Five Things to See on a Rome City Break
Copyright (c) 2011 Ross L Marchant
No matter how many times you see it on television, nothing prepares you for a personal encounter with the real thing. Five thousand years of matchless history is dotted all around the smart shops, fountains and pavement cafes of this colossal brew of ancient and modern architecture. If you want to make the best of your fleeting visit to the 'Eternal City', then check out these must-see sights.
St. Paul's cathedral really is a thing of wonder, and you don't have to be religious to be moved by that soaring marble cupola, or the sheer magnificence of the approach along Bernini's amazing, colonnaded walkway, with a glut of statuary all around you. Inside, the conspicuous displays of gold, gilt and polished marble combine with rare works of art to create one of the most incredible sights anywhere in the modern world.
The Colosseum is best at dusk, as its ruined triple tiered bulk stands out against a mellow Roman twilight. Inside, the more fanciful might still hear the long silent screams and shouts of the gladiators that fought to the death here, or the cries of those sacrificed to lions, tigers and leopards while crowds of up to fifty thousand roared their approval. It is both awe inspiring and humbling at the same time. Piazza Navona has amazing, fourteenth century fountains and statues designed by Bernini again, set in a square where pavement cafes flood out across a sunlit square.
After an espresso, check out the nearby Pantheon dating back to 27BC, with its cool, ordered beauty making it perhaps the best preserved building in the entire city. ROME/3 The Vatican is something you should try and take in, with its amazing frescoed ceiling by Michelangelo that looms above the hushed majesty of the Sistine Chapel.
The Pope's balcony is definitely worth a photo and, again, this is one of those famous Roman vistas that are best checked out as dusk begins to fall. The remains of the Forum are bewitching; you can still make out the old race track of the Circus Maximus, where chariot races were held, as well as the area where Caesar was assassinated by Brutus and his fellow conspirators. Grass grows now around the remains of stunted Roman marble columns that still have an eerie glow when the sun hits their bases. History hangs over the entire wondrous, ruined complex like some kind of invisible shroud.
About the Author
directline citybreaks combines eurostar & cheap flights with hand-picked hotels in more than 50 cities including short breaks in Rome, Italy. For more city break guides and to book your holiday visit us at http://directline-citybreaks.co.uk
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