the off-season, it was full of tourists everywhere. At the Trevi Fountain I wanted to take a few photos of myself without 10 other people in the same picture, but it was quite difficult. Whenever I’ve been there, it’s always been very crowded. However, since you’ve made it this far, drop a coin in the fountain and make a wish.

Very close to it is Piazza Spagna, the place you’ve surely seen in many photos by now with the famous stairs where Italians keep gathering to chat. At the bottom of the stairs are the shops of the most famous international brands.

The Pantheon is a temple to all the Roman gods. One of its fascinating qualities is the proportion of the dome, which is perfect and through whose opening natural light always penetrates. It never closes.

After the Pantheon you can head to Piazza Venezia, which contains several palaces impressive in size and opulence.

Good to know!

Sights are around every corner. This is what is most fascinating about Rome. Whether or not you want to get to a particular tourist attraction, you have every chance of stumbling across it on your way to another.

If you don’t want to stand in endless queues, you might want to do a little research before on the internet and buy all your museum tickets online. That way, you’ll save valuable time that you can enjoy in many other ways.

Rome is the ideal destination where you can take your parents and where you will surely spend quality time together. For us, it was a perfect few days in every way.

We will always remember the wonderful days we spent in the Eternal City and where definitely we will  return.

Travel, live, love…in the eternal Latin spirit.

Mada