ROME

Rome…eternal City. The decision has been made. We are going to visit my wife’s brother who works at Slovenian Embassy in Rome. This time Nia will stay at home, since we are taking the train. We‘ve booked the train via http://www.italiarail.com/italian-high-speed-trains   The return tickets were around 120€ per two adults and one child. We parked our car at Ali Park http://www.alipark.it/en/  and off we went form Mestre train station. The ride takes around 4 hours that passed quickly with the views of Tuscany area through the window, fresh made Illy coffee and Svit’s IPad games.

We’ve arrived in Rome at 8 pm and Rok (Tina’s brother) was already there. Thankfully the car ride through Rome’s hectic traffic was short and smooth and after few drinks and stories from home we went to bed.

Rome is one of the most beautiful areas in the world. The very cradle of human civilization, its many landmarks are a joy for the eyes to behold. The Eternal City remains unrivaled when it comes to the sheer aesthetic supremacy of its antique structures and its impressive, widely-venerated history. It doesn’t come as a surprise then that Rome has claimed the #2 spot on the top travel destinations in the world.

With a climate mild and rainy in winter rather than full of snow, many find Rome the perfect place to vacation during any time of year. You do not need a Visa if youre only staying for 90 days or less. Experts recommend visiting Rome in the off-peak months between October and March to avoid the summer rush. If you can, try to book a hotel near or within the centro storico or historic district.

When in Rome… Of course we had to do the sightseeing tour of this magnificent ancient city.

Campo de’ Fiori

Today the square is much more peaceful than in its heyday during the middle Ages. It’s still a lively place though, especially when the daily vegetable market is held here (every morning except Sundays). You can buy fresh produce at the market, as well as fish, meat, flowers and spices.

Piazza Navona

Here both children and adults will have a nice day with lights, stalls and sweets.

The main attractions if the Epiphany 2013 in Piazza Navona in Rome is its Christmas Market: here there are a lot of colored stalls, where the visitors can find sweets, the typical gastronomical specialties of Italian Yuletide, toys and original presents for friends and family members.

In addition to the stalls of Piazza Navona, in the occasion of the Epiphany will perform the street artists: tumblers and jugglers, conjurers and puppets theatres that will fascinate not only the children but the adults. And near the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (“Fountain of the Four Rivers”) will be set up a fairy merry-go-round.

Roman Forum

Check out the civic center of Ancient Rome where political, religious, and economic activities took place. Many of its columns remain standing among the ruins even after 2000 years, displaying the intricacies of Roman architecture. Admission is free, opens at 9 am and closes an hour before sunset. If you want, you can spend a little more to get a personalized guided tour complete with audio pedestals where you can learn more.

Spanish Steps

At the foot of the stairs, you will find the famous Barcaccia Fountain. The fountain recalls the historic flood of the River Tiber and refers to a folk legend whereby a fishing boat carried away by the flood of the river was found at this exact spot. In reality, it’s a lie; the sinking boat was ably invented by Bernini to overcome a technical problem due to low water pressure.

There are 138 steps if you count them! In the Renaissance times, the square was popular with tourists to the city: it attracted artists and writers alike and was full of elegant hotels, inns and residences.

Trevi Fountain

According to the mythology, throwing one coin into the Trevi Fountain ensures a return trip back to Rome, two leads to new romance and three coins leads to marriage.

This beautiful work of art is on the end of the street where we were staying so we stopped and admire the crowds all through the day.

Pantheon

The Pantheon is the best-preserved ancient building in Rome. Nowadays the Pantheon is still a consecrated church and used for occasional services, concerts and poetry readings. It’s free to enter, and is usually open during daylight hours.

St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City

One of the most popular spots to visit in Rome is, of course, the Vatican. In addition to its religious importance, the Vatican has a fine collection of sculptures, paintings, books, and many other artefacts that chronicle the Catholic Churches history. You can view St. Peters Basilica, marvel at Michelangelo’s Pieta, its detailed masonry, or the papal catacombs. Move on to the Vatican Museum where even more magnificent antiquities are housed, not the least of that are Egyptian mummies from B.C. era.

Coliseum

The Coliseum is probably, next to the Vatican, the best structure to visit in the city. You can tour the premises on your own or join those conducted every hour by guides dressed as Gladiators. Operating hours vary throughout the year, so you will want to call in advance if at all possible. It is the largest and most famous amphitheatre in the Roman world. Its construction was started by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian dynasty in 72 AD and was finished by his son Titus in 80 AD. The Colosseum was capable of holding some 50,000 spectators who could enter the building through no less than 80 entrances.