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Fragments of Ancient Rome

The Forum Romanum is one of the highlights of Rome. At first glance it seems no more than a pile of stones, arches, pillars and sculptures, but appearances are deceiving: this was the heart of Rome in its glory days.

Arts & Culture

Curia Julia

The Curia Julia, the meeting place of the Roman senate, is the oldest building of the Forum and the only one that is practically still intact. It seems hard to imagine, but in the distant past the building was destroyed several times by fire. The senate was rebuilt time after time including once by Emperor Julius Caesar; hence the name, Curia Julia. In the 7th century the building was transformed into a church which ensured its preservation: church buildings from Ancient Rome were never demolished. It also helped that former dictator Mussolini was a great admirer of the Ancient Roman Empire. Thanks to him, numerous comprehensive restorations were completed.

The Vesta Temple

House of the Vestal Virgins

This house comes with a remarkable story. It was built in honour of Vesta, the Goddess of Fire. The holy flame in Vesta’s temple, which can still be visited in the Forum, was maintained by 3 virgins. They lived in the Aedes Vestalium (the House of the Vestal Virgins) and served the temple for a period of no less than 30 years. They enjoyed great prestige but paid a high price; if they lost their virginity then they would be buried alive. And if the holy flame were to go out, Rome would fall and the virgins would be flogged in public.

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Culinary

Arts & Culture

Villa Borghese, Rome’s largest park, is the perfect place to escape the busy city. Between the footpaths and flowerbeds you’ll find sculptures, fountains and temples. Most people visit the park for its 3 museums: the Galleria Borghese, the Museo Nazionale Etrusco and the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna. No wonder it is also known as museum park!

Arts & Culture

If you have always wanted to know what an actual Roman villa was like 2000 years ago, then head for Le Domus Romane di Palazzo Valentini. This new yet antique attraction was only discovered in 2007 and provides a unique insight into the life of the ancient Romans. Instead of musty ruins, the site offers amazing multimedia projections that bring the villas back to their former glory.

Culinary

The aperitivo used to be a simple drink consumed before dinner, accompanied by some nuts or olives. While this is often still the case, in the trendiest neighbourhoods of Rome the aperitivo is now the pride of many restaurants and bars that serve the best wines with gastronomic snacks. You often end up eating so much that you can just skip dinner!

Culinary

Whatever the season: Italians love their gelato (ice-cream). This cold delicacy is sold on almost every corner. Although there really is no ‘bad’ ice-cream anywhere in Italy, some parlours are just a step above the rest. Surprising fact: the prettiest gelato is not always the best!

Culinary

The picturesque streets in the district of Trastevere are flanked by tables and terraces on both sides. Hidden in a jumble of narrow, paved alleys you’ll find a wealth of romantic restaurants and cosy cafés. A walk through the historic neighbourhood is a truly wonderful cultural and culinary experience.

Arts & Culture

Surrealism and metaphysical painting are probably not the first art movements that you associate with Rome. Even so, one of the great masters of these styles lived for a long time in the Italian capital. Giorgio de Chirico spent the last 30 years of his life on the Piazza di Spagna and his former apartment is now a museum.

Arts & Culture

When you think of romantic Rome, mysterious corridors and old crypts may not be the first thing that come to mind. Just outside the city are the Catacombs of Rome, a network of underground cemeteries dug in the second century AD. The most impressive are the Catacombs of St Callixtus, where 16 popes and some 30 martyrs are buried.

Arts & Culture

In 1730, Pope Clemens XII commissioned a competition to design a fountain; there were no rules or necessary requirements. The winner was Nicola Salvi with his enormous but beautiful design of a fountain with the sea god Neptune. Construction began in 1732 but sadly Salvi never saw the completion of his creation; the world-famous Trevi Fountain was only concluded in 1762, 11 years after his death.

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The Coliseum is Rome’s most famous and perhaps most impressive structure. This enormous Roman amphitheatre, commissioned by Emperor Vespanian, was built from concrete, peat and brick and accommodated more than 50,000 spectators. An army of slaves from the Jewish-Roman War took a total of 8 years, from 72 to 80 A.D. to build the 50-metre-high ‘il Colosseo’.

Arts & Culture

The mighty Pantheon – built in 27 B.C. – is the best preserved structure from the Roman era. In later centuries, the temple was used as a cemetery. 19th-century Italian kings Victor Emmanuel II and Umberto I were buried here, as well as painter Raphael. Later the Pantheon was transformed into a church.

Arts & Culture

A trip to Rome is not complete without a visit to the Vatican City. Measuring just under 44 hectares, the Vatican is the smallest country in the world. The religious centre of the Roman-Catholic Church is a separate state that doesn’t require a passport to enter. The residence of the Pope draws millions of pilgrims and visitors a year and only counts 800 official residents.